Throughout history, religious organizations have provided strength, stability and support in their communities. Beyond the spiritual aspects of their activities, they also have provided a focal point for social interaction. Members have formed strong common bonds with one another, often resulting in marriages between families. Sometimes large numbers of the congregation’s members relocated to other geographical areas for a variety of reasons or split from their original group to form a new congregation.
Your family may have been part of a religious group that migrated from one area to another. One of my own ancestors came from Scotland to America in the early 1700s and settled in Cecil County, Md.
They were Presbyterians and, in the 1750s, they migrated through the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and to Mecklenburg County in the southern part of North Carolina. He was accompanied by his parents, two of his brothers and their families, his minister and at least 20 other families I have been able to document. They settled and established a new church in that area which, over time, resulted in two other Presbyterian churches in the vicinity.
These people went on to build their community and to become active in civil affairs, including the organization of resistance and rebellion against the English crown. Published histories of the congregations detail the founding of these churches and recount the activities of its members throughout the centuries.
Not every church or synagogue has a history filled with extraordinary events, but their role in their communities is no less significant.
A book titled “Pressing Toward The Mark,” written by Bill Page and published in 1991 by the First Baptist Church of Mebane, N.C., was published on the 90th anniversary of the founding of the church.
It contains a history of the church and its place in the historical context of that area. It provides membership statistics, detailed biographical information about every pastor, the names and details of a number of prominent members, the names and terms of pastors, clerks, treasurers, Sunday schools superintendents, and directors of the Women’s Missionary Society/Union, as well as the names of all members at the time of publication. In addition, there are photographs included of pastors, groups, individuals and significant events in the church’s history.
I found my own grandfather in a photograph of the 1947 groundbreaking ceremony for a new sanctuary building. As a result, I was able to conduct some additional research to learn more about my grandparents’ membership and activities in the church, as well as details about my mother and her sisters.
Locating the Histories
Some congregations’ histories may be formally published in book form while others may only be typed and photocopied. You are sure to find a copy in the church or synagogue library, and chances are good you will find a copy at the local public library.
Other sources for such histories are the national or regional administrative locations for the religious group, the state archives or state library, and genealogical and/or historical societies.
If you are researching a congregation that is no longer in existence, contact the office of a congregation that still is in existence and requests the name, address and telephone number of their national or regional administrative offices. Those offices can usually tell you if a congregation has dissolved or merged with another and where to locate older records. Sometimes originals or copies of records are sent to a headquarters location for storage.
As you can see, the history of a religious organization may shed some insight on your ancestors’ membership and details of their role in the life of the group and the community. You may find that your ancestors’ arrival in an area coincided with the establishment of a church and, by tracing the origins of other founding members, it may be possible to trace your own ancestors to a previous place of residence. Good luck with your research!
Happy Hunting!
George
© 2006 Copyright George G. Morgan. All rights reserved. Reproduction in any format is strictly prohibited without written permission. Please contact George at aha@ahaseminars.com for more information.
This column is made possible through the efforts of the Questing Heirs Genealogical Society of Long Beach. For more information about that society, go online and visit www.qhgs.info.
