All Parochial Giving (1866-1878) to the Freedman’s Commission (also known as the “Home Missions to Colored People”) in the Diocese of New Jersey.
After the Civil War the General Convention of the Episcopal Church formed a new entity to be called the “Freedman’s Commission” to aid in the education of newly emancipated Black people in the South. Below is listed the raw data for the churches in the Diocese of New Jersey that gave to these domestic “Missions” between 1866 and 1878. The Freedman’s Commission was founded in 1865, then renamed the “Home Mission to Colored People” in 1868, and then folded into the Board of Missions in 1878. This data is culled from the annual parochial reports published in diocesan convention journals during that time period. You will find it far easier to search through this culled material than to search through the publicly available digital scans of diocesan journals directly. Perusing this data will allow you to follow leads from the diocesan journal reporting data more efficiently. Though the racial nomenclature employed in the original documentation is no longer acceptable in modern usage, the original wording of the text is preserved here for the sake of historical accuracy.
1866 Convention Journal[1]
Christ Church, Allentown “Two barrels of clothing… to the… Freedmen’s Commission.”
1867 Convention Journal[2]
St. Mary’s, Burlington to “Freedman’s Commission, $62.96”
Christ Church, Bloomfield to “Freedman’s Commission, $14.50”
St. John’s Church, Boonton to “Freedman’s Commission, $20”
Grace Church, Haddonfield to “Freedman’s Commission, $10”
Trinity Church, Moorestown to “Freedman’s Commission, $13.78”
St. Peter’s, Morristown to “P.E. Freedman’s Com., $42”
Church of the Redeemer, Morristown to “Freedman’s Commission, $16.91”
Christ Church, Newton to “Freedman’s Commission, $37.17”
Christ Church Mission, Waterford to “Freedman’s Commission, $3.80”
1868 Convention Journal[3]
Christ Church, Belleville to “Freedmen’s Commission, $7”
Christ Church, Bloomfield to “Freedman’s Com. Of the P. E. Church, $20.85”
Christ Church, Elizabeth to “Freedman’s Commission, $37.30”
St. Paul’s, Englewood to “Freedman’s Commission, $35”
St. Matthew’s, Jersey City to NC normal school for “colored” children $41.85
Trinity, Moorestown to “Freedmen’s Mission, $10.06”
St. Peter’s, Morristown to “Prot. Epis. Freedmen’s Commission, $50.75”
Church of the Redeemer, Morristown to “Freedmen’s Commission, $18.50”
St. Andrew’s, Mount Holly to “Freedmen’s Commis., $15.35”
Trinity, Mount Holly to “P. E. Freedmen’s Commiss., $20.38”
St. John’s, Passaic to “Aid of Freedmen, $13.37”
Holy Communion, S. Orange to “Freedmen’s Commission, $13.50”
Trinity, Swedesboro to “Freedmen’s Commission, $39.50”
St. Michael’s, Trenton to “Freedmen’s Commission of P.E. Church, $106.50”
1869 Convention Journal[4]
St. Mary’s, Burlington to home missions “among colored people” $41.50
Trinity, Bayonne to home “missions to colored people of P. E. Ch., $40”
St. Paul’s, Englewood to “Home missions to colored people, $30.85”
Trinity, Moorestown to “Freedmen’s Mission, $8.04”
St. Peter’s, Morristown to “home missions for colored people, $37”
Grace, Newark to “Freedmen’s Commission, $26.04”
Trinity, Newark to “Church General Board of Missions for colored people of the South, $237.85”
St. John the Evangelist, New Brunswick to “Freedmen’s Commission, $12.61”
Grace, Orange to “home missions for colored people, $159.18”
St. Paul’s, Paterson to “P.E. Freedmen’s Mission, $40”
St. John’s, Salem to “Freedmen’s Commission, $51.77”
Trinity, Swedesboro to “P.E. Freedmen’s Com., $24.19”
1870 Convention Journal[5]
St. Mary’s, Burlington to “home mission among colored people, $38.81”
St. Peter’s, Freehold to “home for Colored people, $5” [6]
Trinity, Hoboken to “Home missions to colored people, $17”
St. Peter’s, Morristown to “home miss. To colored people, $31”
St. Philip’s, Newark to Domestic “colored miss., Petersburg, VA., $6.77”
Trinity, Newark to “Freedmen, $80.40”
Christ Church, Ridgewood: “Easter offerings for home missions to colored people, $25”
Trinity, Swedesboro to “P.E. Freedman’s Com., $13.87”
