First Congregational Church Records (DeKalb), 1856-2002 | Northern Illinois University

Collection Overview

Title: First Congregational Church Records (DeKalb), 1856-2002

ID: RHC/RC/017

Extent: 15.75 Linear Feet

Arrangement: The collection contains six series: Administrative Records, Membership, Committees, Building, Church Activities, and Audio-Visual.

Date Acquired: 03/00/1973

Subjects: Congregationalists, Ellwood, Isaac L., First Congregational Church (DeKalb, Ill.), Glidden, Joseph F., Religious Institutions-- DeKalb

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The records in this collection document the growth and development of the First Congregational Church of DeKalb from 1856-1991.

The first series, Administrative Records, includes historical information, constitutions and annual reports, church meeting minutes and correspondence, bulletins and the church newsletter. The nearly complete span of weekly church bulletins documents day-to-day activities and concerns.

Series two, Membership, contains church directories, membership lists, and letters of dismission for members transferring their membership to other churches. Also included are guest register books dating 1944-1978.　

Committees make up the third series in this collection. The committees are arranged alphabetically and include minutes and correspondence.

The building and refurbishing of the new church is documented in the fourth series. This series dates from 1947-1987 and contains contracts, correspondence, and deeds for the church built in 1954.

Series five, Church Activities, includes material relating to activities and organizations that the church is involved with.

The Audio-Visual series includes two reel-to-reel cassettes with church services from 1965, three 33 1/3 recordings of the church dedication, fourteen architectural drawings dating 1951- 1973, and 165 photographs of church members and the church buildings.

Collection Historical Note

The First Congregational Church in DeKalb was organized by eight founding members in December 1854, following missionary services begun in September of that year by Rev. H.N. Norton. Services were initially held (1854-1888) in a school house located at the corner of Grove and South Second Street. The school house was purchased outright n 1870. With financial support from I.L. Ellwood and J.F. Glidden, a new stone structure was built in 1888 next to the "Old Chapel" which was razed in 1914. A new building fund was begun in 1944 as part of the 90th Anniversary celebration. On July 4, 1954, the first services were held in the new, modern church building on North First Street.

Subject/Index Terms

Congregationalists
Ellwood, Isaac L.
First Congregational Church (DeKalb, Ill.)
Glidden, Joseph F.
Religious Institutions-- DeKalb

Administrative Information

Repository: Northern Illinois University

Access Restrictions: There are no restrictions on access to the collection.

Use Restrictions: Property rights in the collection remain with the First Congregational Church, DeKalb, Illinois. Literary rights are dedicated to the public.

Acquisition Source: The First Congregational Church

Acquisition Method: The First Congregational Church Collection was deposited in the Northern Illinois Regional History Center in March 1973. Additional records were added at later dates.

Related Materials: Related collections of the Regional History Center include: DeKalb First Methodist Church Collection (RC 24), St. Paul's Episcopal Church Collection (RC 55), First Lutheran Church, Rockford (RC 83), and Salem Lutheran Church, Sandwich (RC 84).

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series I: Administrative Records],
[Series II: Membership],
[Series III: Committees],
[Series IV: Building],
[Series V: Church Activities],
[Series VI: Audio-Visual],
[Addendum 1],
[Sub-Series I: Administrative Records],
[Sub-Series II: Membership],
[Sub-Series III: Committees],
[Sub-Series IV: Building],
[Sub-Series V: Church Activities],
[Sub-Series VI: Audio-Visual],
[Oversize Drawer 20],
[All]

Series I: Administrative Records

Box 1

Folder 1: Historical Background
Folder 2: Histories, 1984, 2004
Folder 3: History: Expansion (uncut Draft of ch. 10 of 1984 published history), 1944-1954
Folder 4: Unpublished history (typescript)
Folder 5: 90th Anniversary Pageant (script), 1944
Folder 6: Articles of Incorporation, 1947
Folder 7: Constitution and By-laws, 1922-1987
Folder 8-10: Constitution, By-laws, Lists, Minutes (3 volumes), 1856-1922
Folder 11-15: Annual Reports, 1944-1979, 1981, 1983-1987, 1989-1990
Folder 16: Local Church Report (Yearbook), 1912-1939, 1941-1964
Folder 17: Annual Meeting Minutes, 1963-1987
Folder 18: Annual Financial Meeting Minutes, 1986
Folder 19: Semi-Annual Meeting Minutes, 1986-1987
Folder 20: Congregational Meetings, 1967-1985
Folder 21: Minutes of Meetings (typescript copy), 1854-1888
Folder 22-23: Church Business Meeting Minutes, 1922-1942

Box 2

Folder 1-5: Church Business Meeting Minutes, 1943-1960, 1963-1977
Folder 6: Correspondence concerning 60th Anniversary, 5419
Folder 7: Correspondence, 1936, 1952
Folder 8-10: Church Correspondence, Howard Nelson, 1947-1968
Folder 11-12: Church Correspondence, 1960-1968

Box 3

Folder 1: Church Correspondence, 1969-1977
Folder 2: Correspondence, 1952-1985
Folder 3: Anniversary (120 Correspondence and Minutes), 1974
Folder 4-12: Church Bulletin, 1926-1931, 1934-1950, 1953-1967

Box 4

Folder 1-4: Church Bulletin, 1969-1977, 1979, 1986-1989
Folder 5-8: Newsletter, "The Church Spire", 1961, 1970-1982

Box 5

Folder 1-6: Newsletter, "The Church Spire", 1983-1991