Marriage register, 1761-1894 [partial scan through 1870]
First Baptist Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Church records and registers
Marriage records
Baptists
Church finance
Register of marriages occurring at First Baptist Church between 1761 and 1894. Because of the limitation of the funding source for digitization, this volume was scanned only through the page for marriages occurring in 1870. It appears the manuscript was used as a financial journal prior to use as a marriage register; financial entries date from 1744 to 1760, but are crossed out, and pages are reused to record marriages. There is an alphabetical index of names at the beginning of the book. The date ranges are out of order, marriages from 1761 beginning on p. 15, continuing to p. 270, whereupon the reader is directed back to p. 2 for the continuation of marriage records from Rev. William Rogers. Meanwhile, records of Rev. Henry Holcombe from 1813 start on p. 270 and continue through 1824 on p. 313. Records from succeeding pastors continue to the end of the book, with some gaps in years.
Baptismal records
Baptism and church membership
Church membership
Burial records
For members of First Baptist Church from 1772 to 1844, this bound manuscript lists their date and manner of admission to the church (whether by baptism or transfer,) date of marriage, and notes on date and manner of removal from membership, including dates of death.
Poverty
Poor
Charity
Church fund raising
This book records the amounts donated by members to First Baptist Church to help the poor, and the amounts given to the poor from First Baptist Church, from 1774 to 1775. Each entry includes the date, donor or donee's name, and amount donated.
This book records the amounts donated by members to First Baptist Church to help the poor, and the amounts given to the poor from First Baptist Church, from 1767 to 1769. Each entry includes the date, donor or donee's name, and amount donated.
Baptism certificate of Sarah Sallows, 1762
Baptism certificate listing a series of questions about the baptismal candidate's beliefs and commitments, to which she has answered yes. On this profession, Sarah Sallows was baptized by Morgan Edwards in the Schuylkill River on June 22, 1762. Sarah's last name is difficult to discern in this document; she is listed as added to the membership in 1762, with much clearer handwriting, in the Register, 1746-1824.
Record of prayers, circumcisions, marriages and deaths, kept by Reverend Jacob Raphael Cohen and continued by others after his death, 1776-1843
Congregation Mikveh Israel (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Registers of births, etc.
Circumcision
Synagogue records and registers
Jews
Synagogues
Jacob Raphael Cohen was the second minister of Congregation Mikveh Israel, serving from 1784 until his death in 1811. Prior to coming to Philadelphia, he served as hazzan of Congregation Shearith Israel in Montreal and Congregation Shearith Israel in New York. Cohen began this record book in 1776, writing from the front as well as from the back, and his entries record events in Montreal and New York, as well as a few other locations, in addition to Philadelphia. He wrote in English and Hebrew. After Cohen's death, the record book was continued by several others, including Benjamin Nones, Dr. Alexander Wertheim, Lewis Allen, Zalegman Phillips, and Abraham Hart. Alan Corre, who served as rabbi for Congregation Mikveh Israel from 1955 to 1963 and who was an esteemed scholar of Hebrew Studies, and Malcom Stern, a rabbi and historian who has been described as the dean of American Jewish genealogy, published an article about this record book in The American Jewish Quarterly in 1969 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/23878015). In this article, Corre and Stern provided Hebrew translations for the prayers recorded by Cohen, and with the generous permission of the American Jewish Historical Society, those translations are now included in the transcription for this record. Corre and Stern also organized the data on circumcisions, marriages and deaths into tables, and provided detailed historical context for the records. A prayer for the Eve of Kippur from Cohen's time in Montreal is found on page 1, and repeated with additions on page 93. The misheberach (public blessing) prayer is found on page 4, and escabot/hascabot (memorial) prayers are found on pages 6 to 8, 10, 19a and 19b of the manuscript. A copy of the Order of Service for the Day of Dedication (for Mikveh Israel's new synagogue) is found on pages 20 to 22. Circumcision records are found on pages 14 to 17 and 23 to 25, and include date of birth, name of father, son's name, and date circumcised. Marriage records, called ketubot or ketubah, start on page 92 and run backwards to page 44. The ketubot are written almost entirely in an Aramaic-Hebrew idiom; however they are fairly standardized, and Cohen provides English translations of two Canadian marriage contracts on pages 88 and 92. Please see also https://www.sefaria.org/Ketubah_Text.4 for the traditional ketubah text, which may have been altered slightly in practice. A haliza document, releasing a widow from marriage to her husband's brother, is found on page 72. Records of deaths in Montreal are found on pages 2, 3 and 5; records of deaths and burials in Philadelphia at Mikveh Israel are found on pages 18 to 19 and 27 to 41. The latter records often include information on family relations and location of burial plots.