St. Michael’s, Trenton to “home mission to colored people, $26.96”
St. John’s Church, Woodside to “Freedmen, $3”
1871 Convention Journal[7]
St. Mary’s, Burlington to “Colored People, (in the South,) $27.42”
Trinity, Bayonne to “Colored people, (in the South,) $40”
Christ Church, Bloomfield to “Colored People, (in the South,) $14.33”
St. Paul’s, Camden to “Colored People, (in the South,) $20”
St. John’s, Elizabeth to “Colored People, (in the South,) $200”
Trinity, Hoboken to “Colored people, (in the South,) $12”
Redeemer, Morristown to “Colored People, (in the South,) $28”
St. Andrew’s, Mount Holly to “Colored People, (in the South,) $30”
Christ Church, Newark to “Colored People, (in the South,) $6.50”
Grace, Newark to “Colored People, (in the South,) $20.35”
Trinity, Newark to “Colored People, (in the South,) $157.69”
St. John the Evangelist, New Brunswick to “Colored People, (in the South,) $28.50”
Grace, Orange to “Colored People, (in the South,) $277.25”
St. Mark’s, Orange to “Colored People, (in the South,) $61.50”
Trinity, Red Bank to “Colored People, (in the South,) $7.20”
Christ Church, Ridgewood to “Colored People, (in the South,) $127.57”
Holy Communion, S. Orange to “Colored People, (in the South,) $10”
Trinity, Swedesboro to “Colored People, (in the South,) $10.21”
St. Michael’s, Trenton to “Colored People, (in the South,) $12.19”
1872 Convention Journal[8]
Trinity, Bayonne to “Colored people, (in the South,) $16”
St. Paul’s, Englewood to “Colored people, (in the South,) $32.70”
Grace, Jersey City to “Colored people, (in the South,) $50”
St. Peter’s, Morristown to “Colored people, (in the South,) $49.74”
St. Paul’s, Newark to “Colored people, (in the South,) per Rev. R.J. Love, $10”
Christ Church, Ridgewood to “Colored people, (in the South,) $100”
St. John the Evangelist, New Brunswick to “Colored people, (in the South,) $15.88”
St. Peter’s, Perth Amboy to “Colored people, (in the South,) $9.60”
St. Peter’s, Spotswood to “Colored people, (in the South,) $12.50”
St. Mary’s, Burlington to “Colored people, (in the South,) $34.68”
St. Andrew’s, Mount Holly to “Colored people, (in the South,) $20.45”
Trinity, Swedesboro to “Colored people, (in the South,) $17.22”
1873 Convention Journal[9]
Trinity, Bergen Point to “Colored people, (in the South,) $201”
Christ Church, Hackensack to “Colored people, (in the South,) $19.50”
Mission of the Holy Innocents, Hoboken to “Colored people, (in the South,) $5”
St. Peter’s, Morristown to “Colored people, (in the South,) $75”
Trinity, Newark to “Colored people, (in the South,) $89.90”
Grace, Orange to “Colored people, (in the South,) $40”
St. Paul’s, Paterson to “Colored people, (in the South,) $10.05”
Christ Church, Ridgewood to “Colored people, (in the South,) $83.35”
St. James, Eatontown to “Colored people, (in the South,) $2”
St. John’s, Elizabeth to “Colored people, (in the South,) Theol. Education, $500”
St. John the Evangelist, New Brunswick to “Colored people, (in the South,) $14”
St. Peter’s, Perth Amboy to “Colored people, (in the South,) $23.25”
Trinity, Princeton to “Colored people, (in the South,) mite boxes, $22.24”
St. Peter’s, Spotswood to “Colored people, (in the South,) $5”
Trinity, Woodbridge to “Colored people, (in the South,) $25”
St. Mary’s, Burlington to “Colored people, (in the South,) $11.05”
St. Paul’s, Camden to “Colored people, (in the South,) $25”
St. Andrew’s, Mt. Holly to “Colored people, (in the South,) $18.47”
Christ Church, Riverton to “Colored people, (in the South,) $5”
Christ Church, Waterford to “Colored people, (in the South,) $5”
1874 Convention Journal[10]
Church of the Redeemer, Morristown to “Colored people, (in the South,) $5”
St. Peter’s, Morristown to “Colored people, (in the South,) $54.59”
Grace, Orange to “Colored people, (in the South,) $77.29”
St. Paul’s, Paterson to “Colored people, (in the South,) $60.50”
Christ Church, Ridgewood to “Colored people, (in the South,) $50”
St. John the Evangelist, New Brunswick to “Colored people, (in the South,) $20”
St. Peter’s, Perth Amboy to “Colored people, (in the South,) $50”
St. Mary’s, Burlington to “Colored people, (in the South,) $40.87”
