Guide to the Lane Theological Seminary Records

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Materials marked "Digital" in the Collection Inventory may not be available on Pearl or in their entirety.

Portions of the collection are available on microfilm: MFPOS 747 reels 1-3.

Microfilming was done before the collection was transferred to the Presbyterian Historical Society. Following its transfer to PHS, the collection was reorganized. Consequently, the order of microfilming does not match the order of items in the present collection. Microfilm reel numbers are provided in the collection inventory. Please note that some folders have been microfilmed in their entirety, and some have not.

The following is a detailed table of contents for MFPOS 747, reels 1-3. Note that the folder numbers in this table of contents refer to the organization of contents when they were microfilmed, NOT the present organization.
 

Reel 1:

Folder No. 1 – Historical Material

Draft of bill for the incorporation. 1829.

Act to amend incorporation.

Agreement with Lane brothers. (Letter to D.H. Allen from Ebenezer Lane).

Commendatory letters.

Clipping from Cincinnati Pandect, September 8, 1829, on its founding.

Lane Seminary and Walnut Hills School. 1832. (Early catalogue).

Project for preparatory department. 1834.

Plea for endowment. 1837.

Bequests.

Charter and amendments. 1858.

Address by Rev. Henry A. Nelson. 1899. (Reminiscences).

Lane-Lebanon Alliance.

Eschatalogue. 1930.

Court of Appeals, First Appellate district, Hamilton County, Ohio. no. 3966. Trustees of Lane Seminary, Plaintiff vs. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, etc., et a1., defendants. Brief for the Plaintiff.

Newspaper clippings regarding the merger of Lane and McCormick.

Folder No. 2 – Trustees

Notices of meetings.

Minutes and reports.

Reports to trustees.

Appointments and resignations.

Protest against their hiring professors not of the Presbyterian faith.

Folder No. 3 – Executive Committee

Minutes and resolutions.

Letter from A. S. Bishop to Nathaniel Wright concerning the adoption of regulations. 1834.

Reports.

Correspondence.

Folder No. 4 – Board of Examiners

Reports. 1862-1863.

Folder No. 5 – Subscriptions

Pledges.

Reports.

Correspondence.

• Boal.
• Dickinson.
• Eastmann.
• Ellis.
• Grosbeck. Wilson withdraws pledge — professors aren't Presbyterian.
• Tappen. Correspondence and copies of bankruptcy papers.
• Tichenor.
• Vail.
• Warren.

Folder No. 6 – Faculty

Minutes. 1833.

Reports to trustees.

Inauguration formula. (Dickinson and Baxter inaugurations).

Recommendations for professors. Appointments and resignations.

• Agnew.
• Biggs.
• Folsom.
• Howell. Resignation.
• Lewis.
• Mitchell.
• Morgan.
• Slack.
• Smith. Resignation.
• Stowe.
• Stowe-Morgan.
• Warren.
• White.
• Witel.
• Wynkoop.
• Young.

Reel 2:

Folder No 7 – Scholarships

Rules and conditions with regard to the acceptance and administration of scholarship funds.

Letter from F. Y. Vail to N. Wright about doing something in the way of securing scholarships. 1837.

Report on scholarships. 1838.

Bequest from Mrs. Catharine Hunt of $500.00 for the scholarship fund.

Proposed plan for scholarships. 1852.

Gift of forty shares of capital stock of the Bellfontaine and Indiana railroad from Nathaniel Sawyer.

Resolution. That of money received after May 1, 1892, $6600.00 be credited to the scholarship fund.

Folder No. 8 – Students

List of Students. 1831.

Students admitted in 1833.

Students admitted in 1836.

Students admitted in 1838.

Inquiries-and recommendations.

• Preparatory department. 1831-1834.
• Literary department. 1829-1833.
• Theological department. 1829-.

Letters from students.

• Bridgman.
• Byers.
• Caswell.
• Chamberlain.
• Clark.
• Davison.
• Everts.
• Hitchcock.
• Masters.
• Robinson.
• Sexton.
• Smith.
• Stanton.
• Weeks.
• Whitney.
• Wright.

Complaint of James Kemper about students.

Request for dismissal.

Request for permission to attend lectures in city.

Request-for permission to give course of lectures on temperance.

Request for permission of farming a lot.

Pledge against use of tobacco.

Answer to inquiries of students about revivals.

Folder No. 9 – Examination Questions

Folder No. 10 – Clubs and Societies

General regulation on student meetings.

Lane Seminary Club.

• Constitution.
• Letter from Horace C. Hovey.

Philadelphia Education Society.

• Circular letter.

Presbyterian Education Society.

Smith Rhetorical Society.

• Certificate of incorporation.
• Constitution.
• Minutes.
• Resolutions.

Society of Alumni.

Society of Missionary Inquiry.

• Letters from students in other seminaries and colleges.
  -Andover.
  -Bangor.
  -Dartmouth.
  -Hamilton.
  -Oakland.
  -Princeton.
  -Rochester.
  -Springville Academy.
  -Union.
  -Wabash.
  -Western.
  -Yale.
   
