Records of the Central Congregational Society and Church
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Abstract
Records of the Central Congregational Society and Church document the activities of the church from its creation in 1854 to its consolidation with the Clinton Avenue Congregational Church in 1942. The collection is largely composed of ledgers with financial and membership information.
Historical note
The Central Congregational Society and Church was founded in 1854 and originally located at the corner of Fulton Street and Classon Avenue in Brooklyn, N.Y. Throughout the late 19th century, the church remained in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, and was led by the Rev. J. Clement French, the Rev. Dr. H. M. Scudder, and the Rev. Dr. A. J. F. Behrends, respectively. In 1900, upon the death of Dr. Behrends, the church selected the Rev. Dr. Samuel Parkes Cadman (1864-1939) as pastor. Dr. Cadman, a well-respected preacher, became the leading Congregational clergyman in the United States, as well as the first U.S. radio preacher.
In 1939, the Central Congregational Church was renamed in memory of Dr. Cadman. The church merged with the Clinton Avenue Congregational Church in 1942 at the latter's location, and afterward came to be known as the Cadman Memorial Congregational Church, presently located on Clinton Avenue at Lafayette Avenue in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Sources
- "Central Congregational Church." Brooklyn Eagle, April 24, 1854, 2.
- "Dr. Cadman may succeed Dr. Behrends." New York Times, December 18, 1900, 2.
Scope and Contents
This collection, covering 1854 to 1945, contains correspondence, ledgers, minutes, deeds, bills, sermons, publications, one photograph, and one composition book of the Central Congregational Church and its affiliates. These records provide a window into the church activities and membership during the late 19th century. Ledgers and minutes created throughout regular activities of the church document members with addresses and years of membership, baptisms, and church accounts, and may be of use to genealogists. One sepia-toned photograph shows the interior of the Central Congregational Church at 64 Jefferson Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Subjects
Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
Reproduction rights for photographs have not been evaluated. Please consult library staff for more information.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Records of the Central Congregational Society and Church, ARC.086, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of the Cadman Memorial Congregational Church, 1989.
Other Finding Aids
Item-level description and digital versions of images from the collection are available for searching via the image database in the library.
A detailed finding aid, with box and folder lists, is available in paper format and on the library's catablog via this link.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Minimally processed to the collection level.
This collection combines two accessions: 1989.003 and V1990.057.