St. Stephen, Beverly to “Colored people, (in the South,) $20”
St. Paul’s, Camden to “Colored people, (in the South,) $25”
Grace, Haddonfield to “Colored people, (in the South,) $11”
Trinity, Moorestown to “Colored people, (in the South,) $4.27”
St. Andrew’s, Mount Holly to “Colored people, (in the South,) $19.52”
Christ Church, Riverton to “Colored people, (in the South,) $5”
1875 Convention Journal[11]
St. Mary’s, Burlington “to Colored people, $29.13”
Grace, Elizabeth “to Colored people, per Rev. Mr. Love, $15”
Grace, Haddonfield “to Colored people, $6”
St. Andrew’s, Mount Holly “to Colored people, $10”
Trinity, Moorestown “to Colored people, from Sunday School, $12.50”
St. John the Evangelist, New Brunswick “to Colored people, $19.50”
St. Peter’s, Perth Amboy “to Colored people, $52”
Christ Church, Riverton “to Colored people, $3”
St. John’s, Salem “to Colored people, $25”
1876 Convention Journal[12]
St. Andrew’s, Bridgeton to “home missions to colored people, $5.75”
St. Mary’s, Burlington to “home missions to colored people, $38.76”
St. Paul’s, Camden to “home missions to colored people, $50”
St. Peter’s, Freehold to “home missions to colored people, $2”
Grace Church, Haddonfield to “home missions to colored people, $6.70”
St. Andrew’s, Mt. Holly to “home missions to colored people, $20”
St. John the Evangelist, New Brunswick to “home missions to colored people, $20
St. Peter’s, Perth Amboy to “home missions to colored people, $20”
Christ Church, Riverton to “home missions to colored people, $5”
Christ Church, Shrewsbury to “home missions to colored people, $12”
Trinity Church, Swedesboro to “home missions to colored people, $32.58”
1877 Convention Journal[13]
St. Stephen’s, Beverly to “home missions to colored people, $8.50”
St. Andrew’s, Bridgeton to “home missions to colored people, (box of clothing), $25
St. Mary’s, Burlington to “home missions to colored people, (including boxes,) $310;”
St. Paul’s, Camden to “Home Missions to colored people, $80”
Christ Church, Elizabeth to “Home Missions to colored people, $33.65”
St. John’s, Elizabeth to “Home Missions to colored people, $140.20”
St. Peter’s, Freehold to “Home Missions to colored people, (individual,) $5”
St. Andrew’s, Mt. Holly to “Home Missions to colored people, $20”
St. John the Evangelist, New Brunswick to “Home Missions to colored people, $12”
St. Peter’s, Perth Amboy to “Home Missions to colored people, $10”
Christ Church, Riverton to “Home Missions to colored people, $11.65”
Trinity Church, Swedesboro to “Home Missions to colored people, $13.75”
St. Michael’s, Trenton to “Home Missions to colored people, $19”
Trinity Church, Trenton to “Home Missions for colored people, $26.31”
Trinity Church, Woodbridge to “Home Missions to colored people, $10”
Reported (separately) through Women’s Auxiliary to the Board of Missions [14]
“One box from Christ Church, Woodbury… $30.00”
“One box from St. John’s Church, Salem… $94.50”
“One box from St. Andrew’s Church, Bridgeton… $1.00”
“One box from St. Peter’s Church, Freehold… $20.00”
“Two boxes from Trinity Church, Princeton… $52.90”
“Two boxes from St. Mary’s Church, Burlington… $300.00”
1878 Convention Journal[15]
St. Mary’s, Burlington to “Home Missions to Colored People, $11.31”
St. Paul’s, Camden to “Domestic Missions, including the colored people, $92.00”[16]
St. John’s, Elizabeth to “Home Missions to Colored People, $42.69”
St. Peter’s, Freehold to “Home Missions to colored people, box of clothing from Woman’s Auxiliary, $48.57”
St. Andrew’s, Mt. Holly to “Homes [sic] Missions to Colored People, $13.00”
St. Andrew’s, Mt. Holly “for box to Freedmen, $14.00”
St. John the Evangelist, New Brunswick to “Home Missions to colored people, $10.50”
St. John’s, Salem to “Home Missions to Colored People, $94.00”
Trinity, Swedesboro to “Home Missions to colored people, $7.00”
Trinity, Woodbridge to “Home Missions to Colored People, $5.00”
Christ Church, Woodbury to “Home Missions to Colored People, $22”
[1] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Eighty-Third Annual Convention Held in Grace Church, Newark, on Wednesday, May 30th, M,DCCC,LXVI (Philadelphia: J.B. Chandler, 1866), 46.
