| Repository: | Western Reserve Historical Society |
| Creator: | Weeden, John T. Family |
| Title: | John T. Weeden Sr. Family Papers |
| Dates: | 1922-1994 |
| Extent: | 1.60 linear feet (3 containers) |
| Abstract: | John T. Weeden, Sr. was a prominent African-American Baptist minister in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Indiana Central College, Butler University, Moody Bible Institute, and Case Western Reserve University. He was ordained in 1928. Reverend Weeden married the former Gladys Mae Evans in 1922. After serving as pastor at two churches in Indianapolis, Indiana, he was called in 1948 to St. Timothy Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio, remaining there until his death in 1988. In addition to his extensive involvement in a number of Baptist and religious organizations, Weeden was involved in civil rights and political issues, including service as co-chair of the clergy committee for Carl Stokes during the mayoral campaign of 1967. The collection consists of church programs, bulletins, brochures, bylaws, minutes, reports, sermons, certificates, cards, correspondence, memorabilia, datebooks, telegrams, financial and family records, registers, notes, speeches, lessons, postcards, passports, books, obituaries, and newspaper clippings. In addition to family-related documents, the collection includes extensive material related to St. Timothy Baptist Church, Cleveland, Ohio. |
| MS Number | MS 4789 |
| Location: | closed stacks |
| Language: | The records are in English |
John T. Weeden, Sr. (1901-1988) was born on August 2, 1901, the oldest of two children born to Louis and Dovie Weeden. In 1916 Weeden moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he attended Manuel Training School, Indiana Central College, and Butler University. He later continued his education at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illnois, and Roger Williams College in Nashville, Tennessee. After moving to Cleveland, Ohio, he studied political science at Case Western Reserve University.
On August 2, 1922, John T. Weeden married Gladys Mae Evans in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was born on May 2, 1901, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Together they had twelve children. In February 1926 he was licensed to preach and was ordained in August 1928.
Reverend Weeden pastored three churches in sixty years. He was first the pastor of Bethany Baptist Church of Indianapolis, at the age of 25, for three years and eight months. From 1932 to 1948, he was the pastor of Eastern Star Baptist Church in Indianapolis, and was called to pastor St. Timothy Baptist Church in Cleveland, where he remained until his death in 1988.
Reverend Weeden was presented with a number of honorary degrees. He received a Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) from Monroe College and Institute of Africa of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Monrovia, Liberia.
Reverend Weeden was involved in a number of organizations. He was president of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Cleveland and Vicinity, Inc.; moderator emeritus of the Progressive District Association; vice president of the Pastor's Division of the National Baptist Convention of Christian Education, U.S.A; president of the Ohio Baptist State Convention, Inc.; and president of the Interdenominational Ministers' Alliance of Cleveland and Vicinity.
Reverend Weeden was a board member of the National Baptist Sunday School Publishing Board; a Senior Executive Board member of the Brothers' Brother Foundation; a member of the Kiwanis Club of Cleveland; president of Missionary Baptist College of Biblical Education; Executive Board member of the Cleveland Convention Center; and a Senior Executive Board member of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A, Inc. He was co-chairman on the clergy committee for Carl Stokes during his mayoral election of 1967.
click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for John T. Weeden, Sr.
The John T. Weeden Sr., Papers, 1922-1994, consist primarily of church programs, sermons, certificates, cards, correspondence, memorabilia, datebooks, telegrams, financial and family records, registers, notes, speeches, lessons, bylaws, postcards, passports, books, obituaries, and newspaper clippings.
This collection is of value to researchers studying the African-American clergy and churches in the United States, and in particular, St. Timothy Baptist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition, researchers interested in the topics of civil rights and political activism in Cleveland will find this information significant. This collection includes a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., presented at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) in 1967 entitled, "The Crisis in America's Cities : An Analysis of Social Disorder and Plan of Action Against Poverty, Discrimination and Racism in Urban America." It also includes correspondence from Gladys Weeden inviting Nannie Burroughs (religious leader and civil rights activist) to be a guest speaker for the Nurses' Guild program at St. Timothy Baptist Church. There is also correspondence from political leaders such as Congressman Louis Stokes and Carl Stokes, mayor of Cleveland.
