History

Presbyterian Formation in the United States

During the 17th century, the King of England and his ministers spent years attempting to impose the rituals of the Church of England upon the Scottish people, many of whom were of Presbyterian faith. Those who defied the Crown were imprisoned, killed, or exiled to the New World. Some became indentured servants to English and Dutch farmers around Perth Amboy and Freehold to pay for their passage. Despite persecution and hardship, their faith remained unbroken.

This steadfast faith brought these individuals together in small gatherings on the Lord’s Day. Walter Kerr, one of the Scottish exiles, played a central role in organizing this group into a congregation and was later known as “The Father of Old Tennent.” As early as 1692, the group worshiped in a log meetinghouse at “Free Hill,” now known as the Old Scots Burying Ground near Wickatunk, about five miles northeast of the present-day Old Tennent Church.

In 1706, this log church hosted the first recorded session of the Presbyterian Church’s Presbytery in America. By 1730, the congregation constructed a new meetinghouse, with its first service held on April 18, 1731 under Rev. John Tennent. After his death, his brother William Tennent Jr. became pastor. Both were educated at the “Log College” in Neshaminy, Pennsylvania—considered the precursor to Princeton University.

Several churches—including those in Freehold, Englishtown, and Manalapan—trace their origins to Old Tennent, along with later support given to churches such as the Charlton Presbyterian Church in Saratoga County, New York (1786).

The Birth of Charlton Freehold Presbyterian Church

In the early 1770s, residents of Monmouth County, New Jersey, sought new land in the Kayaderosseras Patent. John Cavert was sent to explore suitable territory. In 1773, he traveled via the Hudson River to Albany and then to Schenectady before venturing north into the wilderness. He selected a site in present-day Charlton, marking it by planting a willow staff, which had grown into a tree by the time he returned in 1786.

Cavert’s report encouraged settlement. In 1774, Thomas Sweetman and his brother-in-law David Maxwell arrived, followed by others including John Taylor, Joseph LaRue, and James Valentine. Early settlers such as Jesse Conde and Joseph Gonzales helped establish the community, which they named “New Freehold.”

Many settlers were descendants of Walter Kerr, a Scottish Covenanter exiled for his faith. Others, like Michael Sweetman, had emigrated from Ireland due to religious persecution. Together, they formed the foundation of a new community rooted in faith and perseverance.

Charlton Town History

Charlton is the southwestern-most town in Saratoga County, New York. The county itself was formed from Albany County on February 7, 1791. The land that would become Charlton was part of the Kayaderosseras Patent, surveyed in 1771. To help cover the cost of this survey, a 5,000-acre parcel was set aside for the surveyors. A portion of this land lies within Charlton, south of a line running through the center of present-day Main Street.

Originally, Charlton was part of the Town of Ballston. On March 17, 1792, Charlton, Galway, and Milton were established as separate towns.

The first recognized permanent settlers in Charlton were the family of Joseph Gonzales, who settled near the western end of the town in 1770. A few years later, in 1774, the Sweetman family settled in the far eastern portion of the town, near the edge of the Ballston settlement.

Early settlers in Charlton, as well as neighboring Ballston and Galway, were largely devout Christians of Scottish descent. They adhered strongly to the Presbyterian faith—a faith for which their ancestors had endured persecution, exile, and hardship. Initially, these settlers traveled to attend church services in Ballston Center. However, the distance soon led them to establish local places of worship.

In 1786, settlers in the eastern part of Charlton formally organized a church in what was then known as Freehold village. Public worship had already been taking place in a local schoolhouse prior to this time. The church, officially organized on January 3, 1786, was named the Freehold Presbyterian Church and placed under the New York Presbytery. It was the sixth church established in Saratoga County.

The church’s first pastor was Rev. William Schenck, who had studied under Rev. William Tennent. In April 1787, the first election of church officers was held. John Holmes, John Rogers, and Joel Smith were elected as Elders, while Thomas Brown and Eli Northrup were chosen as Deacons.

The congregation constructed its first church building in the fall of 1787 on the site of the present church, though set farther back from the road. A second structure was erected in 1804. The current church building, still standing today, was constructed between 1852 and 1853 at a cost of approximately $3,600.

This early history reflects the determination, faith, and community spirit that shaped Charlton and continues to define it today.

Written by Church Historian: Jim Hall