History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Prominent Men . their in-creasing school. Mr. James R. Ferris has held theposition of superintendent for nearly all the timesince the organization of this Sabbath-school, andthe church had increased in membership of aboutninety, when in the year 1873 it was decided to builda larger church. A meeting was called and planswere exhibited for adoption. Benjamin Ham andJames R. Ferris were appointed upon the buildingcommittee. It was decided to occupy the sameground ; money was raised, and a beautiful chu
History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Prominent Men . their in-creasing school. Mr. James R. Ferris has held theposition of superintendent for nearly all the timesince the organization of this Sabbath-school, andthe church had increased in membership of aboutninety, when in the year 1873 it was decided to builda larger church. A meeting was called and planswere exhibited for adoption. Benjamin Ham andJames R. Ferris were appointed upon the buildingcommittee. It was decided to occupy the sameground ; money was raised, and a beautiful churchedifice was erected, with an audience-room to accom-modate some five hundred persons, having lecture- andclass-rooms, parlor, and pastors study on the first floor,a fine cellar for heating apparatus, making the wholecomfortable in extreme weather. The whole costwas twenty thousand dollars, and is free from present membership is one hundred and eighty,with a Sabbath-school of two hundred and four. In the year 1869 a double lot was secured in therear of the church, and a comfortable parsonage was. (^^^^u<^ ^^^ Au2A^<^<n^^ TOWNSHIP OF WESTFIELD. 339 erected. The oldest member of the church at thepresent is Josiah Ferris, in his ninety-second year,who has held responsible official relation to thechurch for years as trustee, class-leader, and steward. The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Churchwas organized with thirty members in the fall of theyear 1879, John Williams and Henry Nelson and afew others interesting themselves in collecting thecolored people of Westfield together. They seem tobe a prosperous society. The Rev. Valentine Buck,a Methodist clergyman of the New York East Con-ference, has assisted them in their efforts to establishregular services on the Sabbath. Rev. Thomas Har-ris, presiding elder, has the .supervision of this society. Grace Protestant Episcopal Church.—This so-ciety was organized .July 2, 1867, at the homesteadresidence of Rev. Phil
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