The Archives of the Diocese of New Jersey

The Archives of the Diocese of New Jersey

The Archives of the Diocese of New Jersey is a repository of materials on the history of the diocese. We oversee, steward, and curate a vast treasury of data about the churches of the diocese, including information on their clergy and laity. This material has been acquired and made accessible for the use of both professional and non-professional researchers.

Officially established in 1990 by the late Reverend Canon Laurence D. Fish, the archives is located in the building at the rear of the 808 West State Street in Trenton. Canon Fish remained Historiographer of the Diocese of New Jersey, as well as its Archivist, until his death in July 2010.

Holdings
These are just some of the resources available:

  • Journals of the General Convention (1785-present)
  • Journals of the Diocese of New Jersey (1785-present)
  • Journals of the Diocese of New Jersey online (1785-1920, excepting 1844 and 1855)
  • ‘Diocese of New Jersey’  The official magazine of the Diocese (1912-2009), printed under several titles. Indexed but not yet available.
  • Service Book for the Diocese of New Jersey (1940) in PDF
  • Standing Committee Minutes (1826-present)
  • Records of many extinct parishes of this diocese
  • Histories of parishes and missions of the diocese
  • Records of the Girls Friendly Society
  • Files on clergy ordained in the diocese
  • Photographs
  • Index of clergy and laity photos in diocesan newspaper (1912-present)
    Index of parish photos in diocesan newspaper (1912-present)
  • Minutes: Clericus and Convocation
  • Minutes: Various commissions and committees
  • Church Almanac (1837-1906), a directory of churches and clergy by diocese.
  • The Episcopal Church Annual (1953-present)
  • The Clerical Directory (1898, 1905, 1910-present)
  • Historical Magazine of the Protestant Episcopal Church (now Anglican and Episcopal History) (1934-present) Some missing. This series is indexed.
  • Works Progress Administration: Archives of New Jersey Counties
  • Works Progress Administration book on Episcopal Churches of New Jersey. Include lists of incorporation and deeds for most churches.
  • Autobiographies and biographies of many bishops of the Episcopal Church
  • Many histories of dioceses of the Episcopal Church
  • The Procter Foundation at Princeton – A History (1936?)
  • Historiographers’ articles on the history of the Diocese
  • A listing of our bishops, past and present, is available online.

Staff 
The Rev. Richard Wrede was appointed archivist and historiographer in March 2014, following the death of Cynthia McFarland. He is in the archives most Thursdays. You can email him at rwrede@dioceseofnj.org.

We are processing and cataloguing and assessing our large collection of books and pamphlets, determining which are relevant to our collection and which are peripheral to a diocesan library.

Carol Bishop had been digitizing paper Confirmation and Reception records and has concluded the years of the 1940s and 1950s; she continues to bring the records up to date. When complete, digital records of this material will enable us far more easily to find information for people confirmed or received into the churches of this diocese and to identify people for genealogical research by family members. When this project is completed, the collection will include all records from 1875 to the present.

For more information
For information about the Archives, phone us at 609 394-5281, extension 15 or email Canon Wrede.  We can assist you in many cases by email or make arrangements for a personal visit and use of the collections.

I look forward to assisting you.

The Rev. Richard Wrede, MLS Historiographer and Archivist