The history of a New England church two hundred years old involves, especially in its early life, more or less of the history of the town where it has had a place… The founding of this church takes us back within reach of the landing of the Pilgrims. The two-hundredth anniversary of the First Congregational Church of Preston was commemorated November 16, 1898. These pages detail the exercises of the day, and preserve church records that will be of great interest to genealogists. This book includes the address of welcome by Prof. John H. Hewitt, an historical survey of the first church in Preston, the Preston Separate Church and the Separatist movement, brief biographical sketches of the pastors of the church, brief biographical sketches of the original members, greetings from the First Church of Norwich, the Baptist church and the Conference of Churches, addresses by former pastors, and statistics. Statistics of the church are grouped by ministry, 1698-1898. Entries are arranged chronologically and include names of church members, admissions, demissions, baptisms, marriages, deaths, and miscellaneous entries.A copy of the original program of the Centennial Exercises is included at the end of the volume, following the new surname index.