[2] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Eighty-Fourth Annual Convention Held in St. Mary’s Church, Burlington, on Wednesday and Thursday, May 29th and 30th, MDCCCLXVII (New York: John W. Amerman, 1867), 63-109.
[3] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Eighty-Fifth Annual Convention, Held in Grace Church, Newark, on Wednesday and Thursday, May 27th and 28th, MDCCCLXVIII (New York: John W. Amerman, 1868), 64-107.
[4] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Eighty-Sixth Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New Jersey, Held in St. Mary’s Church, Burlington, on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 25th and 26th, MDCCCLXIX (New York: John W. Amerman, 1869), 47-84.
[5] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Eighty-Seventh Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New Jersey, Held in Grace Church, Newark, On Tuesday and Wednesday, May 31st and June 1st, MDCCCLXX (New York: John W. Amerman, 1870), 51-93.
[6] Not a typo.
[7] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Eighty-Eighth Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New Jersey, Held in St. Mary’s Church, Burlington, On Tuesday and Wednesday, May 30th and 31st, MDCCCLXXI (New York: John W. Amerman, 1871), 53-92.
[8] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Eighty-Ninth Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New Jersey, Held in Grace Church, Newark, On Tuesday and Wednesday, May 28th and 29th, MDCCCLXXII (New York: John W. Amerman, 1872), 53-105.
[9] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Ninetieth Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the State of New Jersey, Held in St. Mary’s Church, Burlington, On Tuesday and Wednesday, May 27th and 28th, MDCCCLXXIII (Newark: The Daily Advertiser, 1873), 60-118.
[10] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Ninety-First Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the State of New Jersey, Held in Grace Church, Newark, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, May 26th, 27th and 28th, MDCCCLXXIV (Newark: The Daily Advertiser, 1874), 84-125.
[11] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Ninety-Second Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the State of New Jersey, Held in St. Mary’s Church, Burlington, Tuesday and Wednesday, May 25th and 26th, MDCCCLXXV (Trenton: William S. Sharp, 1875), 58-78.
[12] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Ninety-Third Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the Diocese of New Jersey, Held in St. Michael’s Church, Trenton, Tuesday and Wednesday, May 30th and 31st, MDCCCLXXVI (Trenton: William S. Sharp, 1876), 137-162.
[13] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Ninety-fourth Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, In the Diocese of New Jersey, Held in St. John’s Church, Elizabeth, Tuesday and Wednesday, May 29th and 30th, MDCCCLXXVII (Trenton, NJ: John L. Murphy, 1877), 96-126.
[14] It is unclear whether these numbers are included in parochial giving reports, or whether there is no overlap. Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Ninety-fourth Annual Convention, 34.
[15] Diocese of New Jersey, Journal of the Proceedings of the Ninety-Fifth Annual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, In the Diocese of New Jersey, Held in St. Paul’s Church, Camden, Tuesday and Wednesday, May 28th, and 29th, MDCCCLXXVIII (Trenton: John L. Murphy, 1878), 88-117.
[16] This giving is only partly for “colored people.”
