The Penn's Grove record., 1917-06-22
2OOIh CHURCH Anniversary
A Pilgrimage To St. Georges,
The Oldest Church in
Penns Necks

Cove IaneC penns Grove, y. j., next
Tuesday. June 18th. 1917. will be an
occasion also for a pilgrimage and ser
vice by Bishop Paul Matthews to st.
Gesrges Chu1 Ii at Cllurchtown. near
Church Landing. FIVE miles below Penns
Grove. and two miles above Pennsvilie
1t has been about 200 years since the
Church was located there by the first
settiers in New Jersey along the Della
ware river. The Oldest cemetery is To-
Gated there and in it lie the earthly re-
mains of the ancestors of many citizens
who now belong to other denominations.
The occasion and the services will be a
memorable event and many citizens will
make a pilgrimage to the graves of
their ancestors.
FIRST SETTLERS.
The first settlers along the Delaware
river were the Swedes. then the Dutch
and finally the English rule came in
1864. Among them were many French
H%uguenots who reached this country af-
ter incredible prosecutions. In 1888
Peter Minuet assumed charge of the col
any, which had grown large enough for
a vice-directOr. The largest settlement
:, was at Wilmington. but at Church Land
ling. a placid sandy shore below Deep
Water Point was 4 most favorable place
far the landing of boats where there was
high tillable land to the river brink.
Jdnua v 8 1114. John Jaquett gave
four acres Of hand to Ye Swedish CON
creation to build a church upon. Alb
vaham Lindenius. Henrie leans arc
Nicholas Moore were witnesses to the
deed. The church was built of logs
22x32 feet. Two sticks were given by
sthe following named men: Martin jan
son. Olaf Nilsson. Jean Won Neeman.
David Savoy. Zacharias Berthilson,
Henri Peterson. Jacob Savoy. Cornell
ms Corneliusson David Bilderback.
Peter Bilderback. John Bilderback. Phil
ip Transon. Iucas Peterson, John Berth
ilson. Quarrel Won Neeman, John
Minck. Henrie Bilderback. John Savoy.
Abraham Savoy. Jacob Vanderbilt.
March 30, 1717. the seats were given
out on the plan that those who labored
most and had given the most to the
Church had the foremost seats. March
31st Provost Andres Sandel consecrated
the Church and called it st. Georges.
The Church service was of the Lutheran
faith and was in the Swedish language
until 1886.
FIRST CHURCH CORPORATION.
In 1886. the Legislature enacted a law
for the Incorporate D. of the religious
societies. The heads of families who
met to elect trustees were as follows:
Charles Holton
John Biddle
George Peterson, Sr.
Aaron Biddle
Mary Peterson
Moses Wright
Abel Biddle
Benpamin Grips
Catherine Helms
John Biddle, Jr.
Thomas Peterson
Biddle Peterson
Va Neomi Spmmerl
Peter Hoover
William Biddle, Jr.
John Holstin
~Onesiphorns STANDBY
Henry Peterson
George Biddle
John Coarse
John Cole
John Biddle
John Quinland
Abel Dolbow
Philip Curden
William Peterson
Rraithwait Tuft
Samuel Katts
John Beatty
Hance Jaquett
Paul Jaquett
Joseph Miller
Peter Jaquett
John Jacquett
Peter Hickman
:. Peter Enloes
William Lambson
Alex Gilmore
Nathae STANDBY
Nicholas Vanhorne
Andrew ~Sinnickson
John Sinnickson
Braithwait Tuft, Jun'r.
Members of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in lower Pensneck, in the Coun-
~ of Salem, and State of New Jersey,
agreeably to our act of the Legislature
of this State, passed March Sixteenth.
A. ID. one thousand seven hundred and
eighty-six, Untitled, "An act to incorpor-
ate certain persons as Trustees in every
religious society or congregation in this
state, for transacting the temporal con-
Germs thereof" do hereby constitute and
appoint Charles Holton, Braithwaite
t"r oohh odpuctl, JOHN SlnDlCKSOQ,
William Biddle, Andrew Sinnickson and
John Holston, and their successors
henceforward, forever, under the title
Of THE Trustees of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in Pensneck, Salem"
to manage the temporal concerns of said
church.
The trustees for the time being to
meet every year at this church on the
Tuesday after Easter to settle their ae-
counts and if need be. to assist and ad-
wise the people in choosing other Trus-
tees in the room of those removed. No
act of theirs is to be valid unless it be
the act Of a majority of said Trustees,
and each member or Trustee, if in this
State, to be duly informed of it. The
Trustees to choose their own officers