Synagogue fund raising
Synagogues--Finance
Record of offerings to Congregation Mikveh Israel from 1857 to 1866. Entries are organized by name and include dates and amounts donated or loaned. There is an alphabetical index of names at the beginning of the book.
Pews and pew rights
Record of seat rentals at Mikveh Israel from 1857 to 1866. Entries are listed by name and include dates and amounts paid. There is an alphabetical index of names at the front of the volume.
Burials in Spruce Street Cemetery, 1843-1868 and Federal Street Cemetery, 1849-1863
Cemeteries
Record of persons buried in both the Spruce Street Cemetery and Federal Street Cemetery of Congregation Mikveh Israel in the mid-19th century. Burials in the Spruce Street Cemetery are listed chronologically from the front of the book and span the years 1843 to 1868. Listings include the date of burial, name of deceased, age at time of death, date of death, location of grave, and sometimes family relations. Burials in the Federal Street Cemetery are listed chronologically from the back of the book and span the years 1849 to 1863. Listings include both the English and Hebrew dates of burial, name of deceased and location of grave.
A bound volume of birth certificates for members of Congregation Mikveh Israel, dating from 1843 to 1886. Each certificate includes the date of birth in both the Gregorian and Jewish calendars, the name of the newborn, parents' names, and the name of the shamas (the synagogue's sexton) recording the birth.
A bound volume of birth certificates for members of Congregation Mikveh Israel, dating from 1841 to 1862. Each certificate includes the date of birth in both the Gregorian and Jewish calendars, the name of the newborn, parents' names, and the name of the shamas (the synagogue's sexton) recording the birth.
Vestry minutes, Christ Church, v. 7, 1845-1866
Parish elections
Christ Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Episcopalians
Corporate minutes
Church buildings
Church schools
Hospitals
Church committees
Church management
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865
Episcopal Church
Meeting minutes of the Christ Church vestry from 1845 to 1866. Each entry includes the date, place, members present and business discussed. Topics include the election of church leaders and hiring and payment of staff; appointments to and reports from various church committees; the upkeep of buildings and grounds; the ongoing balancing of financial accounts including ground rents, loans, investments and bequests; the collection of pew rents; and management of the Sunday school and hospital. The loose sheets tucked into the front of the volume are likely attendance records. The meeting minutes from the Spring of 1865 refer to the death of President Abraham Lincoln. The vestry of Christ Church elected to drape the church in black for a period of three months and muffle the church bells to mourn the death of the president. A copy of the charter separating Christ Church and St. Peter's Church in 1832 is also included in this volume. Note: Blank pages were not scanned.
Vestry minutes, Christ Church, v. 6, 1832-1845
United Churches of Christ-Church and St. Peter's (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Dorr, Benjamin, 1796-1869
Church bells
Episcopal Church. Diocese of Pennsylvania
Meeting minutes of the Christ Church vestry from 1832 to 1845. Each entry records the date and place of the meeting, members present, and business discussed. Regular business includes the election of church leaders; employment of staff (ministers, clerks, sextons, bellringers and organists); financial matters such as budgeting, fundraising, taxation, insurance and bequests; maintenance of buildings (including the steeple and bells) and burial grounds; management of pew rents; appointments to and reports from various church committees; the operation of Christ Church hospital; and charity for the poor. Of special interest, this volume of minutes also records the beginning years of the ministry of the Reverend Benjamin Dorr. Annotated copies of Christ Church's charter and by-laws are inserted in the beginning of the volume, entitled "Charter of Christ Church in the city of Philadelphia and St. Peter's Church, in the city of Philadelphia, As established by an Act of the Legislature of Pennsylvania, passed January, 1832; together with the proceedings of the respective vestries thereupon." These documents reflect the separation of Christ Church and St. Peter's in 1832.
Vestry minutes, Christ Church, St. Peter's Church, and St. James's Church, v. 5, 1827-1832
United Churches of Christ-Church, St. Peter's, and St. James's (Philadelphia, Pa.)
