Items

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  John Smith Griffin "Ministerial Record" notebook on the First Congregational Church, Tualatin Plains

  A handwritten notebook by John Smith Griffin of Oregon, relating to his ministerial work in what is now western Washington County between 1841-1853. Griffin was one of the earliest white settlers on the "Tualatin Plains," an area that now includes the towns of Hillsboro, Forest Grove, North Plains and Cornelius. While living between what is now the Glencoe neighborhood and the airport in Hillsboro, he served as a minister to many of the earliest immigrant families in the area, including several of mixed Native-European ancestry who were connected to the fur trade. After establishing what would eventually become the First Congregational Church of Forest Grove, he was removed as minister in favor of Reverend Harvey Clark circa 1845. During the 1840s, Griffin also participated in the Champoeg Meetings which established the first Euro-American government in Oregon, and operated one of the earliest printing presses in the state. He died in 1899. The notebook's contents include: "Record of Land Claim" regarding Griffin's land near the Glencoe neighborhood of Hillsboro; -- "Record of Marriages by J. S. Griffin", describing the names, dates and locations of marriages he performed between 1842-1858; -- "Last will and testament" of Jacob Green; -- "Births in Tualatin Plains" documenting several births that occurred between 1842-1843; -- "Contract with James Belieu[?]" regarding an agreement to work for Griffin for one year beginning in 1845; -- "Record of Lucy Doughty's relation to us" documenting Griffin's guardianship over Lucy, the daughter of William Doughty, which was to continue until she turned 18 (note: Lucy Doughty was of Shoshone heritage through her mother; the journal also shows that the guardianship was terminated early); -- "Record of the Dissolution of the Mission in South Tualatin, Dec. 26th, 1842" describing splitting of the partnership between Alvin T. Smith and Harvey Clark, when they terminated their intention to found a mission to the Tualatin/Atfalati tribe in what is now the south side of Forest Grove in 1842; -- "Letters sent out of Oregon since 1840" listing dates and addressees of letters Griffin mailed between 1840-1850; -- Contract with John Davis in which Davis agreed to work for Griffin for 6 months in 1844; -- "Record of a resolution" Griffin attempted to offer at the Champoeg Meetings in 1843; -- "Record of Parish Library" listing books apparently owned by the Congregational Church of Tualatin Plains circa 1850. Blank pages have been omitted from the scan. Note that while Griffin apparently intended to include a section titled "Settlers," he did not enter any information on those pages.
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  Membership and Meetings Lists 1848-1886 of the Congregational Association of Oregon

  One part of a record book compiled by the Congregational Association of Oregon, with this part containing the lists and charts related to members between 1848-1886 (but written down between 1878-1886). The Association's members were church ministers and other delegates from Oregon and bordering areas. They met annually to share reports, promote Christian education, support special projects and address internal disputes. The components of this section of the record book include: -- : 1. List of Ministers who were members of the Congregational Association of Oregon, and the dates of their service; -- 2. List of member Congregational churches in Oregon, Washington and Idaho and the dates of their inclusion in the association; -- 3. List of the meetings of the Congregational Association of Oregon, including dates, locations and names of preachers.
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  1869 Meeting Minutes of the Congregational Association of Oregon

  One part of a record book compiled by the Congregational Association of Oregon, with this part containing the minutes of the annual meeting held in 1869. The Association's members were church ministers and other delegates from Oregon and bordering areas. They met annually to share reports, promote Christian education, support special projects and address internal disputes. Some of the topics covered in this part of the record book include: -- Report by Henry Spalding, a missionary who had been teaching at the Nez Perce Reservation, complaining of attacks against the church in the press; -- Creation of a committee to address these attacks; -- Acceptance of routine reports; -- "Report on the Religious Condition of the Country" by D.B. Gray, celebrating gains by the church; -- Report on Executive Document No. 38 [an account of the "Whitman Massacre"], criticizing it as being tainted by Catholic testimony, and stating that the Jesuit priests who contributed to the report "did themselves instigate violence to the mission, resulting in the massacre" [note: Henry Spalding had long argued this viewpoint, but it is not credited by recent historians]; -- Resolutions in support of the Protestant missionaries connected to the Whitmans, especially Henry Spalding; -- "Report of the Committee on Home Missions," reporting that the American Home Missionary Society rejected the Association's request for support of an Agent for the Pacific Northwest, and recommending alternatives; -- Report on Indian Affairs, recommending against a educational plan that would have separated Native children from their parents permanently like "foundling orphans"; -- Recommendation that all member churches join more closely with Temperance groups; -- "Narrative of Churches" describing growth and challenges of member churches over the past year; -- Resolution in favor of the American Home Missionary Society sending a minister to Puget Sound; -- Statistical table of church membership.
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  1868 Meeting Minutes of the Congregational Association of Oregon

