{{short description|Historic church in New Jersey, United States}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox NRHP | name = First Presbyterian Church of Hanover | nrhp_type = | image = FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF HANOVER, MORRIS COUNTY.jpg | caption = | nearest_city = East Hanover, New Jersey | coordinates = {{coord|40|48|13|N|74|22|7|W|display=inline,title}} | locmapin = USA New Jersey Morris County#New Jersey#USA | area = | built = 1835 | architect = Elijah Hopping | architecture = Greek Revival, Gothic Revival | added = November 10, 1977 | refnum = 77000896<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2013a|refnum=77000896}}</ref> | designated_other1_name = New Jersey Register of Historic Places | designated_other1_abbr = NJRHP | designated_other1_link = New Jersey Register of Historic Places | designated_other1_date = June 13, 1977 | designated_other1_number = 2116<ref name=NJRHP>{{cite web |title=New Jersey and National Registers of Historic Places - Morris County |url=https://www.nj.gov/dep/hpo/1identify/nrsr_lists/MORRIS.pdf#page=5 |publisher=New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Historic Preservation Office |page=5 |date=March 23, 2021 }}</ref> | designated_other1_num_position = bottom | designated_other1_color = #ffc94b }}
The '''First Church of Hanover''', also known as the '''First Presbyterian Church of Hanover''' or the '''Hanover Presbyterian Church''', is located on Mount Pleasant Avenue in East Hanover, Morris County, New Jersey, United States. Established in 1718 in what was then the British Province of New Jersey, it is a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is the oldest religious congregation in Morris County.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hanover Presbyterian Church Historical Marker|url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=32273|access-date=2020-08-22|website=www.hmdb.org|language=en-US}}</ref> The congregation's current building, constructed in 1835, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.<ref name="nrhpdoc">{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=77000896}}|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: First Presbyterian Church of Hanover |publisher=National Park Service|first1=Terry |last1=Karschner |date=July 1976}} With {{NRHP url|id=77000896|photos=y|title=accompanying 3 photos}}</ref>
==History== The earliest record of the church is a deed dated September 2, 1718, from John Richard, "Schoolmaster," for three and a half acres of land adjoining the Whippany River, "in consideration of ye love, good will, and affection which I have and do bear towards my Christian friends and neighbors in Whippany," "and especially of those who shall or may mutually covenant by subscription to erect a decent and suitable meeting house for the public worship of God."<ref name="brochure">{{Cite web |url=http://www.firstchurchhan.org/firstchurch/brochure1.cfm |title=The First Church of Hanover NJ |access-date=2008-10-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119135857/http://www.firstchurchhan.org/firstchurch/brochure1.cfm |archive-date=2008-11-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Due to long traveling distance and population increasing, "so-called" sister churches emerged in Morristown, Madison, and Parsippany. The Hanover Church was then rebuilt in 1755 near its current location. The church stood slightly east of the present building and parallel to the roadway. It served as a hospital during the Revolution when an epidemic of smallpox broke out among the soldiers quartered in and around Morristown. It has been said that Washington and his staff occupied the manse which is now remodeled and still stands a bit beyond and across the street from the present manse.<ref name="brochure"/>
In 1835 the current church building was constructed from timbers from an old building and oak trees from the surrounding property. A few of the timbers in the edifice bear the marks of the hooks which suspended the cots when the old building was used as a hospital during the Revolution. The belfry was constructed in accordance with a design by the architect, Sir Christopher Wren.
Adjacent to the church property is a small cemetery. The cemetery contains many historic grave sites. One of the oldest graves is that of Ruth Burnet, 1750. The other grave sites are that of 52 soldiers, 38 from the Revolutionary War, 3 from the War of 1812, 8 from the Civil War, 1 from World War I and 2 from World War II.
==See also== *National Register of Historic Places listings in Morris County, New Jersey
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{National Register of Historic Places in New Jersey}} {{NRHP in Morris County, New Jersey}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:First Church Of Hanover}} Category:Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in New Jersey Category:Greek Revival church buildings in New Jersey Category:Gothic Revival church buildings in New Jersey Category:Churches completed in 1835 Category:19th-century Presbyterian church buildings in the United States Category:Churches in Morris County, New Jersey Category:National Register of Historic Places in Morris County, New Jersey Category:East Hanover Township, New Jersey Category:New Jersey Register of Historic Places