Somerset County Bible Society (N.J.)

The Somerset Bible Society was founded during early nineteenth century, when there was a proliferation of Bible societies. On October 1, 1816, the Reverends Peter Studdiford, John Vrendenburgh, Robert Finley and Peter Labagh, along with laymen J.M. Bayard, John Frelinghuysen, and P.Z. Elmendorf met in Somerville, New Jersey in order to draft a constitution for the new organization. They met again in December 1816, and the Society was formally organized. Within one month, the board of managers of the Society appointed agents in each Somerset County township who should canvas both for funds and for supplying the destitute with Bibles and Testaments. The first annual meeting of the Somerset Bible Society was held in Somerville on August 19, 1817, attended by eight ministers and 38 lay people. Reverend Studdiford of Readington was chosen as its first president.