New Jersey, U.S., Episcopal Diocese of Newark Church Records, 1809-1816, 1825-1970

About this collection

The Episcopal Church, a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, has its roots in one of America's oldest religious communities. Its followers were originally part of the Church of England, whose first American parish was founded in Jamestown, Virginia in 1607. The Church of England was headed by the British monarch (the Supreme Governor of the Church of England) since its establishment by King Henry VIII in 1534. As such, its clergy were required to pledge their allegiance to the British monarch by swearing the Oath of Supremacy.

After the American Revolution ended in 1783, the requirement of this oath was problematic for American clergy of the Church of England and led to the organization of the Protestant Church. Its formal separation from the Church of England occurred in 1789, when representatives met in Philadelphia to ratify the initial constitution of the new church.

What you can find in the records

This collection consists of parish registers from Episcopal churches in the Diocese of Newark. Each register provides a record of the baptisms, marriages, and burials performed in that church. These records have been indexed and are searchable in this collection. In addition, registers also often include a list of families, persons confirmed, communicants, and details on offerings received by the church. These records are available to browse, but are not included in the index to this collection.

Baptism records typically include the name of the child, parents’ names, baptism date, mode of baptism, and by whom baptized. In many cases the birth date and place are noted as well. An infant baptism can be a clue that a member had been in the congregation for all of his or her life, whereas christenings done later in life could indicate the family had more recently joined the congregation.

Marriage records include the marriage date, the couple’s names, residences, and the name of the officiant. Ages and remarks were sometimes recorded as well.

Burial records typically included the name of the deceased, date of death, date and place of the funeral, and officiating minister. Some funeral records may include the cause of death and date and place of burial as well.