Author: Jean McDaniel

January 25, 1783: William Colgate (left), founder of American Bible Union, was born in England. He is noted for being a philanthropist and founder of the Colgate Company (1806). ABHS has his papers dating from 1820 to 1850. Samuel Colgate, William’s son, started a library that became the heart  of the ABHS collection.

January 24, 1811:  Sansom Street Baptist Church in Philadlephia was founded with William Staughton (left) as pastor.  ABHS has some of Sansom Street’s original church records and Staughton’s sermon notes (1807-1823) and correspondence (16 letters).

On January 22, 1862, Lulu (Louise) C. Fleming was born. She is the first female medical missionary was appointed by Baptists. She served in the Congo from 1886-1899.  ABHS has her correspondence while she was in the Congo and a bio file which includes photographs.

On January 21, 1525, Anabaptists (Baptists) organized for the first time under the leadership of Conrad Grebel near Zurich, Switzerland. ABHS has a biography of Grebel, and many books and articles about the Anabaptists in Europe.

January 16, 1821: Prominent black missionaries Lott Cary and Collin Teague sailed to Liberia from Norfolk, VA.  ABHS has a folder of Lott Cary’s correspondence as a missionary.  His information is in our on-line collection called ArchivesSpace.

January 12, 1724:  Samuel Harris, the persecuted defender of religious liberty, was born in Hanover County, VA.  ABHS has booklets, tracts and sermons about the importance of religious liberty (especially in the matter of baptism) in colonial America, some dating to 1700.

January 8, 1841.  Judson College was chartered in Marion, AL, as Judson Female Institute.  It was founded by members of Siloam Baptist Church; the three individuals  who were most instrumental in the founding were Julia Tarrant Barron, General Edwin D. King, and Milo P. Jewett.

January 7, 1821: The first Baptist church in Florida was organized.  It is the Pigeon Creek church in present-day Nassau County.  ABHS has original church records from many states.  The earliest is First Baptist, Philadelphia, dating to 1691. ABHS gives anniversary certificates to churches who request them for a significant anniversary.

January 5, 1527:  Felix Manz, Swiss Anabaptist, was sentenced to death by the Zurich Council for his beliefs.  Freedom of religion was not a common concept prior to the Constitution of the United States.

December 30, 1798: Isaac Backus, a pastor in Massachusetts, commented against the Federalist Party foreign policy in opposition to France.  ABHS has 28 items and 3 reels of microfilm in the Isaac Backus collection.  It includes correspondence, sermons, diaries and travel journals.

On December 24, 1915, William H. Doane, composer and hymnist, died in South Orange, NJ.  Doane composed “To God Be the Glory” and tunes to several Fanny Crosby hymns.  ABHS has over 11 linear feet of items pertaining to Doane’s business dealings, charitable endeavors, personal finances, and family photographs and memorabilia. Copyright registrations for Doane’s hymns and sheet music are also part of this collection. The photo accompanying this post is a picture of Doane at the organ from the William Howard Doane collection.

December 20, 1943: Eleven Baptist missionaries were captured and put to death by the Japanese in the Philippines.  ABHS has many folders of information about these martyred missionaries and their short time hiding in the jungle at Hopevale before they were captured. The accompanying drawing is of the Hopevale chapel.

December 16, 1769: Jesse Mercer, hymnist and co-founder of Mercer University was born in Halifax County, NC. ABHS is located on the Mercer University (Atlanta) campus.

December 15, 1836:  The first Baptist Church in Australia, Bathurst Church, was constituted by John Saunders.  ABHS has the original church records from many churches dating back to the 1691 records from First Baptist Church in Philadelphia.

On December 7, 1951, the first Baptist Women’s Day of Prayer was held.  It has become an annual event of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA).  ABHS holds BWA archives including correspondence, World Baptist Journal, office files and program information.

December 7, 1951: The first Baptist Women’s Day of Prayer was held.  It became an annual event of the Baptist World Alliance.  ABHS holds many records from BWA including correspondence, financial records and conference programs.

On this day (Dec. 6) in 1776, the Virginia Assembly, led by Thomas Jefferson, passed a law denying funds for the Episcopal Church.  In most European countries, the state church gets government money.  This was also true in this country in colonial times. Now in this country no church gets government money to benefit the worship and religious program.

We have received $160 in gifts today, Giving Tuesday.  Our goal is $3000.  Please help us reach our goal.  Your gifts allow ABHS to preserve collections like original church records, and personal papers; open its doors to researchers who are writing dissertations, books and articles; and to help local churches know what and how to preserve their own records.