The Mad River Baptist Association was organized in 1812 as an association of five Baptist churches in Champaign County, Ohio which, although not empowered with ecclesiastical authority, acted as an advisory board for member churches. The association met yearly at various member churches, including the church at Little Beaver Creek, Nettle Creek, Beaver Creek, Kings Creek, Henry Creek, Lost Creek, etc. At one time, the association had 85 member churches, and in 1833, total individual membership numbered 1,003. The association received and read letters of correspondence from member churches, sent circular letters to member churches and to other Baptist associations, corresponded with the Baptist Board of Missions for the purposes of obtaining and educating ministers, and took up a collection for missionary purposes.
The Mad River Baptist Association Records, 1812-1877, consist of copies of minutes of yearly meetings, 1812-1833, compiled by Alby Kite in 1902; statistics on churches and membership, 1812-1873, and lists of ministers, 1812-1872; records of the Missionary Committee, including minutes of meetings and records of proceedings, lists of members, reports by missionaries, tallies of contributions from member churches, motions and resolutions, secretary and treasurer reports, and disbursements to missionaries; an unbound history of the association, 1812-1872, including articles of faith, proceedings of the 61 anniversary meetings, with resolutions, and a tally of total members in the association; and minutes of meetings in 1877 of the Evergreen Cemetery Association (St. Paris, Champaign County, Ohio).
This collection will be useful to researchers studying the history of Champaign County, Ohio, and the Baptist Church there in the nineteenth century. Those studying the history of religion and the Baptist church in Ohio will find this collection useful. Genealogists might find the membership lists useful. Those studying church administrative issues and church associations will find this collection useful. Those looking for information on the Evergreen Cemetery Association in 1877 will find this collection useful.
The collection is arranged by document type and then chronologically.
Researchers should also consult MS 645 Lost Creek Regular Baptist Church Records; and MS 646 Nettle Creek Baptist Church Records.
None.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 651 Mad River Baptist Association Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.