Mayfield Congregational Church Records, 1849+ | Northern Illinois University

Collection Overview

Title: Mayfield Congregational Church Records, 1849+

ID: RHC/RC/185

Extent: 10.75 Linear Feet

Arrangement: The collection is divided into eight series: Historical and Administrative Records, Membership, Committees, Financial Records, Building Fund/Construction, Church Organiza-tions, Audio-visual, and United Church of Christ. The third series, Committees, is arranged alphabetically.

Date Acquired: 10/00/1987. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Congregationalists, LGBT - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Mayfield (Ill.), Mayfield Congregational Church, Methodists, United Church of Christ, Wesleyan Methodist Church, Mayfield

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

Records from the Mayfield Congregational Church date from its organization in 1849 to the present, although the bulk of the material is dated after its affiliation with the Congregation-alists in 1906. The collection is divided into eight series: Historical and Administrative Records, Membership, Committees, Financial Records, Building Fund/Construction, Church Organiza-tions, Audio-visual, and United Church of Christ. Series I, Historical and Administrative Records, contains historical documentation, church registers, annual reports, correspondence, church newsletters and bulletins. A complete run of Church Registers from 1906 to 1984 contains minutes of meetings, lists of member’s marriages, baptisms, and deaths. Membership information, the second series, includes letters of dismission and transfers, biographical information, membership lists and directory, and guest books. The third series, Committees, is arranged alphabetically. The Financial Records series includes treasurer’s reports, bills and receipts, pledge information, gifts and investments, and insurance. Series V, Building Fund/Construction consists of construction information for the church and the parsonage. The records for the three Church Organizations included in Series VI, Ladies Aid Society, Mayfield Women’s Fellowship and Sunday School, consists of minutes and financial information which documents their activities. Photographs and information from the National and Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ comprise the last two series. The addenda include further information regarding reports, newsletters, board and committee minutes, women’s fellowship, and financial documents.

Collection Historical Note

The citizens of Mayfield participated in the Methodist Rock River Conference as a stop on the circuit starting in 1845. Conference meetings were held at Mayfield, then know as Brush Point, in 1848 and 1851. At first services were held in the home of Mr. Ira Douglas and then at the Brush Point school house. In 1860 a group of citizens met at the school house to organize the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Mayfield. At that first meeting they elected a board of trustees, adopted a constitution and began plans for construction of a building to be located near the cemetery in Mayfield. The first board of trustees included Rev. William A. Nickerson, Stephen Townsend, and Reuben and Ira Nichols, all known for their involvement with the underground railroad.

In 1906 the church lost its ability to get pulpit supply through the Wesleyan Methodist organization. At that time the church changed its affiliation to the Congregational churches and began receiving pulpit supply through Wheaton College. It became a member of the Congregational and Christian Conference of Illinois during this period. In the early and mid-1960's, the Mayfield church joined the Northern Association of Congregational Christian churches which, eventually, became part of the Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ. The latter group consolidated the Congregational and Christian Conference of Illinois with the North Illinois Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Churches.

Subject/Index Terms

Congregationalists
LGBT - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender
Mayfield (Ill.)
Mayfield Congregational Church
Methodists
United Church of Christ
Wesleyan Methodist Church, Mayfield

Administrative Information

Repository: Northern Illinois University

Accruals: Addenda to the collection were added at a later date.

Access Restrictions: There are no restrictions on access to this collection, except Box 11, Folder 1-3, Pledges.

Use Restrictions: Property rights in the collection belong to the Regional History Center; literary rights are dedicated to the public.

Acquisition Source: Mr. Charles H. Payne

Acquisition Method: Mr. Charles H. Payne, Chair of the Board of Trustees, donated the Mayfield Congregational Church Records to the Northern Illinois Regional History Center in October 1987.

Related Materials: For additional information on Congregational and Methodist Churches, researchers should consult the Regional History Center's guide and reference shelflist.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series I.: Historical and Administrative Records],
[Series II.: Membership],
[Series III.: Committees],
[Series IV.: Financial Records],
[Series V.: Building Fund/Construction],
[Series VI.: Church Organizations],
[Series VII.: Audio-Visual],
[Series VIII.: United Church of Christ],
[Addendum 1],
[Addendum 2],
[Addendum 3],
[All]

Series VIII.: United Church of Christ

Box 20

Folder 5: United Church of Christ, Constitution and By-laws, 1961-1967
Folder 6: Issues Briefing Book, 1996
Folder 7: Congregational & Christian Church, Conference of Illinois, 1957-1962
Folder 8-10: United Church of Christ, Illinois Conference, 1965-1978
Folder 11: Illinois Conference of the United Church of Christ, 1971-1972
Folder 12: Conference News, 1984-1985
Folder 13: United Campus Ministries, Staff/Program Report, September 1977
Folder 14: United Church of Christ, United Church Foundation, 1988