Table of Contents

Historical Note

Scope and Content Note

Information for Researchers

Administrative Information

Collection Inventory

Subject Headings

Inventory of the First Baptist Church of New Bedford Records

In the New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library

Historical Note

Of the three religious groups present in Old Dartmouth in 1700, the location of two are well known today. Quakers in South Dartmouth worship at the ancient Apponagansett Meeting House weekly. A sign in the Acushnet Town Cemetery marks the site of the first government-sponsored Puritan Church. The third congregation--the Baptists--was gathered at the westernmost border of the Old Dartmouth original purchase, once Tiverton, Massachusetts and now Tiverton Rhode Island. By 1685 Mayflower passenger John Cooke had been expelled from his position as a deacon in the Separatist Church of Plymouth, settled in Oxford, Fairhaven, become a Baptist minister, and was traveling regularly to lead illegal Baptist worship in Tiverton, as far from the Plymouth General Court deputies as possible. Using Roger Williams’s example, Cooke preached God-given freedom of conscience for all, a belief that a true Christian was baptized only on a personal confession of faith and asserted that there should be a separation between Church and State. Following Cooke’s death, New Bedford area Baptists often gathered for worship at George and Hannah East’s home at 15 Ray Street near the waterfront whenever a Baptist preacher visited the city. Peleg Burroughs, the seventh minister of the Tiverton Baptist Church, visited the most. His journal (1778 -1798) fills in some gaps between Cooke’s death and the founding of the New Bedford church. When the British attacked New Bedford on September 6, 1778, Burroughs wrote “I heard this morning that our enemies had destroyed or burnt down Bedford.” He subscribed to the New Bedford paper. He visited the Friends Meeting for Worship. At East’s home he met notable religious leaders including Elder Daniel Hix and Elder Lewis.

In 1813 area Baptists organized the First Baptist Church of New Bedford. The congregation has had three homes: It rented Kempton’s Hall, Second and Mill Streets (1813-1817); remodeled the Old Acushnet Town Hall situated at South Second and School Streets (1817-1829); and built an early American Classical style church on William Street (in use from 1829-present). Henry Martyn Robert and his wife Helen, famous worldwide for “Robert’s Rules of Order”, were members there (1862-1865). A religious education wing was added in 1928. The church was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, April 21, 1975. First Baptist Church had many members who are worthy of individual study. The five pastors who served from 1831 to 1865 each contributed to the Abolitionist cause. Asa Bronson also pastored in Fall River where he founded an Abolitionist church. John Choules was elected a Vice-President of the New Bedford Anti-Slavery Society. Henry Jackson’s 1842 Annual Report stated “We would therefore, most affectionally exhort all to break every yoke by which they bind in bonds a human creature.” Rufus Babcock had served as President of Colby College where students founded the nation’s first college-based anti-slavery society. Scottish immigrant John Girdwood (1850-1865) was a fearless public advocate of Abolitionism. Member Captain Jonathan Walker was known as “the man with the branded hand.” Branded on his hand for transporting slaves to freedom on his ship, he and Frederick Douglass toured together giving Abolitionist lectures and was the subject of Whittier’s poem "The Branded Hand".

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Scope and Content Note

Materials in this collection date from 1813 to 2000 and reflect the administrative, religious, and social activities of the First Baptist Church of New Bedford throughout its history in the form of a variety of documents including correspondence, business records, committee notes, and financial documentation.

Correspondence in the collection spans the years 1849-1997 and primarily documents membership updates, church maintenance, anniversary celebrations, and congregation updates, in addition to including church business conducted by the treasurers, deacons, pastors, Sunday School, and clerks throughout the church’s history. There are also several letters written by pastors to the congregation with updates concerning church, services, events, and social activities. One of the earliest letters in the collection was written in 1862 by Captain Henry Martyn to the Board of Directors regarding the Sabbath School [Sunday School], while most other 19th century correspondence concerns early financial documentation, Board of Trustee relations, and the Girdwood Bible Class. Correspondence from 1896 to 1898 reflects the Church’s involvement in the Portuguese chapel and Scandinavian Baptist mission in New Bedford, while correspondence from 1926 concerns Church land, property, and real estate. There is a section of correspondence from 1935 to 1939 concerning the business of the Women’s Federation, including several letters dealing with carpeting the church in 1937. Correspondence from 1937 to 1940 highlights the Church’s involvement and partnership with John Santos Bonito of the First Pentecostal Church of New Bedford. There is a great deal of correspondence written from 1975 to 1980 dealing with the Church’s history, including an application and acceptance by the National Park Service to the National Register of Historic Places and Avis M. Pillsbury’s publication of the Church’s history.

