THE HISTORY OF

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

820 COLONIAL AVENUE, NORFOLK, VA

IN PICTURES:

Churches
Misc
People
Pastors

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OLD BELL CHURCH
From brochure for Centennial Sunday, October 15, 1961
1802-1836
(Catherine (Bank) & Charlotte Streets)

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("The Old Bell Church")
Located at Catherine (Bank) & Charlotte Streets
Became Bank Street Baptist Church around 1840
"The building's present Gothic appearance, including a series of stained glass windows, dates from 1886. Alterations were made by the Negro congregation 26 years after it was purchased from the Presbyterians." George Tucker Virginian-Pilot, May 12, 1966 (See article.)
Another illustration of same church structure.

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postcard

First Presbyterian Church
Also know as Second Church
Located on Church Street (across from St. Paul's)
1836-1912
From: Church Directory printed some time between 1925-50
Frontal illustration of same structure. Illustration 2.
Newspaper photo of church in later years.
Interior of church.

In October, 1836, a colony from the original organization erected a building at the corner of Church and Holt Streets which they named the Second Presbyterian Church . Three years later the mother church moved from Bank Street and reunited with the new church, which again became "The Presbyterian Church of Norfolk." This site and building the church occupied till its consolidation with the Ghent Church in 1912.

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First Presbyterian Church
Built in 1912.
Colonial & Redgate Avenues.
Another Illustration.

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Pew Rent Receipt

Couper Marble Works (Norfolk, VA)
Records, 1848-1943
Courtesy of the Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, VA.

Mr. John D. Couper [Church member]
To Presbyterian Church Dr.
To 3 qrs Pew Rent due 1st October 1856, $15.00
Norfolk, October 1st, 1856.
T. B. Broughton, Collector.

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George Dodd Armstrong
Early portrait

Courtesy of Walter Martin

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Later pictures of Rev. & Mrs. Armstrong

In memoriam.

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PASTOR'S GALLARY

Rev. Benjamin Grigsby

1801 - 1810

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Rev. John H. Rice, D. D.

1811 - 1814

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Rev. John D. Paxton

(Courtesy of the Presbyterian Historical Society.)

1814 - 1819

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Rev. Joshua T. Russell 1820 - 1824

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Rev. Shepard K. Kollock, D. D.

1825 - 1835
Born June 29, 1795
Died April 7, 1865 in Philadelphia

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Rev. John D. Matthews, D. D.

1835 - 1840

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Rev. Samuel J. Cassells

1841 - 1846

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Rev. S. J. P. Anderson, D. D.

1846 - 1851

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Rev. George D. Armstrong, D. D.

1851 - 1891

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Rev. James I. Vance

1891 - 1895

1938 photo upon professional retirement

Bulletin pages: 1 ** 2 ** Inside.
[Enlarge in browser]

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Rev. J. R. Howerton

(Courtesy of Union Theological Seminary Library.)

1895 - 1896

Bulletin pages: 1 ** 2 ** 3 ** 4

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Rev. Edward Mack

(Courtesy of Union Theological Seminary Library.)

1897 - 1901

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Rev. Joseph Rennie

1902-1912
Pastor of First Presbyterian Church
Both Ghent and First Presbyterian coexisted till 1912 when they consolidated.

Bulletin (front and back only)

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Rev. J. N. H. Summerell
Pastor of the Ghent Presbyterian Church

(Courtesy of the Presbyterian Historical Society.)

1902 - 1908

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Rev. Stuart Nye Hutchison

1910 - 1921

Early photo.

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Rev. Joseph G. Venable, D. D.

1921 - 1924

Church Bulletin, February 10, 1924
Front, Inside and Back

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Rev. Jason Leon MacMillan

January 1, 1925 - February 1, 1950
View 2
Church Bulletin, Outside and Inside.
Memorial.

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Rev. Edward H. Jones

1950 - 1962

Church Bulletin, Outside and Inside.

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Andrew R. Bird, Jr.

1963-1979

Bulletin pages: 1 ** 2 ** 3 ** 4

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Rev. J. Shepherd Russell, Jr., Senior Pastor
1981 - June 29, 1997

Another picture of Rev. Russell

Timothy D. Roberts, Associate Pastor

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Rev. James M. Wood, Jr., Senior Pastor

June 13, 1999 -

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Rev. Valena M. Hoy, Associate Pastor

August 25, 2000 -

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MISCELLANEOUS PICTURES

Daughter Churches
(Pictures taken when the churches were young)

First Presbyterian Church
Portsmouth, Virginia
Founded 1822

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Old Second Presbyterian Church, Freemason Street, organized 1872 (picture taken
January 1980). This was their first structure.

Second Presbyterian Church on Yarmouth Street.
(Second structure.)

3rd and present day structure 2nd Presbyterian Church,
Hampton Blvd.

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Highland Park Presbyterian Church Westminster.
Founded 1914.

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First Presbyterian Church
Virginia Beach, VA
Founded 1920

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Ocean View Presbyterian Church
Founded 1921

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Coleman Place Presbyterian Church
Founded 1929

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Royster Memorial Presbyterian Church
Founded 1941

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Colley Avenue Presbyterian Church,
Colley Avenue near Onley Road
(no longer exists)

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