The Vosburgh Collection of Congregational Church Records

A large collection of church records for New York was commissioned by the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society and is known by the name of its editor, Royden Woodward Vosburgh. Its 101 volumes cover mostly Dutch, German-Lutheran, and Presbyterian records, but not all are indexed. Besides the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, these volumes are available at the Connecticut State Library and on microfilm at the New York Public Library, the Family History Library, and in other libraries. ¹⁾See “The Vosburgh Collection of New York Church Records,” The NYG&B Newsletter 9 [1998]: 53-55. Arthur C. M. Kelly and Jean D. Worden have published abstracted church records including some that were also done by Vosburgh. ²⁾Source: Roger D. Joslyn, CG, FUGA, FGBS, FASG. Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources. Some of them have now been published online by FamilySearch. They are listed below with a link to the search the specific record.

While it is true that the records of some of the churches in this collection were published elsewhere (with indexes), researchers are urged to consult the Vosburgh collection as well.  Most of the published sources transcribe only the vital records; as the description above suggests, Vosburgh includes much additional information.  He carefully describes his sources and includes many notes, such as the following: “Note. three blank pages follow in the original record, after which comes the page inscribed: “RECORD OF BAPTISMS CONTINUED by Jno. J. Wack.” ³⁾Vosburgh Collection, reel 12, item #1, p. 141.  The following extract from the introduction to his “Abstracts from the minutes of the consistory” gives some idea of how extensive this additional material can be.

Taken as a whole, this abstract with the notes, gives every fact worthy of note, concerning the history of this church for three score years.  It contains all the documentary data relating to the building of, and the repairs made, to the present church edifice; the consecration of the church, its admission to the Classis ⁴⁾Classis: “In certain Presbyterian churches; an inferior judicatory consisting of the elders or pastors of the parishes or church of a district; a presbytery.  Used in England under the Commonwealth; and subsequently in certain Reformed churches of the continent, and America.  A district formed by the parishes so united.”  Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, prepared by J.A. Simpson and E.S.C. Weiner, Clarendon Press, Oxford. of Albany; and presents authoritatively for the first time, the facts concerning the suspension and deposition of the Rev. John J. Wack. [Rev. Wack was accused of repeated drunkenness and profanity.]  This latter phase of the church history is in itself a most interesting study, and it shows that the members of the Classis of Montgomery, by whose acts the Stone Arabia Church became independent for about ten years, were the same band of malcontents who finally organized the True Reformed Dutch Church.  In short, what follows presents the primary sources of information from which the history of the church must be written. ⁵⁾Vosburgh Collection, reel 12, item #1, p. 153. ^{, 6)}Henry, Marian S. The Vosburgh Collection of Congregational Church Records. New England Genealogical and Historical Society. 2003.

The information below will provide you with a general idea of which churches are available and the years of the records transcribed. You can find the specifics for each church as to which type of records and specific years covered for those records at the Connecticut State Library online catalog or directly by clicking on any linked town below. If the town is not yet linked then we have not gathered the specifics for that town yet but the Connecticut State Library has.