[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 103 (Wednesday, June 20, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E878-E879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HANOVER'S 300TH ANNIVERSARY

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                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 20, 2018

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the First 
Presbyterian Church of Hanover, located in the Township of East 
Hanover, New Jersey, on the occasion of its 300th Anniversary.
  While the current First Presbyterian Church of Hanover standing today 
was built in 1835, the earliest record of the church dates back to 
September 2, 1718. This church has a long, rich history, and was placed 
on the New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places in 1977.
  As the state and country grew, more churches were established in the 
area, as

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seen by the ``sister churches'' established in Morristown, Madison, and 
Parsippany. In 1755, the Hanover Church was rebuilt not far from where 
it currently stands. During the Revolution, the Hanover Church served 
as a hospital for the quartered soldiers in and around Morristown who 
had smallpox. Further, uniform buttons of the Continental Army were 
found during the excavation of the area around the church. This is 
probably evidence of a common burial ground for the soldiers who did 
not survive smallpox. Also, the Reverend Jacob Green of the Hanover 
Church played an integral part in the Revolution in that he was a 
member of the first Provincial Congress and chairman of the committee 
that drew up the first Constitution of New Jersey.
  The present church building was constructed in 1835 from materials 
that date back to the church from 1755 and trees cut from the 
surrounding church property. So although it was built about 200 years 
ago, the actual wood of the church dates to a time about 80 years 
earlier than that. In fact, the timbers in the current church that date 
from this time still have the marks from the hooks that once held up 
the beds in this temporary Revolutionary War hospital.
  The cemetery surrounding the church is also historically significant. 
The cemetery adjacent to the church is home to the graves of many 
soldiers from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, 
World War I, World War II, and various other historic figures. Aaron 
Kitchell, the first Congressman of New Jersey, is buried here, as is 
David Young, the author of The Farmer's Almanac.
  The church went through many renovations and replacements over the 
years including the addition of a pulpit alcove in 1871 and the 
addition of an electric organ in 1912. In order to ensure that this 
important historical building was preserved, a restoration project was 
carried out from 2005 to 2013, which included installing a new furnace, 
repairing the structure of the church, and repainting the bell tower. 
The current building stands as a significant historical monument, as 
well as a well-maintained religious meeting place for the greater East 
Hanover community.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues join me in 
congratulating the First Presbyterian Church of Hanover on the occasion 
of its 300th Anniversary.

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