Congregational Association of Oregon Records

Congregational Association of Oregon Records, 1848-1886

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Congregational Association of Oregon.
Title: Congregational Association of Oregon Records
Dates: 1848-1886 (inclusive)
18481886
Quantity: 1.0 folder, (1 folder)
Collection Number: MS.79
Summary: The Congregational Association of Oregon was an organization representing the Congregationalist churches within Oregon and Washington Territory. This collection includes the Association's constitution, by-laws, minutes from 1857-1869, a list of members and associated churches, and a table of all meetings held between 1848-1886.
Repository: Pacific University, Archives
Pacific University Archives
2043 College Way
Forest Grove, OR
97116
Telephone: 5033521400
archives@pacificu.edu
Access Restrictions: Collection is open for research.
Languages: English
Sponsor: Sponsored by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The collection includes a record book, which contains the Association's constitution, by-laws and minutes from 1857-1869. The record book is accompanied by a set of folded pages listing the individual members, associated churches, and a table of all meetings held between 1848-1886. It lists ministers of the Congregationalist Churches in Oregon and Washington Territory, with the date when they were received as ministers in the region, along with the date and reason for leaving the Association. The names, locations and active dates of associated churches are also listed. A table listing all past meetings of the association going back to 1848 is also included.

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Congregational Association of Oregon was an organization representing the Congregationalist churches within Oregon and Washington Territory. Its first meetings, which appear to have been relatively informal gatherings of ministers, were held in Forest Grove and Oregon City in 1848. According its Constitution, its aims were to "promote all objects of Christian benevolence" and "encourage evangelical education." In practice, the Association addressed issues such as:

Funding church projects and ministers' salaries
Defining the church's position on social issues, including slavery
Hiring and assignment of ministers
Communications with other Congregationalist associations in the eastern United States
Supporting the activities of other associations including the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, the American Tract Society, the American Bible Society and Pacific University.

Most of the Association's members were ministers of Congregationalist churches in Oregon and Washington Territory. A few were from other denominations, includings Presbyterians and Methodist Episcopalians. Some of the most prominent members included: Harvey Clark, Elkanah Walker, Henry H. Spalding, George Atkinson, Cushing Eells, Myron Eells, Horace Lyman, Sidney Harper Marsh, Obed Dickinson and Thomas Condon.

More information about the history of the Association can be found in Myron Eells' History of the Congregational Association of Oregon, and Washington Territory: The Home Missionary Society of Oregon and Adjoining Territories; and the Northwestern Association of Congregational Ministers. (Portland: Himes, 1881.)

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Pacific University owns the copyright to some, but not all, of the materials housed in its archives. Copyright for materials authored or otherwise produced as official business of Pacific University is retained by Pacific University and requires its permission for publication. Copyright status for other collection materials varies. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Preferred Citation

Congregational Association of Oregon Records, Pacific University Archives, Forest Grove, Oregon.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Location of Collection

Housed in MS File Box 2.

Bibliography

Eells, Myron. History of the Congregational Association of Oregon, and Washington Territory: The Home Missionary Society of Oregon and Adjoining Territories; and the Northwestern Association of Congregational Ministers. Publishing House of Himes the Printer, 1881.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Congregational churches
Missionaries--Oregon

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