Saint Josephs - West Milford, NJ - Roman Catholic Churches on Waymarking.com

From the Paterson Diocese website (www.patersondiocese.org):

"Catholic iron workers from the Idar-Oberstein region of Germany's Saarland were brought to work in the iron mines of northern New Jersey beginning in 1764. By the following Spring they had made contact with Father Farmer in Philadelphia who began regular semi-annual visits to the community.

His baptisms and marriages at the iron mines were all faithfully recorded and are preserved today in the archives of the Philadelphia Archdiocese.

In 1785, Father John Carroll, the superior of the American Missions, accompanied Farmer to the area and celebrated Confirmation for the first time in the state. In the intervals between Farmer's visits, the community met for Sunday rosary, prayer and religious instruction.

After Father Farmer's death in 1786, the community continued this practice, and also made contact with priests in New York City. Still later, the community was served by priests from Paterson, then Boonton, and still later Butler.

The first church was built in 1829, replaced by a larger church in 1887, and then, after a fire, by the current church in 1905. Some of the original 18th-century families are still active in the parish today, nearly a quarter-millenium later.

Bishop John Carroll, the first Catholic Bishop in the United States, referred to the West Milford group as a "congregation" in a Dec. 15, 1785 letter to one of his English confreres, Father Charles Plowden. St. Joseph's also has sacramental records dating back to 1765, and an uninterrupted community life of prayer, sacramental celebration, and religious instruction dating back 241 years. Those two elements should be enough to make it the oldest Catholic church in New Jersey"

Type of Church: Church Status of Building: Actively in use for worship Date of organization: 01/01/1765 Date of building construction: 01/01/1905 Archdiocese: Newark Diocese: Paterson Address/Location: 454 Germantown Road West Milford, nj USA 07484 Relvant Web Site: [Web Link] Dominant Architectural Style: Not listed Associated Shrines, Art, etc.: Not listed

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