 Port Elizabeth founded1785, built 1827 General Information: Methodist Society organized in Port Elizabeth about 1778. Church is built on property acquired at various times; 1 acre and 27/100 bought of Elizabeth Bodly in 1785, and in 1809, another of 25 sq. rods bordering on the south bought from Bodly. Lot 10 links wide and 15 l/2 perches deep acquired in 1840 on the northeast side. Used continuously for church and cemetery since the first church was built here in 1786. Significance: First M.E. church in the county was built on this site in 1786. Present brick church built in 1827, at which time it was said to be "the most beautiful and complete church within the state south of Trenton". It is considered a fine example of the architecture of that period, and the only major addition was that of a belfry in 1919, with other renovation making no structural changes, although the shingle-`roof was replaced with asbestos when the belfry was built. Description: Structure is of red brick and is considered a fine example of contemporary architecture, circa 1827. Interior renovated and new seats installed in 1894. Acetylene gas generating plant installed in 1904 and used until 1911, when gas lines were run from Millville. New roof and belfry as above, with belfry dedicated as a memorial to veterans in 1924. Interior has gallery in rear. Port Elizabeth was first known as Maurice River Town. Streets were laid out in 1771 by Elizabeth Clark Bodley, who owned the land. Quakers, Presbyterians, Methodists, African Methodists, and Catholics all had churches here. In the first part of the 19th century, the town was second only to Bridgeton in importance as a major port and industrial center. Here, glass was first manufactured in 1795 by James Lee.  Port Elizabeth, Maurice River Township founded between 1810 and 1845, built c.1845 moved to Goshen, Cape May County St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church Records of early Catholic services in south Jersey are fragmentary so the best we can say is that a Catholic parish was organized between 1810 and 1845, but probably closer to the latter date as the Catholic church was granted full civil rights only with adoption of the new constitution in 1844. The church in Port Elizabeth was actually built as an academy in 1810, purchased by the catholic community in 1843 and immediately converted to a church. The parish did not thrive and the building was closed in 1860. In 1879 it was transported by barge down the Maurice River and then up the Dennis Creek in Cape May County, and finally by horse-drawn wagon to Goshen. A testimony to the sturdiness of construction in that era.  Cumberland, Maurice River Township founded ____, built 1862 Route 49  Leesburg, Maurice River Township founded c.1806, built 1864 A Methodist class was organized in Leesburg by1792, according to one source, or in 1806 according to another, or about 1809 according to a third. In 1812, the first Leesburg Methodist Church was built after meeting in private homes for years. The original building was erected in 1864, but I suspect the tower and the octagonal “apse” were later additions. It was originally known as the “Hickman church.” Leesburg is named for John Lee and his brother. Both ship carpenters from Egg Harbor, they established a boat works here in 1795.  Dividing Creek, Maurice River Township founded c.1840, built c.1860 Zion United Methodist Church Methodist churches are often built to an L-shaped plan, with the tower located at the interior angle, and this pleasant building, erected in the late 19th century fits the pattern. It is now known as the Zion United Methodist Church. The proportions of the tower, windows, and entrance (momentarily marred by the crumpled aluminum awning) seem to me just right. The open belfry, railing and the flare at the bottom of the roof are nicely done. Dividing Creek and Port Norris did not have a Methodist society until the mid to late nineteenth century. The Methodists in Dividing Creek organized in the 1840s but shared a preacher with the Newport Methodist Church. check date; other source says 1850s-60s Dividing Creek was named for the creek on which it is located, which has numerous branches. It was settled by Baptists who had established a meeting house there by 1755. Located in Downe Township, which was a Tory stronghold during the American Revolution, it showed its sentiments during the Civil War by opening Union Street.  Dividing Creek, Maurice River Township founded 1851, built c1860 Many of the elements of the grand stone Methodist and Baptist churches of the 1880s can be found in this smaller wood-frame rendition. The corner tower, with its two Gothic arch openings in the belfry, the pinnacles at each corner and the slope of the steeple might be found on many stone buildings—courthouses and churches—from this era. Note the variety in the shapes of the windows, the overhang at the top of the gable end of the building, and the occasional placement of the false buttresses. It seems to me that compliance with ADA requirements does not necessitate erection of an entrance ramp in such a prominent location, but then, nothing else about this church seems to evidence any sense of design, either. inptists arrived to the region from Cape May and the Cohansey River area in the mid-eighteenth century. One of the first Baptist churches in the area was erected in Dividing Creek in 1751. It served the Newport and Port Norris region, as well. A second building followed in 1771, then a third in 1823. In 1855 fifty-one members from Newport left to form their own church, and a year later the Port Norris members were given permission to start their own church. Overcrowding remained a problem and in 1860 the Dividing Creek church was enlarged. The first meeting-house was erected on a lot donated by Seth LORE in 1751. Their first house was destroyed by fire in 1770, and rebuilt in 1771. The size of the edifice was thirty by twenty-two feet. They continued to occupy this second sanctuary without interruption from 1771 to April 21, 1821, a period of fifty years, when it was accidentally destroyed by fire. The third edifice was completed and dedicated in June 1823. The size of the house was forty by thirty-four feet. In 1860, twenty more feet were added to the length of the house, the old side-galleries removed and the entire building beautified.  Dorchester founded c.1856, built 1863 The Dorchester congregation is a daughter of the congregation in Leesburg; it was organized about 1856 when the membership from became large enough to consider holding services closer to their homes. They formed their own society and built a new church in 1863. Elmer says it was built in 1866 in one place then later in the same paragraph says 1862. Either date seems a better fit than 1890, although the belfry appears to be later Dorchester was shown on early 18th-century maps, which also covered the site of Leesburg. It wasn't until 1799 that the town was laid out. Once home to Swedish settlers, it has continued as a center for boat building in the county.  Delmont, Maurice River Township founded 18--, built 1872 Delsea Drive Delmont was called Ewing’s Neck until 1891. Its first church was a one-room wooden structure which also served as the village's first school. |
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Maurice River Township |