Grace Church began as a mission of St. Peters Church, Morristown.  The mission period (1850-1854) saw the establishment of regular services, choir, church school, confirmation instruction, evening lectures, etc.  From its beginnings the church has had a strong tradition of incorporating music into the liturgy.  Even before it became an independent parish in 1854, the congregation had a choir and sung services on a regular basis.

 

Following its incorporation as an independent parish in 1854, the parish established itself during the next 30 years to be financially and demographically stable. The building was consecrated by Bishop Doane on May 18th, 1857. There were difficulties during these early years, most notably the rapid turnover of rectors – seven in twenty-eight years.  Fortunately, this situation was counterbalanced by the fact that the wardens and vestry remained in office for many years, providing continuity and stability. The parish was small but active, with approximately 30-40 families and, for the time, was quite heterogeneous racially, socially, and economically.

 

Encouraged by the railroad, which put New York City within commuting distance, more than ninety millionaire families moved into the Morristown-Madison area in the last decades of the nineteenth century.  Many of these people were Episcopalians and they had a decisive impact on parish life, both positively and negatively.  They were certainly extremely generous, and additions and improvements to the buildings would have been impossible without their donations.  The generosity of these families, however, alleviated the need to broaden the congregation’s financial base with additional membership.  There may have even been some alienation on the part of other members or potential members; consequently, even though the financial picture was strong, the parish was somewhat exclusive and inward looking during this period which lasted until 1945.