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American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions Records Microfilm

 Collection
Identifier: CN 261

Brief Description

Microfilm edition of the files of the ABCFM. The originals are at Harvard University. The units that the Archives has are: #1, letters from the offices of the Board to foreign missionaries (including letters to missionaries working with American Indians); #2, letters from missions in Africa; #3, letters from missions in Asia; #4, letters from missions in Central Asia (India, etc.); #5, letters from missions in the Near East; and #6, letters from missions on the American continents and the islands of the Pacific Ocean.

Dates

  • Created: 1827-1929

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions that limit access to this collection.

Conditions Governing Use

No part of this microfilm may be reproduced without the prior permission of the publisher, Research Publications, Inc. For permission, contact:

  • Research Publications
  • 12 Lunar Drive
  • Woodbridge, CT 06525

    or

  • P.O. Box 45
  • Reading RG1 8HF, England
  • Biographical or Historical Information

    First American foreign mission agency; established in 1810; Congregational in orientation while accepting missionaries of various denominational backgrounds; Bible translation, education, and medical care were consistently emphasized, with evangelism's priority diminishing over time; merged to form United Church [of Christ] Board for World Ministries, 1961.

    Extent

    858 Reels of microfilm

    Language of Materials

    English

    Content Description

    Microfilm edition of the files of the ABCFM. The originals are at Harvard University. The full collection is divided into six parts:

  • Unit 1. Official letters from the ABCFM offices to missionaries, ordered chronologically
  • Unit 2. Letters from missions in Africa, ordered geographically and then chronologically
  • Unit 3. Letters from missions in the Far East, ordered geographically
  • Unit 4. Letters from missions in Central Asia (India, etc.), ordered geographically
  • Unit 5. Letters from missions in the Near East, ordered geographically
  • Unit 6. Letters from missions on the American continents and the islands of the Pacific Ocean, ordered geographically

    For more information, please see the published guide located in the Manuscripts Reading Room.
  • Unit 1: Letters from the offices of the Board

  • Reels 1-11. Letters to Missionaries Working with American Indians; 1832-1883
  • Reels 12-148. Letters to Foreign Correspondents; 1827-1920

    Unit 2: Letters from Missionaries to Africa
  • Reels 149-173. Western Africa; -1929
  • Reels 174-216. Southern Africa; 1834-1929
  • Reels 217-219. East Central Africa; 1886-1919
  • Reels 220-222. Zulu East Africa; 1886-1908
  • Reel 223. Africa. Miscellaneous; 1834-1911

    Unit 3: Records of Missions to Far East Asia
  • Reel 224. Arcot Mission; 1844-1857

    Southeastern Asia
  • Reels 225-227. Mission to Siam; 1831-1844
  • Reels 228-229. Mission to Singapore; 1836-1844
  • Reel 230. Mission to Borneo; 1837-1844

    Missions to China
  • Reels 231-232. Amoy Mission; 1827-1859
  • Reels 233-256. Foochow Mission; 1848-1929
  • Reels 257-265. South China Mission; 1829-1922
  • Reels 266-315. North China Mission; 1860-1930
  • Reels 316-325. Shansi Mission; 1880-1914
  • Reels 326-387. Mission to Japan; 1862-1929

    Unit 4: Records of Missions to Central Asia India Mission
  • Reel 388. India Mission; 1818-1859
  • Reels 389-443. Marathi Mission; 1812-1919
  • Reels 444-465. Ceylon Mission; 1815-1929
  • Reels 466-498. Madura Mission; 1822-1919
  • Reels 499-501. Madras Mission; 1824-1859

    Unit 5: Records of Missions to Near East
  • Reels 502-512. Near East Missions; 1817-1933
  • Reels 513-515. Mission to the Jews; 1820-1830
  • Reels 516-536. Mission to the Armenians; 1836-1908
  • Reels 537-551. Syrian Mission; 1822-1902
  • Reel 552. Assyrian Mission; 1847-1859
  • Reels 553-560. Nestorian Mission; 1833-1871
  • Reels 561-581. Mission to Turkey; 1829-1909
  • Reels 582-639. Western Turkey Mission; 1847-1919
  • Reels 640-675. Central Turkey Mission; 1859-1929
  • Reels 676-720. Eastern Turkey Mission; 1847-1930

    Unit 6: Records of the American Continents and the Islands of the Pacific
  • Reels 721-735. Missions to Mexico; 1871-1919
  • Reels 736-754. Cherokee Mission; 1811-1871
  • Reels 755-765. Choctaw Mission; 1818-1859
  • Reels 765-775. Dakota Mission; 1825-1883
  • Reels 775-778. Ojibwa Mission; 1844-1871
  • Reels 779-780. Chickasaw Mission; 1813-1838
  • Reel 781. Mission to the Osages; 1825-1830
  • Reel 782. Mission to the Pawnees; 1837-1844
  • Reels 783-784. Mission to the Oregon Indians; 1822-1846
  • Reel 785. Mackinaw Mission; 1826-1847
  • Reel 786. Stockbridge Indians; 1837-1844
  • Reel 787. Maumee Indians; 1830-1837
  • Reels 788-792. New York Indians; 1826-1859
  • Reel 793. North American Indians;1820-1837
  • Reels 793-833. Hawaiian Islands Mission; 1817-1938
  • Reels 834-858. Micronesia Mission; 1851-1929
  • Provenance

    Units 1 and 3 of this collection were purchased by the Archives in November 1984 and May 1985. Unit 4 was purchased by the Center Library and given to the Archives in March 1987. The provenance for Unit 2 is unknown.

    Accessions: 84-127, 85-76, 87-21 Undated

    Other Libraries Holding this Microfilm Collection

  • Brigham Young University - Hawaii Campus, Laie, HI (Unit 6)
  • Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, MI
  • Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (Unit 3)
  • Emory University, Pitts Theological Library, Atlanta, GA (Unit 6)
  • Florida State University (units 1-6)
  • Graduate Theology Union Library, Berkley, CA (Unit 1-6)
  • Howard University, Washington, DC (Units 1, 3, 4, 6)
  • Marshall University, Huntington, WV (Unit 6)
  • New York Public Library, New York, NY (Unit 2)
  • Northeastern University, Tahlequah, OK (Unit 6)
  • Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio (Unit 3)
  • Ohio University (Unit 3)
  • Rice University, Houston, TX (Units 1-6)
  • Shorter College, Rome, Georgia (Unit 6)
  • University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (Unit 6)
  • University of Hawaii at Hilo (Unit 6)
  • University of Hawaii at Manoa (Unit 1, Unit 6)
  • University of Idaho (Unit 6)
  • University of Illinois (Units 1-6)
  • University of Iowa (Units 1-6)
  • University of Kansas (Unit 1)
  • University of Nevada - Las Vegas (Units 1-6)
  • University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (Unit 4)
  • Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT (Units 3, 4, 5)
  • Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC (Unit 6)
  • Wisconsin State Historical Society, Madison, WI (Unit 1)
  • Yale University Divinity School Library, New Haven, CT (Unit 1-6)
  • Other Descriptive Information

    The BGC Archives purchased this microfilm collection. The original collection from which the microfilm was made is held by Research Publications.

    Title
    Collection 261 Records of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
    Description rules
    Describing Archives: A Content Standard
    Language of description
    Undetermined
    Script of description
    Code for undetermined script
    Language of description note
    English

    Repository Details

    Part of the Evangelism & Missions Archives Repository

    Contact:
    501 College Avenue
    Wheaton IL 60187 US
    630-752-5910