Slide 1:‘Protestant’ Church Records

Slide 2:Introduction

Over 230 separate church bodies in the U.S.A. 42 are Catholic or Orthodox About 180 ‘protestant’ churches Increases yearly as the mega-churches create denominations of their own Confederational

Slide 3:TheElephantin theRoom

Slide 4:Fell from Error into Truth or Fell from Truth into Error I am a ___________________; But my (son) has become a ______________________!

Slide 5:Protestantism in the USA

Anglican Reformed / Calvinist Lutheran Radical

Slide 6:Anglican

Anglican Church of England Episcopal (Reformed Episcopal) (Methodist) (These last two, although with roots within Anglicanism, are not considered apart of the Anglcian Communion today)

Slide 7:Reformed / Calvinist

Puritan / Pilgrim churches Congregational / United Church of Christ Huguenots Presbyterian Dutch Reformed Church / Reformed Church

Slide 8:Radical

Society of Friends / Quakers Moravians Mennonites / Amish Baptists

Slide 9:Nineteenth Century

Latter Day Saints Restoration Churches / Disciples of Christ / Churches of Christ Christian Science Jehovah’s Witness Etc., etc., etc.

Slide 10:TerminologyGreek/Universal

catholic Catholic Roman Catholic

Slide 11:Terminology

protestant Protestant Protestant Reformation

Slide 12:Church

THE CHURCH – All Christians The Denominational Church The local body The building itself Church (civil connotations) Meeting House Sanctuary

Slide 13:Dependent / Organized Churches

Anglican/Church of England/Episcopal Methodists Presbyterian Dutch Reformed Lutherans Quakers/Society of Friends

Slide 14:Independent /Disorganized Churches

Congregational Baptist

Slide 15:What records may be found Where those records may be found

Slide 16:Basic Research

Houston Public Library Catalogue LDS Library Catalogue World Cat

Slide 17:Church Archive Inventories

Historical Records Survey Division Of Community Service Programs Works Projects Administration

Slide 18:Assumptions

The McKesson Family was Presbyterian The McKesson family was Episcopalian The McKesson Family was Dutch Reformed

Slide 19:Assumptions – Chapter 1

William S. and Ida L. Perry Married from this book Nov 17th 1881 Roderick Terry

Slide 20:Assumptions – Chapter 1

Alexander Perry Baptized Nov 1st 1882 By Bishop Howe Nina McK. Perry Baptized By Rev C. C. Tiffany Ida L. Perry Baptized Feb 7, 1891 By Bishop Potter

Slide 21:Assumptions – Chapter 1

Roderick Terry was a minister of an Episcopal Church.

Slide 22:Assumptions – Chapter 1

New York Times, 19 November 1881, page 5, New York Times Historical Newspapers database (Houston Public Library) 1 February 2009

Slide 23:Assumptions – Chapter 1

Slide 24:Assumptions – Chapter 2

Bible Record: John McKesson Born Sep 12, 1772 Died May 5, 1829 (Aged 57)

Slide 25:Assumptions – Chapter 2

John McKesson, buried St John’s [Chapel Churchyard] 6 May 1829 aged 39 [sic] 1 February 2009 (www.trinitywallstreet.org)

Slide 26:Assumptions – Chapter 3

McKesson burials, Lower Marsh Creek Presbyterian Church, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania 1 February 2009 (www.lmcpc.org)     Back to Top

Slide 27:Anglican Communion

Church of England The Scottish Episcopal Church The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America The Episcopal Church (in the U.S.) (Reformed Episcopal Church –not in Communion)

Slide 28:Anglican Organization

National Churches – General Convention Provinces Dioceses – Council / Convention Parishes – the local Church

Slide 29:Ordained Ministry

Bishops Priests Deacons

Slide 30:Local Parish

Parish or Mission Rector / Vicar Priest Deacon Layperson Annual Parish Meeting Vestry – ‘board of trustees’ Wardens Clerk

Slide 31:The Church of England in Colonial America

Province of Canterbury Diocese of London Society for the Propagation of the Gospel State church in most Colonies Not New England Not Pennsylvania

Slide 32:The Church of England in Virginia

Parish = County Vestry / Lay leadership Chapels of Ease Rector responsible for civil records Membership required for civil office

Slide 33:Episcopal Church

1784 – 1st bishop – Samuel Seabury of Connecticut 1789 – Organized as national church Struggle during first 30 years

Slide 34:Episcopal Records

Baptism/Marriages/Burials Communicants Vestry Minutes

Slide 35:Episcopal Resources

Local Church The Diocese Episcopal Church Archives, Austin, Texas Lambeth Palace Library, London, England Society for the Propagation of the Gospel [SPG], (1635 – 1812) - Bodleian Library of Commonwealth and African Studies at Rhodes House, Oxford, England

Slide 36:SPG Index

(Thomas) Noxon (appointed School master at Trinity-Church, New York, 24 Feb. 1732) sends list of the children at the charity school. Charles Young; clause from will leaving £25 to SPG; His nephew, G. Jackson, explains that the estate if sold would not now realize much above half its worth.

