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CHAPTER NINE: RELIGION
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHES
"The village of Middletown may be said to date from the organization of the First Congregational Church. Previous to that time there was no indication that the locality would become a hamlet more than any other place in the neighborhood."
a Franklin B. Williams
The Moore, Wickham, and Green families were Middletown's earliest settlers, coming here before the Revolution, around 1770. John Green's original land purchase included most of Middletown's downtown business district.
Green's will of December 12, 1784 provided that the First Congregational Church and Society be allowed to purchase a portion of his land for a nominal fee. On June 10, 1785, the First Congregational Church was formally organized by people in the area of what is now Middletown. Those who belonged to the early church were not necessarily Congregationalists, but found it "the most practicable" at the time. Rev. Charles Seeley, who had come to the area from Newton, New Jersey, was the church's first leader.
After Mr. Green died, the church purchased a portion of his land, the present site of the church on East Main Street. The deed was dated April 10, 1786. The Society was legally incorporated April 12, 1786 as "First Congregational Church of Middletown, in the precinct of Wallkill and County of Ulster" (Middletown then being in Ulster County). The church building was built the same year, although the interior was not completed for sometime. As related earlier, it was about this time that Middletown was named. In 1796, it was voted to move the church back from the road and to finish the interior; it was probably finished about 1798. Middletown's first cemetery was established on the church grounds, probably before 1789. This yard continued in use until about 1840 when the Little Cemetery (now part of Academy Avenue park) was opened. In 1871, remains from the old church cemetery were placed in a common grave in Hillside Cemetery.
Some members of the church had "some leanings toward Presbyterianism." This eventually led to a conflict known as "The Church War." Membership was divided into Presbyterian and Congregational parties. The Congregationalists eventually withdrew and the church was reincorporated January 22, 1818, as "The First Presbyterian Church and Congregation of Middletown." Later that year it was agreed to build a new church. In 1829, a new church was built by John Corwin on land given by James Little. This is the present Orchard Street site of the Presbyterian Church across from Thrall Library. This church was dedicated January 20, 1830.
Meanwhile, the old meeting house, or "The Lord's Barn" as it