Spring Street Presbyterian Church

Founding and leadership under Samuel Hanson Cox In the early 19th century, there was no Presbyterian church in what is today SoHo. Worshippers either attended the First Presbyterian Church in Greenwich Village, or led prayer in their homes and businesses. One of these, a grocery store or home, owned by Trinity Church, was at the future site of the Spring Street Church. In 1807, the site of Spring Street Church was bought by a group of men, which included politicians Henry Rutgers and Samuel Osgood. Its cornerstone was placed on July 5, 1810. Built with materials from the First Presbyterian Church following its cessation, its construction cost more than $10,000, which indebted the church by the time it opened. The church had 176 pews, fifty of which sat in a raised viewing area. It was made an official Presbyterian church in 1811 and was renovated in 1818. All but 43 members of the church remained at the original location, and the Presbytery of New York derecognized it as a church. == Burial vaults ==

The Spring Street Church operated burial vaults, located east of the church. Burials were dated between 1820 and 1850, with one costing $10 for adults and $2–$8 for children. On May 18, 1831, two additional vaults were built. The bodies were moved to Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn. When studied, the children were discovered to have contracted scurvy and rickets during their lifetimes. == References ==