The Old Clove Church celebrates its 225th birthday

By Viktoria-Leigh Wagner

WANTAGE — On Sept. 16 the Old Clove Church in Wantage held a service to commemorate the church’s 225 year history. Old Clove began as a Dutch Reform Church with meetings held in Helmos Titsworth’s barn, and then afterwards in a log chapel built in 1790. According to speaker Jack Haggerty, Jr., of Wantage, 66, “in 1816, the congregation disbanded the Dutch Reform Church and joined with the people of Deckertown, from the English Presbyterians and Congregational Church.” The original building of the church was completed in 1817. Haggerty said that in 1818, the newly-built Presbyterian church became known as the first of Wantage, “with the Reverend Gershom Williams as pastor.”
Haggerty, a member of the church's chair of trustees, has been a member for about 6-8 years. His sister-in-law — Paula Russell of Wantage, 61 — is a co-chairwoman of the trustees and was married at the church.
“I think we had a beautiful day,” Haggerty said. “And the most attended service, full house.” With approximately 200 people who showed up to the event, Haggerty said, “the Old Clove Church refuses to die.”
The church technically began in 1829 when, as Haggerty said, “the congregation had outgrown the church.” In 1829, a new church was built for $3,300 with no steeple, an upstairs area for slaves to overlook and two sets of doors to separate the sexes. From the church's congregation in the 19th century came the second and third Presbyterian Churches of Wantage (the third is now known as the 1st Presbyterian Church of Sussex).
There to make the day a success was Pastor Dave Tillisch, who preached the Sunday sermon, Mrs. Linda Tartar, who opened the service at the organ, high school freshman Kelly Wask, who sang “Amazing Grace,” and the High Point Harmonizers choral group.
The church celebrated its centennial in 1887, an occasion that can be compared to the celebration held on this past Sunday, where local residents dressed in colonial garb to show their support for the church. The first pastor of the church, Elias Van Bunschooten, who died in 1815, owned a home that has since been converted into the Dar Van Bunschooten Museum. Now run and operated by the Daughters of the American Revolution, it is located at 1097 Rt. 23 North. Many of the Cooper and Van Bunschooten descendents came to the annual worship service.
Among the young colonists was Emma Cooper, 4, who said, “I like to dress up in my own clothes.” Her grandmother, Diana Matthies, 63, designed and sewed Emma’s outfit. Also there were siblings Baylie, 5, and Sam Touw, 10. Baylie, who is in kindergarten, said, “I gave a tour of the privy at the museum.” Relatives Dominique and Kirsten Dunn also dressed for the occasion.
“I was so impressed with the homecoming service,” said Charlotte Necina, 72. “It was truly touching.” Necina recalls her story as a young woman and her relation to the Old Clove Church back in the 1960s, when the church became vested in the Trustees of the Presbytery of Newton prior to being bought by the Presbytery in 1972: “Being a city girl back in the day, I never thought I would revisit this wonderful historic church fifty years later, nor did I ever think I would come to live in such a wondrous place as Sussex County.” Necina said her and her husband planned to renew their vows at the Old Clolve Church on their 25th anniversary but her husband passed away shortly before this goal could be fulfilled.
Casey Sytsema, 69, has been a board member of the church committee for about 5-6 years. His wife, Henny, 68, is the treasurer for the board. “We always attend the annual service,” Casey said. “We love history and we love to preserve it.” His wife, in agreement, said the church is a “beautiful piece of history, and it is beautiful to see how many people come.”
Lois Wright, 82, is co-chairman of the committee. A resident of Wantage all of her life, she said the church was lovely and “preserved so well with all people who like to help us.” She said the church is still used for baptisms, weddings, funerals and memorial services.