• Letters from missionaries.
  -Africa.
  -China.
  -Mexico.
  -Persia.
  -Sandwich Islands.
  -Syria.
  -Dakota Indians.
  -Sioux Indians.
   
• Notebook containing constitution and paper read by Dr. E.D. Morris "The Foreign missionary alumni of Lane Seminary". Mar. 20, 1891.
• Western Education Society.

Reel 3:

Folder No. 11 – Manual Labor

General.

Broom Factory.

Mechanical Association.

Printing Department.

Folder No. 12 – Building and Grounds

Plan of buildings. 1829.

Map of Grounds. 1833(?).

Directory to landmarks on grounds.

Kemper monument.

Lane Seminary hall. North Wing. 1880.

Folder No. 13 – Library

Librarian's report. 1862.

Reports to the Board of Trustees. 1873-1884.

Neander Library.

Correspondence.

• Day.
• Morris.
• Stowe.
• Vail.
• Warren.

Petition for periodicals by the Athenaeum club.

Folder No. 14 – Walnut Hill School

Correspondence.

• Beckwith.
• Blanchard.
• Cole.

Folder No. 15 – Slavery Question

Requests for dismission.

Letters and reports on right of students to leave.

Folder No. 16 – Old and New Schools

Resignation of J. B. Wilson from Board of Trustees. 1831.

Letter from Amos Blanchard concerning difficulty in obtaining funds on account of New School. 1832.

Letter from I. S. Frary regarding Old and New School. 1832.

Letter from A. Bullard requesting payment of debt and also giving his opinion of the New School.

Letter from Luther Halsey concerning the New School and suggesting that the seminary has no Presbyterian sympathies. 1840.

Letter from Robert Cathcart to Lyman Beecher regarding suits against the New School. 1847.

Resolution of First Presbyterian Church of Ripley to withdraw from the Synod of Cincinnati and seek a union with the New School branch of the Cincinnati Presbytery. Also concerning the refusal to exclude slave holders and the apologists of slave holding from the communion of the church. 1858.

Beecher's slander against Dr. Wilson repelled.

Copy of H. P. Smith's appeal to the Board.

Folder No. 17 – Taxation

Report of Committee. 1835.

Letter from T. G. Odiorne. Kenyon College, on subject of taxation.

Folder No. 18 – Beckwith Correspondence

E. Porter to James Warren about possibility of acquiring Dr. Beckwith for Lane. 1829.

Beckwith asks about position offered him. 1829.

Letter of acceptance. 1829.

Letter to James Warren with copy of letter of acceptance. 1829.

Appointment of Beckwith as agent to solicit funds for the space of six months. 1830.

David Root to Beckwith concerning the establishment of a central school for young ladies in the West. 1830.

Beckwith. His eyes prevent him from accepting appointment as agent. Suggests I. Hawes. 1830.

Letter about visit to Oneida Institute. Encouraged by reports of Lane. 1830.

Beckwith to Warren. Deplores failure to obtain funds. Tenders resignation. 1830.

Letter suggesting Mr. Labaree as teacher in Walnut Hills School. 1830.

Letter concerning action of Board on his resignation. 1831.

Request for payment of money due. 1832.

Second request for payment. 1833.

Third request. 1835.

Fourth request. 1835.

Folder No. 19 – Beecher Correspondence

Appointment as president. 1830.

Appeal for Dr. Beecher to go to Lane. No date.

Letter from F. T. Vail to James Warren on qualifications of Dr. Beecher. 1830.

F. T. Vail to James Warren. Beecher's obligation to stay with his people prevents his going to Lane at that time. And the prospect of his acceptance at a later time. 1831.

Eastman to Vail. Offers congratulations on success in raising funds. Suggests renewal of Dr. Beecher's appointment. 1832.

Eastman to Vail. Dr. Beecher on way to Cincinnati. 1832.

F. T. Vail to Blanchard and Mahan relating to Dr. Beecher's acceptance. 1832.

S. Agnew to Lyman Beecher. Regarding his son's appointment. 1832.

Lyman Beecher to the friends of Lane Seminary and the West. 1833.

Lyman Beecher to John Tappan. Concerning A. Tappan's pledge to lane. 1837.

Lyman Beecher to G. Tichenor. Requests payment of salary. 1839.

B. Labaree to Lyman Beecher. Concerning character of Tyson. 1844.

Lyman Beecher to Trustees. Resignation. 1850.

Mrs. Caroline Wilson presents bust of Dr. Beecher to Lane. 1842 (?).

Subscription for support of Dr. Beecher. 1850.

Folder No. 20 – Condit Correspondence

Letter to Board of Trustees asking that the duty of instruction in the Department of church polity by transferred to Professor Allan. 1852.

Letter of resignation of the office of sacred rhetoric, because of impaired health.

Letter to Executive Board, again tendering his resignation. 1854.

Folder No. 21 – The Dickinsons

Austin Dickinson.

• Letters of recommendation of Samuel Dickinson. 1833.
• Austin Dickinson to professors of Lane. Thoughts on elevating the character of the secular press. 1844.

Baxter Dickinson.

