History

1820 - 1950 | 1952 - 1990 | 1991 - 1999 | 2000 - 2007

The Presbyterian Church in the City of Richmond was organized on June 18, 1812 with fourteen members and two ruling elders. Dr. John Holt Rice was installed as its first pastor on October 19 of that year in the new church building on the south side of Main Street, between 27th and 28th Streets.

In 1816 its name was changed to First Presbyterian Church, and it moved to a new site on the south side of Main Street, between 17th and 18th Streets.

1820-1950

1820	The Young Ladies' Missionary Society of Richmond and Manchester organized.
1821	Presbyterian Church in Manchester unites with First Presbyterian.
1824	Dr. William Jessup Armstrong installed as pastor, replacing Dr. Rice who had resigned to organize a theological school (later known as Union Theological Seminary).
1829	Group of members organizes Third Presbyterian. New church building erected on the north side of Franklin Street between 13th and 14th Streets.
1834	Dr. Armstrong resigns to become secretary of the Board of Foreign Missions of East Hanover Presbytery. Dr. William Swan Plumer called to First Presbyterian as pastor.
1838	About 100 members withdraw to form Fourth Presbyterian.
1844	Sunday School organized
1845	75 members organized Second Presbyterian.
1847	Dr. Thomas Verner Moore called as pastor, replacing Dr. Plumer who had resigned to accept call to Baltimore, Maryland.
1853	New church building erected at corner of Capital Square and Tenth Street, later the site of Richmond City Hall. Membership, 336.
1869	Dr. Thomas Lewis Preston installed as pastor, replacing Dr. Moore who had accepted call to Nashville, Tennessee.
1870	20 members organize Presbyterian Church in Manchester, later Porter Street, now Southminster.
1884	Dr. Robert Pollock Kerr installed as pastor, replacing Dr. Preston who had accepted call to Lexington, Virginia.
1885	Church building disassembled, moved to Madison and Grace Streets, and there reconstructed. Dedication service on April 10.
1888	Beginning of Westminster Presbyterian.
1892	Eightieth Anniversary Celebration. Membership, 525.
1903	Dr. Kerr accepts call to Baltimore; Dr. Frank T. McFaden called as pastor.
1912	Centennial Celebration. Membership, 470. Sunday School, 229.
1922	Dr. McFaden resigns to become president of the General Assembly's Training School, now Presbyterian School of Christian Education. Dr. Walter Lapsley Carson installed as pastor.
1925	Education building constructed.
1937	125th Anniversary Celebration. Membership, 691.
1939	Present church site at Cary Street Road and Locke Lane purchased.
1940	New education building completed. Christian Education Program instituted.
1950	Present sanctuary building completed and occupied.

Data Sources:
A History of First Presbyterian Church, compiled by Dr. Walter Lapsley Carson (Pastor, 1922-1959)
A Chronological Summary 1812-1998, the First Presbyterian Church Directory 1998
A Short History of the Presbytery of the James (presbyteryofthejames.org)