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

1. 1. 1874-1975

Reel 4

Volume

3. 3. 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. 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. 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. 1. 1898-1914  Includes annual reports.

1. 1. 1914-1922, pp. 1-89

Reel 2

Volume

4. 4. 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.

5. 5. 1923-1928  Includes annual reports.

5. 5. 1928-1938  Includes annual reports.

5. 5. 1938-1956  Includes list of church records “in Clarke Buchanan Vault.”

5. 5. 1957-1966

Reel 4

Volume

9. 9. 1966-1975

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

Reel 3

Volume

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

1. 1. 1898-1942

1. 1. 1943-1954

1. 1. 1961-1963

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

Reel 4

Volume

5. 5. 1964-1970, pp. 1-31

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

Reel 3

Volume

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

Reel 4

Volume

2. 2. 1958-1975

Series 5 – Chronological Roll

Reel 3

Volume

1. 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. 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