  One part of a record book compiled by the Congregational Association of Oregon, with this part containing the minutes of the annual meeting held in 1868. The Association's members were church ministers and other delegates from Oregon and bordering areas. They met annually to share reports, promote Christian education, support special projects and address internal disputes. Some of the topics covered in this part of the record book include: -- Acceptance of routine reports; -- Report recommending "The Pacific," a religious newspaper published in San Francisco; -- Report of the Committee on Home Missions, noting that Thomas Condon had not been able to fulfil the role of Agent for the American Home Missionary Society (AHMS), and also noting that Oregon City needed a minister; -- Resolution recommending Obed Dickinson to become the AHMS Agent; -- Report of the Committee on Temperance, noting that church members were required to abstain from drinking alcohol and recommending the creation of youth Temperance Societies; -- Creation of a Committee on the American Bible Society; -- "Report on the Religious Condition of the Country" by George H. Atkinson, noting that only a small minority of Oregonians attended any church regularly; -- "Narrative of the Churches" by Horace Lyman, reflecting on the past twenty years and describing present challenges; -- Resolution regarding proper editions of the Bible; -- Resolution in support of missionary work among freed slaves in the South; -- Resolution in favor of a State Sunday School Convention; -- Resolution supporting Christian teachers in common schools; -- Statistics of member churches.
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  1867 Meeting Minutes of the Congregational Association of Oregon

  One part of a record book compiled by the Congregational Association of Oregon, with this part containing the minutes of the annual meeting held in 1867. The Association's members were church ministers and other delegates from Oregon and bordering areas. They met annually to share reports, promote Christian education, support special projects and address internal disputes. Some of the topics covered in this part of the record book include: -- Acceptance of routine reports; -- Reading of a special report from the Visiting Committee to Pacific University, praising its educational efforts but lamenting its remote location; -- Home Missionary Committee recommending the appointment of an Agent for the Pacific Northwest by the American Home Missionary Society, which would be filled by Thomas Condon; -- Resolution recommending that churches allow I.D. Driver, an agent of the American Bible Society, to speak in their pulpits and to solicit donations; -- Resolution in support of education; -- Report on the state of the church in Oregon, describing its growth but also the difficult conditions of low population and poor economic development; -- Resolutions on the sanctity of the Sabbath; -- Report in support of Temperance; -- Statistics of member churches and a reprinting of the Articles of Faith, Constitution and By-Laws.
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  1866 Meeting Minutes of the Congregational Association of Oregon

  One part of a record book compiled by the Congregational Association of Oregon, with this part containing the minutes of the annual meeting held in 1866. The Association's members were church ministers and other delegates from Oregon and bordering areas. They met annually to share reports, promote Christian education, support special projects and address internal disputes. Some of the topics covered in this part of the record book include: -- Acceptance of routine reports; -- Acceptance of new churches in Astoria and Hillsboro; -- Creation of a new Home Missionary Committee and resolutions in support of the American Home Missionary Society; -- Resolution in support of religious education; -- Resolutions in support of "The Pacific," a religious newspaper; -- Resolutions asking church congregations to meet and invite new members, even when they had no pastor yet; -- Resolutions in support of creating Sunday Schools (or "Sabbath Schools") and creating a standing committee on the subject; -- Resolution supporting Pacific University and creation of a related standing committee; -- Resolutions in favor of Temperance.
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  1864 Meeting Minutes of the Congregational Association of Oregon

  One part of a record book compiled by the Congregational Association of Oregon, with this part containing the minutes of the annual meeting held in 1864. The Association's members were church ministers and other delegates from Oregon and bordering areas. They met annually to share reports, promote Christian education, support special projects and address internal disputes. Some of the topics covered in this part of the record book include: -- Creation of a Committee for the State of the Country [i.e. on matters relating to the Civil War and national politics]; -- Acceptance of routine reports; -- Resolutions by George H. Atkinson asking the American Home Missionary Society to send three more missionaries to work in Oregon and Idaho; -- Discussion of a resolution that the AHMS also appoint an Agent to serve Oregon, Washington and Idaho; -- A man namedTanner granted a license to preach; -- Resolutions in support of the Union Army and raising funds for the soldiers' Sanitary Fund; -- Resolutions recognizing that "God is freeing the slaves of our country," and that donations should be raised for the Freedman's Aid Association; the latter resolutions were adopted with amendments affirming the hope that "slavery will be entirely destroyed," but omitting fundraising for freed slaves; -- Resolution in favor of raising salaries for ministers; -- Resolution in support of inter-denominational harmony.
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  1863 Meeting Minutes of the Congregational Association of Oregon