• Letters of recommendation.
  -Humphrey.
  -Patton/Stuart/Edwards. (Three letters in one.)
  -Noyes.
  -Fruylinghuysen.
  -Peters.
   
• Testimonials. 1835.
  -Vail. (Two documents.)
  -Eastman/Noyes/Judd. (Three letters in one.)
   
• Letter considering acceptance. 1835.
• Letter of acceptance. 1835.
• Letter concerning moving to Cincinnati. 1835.
• Biggs to Dickinson. 1835.
• Wright to Dickinson. Prospects for getting students. Subscriptions. 1839.
• Resignation. 1839.

Samuel Dickinson.

• Accepts appointment as superintendant. 1833
• E. Hayden to S. Dickinson. 1835.
• Chadwick Smith to S. Dickinson. Hears rumor of Dickinson's return to New England. Asks recommendation for his position. 1835.
• Whitney to Dickinson. Asks for certificate of church membership. Hesitation in joining the church because of the slavery question. Refuses to listen to minister who is a slave holder or one who advocates slavery. 1835.
• J. B. Clark to Dickinson. Concerning family to take charge of commons. 1836.
• Dickinson to committee. Plan of organization. 1836.
• Clark to Dickinson. Concerning position. 1836.
• Dickinson to Bullard. 1836. Two letters.
• Dickinson to Boal. 1836.
• Dickinson to Ely. 1837.
• William Dickinson to Samuel Dickinson. 1836.
• F. Dickinson to R. Boal about death of S. Dickinson. 1838.
• Metcalf to Ely concerning payment of money to Dickinson estate. 1835.

Folder No. 22 – Humphrey Correspondence

Notice of election to the chair of sacred rhetoric and pastoral theology. 1840.

Acknowledgement of election.

Declines position. 1840.

Folder No. 23 - Morris

Memoranda of trusteeship. 1879-1886.

Smith to Morris. Concerning indebtedness of seminary to Morris.

Flora S. Watkin to Morris.

Folder No. 24 – Stowe Correspondence

Stowe to Mahan. Acknowledges appointment to chair of Biblical literature. 1832.

Stowe to Vail. Accepts appointment. 1833.

Stowe to Vail. Asks how to get his books and other articles to Cincinnati. 1833.

Stowe to Boal. Asks payment of salary. 1833.

Stowe to Vail. Asks for payment of salary. Cites his dire need. 1834.

Stowe to Executive Committee. Tells of the conditions of his acceptance to chair of Biblical literature. 1836.

Stowe to Vail. Expects to meet him in New York. 1836.

Stowe to Vail. Meeting arranged. 1836.

Stowe to Executive Committee. His claims on the trustees. 1837.

Stowe to Executive Committee. Must have suitable house. 1838.

Stowe to N. Wright. Concerning conditions of Seminary. Has offer from a New England college. 1839.

Stowe to Tichenor. Account with Seminary. 1839.

Stowe to Tichenor. Acknowledges draft. 1842.

Stowe to Executive Committee. Salary. 1845.

Stowe to Tichenor concerning order for payment of salary. 1845.

Stowe to Executive Committee about salary. 1850.

Resignation. 1850.

Stowe to Tichenor. Rental of farm. 1851.

Stowe to Allen. Asks collection of note. 1854.

Stowe to Tichenor. Reports progress as agent. 1854.

Stowe to N. Wright. Violation of terms of professorship. 1838.

Stowe to Tarrent. Concerning debt. No date.

Neff. Against raising Stowe's salary..

Stowe to Vail. Lists books to be had. 1854 (2)

Patterson, R. W.‘ Reminiscences of Calvin E. Stowe. Read before Lane Club.

Folder No. 25 — Tichenor Correspondence

Letters and memoranda concerning financial affairs of the Seminary. 1839-1862.

Folder No. 26 — Vail Correspondence.

Biggs. 1831-1834.

Blanchard. 1832.

Boal.  1832.

Bond. 1836.

Eastman. 1830-1833.

Edwards. 1836.

Ely. 1836-1837.

Farrar. 1836.

Haight. 1836.

Hitchcock. 1838.

Morgan. 1834.

Porter. 1830.

Todd. 1837. ,

Van Nostrum. 1838.

Wilson. 1829.

A. D. O. (last name illegible) 1835.

Folder No. 27 - Miscellaneous

Receipt for payment for building Smokehouse and necessary. 1830.

Concerning making of stoves. 1832.

Gift of wagon. 1837.

Bill of fare. 1833 (?). (On film but document misplaced.)

Petition for change of diet. 18331

Gift of pony. 1833.

Order of exercises of induction of Lyman Beecher.

Boarding of students. 1830.

Plan for economizing in board of students. (On film but document misplaced).

Petition against pasturing cows on Seminary lawn.

W. S. Merrill offers to give lectures on chemistry. 1829.

H. W. White offers cabinet of minerals. 1861.

Petition for coffee to be served at breakfast.

Petition against serving coffee.

Request of student for permission to eat his meals in his room. 1836.

C. Cotton to James Warren. On the subject of his preaching on revivals in America while in London.

S. W. Bonney to Rev. D. H. Allen On his missionary labors in China at Canton and Macao. 1839.