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Presbyterian Historical Society

Philadelphia, Frankford Presbyterian Church

According to the Historical Directory of Presbyterian Churches and Presbyteries of Greater Philadelphia: related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and its antecedents, 1690-1990 by Kenneth A. Hammonds, the Frankford Presbyterian Church started in 1770 as a German Reformed congregation linked with the Market Square Church. The Frankford congregation eventually broke away from the Market Square Church and was received under the care of the Presbytery of Philadelphia. The congregation was reorganized as the Frankford Presbyterian Church on December 8, 1807. It is also known as the First Presbyterian Church of Frankford. Its current building was constructed in 1860. Church membership reached a peak of 1,034 in 1930. The church is still active today, but according to recent statistics, it only has 22 members.  

Records of the Frankford Presbyterian Church deposited with the society relevant to genealogists include:

  • Book for the Entry of Internments, 1814-1851, 3 vols. (Call number: Upper Vault V MI46 P482.5i)
  • Membership roll, 1818-1913, 1 vol. (Call number: Upper Vault V MI46 p482.5m)
  • Pew book, 1807-1816; 1820-1847, 5 vols. (Call number: Upper Vault V MI46 P482.5p)
  • Church register, 1801-1911, 1 vol. (Call number: Upper Vault V MI46 P482.5r)
  • Dedication of church, 1770; list of members, 1809, 1 vol. (Call number: Upper Vault V MI46 p482.5s)
  • Session minutes, 1809-1907; 1913-1924, 3 vols. (Call number: Upper Vault V MI46 P482.5s)
  • Session minutes, Jan. 17, April 10th and July 17, 1828. 4p. mss (Call number: MS P482.5 (9)
  • List of members of the choir of the church from Jan. 1, 1854, 5p. mss. (Call number: MS P482.5(6)
  • Photograph of the church and the people connected with it. (Call number: Gal. III F85p)

The Genealogical Society of Utah (GSU) has microfilmed records of the Frankford Presbyterian Church from 1770-1901, and they are available through the Family History Centers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  To use the microfilm, you may visit their website, www.familysearch.org, and search for a center near you.

The society also holds the following records which do not necessarily contain genealogical information:  

  • Account Books
  • Constitution, by-laws, and minutes of the Teachers Association
  • Literary Association
  • Guest book for the 200th anniversary
  • Ladies Aid Society
  • Abstract of an ordinance, May 20, 1808, concerning interments and pew holdings, pew charts, etc.
  • Accounts of the Sinking Fund Society
  • Sunday School anniversary programs
  • Trustees minutes pertaining to the Academy and the Sunday School; including other miscellaneous notes
  • Two hundredth anniversary celebration mementos, April 26-May 3, 1970
  • Two hundredth anniversary correspondence, 1969-1970
  • Two hundredth anniversary committee minutes, 1969-1970
  • Woman's Foreign Missionary Society minutes, 1877-1896
  • Women's Home Missionary Society minutes, 1906-1915
  • Women's Missionary Society minutes, 1915-1926
  • Young Men's Association minutes, 1875-1877
  • Young Ladies Mission Band minutes, 1886-1920
  • Young Men's League, 1895-1898; with list of members
  • Young People's Association with constitution, 1884-1889