Slide 37:SPG Index

Rev. Abraham Immer. Petition from a Swiss minister (ordained in England) who is preparing to go to a French and German congregation at "Purisburgensis“ (i.e. Purrysbury) S.C. for financial assistance. In Latin. Rev. Wm. Duncanson: 8 lively pages of the plot against him, etc. Do. As above. Runs down Mr. Zouberbuhler and Mr.Ottolenghi

Slide 38:Trinity Church Wall Street Marriage Register for 1868/1869

Slide 39:Parish register from a church on the Island of Jersey (in French)

Slide 40:Arnolds VR Rhode Island: St Michaels Church, Bristol baptisms

Slide 41:Arnolds VR Rhode Island: St Michaels Church, Bristol marriages

Slide 42:Arnolds VR Rhode Island: St Michaels Church, Bristol communicants

Slide 43:The Society of Friends(Quakers)

Slide 44:The Society of Friends

Friends General Meeting Friends United Meeting Evangelical Friends International

Slide 45:The Society of Friends

The Yearly Meeting Rhode Island Pennsylvania Records Records of members are kept throughout their lives, including their movement and their misdeeds.

Slide 46:The Society of Friends

Weekly Meeting for Worship Non-programmed Programmed Monthly/Quarterly/Yearly Meetings No ‘clergy’, recorded ministers All on same footing Church officers, elders, ministers

Slide 47:Quaker Concepts/Records

Births by family; Birthright Death/Burial Practices Disownment (Denial) First Day: Sunday Calendar: Before 1752; 1st month = March After 1752; 1st month = January Marriages recording at the wife’s meeting Monthly Meeting minutes Removals: transfers to another meeting

Slide 48:Quaker Records

Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania Magill Library, The Quaker Collection, Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania Rhode Island Historical Society Library, Providence, Rhode Island

Slide 49:Arnolds VR Rhode Island: Friends Kingstowne, births

Slide 50:Arnolds VR Rhode Island: Friends Newport, deaths

Slide 51:The Lutherans

Slide 52:Lutherans in America

‘Dutch’ – New Amsterdam (1623) Swedish – Delaware River German – Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York…. Norwegian – Upper Midwest Danish Etc, etc, etc

Slide 53:Lutheran Polity

Church/Conference/General Synod Regional Synods Pastor Local Church Council Deacons/Elders

Slide 54:Lutheran Archives

ELCA Archives, Elk Grove Village, Illinois American Lutheran Church Swedish-American Link to 34 other archives, including other denominations Concordia Historical Institute, (Missouri Synod), St Louis, Missouri Thrivent for Luthernans/Lutherans Online

Slide 55:Lutheran Records

Maintained by each congregation Baptisms/Confirmations/Communicants/Membership/Marriages/Deaths/ Exclusions/Dismissals Council minutes

Slide 56:Reformed Churches

Slide 57:Reformed Church in America

Dutch Reformed Church German Reformed Church – UCC Presbyterian

Slide 58:Dutch Reformed Church

General Synod Classis of ‘Amsterdam’ Local Church Domine/Pastor Consistory Elders Deacons

Slide 59:Reformed Church Records

Baptisms/Marriages/Deaths Membership Consistory Minutes Elder Minutes Deacons Minutes Financial Records Scrapbooks

Slide 60:Reformed Church Records – consistory minutes, Flatbush Church p 126

Slide 61:Reformed Church Records membership, Flatbush Church p 333

Slide 62:Reformed Church Records, Baptisms, Flatbush Church, p 408

Slide 63:Reformed Church Records, marriages, Flatbush Church, p 218

Slide 64:The Congregationalists (United Church of Christ)

Slide 65:American Congregationalism

Puritans and Pilgrims New England Theocratic government The Meeting House Church records vs. town records Unitarianism The United Church of Christ

Slide 66:United Church of Christ

Local Congregational organization Connectional Presbyterian Organization Regional Associations Conferences General Synod

