History of First Congregational Church, Montclair NJ

Undated photograph. [ photo0017]

[ photo0016] Photo packet. DeBoer, John Charles (The Rev.) 1972. Executive Director Joint Strategy and Action Center (JSAC) 1976-1988.

Packet of photographs. [ photo0015]

[ photo0014] Inexpensive solar heat for Navaho hogan designed by John DeBoer.

John DeBoer and architect retrofit a Navaho hogan for solar heat. [ photo0013]

Photograph from the early 1970s. Special contribution. [ photo0012]

Undated photograph. [photo0011]

Accompanied a Service of Worship, World Day of Prayer, sponsored by Church Women United. Numerous churches from Bloomfield, Caldwell, Montclair and Verona participated. An OCR text version: AFFIRMATION  OF THE' FUTURE In  a  few  moments  we  will  all  experience  Handel's  immortal Hallelujah  Chorus.     Handel  wrote  the  music.     But  tonight  I  want you  to  remember  that  he  did  not  write  the  words. The  word  were  written  some  1700  years  before  Handel  wrote  the music,  but  Handel  CHOSE  the  words  of  the  Revelation  to  John,  the last  book  of  the  Bible,  because  those  words  expressed  an unshakable  faith  in  the  future ...

The Rev. John Charles DeBoer, Chair of Local Mission Dept. under Mr. Morse. John DeBoer was the author of the new Church Structure in the 70's. He and his wife Clara were the authors of the UCC Historical Council.

There is no date on this chart. Considering the time period of the other documents in the file, I would place this as early 1980's. [chart0001-01]

This may have been presented as a sermon. The flag was placed in the chancel of the church. [ sermon001-01]

The War Service Roll of First Congregational Church, Montclair, New Jersey. Includes the Roll of Honor, those who were killed in action, First World War. [ handout001-01]

To the glory of God and in loving memory of S. Augustus Swenarton, Deacon, a memorial perpetuated in Baptismal Font presented by his wife. [ book001-07]

The Rand Memorial Bench has been presented by Annie Valentine Rand directed to honor Jasper Raymond Rand. [ book001-06]

To the glory of God a special gift of Stained Glass has been presented by Amory Howe Bradford directed to the Great East Window, 1899. [ book001-05]

Gerstner Field, Lake Charles, Louisiana Died Feb. 24, 1918 at Lake Charles of pneumonia. [ box0001-0001(7)]

Aviation Training Camp R.F.C., London, England, Cox Bankers Air Board Strand, W.C. London Died of multiple injuries in airplane accident, March 14, 1918 in France. [ box0001-0001(6)] BRIGGS KILBURN ADAMS Montclair NJ 26646 Son of Washington Irving Lincoln and Grace Wilson Adams grandson of Washington Irving and Marion Lydia Briggs Adams great grandson of George and Charlotte f Sweet Briggs great2 grandson of Samuel and Lydia Kenyon Sweet greatB grandson of James Sweet and Hannah Wright private Capt Peter Wright's Company Rhode Island Militia and Colonel Harper's New York Regt pensioned great grandson of Peter Wright Captain Rhode Island and Vermont Militia [ Google Book ]

[photo0009] - Top row left to right: Mr. Wong, Evangelist; Dr. Ling house doctor and two nurses; Middle row: Mrs. Wong assistant in women's department; Dr. Wolfe; Dr. Cooper; Mr. Christian superintendent of hospital and Mrs. Christian who assists in dispensing; lower row, four nurses.

Dr. Cooper & five nurses at the hospital in Foochow just before leaving for "somewhere in France" 1917 [photo0008]

Photographs of Dr. and Mrs. Cooper. [ photo0007]

I found three photographs tightly wound in what appears to be a piece of bamboo. The photographs are in fragile condition and one I could not use for fear of damaging it. Here are the other two. Dr. Cooper and Sung Ceuk(?) with lady patient [ photo0006(1)] Hospital Ward A [ photo0006(2)]

A special gift to The Rand Helping Hand Fund has been presented Florence Rand Lang, directed to church members in need, 1910. [book001-04] Thank you to: Legendary Locals of Montclair Elizabeth Shepard, Mike Farrelly Arcadia Publishing, Jul 1, 2013 - History - 128 pages

A special gift of land has been presented by James C. Beach of Bloomfield, directed to Pilgrim Chapel, April 1892. [book001-03(2) The New York Times, Published: March 22, 1906

Edward Sweet 1815-1888, founder and trustee. A memorial perpetuated in Stained-Glass Window, presented by Carolin(e) Sweet, 1890. [book001-02] Mr. Sweet's obituary was published by the New-York Daily Tribune, Sunday July 26, 1903, pg. 9. The memorial window was located in the south transpet of the original First Congregational Church. 

