The first religious society organized in Lansingburgh was “The Protestant Reformed Dutch church,” on the 25th of September, 1784. Its first officers were Zachariah Garnrych and Flores Bancker, elders, and Albert Pawling and Christopher Tillman, deacons. The Rev. Brandt Schuyler Lupton was ordained pastor of this church on the third Sunday of November, 1788. Traditionally it is said that a building once standing on the west side of State street, between Lansing and South streets [west side of Second Avenue, between 112th and 111th Streets], was first used as a meeting house by the membership of this church. After the organization of the first Presbyterian church the Dutch church rapidly lost its members, and about the close of the century its pulpit was no longer filled by ministers of the latter denomination.

The record of the incorporation of the First Presbyterian church of Lansingburgh affords us the principal facts concerning the early history of this society: “Be it remembered, that on the 9th day of August, A. D. 1792, the inhabitants of Lansingburgh, in consequence of due notice, convened in general meeting for the purpose of organizing themselves in a religious society, agreeably to the direction of an act of the legislature of the state of New York, etc., and in pursuance of the directions of said act, did, on this day, elect Levinus Lansing, John Lovett, John D. Dickinson, James Dole, Jonas Morgan and Shubael Gorham trustees for said congregation; and the said inhabitants did vote and agree that the said corporation should be known by law by the name of the trustees of the First Presbyterian church and congregation of Lansingburgh.” It was determined that a house for worship should be built of brick, 50×64 feet, at the north end of “The Green,” the rear of the building toward Hoosick street [113th Street]. The cornerstone of the edifice was laid on Thursday afternoon, July 5, 1793, by the Rev. Jonas Coe, pastor of the United Presbyterian congregations of Lansingburgh and Troy. On the 22d of June, 1794, the church was dedicated.

In 1844-45 the present Presbyterian church was erected on the east side of Congress street, between Elizabeth and Market streets [east side of Third Avenue, between 116th and 115th Streets]. The Rev. Jonas Coe, D. D., was pastor of this church from June 35, 1793, to 1804. His successor was the Rev. Samuel Blatchford, D. D., who began his pastorate July 19, 1804, which he held to March 18, 1828. The Rev. A. M. Beveridge, the present pastor, entered upon his ministry in this church on the third Sunday of July, 1858.

The first Protestant Episcopal church In Lansingburgh was duly organized on the fifth of January, 1804, by the election of the following persons as officers; John Young and David Smith, wardens; John Rutherford, William Bradley, Stephen Ross, John Walsh, Joseph S. Mabbett, Jonathan Burr, John Stewart and Henry Davis, vestrymen. The organization took the name of Trinity church of Lansingburgh. A frame building, 45 by 50 feet, it is said, was built the same year, on the northwest corner of John and Market streets [northwest corner of 4th Avenue and 115th Street]. The Rev. David Butler, D. D., was rector of this church, and also of St. Paul’s, Troy, from January 9, 1806, to 1814. As rector of Trinity church, in 1814, he was succeeded by the Rev. Parker Adams. A new church edifice was built in 1869-70 on the northwest corner of John and Market streets [northwest corner of 4th Avenue and 115th Street]. The Rev. Byron J. Hall has been the rector of Trinity church since December 16, 1867.

The first Baptist society of Lansingburgh was formed on the 11th day of June, 1803. The first trustees were Daniel Seymour, Aaron B. Hinman, Francis Choate, Nathaniel Jacobs and William Spafford. The meeting house was erected on the corner of North and John streets [corner of 114th Street and Fourth Avenue]. A reorganization of this society was effected July 28, 1858. The present church building, on the east side of John street, between Richard and Elizabeth streets [east side of John street, between 117th and 116th Streets], formerly belonged to the Second Presbyterian church. The present pastor, the Rev. A. C. Ferguson, entered upon his ministrations over this society October 1, 1878.

