Guide to the Baptist Church Of Mead's Creek Records,
1837-1857.

Collection Number: 6073

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library

Contact Information:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-3530
Fax: (607) 255-9524
rareref@cornell.edu
http://rmc.library.cornell.edu
Compiled by:
P.W.
Date completed:
July 1979
EAD encoding:
Andrea Hektor, Aug. 2004

© 2003 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
Baptist Church of Mead's Creek records, 1837-1857.
Collection Number:
6073
Creator:
Baptist Church of Mead's Creek (Monterey, N.Y.)
Quantity:
1 reel microfilm.
Forms of Material:
Microfilm.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
Two volumes conference, covenant, and special meeting minutes which record church membership, discipline, elections, appointments and finances.
Language:
Collection material in English

ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY

The Mead's Creek Baptist Church formed in Monterey village, Orange township, on July 15, 1837, as an off-shoot of the Baptist Church of Hornby(see Record #6074), at a conference of local Baptist churches including those of Hornby, Catlin, Campbell, Jersey, Bath, Dix, Orange and Reading. The Mead Creek's church adopted the Articles of Faith of the Hornby Baptist Church, and at a Council of Baptist churches (including those above plus others) convened on August 26, 1840, it was declared an independent church. A Covenant and Declaration of Faith were adopted, and the church's goverance structure was altered slightly. Funds for preaching services were raised by a Home Missionary Society (established June 19, 1841) subscriptions by "Equality," and grants from the Steuben Baptist Association. Membership fluctuated between 100 to 60 members during the 13 years covered in this collection.
COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

This collection contains two covenant meeting minute books (1837-1843, and item 1850-1857). Both include erratic (and often undated) entries that appear to be from the 1860's through 1890's. The first book is paginated through page 113, and the second has few page numbers.
SUBJECTS

Names:
Baptist Church of Mead's Creek (Monterey, N.Y.)
Home Missionary Society of Mead's Creek (Monterey, N.Y.)
Steuben Baptist Association (N.Y.)

Subjects:
Baptists--New York (State)--Monterey.
Church records and registers--New York (State)--Monterey.
Church discipline.

Places:
Schuyler County (N.Y.)--Religious life and customs.
Monterey (N.Y.)--Religious life and customs.

Form and Genre Terms:
Minutes.
INFORMATION FOR USERS

Cite As:
Baptist Church of Mead's Creek records, #6073. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
CONTAINER LIST

Description
Container
Minute Book, 1837-1843
Until 1840 when the church was legally recognized as a separate church, minutes are of conference meetings. Their contents are the same as the covenant meeting minutes which begin on page 48. They record baptisms, confessions of faith, receiving new members, election of clerks and choice of moderators, granting letters of dismission, appointments to committees, election of deacons, the "lead of minds" of the members, synopses of brief sermons given a communions and baptisms, and invitations from other churches regarding council meetings. In addition to regular covenant meetings, special meetings are recorded with unfinished business concerning finances, conflicts between members, confessions of transgressions, exclusions, and committee reports. All entries are signed by the church clerk.
Covenant meeting minutes, entry for year 1866 .
"(Brethren) Names." A membership list, n.d.
Title page.
"Articles of Faith of the Baptist Church of Hornby."
Page 1. Conference Meeting Minutes begin July 15, 1837 .
July 15, 1837 : formation of Baptist Church at Mead's Creek.
September 9, 1837 : Temperance resolution adopted.
July 18, 1840 : Baptist Church of Hornby gives power to Mead's Creek Baptist Church to exclude members.
p. 36: copy of letter granting above power.
August 8, 1840 : council of churches called to make Mead's Creek a separate church in "sister relation" to others.
pp. 43-4: Church Covenant (on loose sheets).
p. 44: Declaration of Faith.
p. 45: Church Covenant (written in book).
p. 48: Membership list, n.d.
September 19, 1840 : Special meeting records new rules in church.
November 15, 1840 : Protracted meeting held and conducted by visiting Elder (J.)H. Stebbins, lasting fifteen days. The meeting is recorded three entries.
June 19, 1841 : Home Missionary Society established.
March 5, 1842 : Discussion regarding the church's right to prohibit the licensing of preachers.
p. 96: Membership list updated to 1853.
pp. 98-100: List of members received by baptisms, 1841.
At the end of the book: membership lists and possibly attendance lists, upside down; covenant meeting entries for the 1870's; mission contributions list; more membership lists, upside down.
Minute Meeting Book, 1850-1857
The minutes in this book contain the same information as item #1, including mention of council meetings; also records deaths, number of members at the time of associational conference meetings, undated entries (from 1860-1890's?), and setting the pastor's salary.
Many confused entries including dismissions for 1868, membership lists, and meeting minutes for unspecified years.
Membership list, 1850 .
Membership list, n.d.
Covenant meeting minutes begin September 28, 1850 .
October 4, 1856 : a member excluded for joining the "primitive" church.
November 8, 1857 : Minutes end
At the end of the book: a subscription list (?), n.d., and four covenant meeting entries (one upside down) dated 1894, 1892, 1892, and 1866.