Samuel Wilde, Jr. Founder, Trustee. A memorial perpetuated in Wilde Memorial Chapel, presented by Mary E. Wilde, 1890. [book001-01] Wilde Memorial Chapel, designed by Portland architect Frederick Tompson, was built in 1902. The family of Samuel Wilde, whose wife Mary Ellen Lunt Wilde was a Portland area native, bestowed the cemetery with this granite Gothic chapel. The chapel has interior woodwork of cypress and stained glass windows by the firm of Moakley and Bell of Boston. Some restoration work has been done over the years providing continued use of the chapel for funerals and weddings. [ http://publicworks.portlandmaine.gov/wildememorialchapel.asp ] Samuel Wilde, Jr. Legendary Locals of Montclair by Elizabeth Shepard, Mike Farrelly Arcadia Publishing, Jul 1, 2013 - History - 128 pages

Second Lieut. Ruffridge and companion in fatal fall. Lieutenant Ruffridge was a son of G. P. Ruffridge of Montclair. [ box0001-0001(5)]

Dr. Leon Alanson Carley . YMCA Service (American). Died in service. [ box0001-0001(4)] Read more of the family history here.

A photograph of one of my predecessors. Mr. Churchill was appointed by Archibald Black. There are some interesting items about the Churchill family in a book available online, MONTCLAIR, The Evolution of a Suburban Town by Edwin B. Goodell published in 1934. [ http://ia600302.us.archive.org/5/items/montclairevoluti00goodrich/montclairevoluti00goodrich.pdf ] [ photo0005]

Over the next few months I will be sharing more information about the beautiful, spiritually inspiring stained glass windows of the First Congregational Church of Montclair. In the meantime, a short video: Dreaming in Technicolor: The Stained-Glass Windows of Harry Wright Goodhue™ [http://wrightgoodhue.blogspot.com/]

On October 8, 1918 Charles Whiting Baker Jr., died of Pneumonia at Walter Reed Hospital, Washington D.C. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Whiting Baker. He was stationed at the Aviation Construction Camp, Morrison, Virginia. [box0001-0001(3)] Some biographical information and photos are available for Charles Whiting Baker at Find a Grave . Additional information about Charles Whiting Baker Jr., available at Find a Grave .

SELLERS Robert Henry 395 Broadway New York NY res. 77 Grove St Montclair NJ President b. Brooklyn NY Oct 19 1857 s. William Harvey and Harriet (Cone) Sellers; father was First Lieutenant in Mexican War and assistant Adjutant General Texas Brigade under General JB Hood of Confederate Army; organised Cotton Exchange of Galveston Texas and was pres. from time of organization until his death; maternal grandfather Dr. H.H. Cone was head of Medical & Surgical Department of the Army of Republic of Texas; ed. Washington & Lee Univ. Lexington Va. m. New York N.Y. 1890, Edith Gilson. Was dir. Bank of Lexington and dir. and pres. Rockbridge County Fair Assn. Lexington Va 1881; dir. Farmers & Mechanics National Bank Ft. Worth Texas; Ft. Worth Packing House; pres. and dir. Ft. Worth Stock Yards and First National Bank of Cameron; made some of largest land sales ever completed in Texas; was also active in Mexican land matters with H. Lee Sellers and Messrs. H.R. and Thomas Conyngton dev...

Lieutenant Barrington West Sellers, son of Mr. H. Lee Sellers, was killed while serving as a confidential aide to the general commanding his brigade. He had been sent on a special mission. While dying he dictated a message to his general notifying him of the accomplishment of his mission without mentioning his own condition -- A graduate of the Montclair High School 1913 and of Princeton University 1917, brilliant in intellect, speaking several languages, winsome in personality, fine in manly promise, his heroic death enrolls his name indelibly in letters of light upon the annals of the church. [ box0001-0001(2)]

A photograph from 1973, Advent. [ photo0004]

[ photo0003] - Christmas 1968 or 1969. Howard Van Vleck reading in the Guild Room.

Teacher in Sunday School. [photo0002]

[clippings0006] The pageant was expressly designed for the sanctuary of of First Congregational Church by Alice Holdship Ware . The pageant was first presented at the church on December 19, 1920. The 1944 pageant was directed by Mrs. Mel Pahl, Mr. Howard Van Vleck, Mr. John Cooper and Mrs. Charles Hemmersley.

Chard, George Cable son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Alfred Chard of Montclair, N.J. was killed on the Flanders front on August 15. He was 22 years old and fell in the first battle in which the old 7th Regiment (now the 107th) took part. box0001-0001

All of these Photos 0001~001, cabinet #4, Drawer #2 Photo #3 Chris Upton Photos 0001~002 Photos 0001~003 Bob Black, Dick Allen, Dallas Townsend Photos 0001~004 Barbara Cooper Photos 0001~005 Ron Thomas Photos 0001~006