The first Presbyterian church of Flint has its beginning with members of another communion. In 1847 their leader, Rev. M. Dudley, organized seventeen persons into a Congregational church, at the "River House." In 1840, there being no Congregational association in this region, they placed themselves under the care of the presbytery of Detroit. At about the same time they built a church where later stood the Henderson warehouse. By 1845 this building had been enlarged and removed to the east corner of Saginaw and First streets, and not long afterwards the members entered upon the work of erecting a new house of worship, which was dedicated on January 26, 1848. The Congregationalists remained connected with this church until 1867. Previous to 1855, the principal pastors of this society were Revs. Dudley, Bates, Parker, Beach, VanNest, Atterbury and Northrop.

As early as 1837 an effort was made to organize a Baptist church in Flint, which was presently successful. An event which considerably strengthened the movement was the disbanding of a church of fifteen members five miles from Flint in present Burton township, who transferred their membership to the Flint church. The meetings of the new society were held in a room over the jail in the court house, but repeated disturbances in those quarters led them to take a room in the Crapo building, on the north side of the river, until a church should be built. The erection of the first meeting house was accomplished only with great difficulty and was dedicated in 1855.

St. Paul's church, Protestant Episcopal, began in 1839. In that year the missionary, Rev. Daniel E. Brown, visited Flint and reported that "The voice of an Episcopal clergyman in celebrating the services of our church, had never been heard here." In October the bishop visited Flint and reported such zeal manifested for the organization of a parish that he consented at once to the proposed measure. Rev. Mr. Brown began work here in November, and in the following month a church was organized, among whose members were George M. Dewey, Grant Decker and Henry C. Walker. The wardens elected were T. D. Butler and Milton A. Case. On the original vestry were Reuben McCreery, Jonathan Dayton, Henry M. Henderson, Chauncey S. Payne and James B. Walker. The holy communion was celebrated for the first time on Christmas Day, 1939. Rev. Daniel E. Brown became the first rector. In march, 1849, the bishop visiting the new parish found that a temporary building has been neatly fitted up for the accommodation of the congregation, but it was forced to solicit help from the East to complete the building of a church. Rev. Mr. Brown succeeded in raising from that source about one thousand seven hundred dollars above expenses. Many difficulties, however, still attended the achievement of putting up the new church building, which was not completed until July, 1843. This was known as the "Old church," a building thirty-four by forty-eight feet, standing on village lot No. 5, block No. 2. In his report to the convention in 1844, the Rev. Mr. Brown speaks of liberal donations "received from the friends of the church in New York, of an elegant set of communion plates, also a superb copy of the bible, and the book of Common Prayer, for the use of chancel and reading-desk." In 1846 the resignation of the Rev. Mr. Brown was accepted "with deep regret." During a period of seven years his official acts were as follows: Baptisms, 47 (infants, 33; adult, 14), confirmations, 24; funerals, 21; marriages, 12. His successor was Rev. Charles Reighley, who resigned in 1850. His official acts during these three years were: Baptisms 35 (infant, 28; adult, 7), confirmations, 12; marriages, 3; burials, 33. In 1852 Rev. John Swan became the next rector, who still held that position when the village became a city.

In this period also were laid the foundations of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church. Bishop P. Lefever, of the diocese of Detroit, was the impulse which placed in form of organization the material for a Roman Catholic church in Flint. The first efforts date back to September 2, 1843, though the building was several years in process of erection. The ground on which it stands was deeded by Chauncey S. Payne and George M. Dewey gave two hundred dollars towards the fund, while many leading citizens contributed more or less liberally as their means permitted. Among the friends from Detroit who rendered material aid to the struggling enterprise were Lewis Cass, Joseph Campau, Bishop P. Lefever, peters Desnoyer, and many other names well known in olden times. Daniel O'Sullivan, whose arrival in Flint occurred in July, 1834, was largely instrumental in the construction of the building, having contributed both in means and labor to the enterprise. The first regularly installed pastor was Rev. Michael Monaghan, who remained some time after the completion of the church, and was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Kinderkins, brother of Vicar-General Kinderkins, of Detroit, who, in turn, was succeeded by Rev. C. L. Deceuninck, in 1856, who organized a school under the management of two lay teachers. His pastorate extended over a period of fifteen years, during which time he was active in many benevolent enterprises and did much for the relief of the poor of the church.

The first cemetery in Flint was a piece of ground about an acre in extent known as the "old Patterson homestead." It was bounded on the south by Flint street, on the west by Grand Traverse, on the north by Court and on the east by Church. This acre was deeded in 1835 by Mr. and Mrs. Wait Beach tot he county for a burial ground. It was in use about eight years and twenty-five interments were made in it, when it was vacated. In 1841 a new location was chose, known as the "old burial grounds," situated on the north side of the Richfield road on Kearsley street about half a mile east of Saginaw street. the bodies were disinterred from the original ground and reburied here. In 1842 John Beach deeded to the county an acre of ground as a first addition to this plat, which was the last addition made while Flint remained a village.

Flint village saw also the beginning of two leading benevolent associations, the Masons and the Odd Fellows. The first lodge of the order of Free and Accepted Masons was convened in Flint, April 6, 1848, and was organized as Genesee Lodge No. 23. Its first officers were H. I. Higgins, worthy master; Chauncey S. Payne, senior warden; William Eddy, junior warden; Charles Reighley, secretary and treasurer; -------- Wright, senior deacon; Benjamin Boomer, junior deacon, ----- Ingals, tiler. The lodge held its early meetings in the Starr building, in the first ward, owned by Chauncey S. Payne, and since burned. The first member installed was col.. E. H. Thomson. It then moved into the Hill building, on the south side of Saginaw street. in December , 1845, it surrendered its charter and its books and papers were, by order of the grand lodge of the state, together with jurisdiction over its membership, transferred to Flint lodge No. 23, Free and Accepted Masons.

Genesee lodge No. 24, independent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted, June 1, 1874, by Deputy Grand Master Alfred Treadway, of Pontiac, under a dispensation granted by the Most Worthy Grand Master Andrew J. Clark, of Niles. The dispensation was replaced by a charter from the grand lodge, July 22, 1847. The lodge reported on the 30^th of June of the same year thirty-three contributing members. Its first officers were Edward H. Thompson, noble grand; George M. Dewey, vice-grand; Charles D. Little, secretary; Sylvester A. Pengra, treasurer. E. H. Thompson was the first representative from Genesee Lodge to the grand lodge of Michigan and was also its first district deputy grand master. The second corps of officers of the lodge, installed in January, 1848, were George M. Dewey, noble grand; Charles D. Little, vice-grand; Sylvester A. Pengra, Secretary; George H. Hazelton, treasurer.