In 1810 the members of the Methodist Episcopal church in Lansingburgh erected their first house of worship on the river bank, at the foot of Elizabeth street [116th Street]. In 1827 the following persons were the trustees of the church: Ephraim Goss, Jacob Heimstreet, Edwin Filley, Alexander Van Pelt, jr., Thomas Ward, Benjamin Case and Alexander Van Felt, sr. The present house of worship, on the northeast corner of Congress and Elizabeth streets [northeast corner of Third Avenue and 116th Street], was erected in 1818. The Rev. Joel W. Eaton is the present pastor of the church.

The first Universalist society of Lansingburgh was formed December 15, 1832. A small church was erected in 1834 on the corner of John and North streets [corner of Fourth Avenue and 114th Street]. The property subsequently was purchased by the trustees of St. John’s Roman Catholic church.

The Second Presbyterian church was organized June 24, 1835. A house of worship was erected on the east side of John street, between Elizabeth and Richard streets [east side of 4th Avenue, between 116th and 117th Streets], which is now occupied by the Baptist society. The first trustees of the Second Presbyterian church were: William Van Vleck, Jonathan Wickware, Nathan Stmtton, Lemuel Kennedy, William McMurray and Chauncey Ives. The Rev. Samuel P. Spear was the first pastor of the church. This congregation since the resignation of the Rev. George P. Tyler, D. D., in June, 1874, has not continued its organization. Some of the members of this body, however, erected a mission chapel on the northwest corner of Congress and Clinton streets [northwest corner of Third Avenue and 121st Street], which was dedicated September 1, 1877.

St. John’s Roman Catholic church was organized about the year 1841. On June 5, 1842, James B. Smith, James Halligan, Keating Rawson, John Higgins, George T. Gillespie, Barnet Evers, John Dooley, John Driscoll and Daniel Murray were chosen trustees. The church was dedicated in 1844, by the Right Rev. John MisCloskey, D. D. The present edifice used now by the old congregation of St. John’s church, known as St. Augustine’s church, is on the east side of John street, between Market and Elizabeth streets [east side of 4th Avenue, between 115th and 116th Streets], and was erected in 1864-65 at an expense of $40,000.

The Free Methodist church was organized at Whipple hall, October 15, 1867. That year a house of worship was erected on Ann street, south of Elizabeth street [Sixth Avenue, south of 116th Street]. The Rev. George E. Ferrin was the first pastor of this church.

Among the early religious societies organized in the village, one known as the Scotch Seceders is said to have occupied about the year 1790, as a place of worship, a building on the northwest comer of John and Richard streets [4th Avenue and 117th Street]

The African Methodist Episcopal church of Lansingburgh was incorporated May 18, 1841. Twenty-five years after its organization the society dissolved.
Weise, Arthur J. History of the Seventeen Towns of Rensselaer County: From the Colonization of the Manor of Rensselaerwyck to the Present Time. Troy, N.Y: Francis & Tucker, 1880.


• Fifth Avenue African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, northwest corner of Fifth Avenue and 103rd Street https://www.facebook.com/viewsfromtheAve/

Hedding Methodist Church

• Oakwood Bible Church http://www.oakwoodbiblechurch.org

Northern Lansingburgh

Pleasantdale Community Church, 155 New Turnpike Road http://pleasantdalecommunitychurch.net/

• Grant’s Hollow Methodist Episcopal Church [however, it was on the north side of the Deep Kill on Mineral Springs Road, making it actually part of Schaghticoke]

Germondville Union Church [Speigletown] on the Speigletown Road (New York State Route 40)

• Transfiguration Parish https://transfigurationparish.net

Batestown

• Batestown Mission, later the North Troy Methodist Episcopal Church
• St. Patrick’s Church
• St. Basil’s Greek Orthodox Church, southwest corner of River Street and 101st Street http://www.stbasiltroy.org
• Missing Link Ministry, southeast corner of Sixth Avenue and 101st Street http://www.missinglinkstreetministry.com/
• southwest of the corner of Sixth Avenue and 101st Street (now the Sanctuary for Independent Media)

former Stone Arabia area (roughly east of Bentley Drive, Bellview Road, Woodhill Lane, etc.)

• Brunswick Baptist Church http://www.bbcny.org/site/