Reverend John Pierson

No

Picture

Available

 
Born:  1689, Newark, NJ
Died:  August 23, 1770 Hanover, NJ

Education:  Yale, 1711


Ordination:  April 29, 1717 at Woodbridge by the Philadelphia Presbytery


Family:  1st Wife - Ruth Woodbridge daughter of Timothy Woodbridge of Hartford, CN.
	   grand-daughter of Rev. John Woodbridge of Newbury, MA (for whom our town
	   is named).  She is interred in the church cemetery.
	 2nd Wife - Judith Smith
   	 Children - 3 sons & 4 daughters


Pastor:  First Presbyterian Church, Woodbridge, 1714-52
	 Mendham, NJ 1753-63
Rev. Pierson was the son of Rev. Abraham Pierson, the first president of Yale College. He was instrumental in the founding of Princeton and was on its Board of Governors for 19 years. During his tenure at Woodbridge, the church enjoyed great peace and quiet its membership gradually increasing. Rev. Pierson was a close friend of Re. Jonathan Dickenson, the leader of the "New Side" faction which was opposed to the "Old Side" in the division splitting the Presbyterian Church during the "Great Awakening" of the 1730's and 40's. Rev. Pierson delivered the eulogy at the funeral of Rev. Dickinson as well as preaching a sermon at the ordination of Rev. Aaron Burr on January 25, 1737.