First Baptist Church of Corning records, 1842-1896.
Collection Number: 6078
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library
DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY
Title:
First Baptist Church of Corning records, 1842-1896.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
6078
Abstract:
Church covenant, articles of faith, minutes of the council called upon to constitute
the church, covenant, and annual meeting minutes (1842-1896) and membership lists.
Creator:
First Baptist Church of Corning (Corning, N.Y.)
Quanitities:
1 microfilm reels.
Language:
Collection material in English
On February 13, 1842 residents of Corning and vicinity who belonged to the Baptist
Church of Campbell and Erwin requested that they be given leave to form themselves
as a separate church. The request was granted and on August 24, 1842 a council was
convened and the church was organized with 24 members. For the first few years the
congregation met in the Episcopal Church, in the members' homes, in a hall rented
for 50 cents a meeting, or in the Methodist chapel. A house of worship, begun in 1849,
was dedicated on May 8, 1850. There is a gap in the records from May 4, 1861 until
January 2, 1864, indicating perhaps the effects the war had on those at home. By 1870
the church had 147 members. In 1879 the church incorporated, and in 1882 plans were
begun for a new church which was dedicated on October 21, 1886.
In 1896 the first letters were granted to several members to aid in establishing
the North Baptist Church (formally organized in 1902).
In November 1892 the envelope system began to supplement pew rentals, which were
gradually phased out.
The church was a member of the Chemung River Baptist Association until 1916. See
the accession folder for additional details.
This record book was rendered partially illegible by flooding caused by hurricane
Agnes in June 1972, however, it was microfilmed anyway as a hedge against further
deterioration.
The volume contains covenant meeting minutes (September 1842 - June 1896), the church
Covenant and Articles of Faith, minutes of the council called upon to constitute the
church (August 24, 1842) and membership lists which contain names and dismissal and
admittance information.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
First Baptist Church of Corning records, #6078. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections,
Cornell University Library.
Names:
Baptist Church of Campbell (Campbell, N.Y.)
Baptist Church of Erwin (Erwin, N.Y.)
Places:
Corning (N.Y.) -- Religious life and customs.
Steuben County (N.Y.) -- Religious life and customs.
Subjects:
Churches, Baptist.
Church records and registers -- New York (State) -- Corning.
Baptists -- New York (State) -- Corning.
Form and Genre Terms:
Minutes.
CONTAINER LIST
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Container
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Description
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Date
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| Item I |
Record Book,
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1842-1896 | |
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Scope and Contents
Note: Covenant meeting minutes are not described in detail since they were difficult
to read.
The volume opens with 16 pages of membership records which include names, date and
how admitted and dismissed (1842-1873). A similar list is found after the August 20,
1865 minutes (August 1, 1872-1895).
This is followed by a clipping from the "Corning Daily Journal," December 31, 1898
announcing that the church had paid all debts on its new building.
Minutes of the Council called upon to form the church (August 24, 1842) the Church
Covenant, and Articles of Faith precede monthly covenant and annual election meeting
minutes (September 1842 - June 1896). There are no minutes for May 1861 - January
1865. The pages containing May-August 1850 were filmed out of order.
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