Editing Burlington, New Jersey (section)

===18th century===
[[File:Old St. Mary's Church, West Broad & Wood Streets, Burlington (Burlington County, New Jersey).jpg|thumb|left|The original [[St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Burlington, New Jersey|St. Mary's Episcopal church]], built in 1703, is the oldest church in New Jersey.]]
Many institutions established in the 18th century continue to function in the 21st century. After the Quakers, the second oldest religious congregation in Burlington were the Anglicans (later known as Episcopalians). Their original church, Old St. Mary's, is the oldest church in Burlington and New Jersey. The congregation was founded in 1702 by George Keith and John Talbot. Talbot became the first minister and laid the cornerstone for the church in 1703. He served as the church's rector until 1725. The congregation prospered, and the church became the see of the Anglican bishops of New Jersey.

After the Revolution, the Episcopal Church in the United States was established. In 1846, under the leadership of Bishop and Rector [[George Washington Doane]], construction was begun on New St. Mary's. This early [[Gothic Revival architecture]] church was designed by [[Richard Upjohn]], who also designed [[Trinity Church (Manhattan)|Trinity Church]] at the foot of [[Wall Street]] in [[Lower Manhattan]].<ref>[http://www.stmarysburlington.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93&Itemid=137 New St. Mary's], St. Mary's Episcopal Church. Accessed July 1, 2011.</ref> In the late 20th century, this building was designated as a [[National Historic Landmark]] (NHL).

Bishop Doane founded an Episcopal girls' boarding school, St. Mary's, in Burlington in 1838, at a time when interest in girls' education led to development of schools for them in many areas. Girls from families up and down the East Coast came to study there, from as far as New England, Virginia, and upstate New York. St. Mary's provided a classical education, as well as classes in arts and music.

The Library Company of Burlington was organized in 1757 as a "free" library open to the public as well as members. There were 60 members of the original Library Company, each paying ten shillings per year to support the institution. The Library received a Charter from [[George II of Great Britain]] in 1758. The Library's books were kept in members' homes for a few years: Thomas Rodman's at 446 South High Street and, after 1767, Robert Smith's at 218 High Street. In 1789 the Library moved to its own building.<ref name=Intensive /> In the early 21st century, the Library is housed in a stone building that was built on West Union Street in 1864. The Burlington Library is the oldest continuously operating library in New Jersey and the nation's seventh oldest.<ref>[http://www.burlingtonnj.us/LCoB.html#yrs Centuries of Service] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716211714/http://www.burlingtonnj.us/LCoB.html#yrs |date=2011-07-16 }}, Library Company of Burlington. Accessed July 1, 2011. "It is the oldest library in continuous operation in New Jersey, and has the distinction of being the seventh oldest in the United States."</ref>

The Endeavor Fire Company was organized in 1795. It was one of the four companies in the Burlington Fire Department when it was organized almost a century later. Endeavor was the first permanent firefighting organization in Burlington and remains one of the oldest fire companies under its original name in the state.<ref name=Shermerhorn>Shermerhorn, William. ''The History of Burlington, New Jersey'' (Burlington, NJ: Press of Enterprise Publishing Co., 1927)</ref> By 1882, the company had relocated to its present building, which was erected in 1852 as a Market House.

Burlington has been the home of many notable people including John Lawrence, a politician and his son, Captain [[James Lawrence]]. The elder Lawrence served in the State Assembly, as [[Mayor of Burlington, New Jersey]] in 1769, and as a member of the Provincial Council from 1771 to 1775. He was suspected of being a [[Loyalist (American Revolution)|Loyalist]] during the American Revolution, which ended his career. His son was born on October 1, 1781, and fought during the [[War of 1812]].<ref name=ship /> Lawyer and writer [[James Fenimore Cooper]], who wrote ''[[The Last of the Mohicans]]'', was also from Burlington. His father was a merchant there before buying land and developing [[Cooperstown, New York]] after the Revolution.<ref name=NYT2000 />