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[quote="Guest"][b]Cranbury First Presbyterian Church, New Jersey -- Est. 1734[/b]

This is one of those churches in our country whose beginning runs back into the dim and shadowy past. "Whaterver else our fathers did or did not do," says Dr. Joseph G. Symmes, in this "Historical Sketch of Monmout Presbytery and its churches," "they failed to keep accurate records." Joseph Morgan, the pastor for twenty years of Freehold (Tennent), writes to Cotton Mather, in 1733, that "formerly there had been no Presbyterian congregations within twenty miles of Freehold on the north. Our ministrations were as little desired as enjoyed; but now congregations are formed, Allentown and Cranbury, where formerly the people thought us as bad, almost, as the Papists."

The first settlers of Cranbury came principally from England, joined very early by others from Scotland and Holland, and also by some of that precious cargo of Presbyterian slaves from Scotland. Settlements began as early as 1680. In 1736 a mill was built on Cranbury brook, which was the nucleus of the village. But some time previous to this, when cannot be ascertained, a house of worship had been erected higher up the stream, four miles east of the site of the village. In this, probably, the Episcopalians took the lead. But, however this may be, fraternity or necessity induced them to unite, in the building and the occupancy, with the Presbyterians. This house has long since disappeared, its only memento a neglected cemetery [1884]. In 1740, by advice of Presbytery, an amicable separation was arranged, and the Presbyterians built a new house near where the building of the First church now stands. There seems to have been a fully organized church as early as 1734, for in that year a call was extended to Samuel Blair. The next appearance of the people of Cranbury was as suppliants for supplies, at the first meeting of the Presbytery of New Brunswick, in 1738, when Gilbert Tennent was sent to them. And they constantly appear in the same character until 1744, when the Rev. Charles McKnight was settled over the united congregations of Cranbury and Allentown, Mr. McKnight residing at Cranbury, probably in the house still standing there. But he could not reside here in peace. There was a contest for his residence between the two places, which was only ended, in 1756, by Mr. McKnight taking sole charge of Allentown.

Cranbury depended upon supplies until 1762, when Rev. Thomas Smith became the pastor. Since that time, for one hundred and twenty-one years, the pastoral office has been vacant but two and one-half years, all the vacancies put together. Another remarkable fact--who will say it is not directly related to the other?--is, that the growth of this church has been constant and steady, new accessions being made from year to year. In addition to this steady growth, there have been several periods of large ingathering, notably in the years 1828, 1858, 1870 and 1875.

In 1758 the property where Mr. McKnight had resided was purchased for a parsonage, together with one hundred and fifty acres of land. The parsonage and half the land is still owned by the congregation [1884]. A new house of worship was built in 1789, which much enlarged, is the one now occupied. Revs. Gilbert T. Snowden, George S. Woodhull and Symmes C. Henry, D.D., were the successive pastors--Mr. Snowden from November 24th, 1790, to February 20th, 1797; Mr. Woodhull from June 6th, 1798 to May 4th, 1820; and Dr. Henry from August 8th, 1820, to March 22d, 1857. The history has been marked by long or peaceful pastorates. Counting the present, there have been but six pastors in one hundred and thirty-six years, and three of them are buried among their people. The present pastor, the Rev. Joseph G. Symmes, D.D., was installed in May, 1857.

The old Cranbury Church has been a prolific mother of churches, no less than eight having been formed, in whole or in part out of her membership. Her roll now embraces 300 names [1884].[/quote]

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