Alfred Playfair Powelson (1851-1916) was a Methodist minister who served in Ohio and in Tacoma, Washington. Powelson founded and served as principal of the non-denominational Tacoma Academy (1889-1898) and later served as president of the College of the City of Tacoma (1898-1905). Collection includes 18 manuscript sermons of Methodist minister Alfred Playfair Powelson, dated 1883 to 1888. Each sermon is loosely tied with original string and three have printed cover sheets. Some sermons are title with only a book, chapter and verse, while Powelson supplied titles for others. Powelson often recorded the location and date that he preached each sermon. The bulk of the sermons in the collection were given at Woodbury, Conn. or Tacoma, Wash. Also included is Powelson's original minister's license from the State of Ohio, dated 1875.

Collection includes 18 manuscript sermons of Methodist minister Alfred Playfair Powelson, dated 1883 to 1888. Each sermon is loosely tied with original string and three have printed cover sheets. Some sermons are title with only a book, chapter and verse, while Powelson supplied titles for others. Powelson often recorded the location and date that he preached each sermon. The bulk of the sermons in the collection were given at the First Congregational Church in Woodbury, Conn. or Tacoma, Wash. Also included is Powelson's original minister's license from the State of Ohio, dated 1875.

Henry Ruark was a North Carolina Methodist minister whose sermons appeared in the Greensboro Daily News and were later published in book form. In 1960, he was minister of the First Methodist Church in Laurinburg, North Carolina. Collection chiefly contains Ruark's notes and clippings on a variety of issues and topics. Subjects include various Biblical issues, and how the church relates to secular issues such as war and racial integration. There are some reports he made to the Christian Century, as well as at least 200 sermons preached in Laurinburg, Rocky Mount, N.C. and the Duke University Chapel in Durham, N.C. There are also clippings from the Greensboro Daily News, sermons by others, and correspondence.

Collection chiefly contains Ruark's notes and clippings on a variety of issues and topics. Subjects include various Biblical issues, and how the church relates to secular issues such as war and racial integration. There are some reports he made to the Christian Century, as well as at least 200 sermons preached in Laurinburg, Rocky Mount, N.C. and the Duke University Chapel in Durham, N.C. There are also clippings from the Greensboro Daily News, sermons by others, and correspondence.

James Andrew Riddick, born September 13, 1810, near Sunsbury, N.C., died 1899, Petersburg, Va. As a youth, moved to Suffolk, Va., to become a clerk in his brother-in-law's mercantile establishment. Became a Methodist minister in the 1830s and served in this capacity in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee. The James Andrew Riddick papers includes mostly sermons and other writings by Methodist Reverend James Andrew Riddick. The majority of the sermons are undated and titled with only a book, chapter, and verse. However, some sermons are dated (1834-1844) and include title information with the location the sermon was given. These locations include Charlotte, Edenton, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina and Charlottesville, Richmond, and Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Virginia. Other miscellaneous writings and notebooks date 1835-1886. There are also newspapers dated 1863-1903 with articles or letters to the editor written by or about Riddick, or collected by Riddick. Additionally, there is correspondence received by Riddick dated 1854-1899. The bulk of the correspondence is from John Early who Riddick worked with early in his career. There are photographs of Riddick as well as photographs of his daughters Judith, Lucie, and Bettie. Also included in this collection are papers with biographical information about Riddick and his letters of reference dated 1835-1899, a few miscellaneous financial papers dated 1830-1899, and a few miscellaneous printed materials collected by Riddick.

The James Andrew Riddick papers includes mostly sermons and other writings by Methodist Reverend James Andrew Riddick. The majority of the sermons are undated and titled with only a book, chapter, and verse. However, some sermons are dated (1834-1844) and include title information with the location the sermon was given. These locations include Charlotte, Edenton, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina and Charlottesville, Richmond, and Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Virginia. Other miscellaneous writings and notebooks date 1835-1886. There are also newspapers dated 1863-1903 with articles or letters to the editor written by or about Riddick, or collected by Riddick. Additionally, there is correspondence received by Riddick dated 1854-1899. The bulk of the correspondence is from John Early who Riddick worked with early in his career. There are photographs of Riddick as well as photographs of his daughters Judith, Lucie, and Bettie. Also included in this collection are papers with biographical information about Riddick and his letters of reference dated 1835-1899, a few miscellaneous financial papers dated 1830-1899, and a few miscellaneous printed materials collected by Riddick.

Sermons are organized in folders grouped alphabetically by bible book and arranged within each folder numerically by chapter and verse. Sermons that do not refer to any book are grouped in a miscellaneous sermons and writings folder. Correspondence from John Early has been foldered separately from all other general correspondence and arranged by date. Newspapers have been arranged in folders by title and within each folder by date. Box 3 is oversize.

Resident of Laurens (Otsego Co.), N.Y. Collection comprises a manuscript booklet (stitched into contemporary wrappers, approx. 7-1/4 x 4-1/2 inches, 8 pgs.) likely begun and maintained by Bradley in 1833 in order to practice his handwriting. In addition, he maintained a record of itinerant preachers serving at New Lisbon Church (New Lisbon, N.Y.?), including the Bible text that served as the basis for the 18 sermons recorded, as well as the preacher's denomination. Preachers listed include "Christians" John H. Currier, Sarah Hedges, and Reuben Bergis; Methodist elders Brownell and Brown; and Baptist elder Amner. There are no dates provided for each sermon. There is also a small ink diagram on the inside wrapper explaining a solar eclipse.

