First Presbyterian Church of Oxford at Hazen and the Spooky Graveyard 2023 | Belvidere, New Jersey

First Presbyterian Church of Oxford at Hazen

The First Presbyterian Church of Oxford at Hazen is located in the historic Hazen section of White Township, just outside of Belvidere.

It is a small country church sitting on a knoll.

This church has a long history in Warren County.

According to their former website (which has vanished since I wrote my original now-deleted post in 2014), and was adapted from Snell’s ‘History of Sussex and Warren Counties’:

This is one of the oldest churches in Presbytery of Newton. As early as 1739 there was occasional preaching in the bounds of the congregation. In 1744, Rev. James Campbell preached several times and baptized some children. The Rev. David Brainerd, Indian missionary, and Rev. Daniel Lawrence also preached sundry times till the year 1749. At that time the congregation unanimously put themselves under the care of the Presbytery of New Brunswick and made application for supplies, and have ever since considered themselves belonging to said Presbytery.

Cross covered with flowers at First Presbyterian Church of Oxford at Hazen, Belvidere, New Jersey

First Presbyterian Church of Oxford at Hazen, Belvidere, New Jersey front view

The Spooky Graveyard

The church has a very old graveyard surrounding all sides.

According to the very helpful site Revolutionary War New Jersey:

First constructed as a log church in 1734, this is the oldest Presbyterian Church that exists on its original site in Warren County. In 1806 a new frame church replaced the log structure, and finally in 1856 the current brick structure was constructed in the same spot.

This cemetery contains the graves of at least nine Revolutionary War soldiers.