Guide to the First Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pittsburgh Records, 1837-1975 AIS.1975.04
- Repository
- ULS Archives & Special Collections
- Title
- First Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Pittsburgh, Pa. Records
- Creator
- First Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Collection Number
- AIS.1975.04
- Extent
- 2 microfilm_reels (35 mm, positive and negative)
- Date
- 1837-1975
- Abstract
- The microfilmed records of the First Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania contain minutes, church registers, publications, and baptismal, confirmation, marriage, and burial records from 1837-1975. Digital reproductions of the collection are available online.
- Language
- English .
- Publisher
- ULS Archives & Special Collections
- Address
- University of Pittsburgh Library System
Archives & Special Collections
Website: library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
Contact Us: www.library.pitt.edu/ask-archivist
URL: http://library.pitt.edu/archives-special-collections
History
The First German Evangelical-Lutheran Congregation of Pittsburgh was organized on January 22, 1837. Led by The Reverend "Father" Heyr, the first Divine Services were held in a Unitarian meeting house on Smithfield Street in downtown Pittsburgh. From 1838 to 1839 the congregation worshiped in a school house and the the old courthouse. On July 7, 1856, the Church Council voted to unite with the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod.
Three different downtown churches served the congregation from 1840 to 1925. The church built in 1840 at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Grant Street was the first Evangelical-Lutheran church building erected in Pittsburgh. The second building at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Wylie Avenue, built in 1848, was undermined by a railroad tunnel. The third downtown building, Trinity Church, located on Sixth Avenue between Wylie and Fifth Avenues, was sold in 1925. This building had a seating capacity of 1,600 and was distinguished by a 180 foot steeple. It was subsequently demolished and a parking garage built on its site. With the decommissioning and sale of the third downtown church building, the congregation moved to Oakland, which was then the suburbs, but is now a section of the City of Pittsburgh. Construction of the present Trinity Church began in 1926 with completion and dedication in 1927. The church was designed in the fifteenth century Gothic style by Corbusier and Lenski, famed architects from Cleveland. The builder was Edward Wehr of Pittsburgh. Total cost of the new building was approximately $400,000. First Trinity is constructed of Bedford, Indiana limestone, suggesting the classical medieval cathedrals of Europe. The congregation changed its name to First Trinity Evangelical-Lutheran Church in 1930 as the German language gave way to English among the members.
The mission of First Trinity Evangelical-Lutheran Church is to proclaim the Gospel of Christ to the people of Pittsburgh in accord with the Great Commission, to preach and teach the true Word of God and administer the sacraments that all who hear it and receive them may live and grow in faith in Jesus Christ, and to act in faith with love and mercy toward others, especially members of First Trinity parish and those in the Pittsburgh area.
Scope and Content Notes
The microfilmed records of the First Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania contain minutes, church registers, publications, and baptismal, confirmation, marriage, and burial records from 1837-1975. Series I contains minutes in both German and English languages.
The marriage records in Series II contain returns of marriages consisting of five volumes which list the full name of the husband along with his occupation, residence, birthplace, and age when married. The returns of marriages also list the wife's maiden name, residence, birthplace, and age when married. The returns list the date and place of marriage, the race of the couple, and the name of the person performing the ceremony along with his residence and date of return. The authorizations to solemnize marriages from the County of Allegheny Orphan's Court contain the names of persons to be married, the date of authorization, and the signature of the Clerk of Orphan's Court.
An important note regarding burial records in Series III indicates that the remains in the graves which were in a cemetery behind Pitt Stadium were removed and reburied in the mid-1970's in Mt. Royal Cemetery, 2700 Mt. Royal Blvd., Glenshaw, Pennsylvania.
The church register in Series III contains information regarding the officers of the congregation and communicants records as adults, communicants released at their request, and contain the baptismal, confirmation, marriage, and burial records from 1937-1975.
Access Restrictions
No restrictions.
Acquisition Information
Donated by the First Trinity Evangelical Church of Pittsburgh in 1975.
Existence and Location of Originals
Originals are retained by the First Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Existence and Location of Copies
Digital reproductions of the collection are available electronically based on scanning the microfilm.
Preferred Citation
First Trinity Evangelical Church Records, Pittsburgh, Pa., 1837-1975, AIS.1975.04, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System
Previous Citation
First Trinity Evangelical Church Records, Pittsburgh, Pa., 1837-1975, AIS.1975.04, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh
First Trinity Evangelical Church Records, Pittsburgh, 1837-1975, Archives of Industrial Society, University Library System, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Archives Service Center staff in 1975.
Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Michael O'Malley on May 1, 2003. Information about the collection title and the controlled access terms was extracted from the MARC record in the University of Pittsburgh catalog Voyager ID number: 1430792
Copyright
Permission for publication is given on behalf of the University of Pittsburgh as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Subjects
- Evangelical Lutheran Church
- First Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (Pittsburgh, Pa.)
- Pittsburgh (Pa.) -- Church history
- Marriage records
- Church records
- Burial records
- Churches and Synagogues
- Church records and registers -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Church buildings -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Baptismal records -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh
- Confirmation records -- Pennsylvania -- Pittsburgh