Collection comprises a manuscript booklet (stitched into contemporary wrappers, approx. 7-1/4 x 4-1/2 inches, 8 pgs.) likely begun and maintained by Bradley in 1833 in order to practice his handwriting. In addition, he maintained a record of itinerant preachers serving at New Lisbon Church (New Lisbon, N.Y.?), including the Bible text that served as the basis for the 18 sermons recorded, as well as the preacher's denomination. Preachers listed include "Christians" John H. Currier, Sarah Hedges, and Reuben Bergis; Methodist elders Brownell and Brown; and Baptist elder Amner. There are no dates provided for each sermon. There is also a small ink diagram on the inside wrapper explaining a solar eclipse.

Methodist clergyman of Ashboro (Randolph County), North Carolina. Correspondence, articles, sermons, addresses, and other papers relating to Stanbury's (d. 1854) religious activities in North Carolina; together with reports, minutes, and correspondence of the Wesley Foundation, a Methodist student organization, in various North Carolina colleges and universities.

These papers consist of 2015 sermons delivered by the Reverend Stanbury between 1915 and his death in 1954; addresses; articles; general correspondence; reports, minutes, correspondence, etc. concerning the work of the Wesley Foundation, a Methodist student organization, in N.C. colleges and universities; constitution and minutes of the N.C. Council of Churches, 1935-1937; Homecoming Day address by the Rev. Stanbury at Greensboro College and a copy of the program, March 9, 1940; outlines for conferences on parental education, 1925-1934; correspondence relative to Centenary Methodist Church of Winston-Salem, 1941-1943; folder of correspondence with Irene Price, artist, about a portrait of Furnifold M. Simmons.

In the general correspondence there are letters in 1945 about the appointment of Prof. James T. Cleland to teach homiletics in the Duke Divinity School. The folder labeled "Special Addresses" contains an address the Reverend Stanbury delivered at the funeral of Henry R. Dwire at Winston-Salem in 1944.

There is a scrapbook of newspaper accounts of the Sunday morning service at West Market St. Methodist Episcopal Church, Greensboro, N.C., covering Stanbury's pastorate, 1933-1937.

At some point in his life the Reverend Walter Albert Stanbury changed his middle name from Adair to Albert. His wedding invitation (1909) and his listing in the annuals of Trinity College use "Adair." However, his obituary in the 1954 minutes of the Western North Carolina Conference, his published book, Who's Who in America, and his son Walter Albert Stanbury, Jr., (who wrote both a thesis and a dissertation at Duke University) all use "Albert."

The brothers John Wesley (1703-1791) and Charles Wesley (1707-1788) were Church of England clergymen and two of the founders of Methodism; Sarah Wesley (1726-1822) and Sarah Wesley (1759-1828) were the wife and daughter of Charles Wesley. The Wesley family papers span the years 1726-1889 and mainly comprise the correspondence of John and Charles Wesley, with single items from the wife and daughter of Charles, both named Sarah; there is also an inventory of John Wesley's library taken at the time of his death, 1791, and a photograph album, 1889, of English sites related to the Wesleys and the history of Methodism. Correspondence discusses John Wesley's life as a student at Lincoln College, the administration of Kingswood School, the brothers' mission to Georgia in the 1730s, and Methodism's eventual separation from the Church of England. Correspondents and people mentioned in the letters include the Countess of Huntingdon, George Whitefield, James Oglethorpe, Joseph Benson, and Samuel Bradburn.

The Wesley family papers, 1726-1889 and undated, comprise correspondence, poems, sermons, affidavits, and other documents of the brothers John Wesley (1703-1791) and Charles Wesley (1707-1788), both Church of England clergymen and two of the founders of Methodism; of Sarah Wesley (1726-1822), wife of Charles; and of Sarah Wesley (1759-1828), daughter of Charles and Sarah.

John Wesley's letters discuss his life as a student at Lincoln College; the administration of Kingswood School, Bath; his conflict with the Countess of Huntingdon; his involvement with the funeral sermon for George Whitefield and Whitefield's estate; and various other topics including the appointment of ministers. Charles Wesley's letters discuss details of the Wesley brothers' experiences on their mission to Georgia, including their relationship with James Oglethorpe, and his regrets over the Methodists' separation from the Church of England. Correspondents and persons mentioned include Samuel Wesley (brother of John and Charles), Eliza Bennis, Joseph Benson, Samuel Bradburn, James Kenton, and Samuel Lloyd.

Other materials include an inventory of John Wesley's library at the time of his death; a signed affidavit concerning a major chapel of British Methodism, opened in Nottingham in 1783; a photograph album of places in England associated with the Wesley family and the history of Methodism; and some infant baptismal clothing (a christening gown) attributed to the Wesley family.

Original correspondence housed in Box 1 available by prior request only. Use copies are in Box 2.

Rev. William Young, was an itinerant Methodist preacher. Collection of 77 manuscript sermons (246 pages) that were written and used by the Reverend William Young, delivered at irregular intervals between December 1835 and January 1848.

Collection of 77 manuscript sermons (246 pages) that were written and used by the Reverend William Young, delivered at irregular intervals between December 1835 and January 1848. Each sermon is identified by a date and place and is signed by Young. They approximately follow the chronology of Young's circuit appointments. The text is followed by an index in which there is a brief thematic description of each sermon, along with the Bible verse upon which it is based.