First Presbyterian Church (Hastings, Neb.) [RG3047.AM]

NEBRASKA STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MANUSCRIPT FINDING AID



RG3047.AM:  First Presbyterian Church (Hastings, Neb.)



Records:  1873-1975

Hastings, Adams County, Neb.:  Presbyterian church

Size:  4 reels of microfilm



BACKGROUND NOTE



The First Presbyterian Church of Hastings, Nebraska, was organized in August of 1873. The first pastor (and organizer) of the church was the Rev. James A. Griffes, who had originally settled in Beatrice and preached to scattered groups in the Hastings area before he organized a church at Hastings. In September of 1873 the congregation was admitted into the Presbytery of Nebraska City. Services were first held in the Selleck School House, south of Hastings, and it was not until 1878 that the congregation dedicated its own building. The history of the church is also linked with that of Hastings College: Rev. Griffes was one of the organizers of the school, and in 1874 was elected to serve on the Board of Trustees.



SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE



This collection consists of four reels of microfilm containing 22 volumes and several miscellaneous loose items of the records of the First Presbyterian Church of Hastings, Nebraska. The records are arranged in six series: 1) Registers, 1873-1975; 2) Session minutes, 1873-1975; 3) Minutes of annual congregational meetings, 1892-1970; 4) Minutes of meetings of the Board of Deacons, 1916-1975; 5) Chronological roll, 1913-1921; and 6) Minutes of the Board of Trustees, 1972-1974. The records were received on loan for microfilming by the Nebraska State Historical Society in November of 1966. Blank pages are not filmed. Additional material was received June 25, 1975.



NOTE:  Because the records were received and filmed at different times, some materials in the same series will be found on different reels of film. Consult the Description, below, for reel locations of particular records.



DESCRIPTION



Series 1 – Registers, 1873-1975



Reel 1

Volume




    1. 1873-c1897  Includes alphabetical listings of members, register of baptisms (1891-1897), register of deaths (1891-1897), registers of pastors and church officers (1873-1897), register of marriages (1891-1897), and reserved roll (1891-1895).

    1. 1873-1912  Includes registers of pastors and church officers (through 1912), registers of communicants (1873-1908), register of baptism (1908-1912).

    1. 1874-1975



Reel 4

Volume




    1. 1874-1975 (cont.)



Note:  Volume 3 is filmed on both reel 1 and reel 4. It includes register of members (to 1975), register of baptisms (1912-1975), register of marriages (1918-1975).



Series 2 – Session Minutes, 1873-1975



Reel 1

Volume




    1. 1873-1888  Includes history of the founding of the church, synopses of annual reports, minutes of congregational meeting (Aug. 1885 – see p. 178), church register (after pg. 193, page numbers start again at 1) including registers of church officers (to 1890), register of communicants (through 1890), register of baptisms (through 1888), register of deaths (1876-1879), and articles of incorporation.

    1. 1888-1898  Includes church register (after p. 192, page numbering starts again at 1) with registers of church officers (1888-1900), registers of communicants (1873-1898), register of baptisms (1889-1895), register of marriages (1891-1892), register of deaths (1891-1893, and annual reports.

    1. 1898-1914  Includes annual reports.

    1. 1914-1922, pp. 1-89



Reel 2

Volume




    1. 1914-1922, pp. 90-173



Note:  Volume 4 is filmed on both reel 1 and reel 2. It includes a 1915 copy of “Standing Rules of the Presbytery of Hastings” and annual reports.




    1. 1923-1928  Includes annual reports.

    1. 1928-1938  Includes annual reports.

    1. 1938-1956  Includes list of church records “in Clarke Buchanan Vault.”

    1. 1957-1966



Reel 4

Volume




    1. 1966-1975



Series 3 – Minutes of Annual Congregational Meetings, 1892-1970



Reel 3

Volume




    1. 1892-1896  Includes letter of resignation of Rev. Harry Omar Scott, 1896.

    1. 1898-1942

    1. 1943-1954

    1. 1961-1963

    1. 1964-1970, pg. 31 ff. to 1965



Reel 4

Volume




    1. 1964-1970, pp. 1-31



Series 4 – Minutes of Meetings of the Board of Deacons, 1916-1975



Reel 3

Volume




    1. 1916-1958  One volume only, with insertions.



Reel 4

Volume




    1. 1958-1975



Series 5 – Chronological Roll



Reel 3

Volume




    1. Single volume. Entries appear to be for dates between 1874 to about 1920-1921, and are arranged in alphabetical order in back of book; individuals are given numbers which appear to correspond with order in which their names appears in the front of the book.



Series 6 – Minutes of the Board of Trustees, 1972-1974



Reel 4

Volume




    1. 1972-1974



 



ADDED ENTRIES:



Adams County (Neb.) — Churches

First Presbyterian Church (Hastings, Neb.)

Hastings (Neb.) — Churches

Presbyterian Church in Nebraska



 



DDS/ct   06-26-1975

dco/kfk   04-03-2003

Become a Member!

Our members make history happen.

Join Now

You May Also Enjoy

How Eliza Grayson escaped Nebraska slavery

How Eliza Grayson escaped Nebraska slavery

Marker Monday: World War II Hero Charles Jackson French

Marker Monday: World War II Hero Charles Jackson French

Omaha’s Shocking Nineteenth-Century Art

Omaha’s Shocking Nineteenth-Century Art

About NSHS

The Nebraska State Historical Society was founded in 1878 by citizens who recognized Nebraska was going through great changes and they sought to record the stories of both indigenous and immigrant peoples. It was designated a state institution and began receiving funds from the legislature in 1883. Legislation in 1994 changed NSHS from a state institution to a state agency. The division is headed by Director Daryl Bohac. They are assisted by an administrative staff responsible for financial and personnel functions, museum store services, security, and facilities maintenance for NSHS.

Explore Nebraska

Discover the real places and people of our past at these NSHS sites.

Upcoming Events

View our new and upcoming events to see how you can get involved.

Become a Member

The work we do to discover, preserve, and share Nebraska's history wouldn't be possible without the support of NSHS members.

NSHS Education

Learn more about the educational programs provided at our museums, sites, and online.

Education Digital Learning Resources

Find games, lists, and more to enhance your history education curriculum.

Latest Hall of Fame Inductee

The Nebraska Hall of Fame was established in 1961 to officially recognize prominent Nebraskans.

Listen to our Podcast

Listen to the articles and authors published in the Nebraska History Magazine with our new Nebraska History Podcast!

Nebraska Collections

NSHS's mission is to collect, preserve, and open our shared history to all Nebraskans.

Our YouTube Video Collection

Get a closer look at Nebraska's history through your own eyes, with our extensive video collections.

Additional Research Resources

NSHS's Research and Reference Services help connect you to the material we collect and preserve.

NSHS Services

Digital Resources

Find all of our digital resources, files, videos, and more, all in one easy-to-search page!

Support The Historical Society

Make a cash donation to help us acquire, preserve, and interpret Nebraska’s history. Gifts to the Nebraska State Historical Society help leave a legacy and may help your taxes, too! Support the work of NSHS.

Volunteers are the heroes of NSHS. So much history, so little time! Your work helps us share access to Nebraska’s stories at our museums and sites, the reference room, and online.