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History of Churches in Glassboro

St. Thomas' Episcopal Church

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St. Thomas' Episcopal Church
Beginnings Before Glassboro
St. Thomas Episcopal is often regarded as the oldest church in Glassboro. However, its history actually began before its physical construction. Before the Glassboro church was built, members of the parish had services in Emanuel Lutheran Church in Salem County. Once the members moved to Glassboro to work they were unable to easily reach the church. They requested the assistance of the Swedish Lutheran Church in Swedesboro to send their minister, Nicholas Collin, every month for service.
Building the Church
In 1791, a small one-room church made of logs was constructed near the old Episcopal Cemetery on North Main Street (39.711517, -75.111707). In 1840, the parishioners decided to build a new church on land donated by Mrs. Bathsheba Whitney located on the southwest corner of North Main and Focer Streets. Costing approximately $6,000, many of the materials used to construct the new church are from a local quarry in the Chestnut Ridge section, a residential neighborhood in Glassboro south-west of Rowan’s campus. This church officially replaced the old church in 1846, when the final cornerstone was placed. Now designated as a historic site by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the gothic revival style of St. Thomas Episcopal is attributed to the architect John Norman.
Reflection
The St. Thomas Church was one my favorite to visit and learn about. Since this church is the oldest in Glassboro its history is rich and many aspects of the church illustrate what life was like back in colonial Glassboro. The most difficult part of this church was trying to find the location of the old schoolhouse and the original cemetery. Many sources described the overall location but none showed exactly where it was located and many maps had vegetation covering it. After finding an approximate location by walking up North Main St. and asking for information from local residents we were able to locate the cemetery and record its exact location. Many of the graves in the cemetery show the influence of a few important families such as the Whitneys and Stangers. We were also able to find the grave of Solomon Stanger which was interesting as the grave was written in German showing a direct lineage from Europe and the migration of the Stangers. This church gives an insightful look at history and the beginnings of Glassboro.