Getting it right

Does any one recognize this building and it's location? THANKS Keith

 

 

Doing historical research in Delaware County and elsewhere can be fun or a nightmare! As simple as Google or opening a book, or hours spent at the courthouse looking up deeds and wills etc. I always consider deeds the final answer in many cases. Sometimes for all your work, there are no definitive answers. But getting the history right is IMPORTANT. Some do a lot better than others.

Lately I have been working on a number of Delaware County church histories, almost all have websites with all the information you could ask for, but church "J" left a lot to be desired. ALOT

Church "J' 's history stated it started in June of 1902, when a wealthy man built a library in memory of his dead son, but the church in their history had no idea of the son's name. The first minster was "Mr. Smith". The church is over 100 years old and the entire church history consisted of just eleven lines? HUH!

I knew it was time to do a little bit of research, it took me all of about twenty minutes. It was amazing what the church had wrong! All the information I got was from the Chester Times newspaper, all current accounts from 1902 and 1903.The church history says their benefactor was Mr. Charles Brock, the newspaper states numerous times it was Robert C. H. Brock of Walnut St in Philadelphia. He did not just build a library in June of 1902 but a combination library and chapel. The building did not open in June of 1902 according to the Chester Times, it was empty for a whole year till June of 1903 when church services started not 1902 as the church history says. The first minister was not "Mr. Smith" but Rev. Edward Hardcastle from Phila. Robert Brock's son the reason the church was started, the one the church did not have the name of ? Colman Brock!

It was nice to get all the history right. I emailed the church last week with all my "new" information and the dates in the Chester Times where the information could be found. I checked their church history page today and nothing has changed. Hopefully Colman Brock will not be forgotten a second time.