Slide 67:UCC Records

Archives – nothing before 1957 Local Church Autonomy Merging Churches Dead Churches Local historical societies State historical societies

Slide 68:UCC Records

Local Church Autonomy Baptisms/Marriages/Deaths New England town records

Slide 69:Arnold Rhode Island VR: Catholic Congregational Church, Bristol, Elder Wight covenant

Slide 70:Arnold Rhode Island VR: Catholic Congregational Church Bristol Elder Wight baptisms

Slide 71:Arnold Rhode Island VR: Catholic Congregational Church Bristol Elder Wight marriages

Slide 72:Arnold Rhode Island VR: Catholic Congregational Church Bristol Elder Wight deaths

Slide 73:The Presbyterians

Slide 74:Presbyterians

Primarily Scottish immigrants Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Presbyterian Church in America Evangelical Presbyterian Church Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Disciples of Christ) (Churches of Christ) (These last two have roots within Presbyterianism but have long dropped their connection)

Slide 75:Presbyterian Polity

National - General Assembly Synods Presbyteries Local Church Pastor/minister/teaching elder The Session – Ruling Elders Presbyters – Elders and ministers together (Deacons – do the work of the church)

Slide 76:Presbyterian Records

Session minutes Baptisms/Marriages/Deaths Membership/communicant The Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Austin (Texas) Presbyterian Theological Seminary – Stitt Library

Slide 77:Barony Old Parish Registerof Births and BaptismsNovember 1802, Page 269Barony Parish, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Slide 78:Barony Old Parish Registerof Births and BaptismsMarch 1854, Page 250Barony Parish, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Slide 79:Barony Old Parish Register of Births and BaptismsMarch 1854, Page 250Barony Parish, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Slide 80:Barony Parish RegisterofProclamationsandMarriages November 1852, page 60Barony Church Parish, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Slide 81:Marriage Register, November 1852Barony Church Parish, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

Slide 82:The Baptists

Slide 83:Baptist Polity

National Associations State Associations Regional Associations Local Church/Congregation

Slide 84:The Local Church

People – the priesthood of the believer Pastor Deacons Committee o.s.- servant body / spiritual n.s. - “board of trustees”

Slide 85:Baptist Records

Minutes of the Business Meetings held monthly, quarterly or yearly Minutes of the Deacons Committee Meetings Association Minutes

Slide 86:Baptist Records

Letter / Statement of Membership Membership rolls Profession of Faith Baptisms Marriages Burials/Deaths

Slide 87:Texas Baptist Records

Baptist General Convention of Texas, Dallas, Texas – www.bcgt.org Baptists – History, Distinctives, Relationships; E. Eugene Greer, Jr., editor, BCGT, Dallas, 1996, revised 2007 Texas Baptist Historical Collection – Church minutes and Records

Slide 88:Misc. Baptist Records

State Association Newspapers Universities and Colleges Seminaries and Bible Schools Local libraries

Slide 89:Arnold Rhode Island VR: Baptist Church Bristol

Slide 90:The (United) Methodists

Slide 91:Methodist Polity

Pietistic movement within Anglicanism Episcopal Oversight (Bishops)

Slide 92:Methodist Polity

General Conference Council of Bishops Judicial Council or “Court”

Slide 93:Methodist Polity

General Conference Jurisdictions (Five in U.S.) Annual Regional Conferences (63) - Bishops Districts – District Superintendent Local Church or Charge

Slide 94:Methodist Local Church

Local Charge/Church Ordained Elder/Pastor (appointed) Ordained Deacons Administrative Board (self-perpetuating)

Slide 95:Methodist Records

Local Church or Charge Births/Baptisms/Marriages/Death Membership/Profession of Faith Transfers In/Out Minutes of Administrative Board Annual Conference General Commission on Archives and History, Madison, New Jersey

Slide 96:1st UMC, Houston, Texas Members Received January 1920

Slide 97:1st UMC, Houston, Texasp. 1 – New Members 2006

Slide 98:1st UMC, Houston, Texasp. 173 -Infant Baptisms January 1924

Slide 99:1st United Methodist Church, Houston, Texasp. 201 -Marriages 1920

Slide 100:1st United Methodist Church, Houston, Texasp. 203 –Members Dismissed 1919/1920

Slide 101:1st United Methodist Church, Houston, Texasp. 101 – Deaths and removals (p. 149) 2006

Slide 102:1st United Methodist Church, Houston, Texasp. 149 – Removals/Transfers 2006

Slide 103:Thank God- - - - -Its Over