St. James's Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
St. Peter's Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Minutes of the vestry of Christ Church from 1827 to 1832. Each entry notes the date and place of the meeting, members present, and business discussed. Regular topics include church elections, staffing, finances, burials, pew rents, management of the church hospital, committee reports, and repairs/improvements to church buildings and grounds. It was during these years that the decision of the United Churches to separate into individual entities took place. Entries relevant to the separation of St. James into its own corporation start around page 50, while entries relevant to the separation of Christ Church and St. Peter's are found at the end of the volume.
Vestry minutes, Christ Church, St. Peter's Church, and St. James's Church, v. 4, 1816-1826
Meeting minutes of the vestry of the United Churches of Christ Church, St. Peter's Church and St. James's Church from 1816 to 1826. Each entry records the date and place of the meeting, members present, and business discussed. Topics include: the election of church leaders; the hiring, duties and salaries of church staff such as minister, organist, clerk, sexton, and bell ringer; reports from committees responsible for tasks such as locating new land to rent, securing insurance, and managing the church hospital; the upkeep of buildings and burial grounds; and the ongoing management of church finances, including bequests.
Vestry minutes, Christ Church, v. 1, 1717-1760
Church of England
This volume holds the oldest known meeting minutes for Christ Church, dating from 1717 to 1760. The vestry is the governing body for the church. Each entry records the date, members present and business discussed. The Lieutenant Governor was often present at early meetings, and the Governor became a member of the vestry in 1718. Topics covered include: elections of wardens and vestrymen; fundraising for a steeple and burial ground; establishment of new pew rents; settlement of various accounts; the need to write to the Bishop of London for a new reverend; application for a charter; and the appointment of a schoolmaster. Note: Page 92 was blank and was not scanned.
Journal of the meetings that led to the formation of the diocese, 1784-1790
White, William, 1748-1836
St. Paul's Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Church meetings
In 1784, members of the vestry of the United Churches of Christ Church and St. Peter's and the vestry of St. Paul's appointed a committee to confer with the clergy of their respective churches, "on the subject of forming a representative Body of the Episcopal Church in this State." They wrote a letter, signed by chairman William White, to all Episcopal churches in Pennsylvania, asking them to send delegates to a meeting at which general principles and a framework of governance would be established. This bound manuscript includes William White's journals documenting the formation of the Diocese of Pennsylvania in 1784, as well as the institution of a convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the state of Pennsylvania, and minutes from the first six such conventions, up to 1790.
Congregational, corporation, and trustees minutes, vol. 3, 1792-1803
Second Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Presbyterians
Church discipline
Presbyterian Church
Rough draft ("Rough Draught") of minutes for meetings of the Second Presbyterian Church trustees, corporation and congregation from 1792 to 1803. Meetings cover issues such as church committees, church finance, and the need to accommodate a growing membership.
Congregational, corporation, and trustees minutes, vol. 2, 1772-1805
Minutes of the Second Presbyterian trustees, corporation and congregational meetings from 1772 to 1805 are all recorded together in this bound manuscript, in chronological order. Meetings cover topics including but not limited to: elections to church leadership positions; church finance, including the collection of pew rent; and the need for new construction to accommodate growing membership. There is a membership list from 1773 and a map of pews in the back of the book.
Congregational, corporation, and trustees minutes, vol. 1, 1749-1775
First Presbyterian Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Congregational minutes from 1749, 1751 to 1755, and 1759 to 1772 run through page 163 of this bound manuscript, then the trustee minutes from January 1773 to January 1775 begin at the back of the book, upside down, and continue until page 164. Entries note the date and place of meetings, members present, and business discussed. Topics include but are not limited to: the purchase of new grounds and building of a new meeting house; the assignment of pews and pew rents and later a rise in pew rents to help the church out of debt; fees for baptisms and terms for burials; the choice of a new minister; discipline of members for ill behavior; and application for a charter.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian from 1796 to 1798. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian in 1795. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
Pew rent records, vol. 7, 1794-1795 and burial records, 1867
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript includes a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian from 1794 to 1795. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto. After page 6b, the manuscript starts over from the back, with records of graves and tombs that were moved from the Second Presbyterian burial grounds in 1867.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian from 1794 to 1795. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto. There is an index of names at the back of the volume.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian from 1793 to 1794. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto. There is an index of names at the back of the volume.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian in 1793. Entries are listed by pew number, with pew holder's name, portion of pew rented, and dates and amounts paid. Entries are written sideways, spanning left and right pages.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian from 1792 to 1793. Entries include pew numbers, names of pew holders, how much of the pew they rented, and dates and amounts paid. Note: A few loose pages related to church finances date from 1807 and 1838, including a record of accounts for the "New Church," which later became the 1st Presbyterian Church of Northern Liberties.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian from 1783 to 1789. Entries are listed by name of pew holder, and include old arrearages as well as dates and amounts paid.