None.
Related MaterialThe researcher should also consult PG 498 John T. Weeden Sr. Family Photographs.
Separated MaterialAll photographs have been removed to PG 498 John T. Weeden Sr. Family Photographs.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4789 John T. Weeden Sr. Family Papers, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
Phyllis Weeden Oliver, 1994
Processed by Artricia Love in 1998
Series I: Personal Papers, John T. Weeden Sr. and Gladys Weeden 1922-1989 undated |
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| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Cards, greeting undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Certificates, John T. Weeden 1942-1987 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Certificates, Gladys Weeden 1942-1974 | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Correspondence, personal, John T. Weeden 1929-1988 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Correspondence, Gladys Weeden 1950-1961 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Datebooks, John T. Weeden and Gladys Weeden 1953 1958 | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Financial records, John T. Weeden 1926-1986 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Financial records, Gladys Weeden 1956-1962 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Licenses, John T. Weeden 1922-1976 | |||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Licenses, Gladys Weeden 1969 | |||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Miscellaneous 1939-1986 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Newspaper clippings 1945-1989 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Notes, John T. Weeden 1936-1988 | |||||||||
| 1 | 10 | Notes, Gladys Weeden 1961-1981 | |||||||||
| 1 | 11 | Notes, John T. Weeden and Gladys Weeden undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 12 | Passports, 1955-1970 | |||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Postcards 1949-1972 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 14 | Poster, Revival, Corinthian Baptist Church, John T. Weeden (Original housed in Container 3, Folder 44) 1956 | |||||||||
| 1 | 15-19 | Programs, personal, John T. Weeden 1932-1988 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 20 | Publications; Baptist Layman (Original housed in Container 3, Folder 45) 1952 | |||||||||
| 1 | 20 | Publications; National Baptist Voice (Original housed in Container 3, Folder 44) 1983 | |||||||||
| 1 | 21 | Resolutions, John T. Weeden 1988 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 21 | Resolutions, Gladys Weeden 1981 | |||||||||
| 1 | 22-23 | Sermons 1947-1987 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 24 | Speeches and addresses 1942-1985 undated | |||||||||
| 1 | 25 | Telegrams 1944-1975 | |||||||||
Series II: Family Papers 1947-1992 undated |
|||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 26 | Histories 1978-1989 undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 26 | Notes 1952 undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 26 | Report cards 1947-1948 | |||||||||
| 2 | 26 | Correspondence, invitation, notes, programs, songs, Weeden Family Singers 1974-1992 | |||||||||
Series III: Church Papers 1934-1994 undated |
|||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||
| 2 | 27 | Brochure, St. Timothy Baptist Church (Original housed in Container 3, Folder 42) 1950 | |||||||||
| 2 | 28 | Bulletins 1953-1982 undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 29-30 | Bylaws, constitutions, and oracles 1953-1979 undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 31 | Calendars, St.Timothy Baptist Church (Original housed in Container 3, Folder 43) 1949-1950 1971 | |||||||||
| 2 | 32 | Financial records 1945-1987 undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 33 | Minutes, church auxiliaries 1944-1988 | |||||||||
| 2 | 34 | Newspaper clippings 1956-1983 undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 35 | Notes 1985-1987 undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 36 | Poster, Jordan-Aires Singers (Original housed in Container 3, Folder 44) 1964 | |||||||||
| 2 | 37-39 | Programs, church 1934-1994 undated | |||||||||
| 2 | 40 | Reports 1950-1953 | |||||||||
| 2 | 41 | Speeches and addresses (including Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., August 15, 1967) 1944-1968 undated | |||||||||