Dutch Reformed Church in the United States

United States   Church Records   Dutch Reformed Church Records

Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com records may be used free-of-charge at any Family History Center.
 * U.S., Selected States Dutch Reformed Church Membership Records, 1701-1995, index and images, Ancestry.com, ($)
 * U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Vital Records, 1856-1970, index and images, Ancestry.com, ($)
 * U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Membership Records, 1856-1970, index and images, Ancestry.com, ($)
 * U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989, index and images, Ancestry.com, ($)

Other Collections

 * Baptismal and Marriage Registers of the Old Dutch Church of Kingston, Ulster, New York, 1660-1809
 * Baptismal record of the Reformed Dutch Church at Newtown, Long Island, New York, 1736 to 1846. Marriages by Rev. Garretson at Newtown from 1835 to 1846 (1913)
 * Baptismal record of the First Reformed Dutch church at Jamaica, Long Island, New York ... 1702 to .. (1912)
 * Baptismal Records of the Reformed Dutch Church of Flatlands, Long Island, New York 1747 - 1802
 * Listings and indexes of baptisms, marriages, deaths, and memberships, 1825 - 1914. For microfilm of original typescript, see
 * Flatbush Reformed Dutch Church Consistory Books, Kings County Long Island New York
 * Records of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Newtown, Long Island New York Preface &amp; Communicants 1741
 * Records of the First Reformed Dutch Church of Newtown, Long Island New York Baptisms 1749-1846
 * Long Island Genealogy

History

 * The Reformed Church in America (RCA) is a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States. It has about 196,308 members. From its beginning in 1628 until 1819, it was the North American branch of the Dutch Reformed Church.
 * The Dutch Reformed Church started in the United States in 1628 in New Amsterdam, New Netherlands (now known as New York City, New York).
 * In 1819, it was known as the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church. Its current name is Reformed Church in America.
 * In 1857, a group of more conservative members in Michigan led by Gijsbert Haan separated from the RCA. They organized the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRC), and other churches followed.

Consistory Minutes
Sometimes, instead of register books, all of these records might be interspersed in narrative minutes.

Finding Aids

 * Chronological List of Ccongregations, 1628 to 2000
 * Guide to Local Church Records in the Archives of the Reformed Church in America and Other Archives

Writing for Records
Most records are retained in the local churches. See the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.
 * Reformed Church of America Church Finder
 * Christian Reformed Church in Norrth America Church Finder

Archives
Archives of the Christian Reformed Church in North America Heritage Hall 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546-4402 Phone: 616.526.6313 Fax: 616.526.7689 E-mail:crcarchives@calvin.edu Text Us: 616-214-3355
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"In 1962, the Historical Committee of the Christian Reformed Church was instructed by Synod to collect the records of local, active congregations and microfilm their minutes (council, elders, deacons, the executive committee and the congregation), returning the originals to the congregation, so that a back-up set of records was available to local congregations should anything happen to their original set. The microfilm is stored in our vault, and the originals are returned to the congregation sending them."

Privacy restrictions apply.

Many of the records are included in U.S., Selected States Dutch Reformed Church Membership Records, 1701-1995, index and images, Ancestry.com, ($) and U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Vital Records, 1856-1970, index and images, Ancestry.com, ($)

Archives of the Reformed Church in America 21 Seminary Place New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (732)-246-1779 Email: rgasero@rca.org
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The records of the Archives are available by appointment for research use. You are welcome to undertake your own research or use the services of a local researcher. Costs for a researcher hired by the Archives would be $30/hour for the first hour and $20/hour for each hour after that. Research could include providing digital copies of pertinent materials.

Recent records of the Reformed Church in America are restricted. However, many records from the first three centuries (approximately 1630 through 1950) of the life and ministry of the RCA are available for scholarly research. These include the records of congregations, classes, regional synods, the General Synod, and mission fields.

Genealogy Research: Unfortunately, the RCA Archives does not have the staff or financial resources to do genealogical research for family historians. However, we can tell people what records are available and guide them in the right direction for further research.

Most of our congregational records have been digitized and made available on Ancestry.com at U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Membership Records, 1856-1970, index and images, Ancestry.com, ($), and U.S., Dutch Reformed Church Records in Selected States, 1639-1989, index and images, Ancestry.com, ($) That site would provide the least expensive and most efficient method to research Reformed church congregational registers.