The practice of renting pews was common in 18th and 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents paid to Second Presbyterian in 1781. Entries are listed by congregant name, with pew numbers and amounts paid. Pew rents due in May of that year are listed from image 9 to image 35. Entries due in November of that year are then listed from the back of the book, upside down, with page numbers starting anew.
The Session is a body of elected elders governing a Presbyterian church. In this bound volume, the Session is referred to as the Consistory until 1767. Meeting minutes run from 1744 to 1798, and note the date, members present, and business discussed. Business includes elections to office and management of church finances, including financial assistance to the poor, with the bulk of entries concerning resolution of conflicts between church members and discipline of church members found guilty of offenses such as drinking, fighting, theft, slander and adultery.
Naturalization certificate of Andrew Rudman, 1701
Gloria Dei Church (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Naturalization records
Lutherans
Rudman, Andrew, 1668-1708
Lutheran Church
Framed parchment signed by William Penn, Governor of Pennsylvania, granting citizenship to Reverend Andreas (Andrew) Rudman in 1701. Rudman was one of the earliest pastors at Gloria Dei, and oversaw the construction of the church beginning in 1698.
Historical accounts of Swedish settlement along the Delaware River and financial records of Gloria Dei, 1653-1760
Indians of North America
Sweden
Netherlands
Land Settlement
Colonies
African Americans
Clergy
Bound manuscript containing many accounts of Swedish settlement along the Delaware River from the early 17th century to the mid-late 18th century. These accounts come from various sources, including several ministers sent to Gloria Dei by the King or Queen of Sweden. The accounts do not appear in strict chronological order and sometimes overlap with each other, but provide a rich and detailed account of this time and place. Translations of the Swedish have been provided for the bulk of the manuscript. Meeting minutes for the general parish and church council of Gloria Dei are interspersed with these personal accounts, as well as copies of letters to and from various kings, queens, bishops and archbishops in Europe. Topics covered include: land purchases; the building and upkeep of churches, including Gloria Dei and its cemetery; the need for new ministers and the struggle to house and pay them; the establishment of standards for religious practices in the new land; listings of Swedish families, including information on births, deaths, and marriages; and ongoing relations between the Swedes and their Indian, Dutch and English neighbors, including Quakers and the leaders of Christ Church. The last third of the book consists of financial accounts kept by Gloria Dei. Sums recorded include Sunday collections, special fundraising efforts, and expenditures for church repair, ministers' travel, and support of the poor and sick in the congregation. Note: The vast majority of records in this book run to 1760, but several documents at the back of the volume date from the early 1800s.
Marriages, baptisms, and burials, 1750-1789
Record of marriages, baptisms and burials performed by Gloria Dei Church from 1750 to 1789. According to the title page, this text was "transcribed from the original records." Marriages are listed first, ordered chronologically and include the name of the bride and groom, method of marriage (license or publishing), and date. An alphabetical index of names appears after page 140. The Baptisms are listed second, ordered chronologically, and include the name of child being baptized, their place and date of birth, parents' names and godparents' names. An alphabetical index of names appears after page 244. Burials are listed last, ordered chronologically, and include at minimum the name of the deceased and date of their burial, and often more information such as place of death and age at time of death. Alphabetical indexes of names appear at intervals throughout the burial listings.
