History: Vestry Minutes and More!

As the largest of the Swedish Churches of the New Sweden Colonies, Trinity completed the main building in 1791. Subscriptions to pay the debt and complete the interior work were still needed even as the church became Episcopalian.

By 1838 the members realized the need for a tower. The location adjacent to Kings Highway limited options and a tower was added to the rear of the building by 1839. The design features "ship's knees", an unusual bracketing form of internal construction that was also used on Independence Hall. The architect for Independence Hall was the well-known William Strickland, hardly a person the members of Trinity could afford! Instead it is guessed that the plans for the tower were "pirated" to Swedesboro by James Gill Clark, chief carpenter on the project and a former member of Trinity Church. Frequent references are made in the records to painting, leak repairs, and problems with the steeple. A new bell purchased in 1859, a thousand pounds heavier than the original, added to structural problems that were addressed during the recent restoration. Restoration work in 1989-2001, as part of a NJHT Grant, replaced the original finials and panels missing since the mid 1930's, re-gilded the weather vane, replaced the three roofs on the tower, straightened the main mast and made structural repairs to the bell cradle. In keeping with the church's concern for education, the tower rooms were utilized for school rooms in the 1860's.

1821 minutes show that the vestry resolved to build a house for the sexton (sold in 1978). In that same year, they also resolved to put a "new handle on the pump at the parsonage and build a pen for hogs in the parsonage yard". The original parsonage dates from 1765, and played host to General "Mad" Anthony Wayne during the Revolutionary War. In 1846, it was moved two lots down from the present site, and was sold a year later; it was eventually moved to the back of the lot and burned by the fire company for a drill in the 1950's. The parsonage (rectory) as seen today is two houses joined together, and dates to 1846. The vestry voted to add a "portico and a summer kitchen" on the parsonage in 1859. A new front porch was added in 1907, the bay window put in the dining room in 1914 and hardwood floors installed in 1915. A major improvement was in 1901 when the Vestry directed a committee to "put a water closet and sink in the bathroom and a sink in the kitchen"! In the 1980's a front window was eliminated, a door added and the present "office" created.

The ladies of the Guild are credited with many improvements and additions, most noteworthy the building of the Parish House in 1854. At times in the records, the building is referred to as "the chapel". An 18-ft. addition was put on in 1866 and the kitchen at a later date. At times the Guild paid for painting, interior repairs and "decorating" in the church: most notably was the Strawbridge & Clothier work around 1911. By 1912 the records note "artistic changes of ivory wood, brownish yellow walls" and stenciling over doors and along the walls. Some of this work is still visable behind the baptismal shelf. The present organ was also a gift of the Guild in 1898. It was purchased used and dates to the mid 1870's. The organ was moved from the balcony to chancel in 1899 – no small feat – and the pipes elaborately decorated, but was returned to the balcony by 1903 due to acoustics.

With the exception of changing the center aisle to two side aisles in 1834 (to add seating space), revisions to the church have been minor. The Minutes refer to the purchase of the wooden blinds in 1837, doors to the gallery in 1860, electric lights in 1889, a slate roof in lieu of wooden shingles in 1851, a platform and railing for the Font area in 1885 and upgrades in the heating system from stoves to digging a cellar for a furnace. The 1885 records also note that a committee should place a drain from the water closet in the church into the "meadowlands". We better not pursue this one!

A frequent problem had to do with the horse sheds behind the tower. They were built in 1829, blown over in 1907, damaging grave stones, repaired from time to time and removed prior to 1938 pictures of the church. As always, the cemeteries were a source of discussion; new fences to keep out the hogs, wider gates to accommodate wagons, and the decision that the graves in the "New Cemetery" be dug to 6 feet deep (1834). In 1854 a brick wall was placed around that cemetery.

Last but not least, the Minutes reflect events in the community. Little is said about the Civil War (probably because the rector was referred to as a "Secess" and it created dissention among church members) except to note in 1865 that the church was draped in "Mourning for our late President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln". WWI and WW2 saw members lost and War Damage Insurance placed on the church. Long, detailed eulogies are recorded for former members who had been strong financial supporters and members throughout the years. Since the written records date from 1713, they are in elaborate long hand, carefully printed and today, typed. The Gloucester County Historical Society has published two books containing summaries of the records, marriages, births, deaths, membership and vestry minutes. Most importantly the detailed records were of great value to the architects and engineers at the time of the roof truss failure and assisted them in tracing the evolution of the present day building and site.