Reformed Church (Front Street)

Like many churches in Montgomery County, European Americans dominated this congregation, but many African Americans were also members. Philip Phillips and his wife Eunice (Van Horne) Phillips were both members of this church. Philip Phillips also served as sexton.

“Like many Montgomery County churches, this one incorporated African American as well as European American members. Records of the Canajoharie Reformed Church show that Philip Phillips and Eunice Van Horn (who would later marry each other) joined this church upon “profession of their faith.” (p. 34). Both were noted as “colored.” In April 1842, the Rev. E.O. Dunning officiated at the wedding of Prince Freeman and Mary Ann Thompson, both “colored,” with Philip Phillips and Diana Titus as witnesses. (p. 103) On September 26, 1848, the consistory meeting of the church, with H.D. Dievendorf as Clerk ‘Resolved that Philip Phillips be our sexton for one year and that his compensation for his services and the duties required of him be as the late sextons.’” [source: Judith Wellman, Kelly Yacobucci Farquhar, et al. “Uncovering the Underground Railroad, Abolitionism, and African American Life in Montgomery County, New York, 1820-1890” (2011)]