1From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Johnson, 23 August 1750 (Franklin Papers)
and will really be a means of increasing the number of those who worship God in that way. Many who cannot now be accommodated in the church, go to other places, or stay at home; and if we had another church, many who go to other places, or stay at home, would go to church. I suppose the interest of the church has been far...
Mr. Robinson and his Church went from England to Holland. They staied about a Year at Amsterdam and then removed to Leyden.
3From Alexander Hamilton to John Jay, [25 July 1783] (Hamilton Papers)
John Carter (John B. Church) went to Europe to arrange payment of money owed to him for supplying the French forces during the Revolution. He was accompanied by his wife, Angelica Schuyler Church, and his business partner, Jeremiah Wadsworth.
Nonetheless, disestablishment was an accomplished fact, a social symptom of declining interest in organized Christianity. Church-going in Virginia had long been on the decline as communicants found more reasons for attending Sunday horse races or cock fights than for being in pews. In 1784 a foreign traveler in Richmond noted that the village had only...
5John Quincy Adams to Abigail Adams 2d, 1 – 8 August 1785 (Adams Papers)
...I hear nothing else: so that I am obliged bongré, malgré, as the french say, still to dip a little in that subject: but I don’t care how soon, I leave it off entirely. Mr. Church goes on Thursday.
6To James Madison from Tench Coxe, 17 September 1789 (Madison Papers)
...Church in which I was born, which latter is perhaps of most Moment as it is a testimony of the private Character of [an] individual, who tho a sincere friend to genuine Religion is but little of a church going man.
7To Alexander Hamilton from Angelica Church, [15 August 1793] (Hamilton Papers)
...Church was Elizabeth Hamilton’s sister. In 1777 she had married John Barker Church, an Englishman who, under the name of John Carter, had engaged in various business enterprises in the United States. After the American Revolution the Churches went to England, and H acted as Church’s agent in the United States.
8To George Washington from John Henery Zimmerman, 2 November 1794 (Washington Papers)
a Certain Sunday Evening as I came from the Church went to my Lodging the door was Shut upon me I had to Look for Shelter in the next Tavern where I met several Officers which they had orders from Govenor Clinton if any Man would turn out Volenteerly and [...
9Memorandum from Thomas Leiper, ca. 29 December 1794 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
...laws to prevent smuggling. In Glasgow there is an excise officer to inspect every two snuff manufacturers. The oaths required of the snuff makers are unavailing, even though “Glasgow is the first Church going Town in Europe and I take it the most religious…. And they also require a standing Army to Dragoon the People into a compliance to the Laws frequent Bloodshed between the Military and...
10From John Adams to Benjamin Rush, 28 August 1811 (Adams Papers)
for even common Civility to the Clergy, and for being a Church going Annimal....or Statesman: I Should be charged with vain ostentation again, and a Selfish desire to revise the Remembrance of my own Punctuality in this Respect; for it is notorious enough, that I have been a Church going Animal for Seventy Six years, i.e. from the Cradle And this has been alledged as one Proof of...