William Augustus Stearns Papers
Scope and Contents
This collection contains a small body of correspondence and biographical material with general information on Stearns. There is also a group of photographs, mostly of Stearns and his family, but also of Charles Thompson (lived circa 1823-1906), a longtime friend and employee of the family and the College. The bulk of the collection consists of Stearns's sermons in manuscript form.
The correspondence is mostly personal letters to and from members of Stearns's family, but there are some letters from Stearns to others, a group of anti-slavery letters and documents, and some religious documents pertaining to Stearns's ministry.
Dates
- 1801-1875
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
There is no restriction on access to the William Augustus Stearns Papers for research use. Particularly fragile items may be restricted for preservation purposes.
Conditions Governing Use
Requests for permission to publish material from the Papers should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.
Biographical / Historical
William Augustus Stearns, clergyman and educator, was born in 1805 in Bedford, Mass. He was the son of a minister, Samuel Stearns, and one of eleven children. He was educated at Phillips Academy Andover, Harvard College, and Andover Theological Seminary. His first post as minister was at Cambridgeport, Mass. at the age of twenty-six; he was so successful that he stayed there from 1831 until 1854. In 1854, Stearns was called to be the fourth president of Amherst College, where he served until his death in 1876. He was a strong and popular administrator.
Extent
7 Linear feet (14 archives boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection contains a small body of correspondence, biographical material and other general material related to William A. Stearns and his family. The bulk of the collection consists of Stearns's sermons in manuscript form. The correspondence is mostly personal letters to and from members of Stearns's family, but there are some letters from Stearns to others, a group of anti-slavery letters and documents, and some religious documents pertaining to Stearns's ministry.
Arrangement
This collection is organized into three series:
- Series 1: General and Family Correspondence
- Series 2: Biographical Information
- Series 3: Sermons, chronologically arranged
Processing Information
Finding aid 1974; revised 2002. Edited by Peter A. Nelson.
- Antislavery movements -- Massachusetts Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Camp Jackson (Mo.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Congregational churches -- Clergy Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Sermons Subject Source: Library Of Congress Genre/Form Terms
- Slavery Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Stearns, William A. (William Augustus), 1805-1876
- United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Peter A. Nelson
- Date
- 2003
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Sponsor
- Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Repository Details
Part of the Amherst College Archives and Special Collections Repository
Amherst College Archives & Special Collections
Robert Frost Library
61 Quadrangle Drive
Amherst MA 01002-5000
(413) 542-2299
archives@amherst.edu