  One part of a record book compiled by the Congregational Association of Oregon, with this part containing the minutes of the annual meeting held in 1863. The Association's members were church ministers and other delegates from Oregon and bordering areas. They met annually to share reports, promote Christian education, support special projects and address internal disputes. Some of the topics covered in this part of the record book include: -- Acceptance of routine reports; -- Resolutions regarding creating a Committee on Theological Studies, which would recommend coursework for young men wishing to become ministers; -- Acknowledgment of Henry Spalding's work with the Nez Perce tribe and a motion asking him to send information concerning his region; -- Resolution urging ministers to encourage students to enroll at Pacific University and Tualatin Academy; -- Resolution regarding the Civil War, reaffirming "our devotion to the Union."
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  1862 Meeting Minutes of the Congregational Association of Oregon

  One part of a record book compiled by the Congregational Association of Oregon, with this part containing the minutes of the annual meeting held in 1862. The Association's members were church ministers and other delegates from Oregon and bordering areas. They met annually to share reports, promote Christian education, support special projects and address internal disputes. Some of the topics covered in this part of the record book include: -- Acceptance of routine reports; -- Approval of D.B. Gray to preach in Albany and Eugene; -- Resolution deferring decisions on creation of Home Missionary Chapters to a committee; -- Resolution regarding Secret Societies; -- Resolution by Sidney H. Marsh regarding "the state of the country" (the text of which was not recorded).
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  1860 Meeting Minutes of the Congregational Association of Oregon

  One part of a record book compiled by the Congregational Association of Oregon, with this part containing the minutes of the annual meeting held in 1860. The Association's members were church ministers and other delegates from Oregon and bordering areas. They met annually to share reports, promote Christian education, support special projects and address internal disputes. Some of the topics covered in this part of the record book include: -- Acceptance of routine reports; -- "Narrative of the Churches" describing the membership and finances of member churches, including the note that a "Ladies Sewing Circle" raised hundreds of dollars towards church expenses; -- Resolutions in support of religious education and Pacific University; -- Discussion of Sunday Schools and the religious education of children.
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  1859 Meeting Minutes of the Congregational Association of Oregon

  One part of a record book compiled by the Congregational Association of Oregon, with this part containing the minutes of the annual meeting held in 1859. The Association's members were church ministers and other delegates from Oregon and bordering areas. They met annually to share reports, promote Christian education, support special projects and address internal disputes. Some of the topics covered in this part of the record book include: -- Acceptance of routine reports; -- Resolutions in favor of religious education and Pacific University; -- Resolution concerning the Plan of Union of the Congregational and Presbyterian churches; resolution recommending that the U.S. Superintendent of Indian Affairs appoint Henry Spalding as a teacher to the Nez Perce tribe; -- Resolution in support of Cushing Eells going to Wailatpu to establish a new college, to be named the "Whitman Seminary" [this would become Whitman College]; -- Resolution in favor of sending a representative to the East Coast; -- Resolution affirming that the Association would not grant membership to any ministers who allowed pro-slavery preachers to speak at their churches; -- Resolution against the validity of divorce; -- Resolution regarding treatment of church members who had committed offenses; -- "Narrative of Churches," describing how ministers should continue to preach regardless of public disapproval, and also noting a recent revival and conversions in Forest Grove and condemning "entertainments"; -- Amendments to the Association's constitution; -- Resolution against dancing.
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  Constitution, By-Laws and 1857-1858 Meeting Minutes of the Congregational Association of Oregon

  One part of a record book compiled by the Congregational Association of Oregon, with this part containing its Constitution and By-laws, a membership list dated 1857-1878, and the minutes of annual meetings held in 1857-1858. The Association's members were church ministers and other delegates from Oregon and bordering areas. They met annually to share reports, promote Christian education, support special projects and address internal disputes. Some of the topics covered in this part of the record book include: 1857: Governance rules and committees of the organization; -- Possible publications such as a newspaper; -- Finding a pastor for the church in Forest Grove and mediating a dispute over church leadership there; -- Formation of a committee to handle communications with external organizations; -- Discussion of a report on slavery, concluding that while the Association did not support slavery, they could not give funds towards the cause; -- Resolution against slavery in Oregon, authored by Obed Dickinson; -- Resolution on prohibiting alcohol and supporting collections of funds in support of this cause; -- Resolution on the church in The Dalles, recommending Dickinson visit and preach there; -- Resolution on the role of Horace Lyman at Pacific University and a resolution in support of the university; -- Advising William Tenney to visit Astoria. -- 1858: Acceptance of routine reports; -- Acknowledging the death of Rev. Harvey Clark; -- Tending to regular church business and meeting rules; -- Discussion of a resolution by Henry Spalding on Sunday Schools; -- Resolutions concerning preaching; -- Resolutions condemning slavery and criticizing the American Temperance Society's recent stance on the issue; -- Resolution in support of Pacific University.