Additions to the original structure:
February, 1883 - Weatherboards on north and east side; - permanent vestibule installed (total cost $250.)
October, 1883 - Church tower
May, 1888 - Choir platform - ceiling papered - walls calcimated - church seats

That brings us to another important step in the history of our church. Through all these years from 1875, the Rev. Allen H. Brown of Mays Landing had been a kind of foster father, friend and counsellor to the church. We have a letter concerning the ground on which the manse stands and is as follows

"My Dear Mr. Storms:
I have about decided to advertise the lot in Barnegat for Sale in the cent-a-word column of the NJ Courier. Shall I tell applicants to address me, or you as my agent? That depends on what you will charge for your trouble. My price will be $550, the lot is worth that or more. I do not own it, but under my claim I can compel the Presbytery to sell and give a good title. Let me hear from you.
Yours truly, Allen H. Brown. "

“Dear Mr. Storms:
I have sent to the NJ Courier to advertise our church lot for four weeks. If you please, you may put up a notice on the ground. I use the word “Agents” to indicate the fact that we are not owners. I desire you not to offer it for less that $500. You may inform me who makes inquiry and what offers, if any, they make. I do not withdraw my offer to the church. When too late, they will regret that they did not accept.
Yours truly, Allen H Brown.”

This ground had been conveyed to the Trustees of Monmouth Presbytery by Byron B. Townsend and his wife, Mary, on the 21st of June, 1875, and duly recorded in the office of the Clerk of Ocean County

Apparently to pay for this piece of property, the Trustees of Monmouth Presbytery gave Mr. Brown a promissory note on March 21, 1878, for $525.00. It would seem that no interest had been paid on the note, for by January 1891, he says that the note now amounts to $862.62. By January 1891, the Trustees of the Church had been persuaded to buy the lot. An agreement of sale was drawn up with these conditions. Mr. Brown would surrender and cancel this note, giving it to the Trustees of Monmouth Presbytery, whilst they would give him $25.00 in cash and transfer the said lot to the Trustees of Barnegat Presbyterian Church. They, on their part, convenanted to erect on the said lot of land within the space of one year a suitable manse and deliver to the Trustees of the Synod of N. J. a second mortgage upon the said lot, similar to mortgages required by the Board of Church Erection when grants are made to churches of $500.00. That agreement of sale was not signed by the Trustees of the Church. It was not until 8 ½ years later, on the 26th of June, 1899, the transfer from the Trustees of the Presbytery of Monmouth to the Trustees of the Presbyterian Church of Barnegat was duly sealed, signed, sworn and subscribed and stamped in the presence of Howard Flanders, Master in Chancery.

On June 12, 1899, a meeting of Trustees was held in the office of Mr. J. S. Storms to consider the building of the manse. The President was authorized to borrow $725.00 from the Holmes fund and with what he could afford to add to it to build as substantial a dwelling as possible. Later, on October 3, 1899, a mortgage was granted by the Trustees of Presbytery in the sum of $725.00.

In October, 1886, a meeting of the congregation was held and presided over by the Rev. James M Denton, the first pastor, and the Rev. O. W. Wright was formally chosen pastor and installed by Presbytery on December 7, 1886. Mrs. Wright was received as a member of the congregation on June 5, 1886.

His first annual report to the Presbytery in April, 1887, says there were 15 communicant members and Sunday school with 65 on the roll. The end of that year witnessed a very gracious time of revival under the leadership of Mr. Thomas Huston, a blind evangelist. As an outcome of visitation, 50 new members were added to the church roll on confession of faith.

In April 1899 membership stood at 60. A list of the pastors will be given at the end of this history. Pastors came, served and went, but in acknowledgement of the service of the Rev. Ormond W. Wright from 1886 to 1916 the congregation voted on December 8, 1923 that the name would be hereafter “The Wright Memorial Presbyterian Church.”

End