Westfield Historical Society

James S. Hewitt, will present Part II of “From Captain Kidd to Occupy Wall Street,” a brief overview of the history of The Parish of Trinity Church in the city of New York, at the First Wednesday Luncheon of the Westfield Historical Society. The Luncheon will be held at noon, Wednesday, May 1, at the Echo Lake Country Club, 515 Springfield Ave., Westfield.

You have all passed by it or at least seen pictures of the classic shot of the Gothic revival-style church at the head of Wall Street. Yes, that dark and somewhat forbidding building seen looking up the canyon of financial institutions toward Broadway is the Parish of Trinity Church in the City of New York—Trinity Church’s official corporate name.

Although you may have encountered the building and its graveyard full of many illustrious personages in American history, you may also have wondered, “What is the story with that place?” Hewitt will fill in the many highlights of this historical and ecclesiastical landmark. Hewitt, a 30-year member of Trinity Church, will pick up where he left off on Part I, the construction of the present building in the mid-19th century.

After a brief review of the early years, attendees will look at the cemetery and some of the famous people buried there and their connections to American history. We will also look at how Trinity Church has continued to identify its mission and role so as both to reflect and contribute toward social, ecclesiastical and political movements in NYC and in the wider world over the past century-and-a-half.

Hewitt’s family roots in Westfield go back more than a century. In 1899 his great-grandfather, Simeon Hart Smith Sr. moved his family from Hunterdon County to 661 North Ave. where the property has since been demolished and paved over into Lord & Taylor’s parking lot. Many Westfielders will remember his father, Floyd, who served with the Westfield Police Department for 26 years. Hewitt moved to New York City in 1982. After spending a frustrating two years with the NYC Transit Authority in the Systems Department, he moved on to Trinity Church’s Real Estate Department to help recruit commercial tenants for the church’s own portfolio of properties. In the 1990s, he established his own business in commercial leasing and business brokerage in Greenwich Village. After the death of both his parents, he moved back to the Westfield area within the past year and into his parents’ home in Mountainside. He is now launching an entrepreneurial real estate business involving student interns and recent graduates to address the needs of the recently distressed real estate market.

All those wishing to attend the luncheon are asked to make a reservation by calling 908-233-2930 by noon, Monday, April 29. The cost for a 3-course meal including gratuity is $25 for members and $30 for non-members, including gratuity. Please remember the club dress code of no blue jeans or flip-flops. Thank you.