Record of weddings performed by Gloria Dei Church from 1799 to 1856. Entries are listed chronologically, and page numbering starts over after October 1811. Early entries span two pages and include the date of the wedding, the names of the bride and groom, and other information such as occupation, parents' names, birthplace, residence, and names of witnesses. Later entries are more abbreviated, often including only the date and names of bride and groom. Alphabetical indexes appear within the text for dates from 1799 to 1811. Indexes for other years appear at the back of the book. "Remarkable occurrences" are noted on images 175 to 190 and again on images 364 to 367, and include descriptions of couples who were refused marriage and the reasons for this refusal, including, for example, lack of necessary paperwork or witnesses, a young bride with no adult guardian present, or a very drunken bridegroom.
Record of weddings performed by Gloria Dei Church from 1793 to 1799. Entries are listed chronologically, in three different sections, 1793 to 1795, 1795-1796, and 1796-1799. There is an alphabetical index at the end of each section. Each entry includes the date of the wedding, names of bride and groom, and other information such as their ages, status as widow or widower, their place of residence, parents' names, and names of witnesses.
Record of weddings performed by Gloria Dei Church from 1791 to 1822. Entries are listed chronologically and include the date of the wedding, names of bride and groom, and their town or county of residence.
Record of funerals performed by Gloria Dei Church from 1803 to 1822. Entries are listed by year, with members, members' children, strangers, and strangers' children listed separately. Each entry contains the date of the funeral, name of the deceased, their date and cause of death, and varying amounts of biographical information, such as country of birth, family members, occupation, public reputation, medical history an cost of burial. Indexes for individual years appear periodically in the book, as well as mentions of church members who were buried elsewhere.
Baptisms recorded by Nicholas Collin, Director of the Swedish Churches in Pennsylvania, from 1804 to 1878. Each entry includes the date of baptism, name of the person baptized, his or her date of birth, parents' names, and other information such as whether the baptism was conducted in a private home, the names of known extended family members, adults' occupations and countries of birth, and concerns about the family's financial situation or behavior.
Record of funerals performed by Gloria Dei Church from 1822 to 1927. Entries are listed by year, with members, members' children, strangers, and strangers' children listed separately. Each entry contains the date of the funeral, name of the deceased, date and cause of death, and their age at time of death. Many entries also include the cost of burial and varying amounts of biographical information, such as country of birth, family members, occupation, public reputation, and medical history. Note: Blank pages were not scanned, resulting in some gaps in page numbering.
Parish missions
American Revolution (United States : 1775-1783)
Swedes
United States--Delaware River Valley
Archivum Americanum contains summaries, extracts and copies of correspondence between the archbishop and consistory of Upsal in Sweden and the missionaries sent to Swedish parishes along the Delaware river, including churches in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. Entries date from 1724 through approximately 1786, but begin with a "Prefatory Note" dated 1891. Topics include but are not limited to: requests to replace pastors who have passed away, opinions on the use of English in liturgy, personal controversies, official meeting minutes, and the welfare of members during the American Revolutionary war. A register of the members of various parishes makes up the rear portion of the volume. Some pages are in Swedish.
One page, front and back, listing the dates of burials, names of those buried, causes of death, and costs of burials at First Presbyterian Church between September 1998 and May 1799.
List of persons buried at First Presbyterian Church from May 1, 1799 to May 1, 1800. Listings include the date of burial, name of deceased, relatives' names, age at time of death, and the amount paid to First Presbyterian for their burial.
List of subscribers for rebuilding the First Presbyterian Church on Market Street, v. 3, 1793-1798
List of subscribers for rebuilding the First Presbyterian Church on Market Street. This bound manuscript includes entries dating from 1793 to 1798, and begins with an alphabetical index of names. The entries which follow are listed by subscriber name, with amounts paid, and span two pages, verso and recto.
List of subscribers for rebuilding the First Presbyterian Church on Market Street, v. 2, 1793-1796
List of subscribers for rebuilding the First Presbyterian Church on Market Street. Each listing in the bound manuscript includes the name of the subscriber and amount given, and entries run from January 1793 to November 1796.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian from 1799 to 1800. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian from 1798 to 1799. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian in 1798. For most of the book, entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian in 1796. Entries are listed by congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian from 1794 to 1795. Entries are listed by congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.
The practice of renting pews was common in 19th century churches; members paid a fee for the right to occupy a particular pew every week. This bound manuscript is a record of pew rents owed and paid to First Presbyterian in 1794. Entries are listed by pew number and congregant name, with dates and amounts paid, and they span two pages, verso and recto.