Fairfield History Page

” I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your works; I muse on the work of Your hands.” (Psalm 143:5)

Fairfield Church is one of the oldest Christian congregations in our country. When the American Revolution was still a century in the future, Fairfield’s first pastor was in his pulpit!

The Succession of the 44 Pastors Serving
The Fairfield Presbyterian Church

Click pastors’ names for further information

M. Bradnor* 1680 – 1695     15 Yrs. J.N. Wagenhurst 1897 – 1900     3 Yrs.
Thomas Bridges 1695 – 1702     7 Yrs. John Bamford 1901 – 1903     2 Yrs.
Joseph Smith 1709 – 1711     2 Yrs. W.J. Trimble 1903 – 1906     3 Yrs.
Samuel Exell 1712 – 1712     1 Yr. William Bullock 1907 – 1908     1 Yrs.
Howell A.P. Howell 1715 – 1717     2 Yrs. Nelson B. Kline 1909 – 1910     1 Yrs.
Henry Hook 1718 – 1722     4 Yrs. William M. Seel 1912 – 1914     2 Yrs.
Noyes Parris 1724 – 1729     4 Yrs. Franklin Weatherwax 1914 – 1917     3 Yrs.
Daniel Elmer 1729 – 1755     26 Yrs. Nelson B. Kline 1918 – 1922     4 Yrs.
William Ramsey 1756 – 1771     15 Yrs. Jacob Dyke 1922 – 1923     1 Yrs.
William Hollingshead 1773 – 1783     10 Yrs. J. Howard Douglas 1923 – 1928     5 Yrs.
Ethan Osborn 1789 – 1844     55 Yrs. Clinton Cook
1932 Anniversary, Part 1
1929 – 1941     12 Yrs.
David McKee ** 1836 – 1838     2 Yrs. Arthur Haverly 1942 – 1945     3 Yrs.
Beriah B. Hotchkin 1845 – 1850     5 Yrs. John Taxis 1945 – 1947     2 Yrs.
David C. Meeker 1851 – 1855     4 Yrs. Paul Stauning 1947 – 1951     4 Yrs.
James Boggs 1857 – 1866     9 Yrs. Ralph Tamaccio 1951 – 1954     3 Yrs.
Hiram E. Johnson 1866 – 1869     8 Yrs. Lincoln Griswold 1955 – 1958     3 Yrs.
Samuel R. Jones 1869 – 1874     5 Yrs. Allen Ackley 1960 – 1964     4 Yrs.
Samuel R. Anderson 1875 – 1883     8 Yrs. Vaughn Thurman 1965 – 1967     2 Yrs.
Henry Reeves 1883 – 1885     2 Yrs. Charles Dennison 1972 – 1976     4 Yrs.
Frank R. Symmes 1886 – 1890     4 Yrs. Lawrence C. Roff 1977 – 1984     7 Yrs.
Thomas W. Pulham 1891 – 1893     2 Yrs. Allan Story 1985 – 1992     7 Yrs.
George Warrington 1894 – 1897     3 Yrs. Michael Schuelke 1992 – 2022   30 Yrs.
    Chris O’Brien 2022 – present

* As noted on the list by the PCA Archives; a list by Lawrence C. Roff gives the name as John Bradnor
** Called as co-pastor with Ethan Osborn

THE LONGEST PASTORATES

Ethan Osborn 55 years 1789 – 1844
Michael Schuelke 30 years 1992 – 2022
Daniel Elmer 26 years 1729 – 1755
William Ramsey 15 years 1756 – 1771
John Bradnor 15 years 1680 – 1695
Clinton Cook 12 years 1929 – 1941
William Hollingshead 10 years 1773 – 1783
James Boggs 9 years 1857 – 1866
Hiram E. Johnson 8 years 1866 – 1869
Samuel R. Anderson 8 years 1875 – 1883
Thomas Bridge 7 years 1695 – 1702
Lawrence C. Roff 7 years 1997 – 1984
Allan Story 7 years 1985 – 1992
 

Historical Places

Fairfield Presbyterian Church has seen the Providential hand of God in preserving from development the sites of the first three church buildings and burial grounds. Information on these sites is posted below.
 

Please visit our 325th Anniversary Page where you may find progress reports on the much needed restoration of the New England Town Cemetery.

Past Anniversary Celebrations

Miscellaneous Historical Photos

Photos of the congregation other than regular anniversary celebrations will be posted here. If you have old photos that warrant inclusion in a digital archive of Fairfield Church, please contact the office.

Books

Beriah Hotchkin was a former pastor of the church who published his eulogy of Ethan Osborn, having been induced to do so by the requests of many. Wayne Sparkman of the PCA Historical Center has made available the following digital copy of Hotchkin’s book:

Register of Communicants

Fairfield History Elsewhere on the Internet

Fairfield History

Fairfield Church PCA

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