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Wharton United Presbyterian Church
Wharton United Presbyterian Church History
The area which is now Wharton was a peaceful settlement in the mid 1700s, shared by some 20 families and members of the Lenni Lenape tribe until the Lenapes began migrating West after they relinquished their lands by treaty. In 1831, the Morris Canal was opened from the Delaware River to the Passaic River, passing right through the center of the little village which would become Port Oram. Josiah Ford, John Hance, and Robert Oram Jr. were enterprising businessmen who built the first furnaces and forges to process ore which was mined.
The following years were exciting ones for the village, as it became a cog in the wheel of the New Jersey industrial iron era. Work was available; workers were needed; and workers came. They came from the cities and they came from Europe-- Cornwall, Wales, Ireland and Hungary, as well as other Eastern European countries. They worked hard, and they saved their money to build their houses and bring their families to the village. Many of the migrants found their own comfort zones in where they chose to live, and some Welsh and Cornish settled in what became known as Luxemburg. In 1884, the Ross and Baker Mfg. Company opened a factory by the dam of the Washington Forge Pond, and owner Edwin J. Ross, a Presbyterian, would play a significant part in the birth of the Luxemburg Presbyterian Church some years later.
In 1895, the settlements which were located within Rockaway and Randolph Townships petitioned to incorporate under the name of Port Oram. However, in gratitude to Joseph Wharton who had helped bring about economic success in the town with the Wharton Furnace, the name of the Borough of Port Oram was officially changed to the Borough of Wharton on May 14, 1902. In November 1900, a small group of Christians who desired to gather together as Presbyterians met in a private home at 3 West Dewey Avenue, and on May 19, 1901, formally organized as the Luxemburg Presbyterian Church of Port Oram. In a matter of six months this determined and dedicated group of Christians made the decision to build a chapel on property dedicated by Edwin Ross and located on Main Street which overlooked the Washington Pond until the Castner building was erected next door about 1912. The location overlooking the Washington Pond, iron mine, and forge seemed fitting ,since a good number of the early members depended on these for their livelihood. Construction commenced on November 14, 1901, and the building was finished in time to be formally dedicated on December 14, 1901.
The Present
Today we are a thriving little church with a full- time Pastor committed to:
"Providing meaningful worship, as well as excellent Christian education for all ages, and we pledge to work actively in the local community to live out the love and compassion of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."
The Future
What’s next? Already a long-range planning committee is putting out feelers for property to expand--dreaming of a wonderful educational/fellowship building and plenty of parking! Hopefully, when the next 100 years have passed, a historian will be able to report that some of those dreams have come true, since we all know what this little church has done for its members and the community the first hundred years.
The area which is now Wharton was a peaceful settlement in the mid 1700s, shared by some 20 families and members of the Lenni Lenape tribe until the Lenapes began migrating West after they relinquished their lands by treaty. In 1831, the Morris Canal was opened from the Delaware River to the Passaic River, passing right through the center of the little village which would become Port Oram. Josiah Ford, John Hance, and Robert Oram Jr. were enterprising businessmen who built the first furnaces and forges to process ore which was mined.
The following years were exciting ones for the village, as it became a cog in the wheel of the New Jersey industrial iron era. Work was available; workers were needed; and workers came. They came from the cities and they came from Europe-- Cornwall, Wales, Ireland and Hungary, as well as other Eastern European countries. They worked hard, and they saved their money to build their houses and bring their families to the village. Many of the migrants found their own comfort zones in where they chose to live, and some Welsh and Cornish settled in what became known as Luxemburg. In 1884, the Ross and Baker Mfg. Company opened a factory by the dam of the Washington Forge Pond, and owner Edwin J. Ross, a Presbyterian, would play a significant part in the birth of the Luxemburg Presbyterian Church some years later.
In 1895, the settlements which were located within Rockaway and Randolph Townships petitioned to incorporate under the name of Port Oram. However, in gratitude to Joseph Wharton who had helped bring about economic success in the town with the Wharton Furnace, the name of the Borough of Port Oram was officially changed to the Borough of Wharton on May 14, 1902. In November 1900, a small group of Christians who desired to gather together as Presbyterians met in a private home at 3 West Dewey Avenue, and on May 19, 1901, formally organized as the Luxemburg Presbyterian Church of Port Oram. In a matter of six months this determined and dedicated group of Christians made the decision to build a chapel on property dedicated by Edwin Ross and located on Main Street which overlooked the Washington Pond until the Castner building was erected next door about 1912. The location overlooking the Washington Pond, iron mine, and forge seemed fitting ,since a good number of the early members depended on these for their livelihood. Construction commenced on November 14, 1901, and the building was finished in time to be formally dedicated on December 14, 1901.
The Present
Today we are a thriving little church with a full- time Pastor committed to:
"Providing meaningful worship, as well as excellent Christian education for all ages, and we pledge to work actively in the local community to live out the love and compassion of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."
The Future
What’s next? Already a long-range planning committee is putting out feelers for property to expand--dreaming of a wonderful educational/fellowship building and plenty of parking! Hopefully, when the next 100 years have passed, a historian will be able to report that some of those dreams have come true, since we all know what this little church has done for its members and the community the first hundred years.