By-laws in the collection include copies of the Church’s by-laws from 1911 to 1911 to 1992, including an undated copy of the Church’s original by-laws. The various copies of the by-laws reflect and incorporate changes made over time, including amendments proposed during the years 1946 to 1985. In addition to by-laws of the First Baptist Church of New Bedford, the Church also collected by-laws from other area Baptist churches and societies during the years 1936 to 1977, including the New Bedford First Baptist Church Berean Brotherhood, the Interchurch Council of Greater New Bedford, New Bedford First Baptist Church Monday Club, Old Colony Baptist Association, American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts, Pilgrim United Church of Christ of New Bedford, New Bedford Covenant of the Parish, United Parish in Brookline, The American Baptist Churches Of Massachusetts (TABCOM), Greater New Bedford Interchurch Council, and the American Baptist Taunton Association.

The collection also includes annual reports of the First Baptist Church of New Bedford printed from 1951 to 1997 in order to update the congregation on the Church’s yearly activities and business. These reports typically include a pastor’s report, summation of the yearly accomplishments, highlights of the yearly events, treasurer reports, annual reports of various Church committees, the yearly Church officer slate, and the clerk’s report dealing with membership statistics for the year. In addition to annual reports for the church, the collection also contains annual reports for the Taunton Baptist Association during the years 1923 to 1964, TABCOM during the years 1965 to 1995, and the Greater New Bedford Interchurch Council during the years 1953 to 1954.

Administrative records consist of minutes of the First Baptist Church of New Bedford and the First Baptist Society date from 1813 to 1945 and contain references to the workings of the church, its management, and organization. These minutes contain several items of note ranging from pew updates and changes, comments from ministers, copies of deeds, Articles of Faith, a copy of the Church Covenant, member listings including Polly Johnson and Louis Temple, building updates, financial documentation, and minutes and notes from Board meetings. These records also include notes and minutes from the Church’s business meetings for the years 1851 to 1997. These business meetings, for the purpose of church governance, met on a monthly basis with the Church’s Annual Meeting held every year. Documents related to these business meetings include notes and minutes recording the events of each meeting in addition to warrants issued to the congregation advertising the date and agenda of the Annual Meeting.

Membership records span the years 1813 to 1994 and provide information related to the Church’s membership dating back to its formation, as the earliest membership rolls from 1813 list the Church’s first members. Early membership records also include a statistical analysis of yearly membership for the years 1813 to 1979 as well as vital statistics for members during the years 1893 to 1979 compiled by unofficial church historian Avis Pillsbury. The remaining membership records consist of yearly lists of members updated yearly from 1905 through 1986. In addition to these general membership lists, the Church also compiled and kept several specialized listings including a list compiled in 1945 of Baptist men enrolled in military service, a list compiled in 1956 of the Church’s oldest members, a list compiled in 1974 documenting members who have been a part of the Church for 50 years or more, lists compiled from the years 1976 to 1978 documenting “persons of special pastoral care,” and several lists from 1981 through 1983 documenting “former” members. These papers also include membership notes compiled by the Church Clerk and Membership Committee during the years 1906 to 1994 that document yearly membership, including documentation of new members baptized in addition to members lost. The Church also kept records related to members in the news and collected news clippings during the years 1937 to 1946 highlighting First Baptist Church members. In addition to the membership data included in this collection, researchers should also note there is a reference card index file in the Reading Room that documents past members of the Church.

Building and grounds records document the years 1816 to 1997 and include materials related to Church property, pew records, church maintenance, and utilities. Church property deeds date from 1816 to 1928 and include not only deeds for the ownership of Church property, but quitclaim deeds as well. A large portion of these building and grounds records include documentation related to pews during the years 1829 to 1905 and include pew rental deeds, pew rental records, pew plan drawings, pew valuations, documentation related to pew taxes, and a list of pews noting their owners. The Church invested in building renovations from 1901 to 1992, but primarily during the years 1975 to 1979. Records reflecting this renovation work are represented in the collection in the form of agreements, specifications, contracts, and checking account statements. The checking account used for historic preservation was at New Bedford Five Cent Savings Bank until 1988 when the account was at the New Bedford Institution for Savings. The Church maintained their property well throughout the course of their history, and this collection includes contractor estimates from 1856 to 1995 for maintenance and repair work on the Church building in addition to bills and receipts for Church maintenance, repairs, and supplies during the years 1820 to 1998. Additional church properties including Mill Street, Rockdale Avenue, and Chestnut Street are represented in this collection in the form of mortgage documentation, real estate records, and deeds during the years 1861 to 1995. This collection also contains bills and receipts for the years 1853 to 1997 documenting all the utility expenses the Church paid to New Bedford area companies for electricity, gas, and water. Also included with utility bills are the water billing statements from the City of New Bedford. These papers also include architectural plans and drawings of the Church in 1926 and sketches of the Church’s interior and exterior.

Sunday School records span the years 1853 to 1995 and contain administrative documentation related to the School’s history including copies of the school’s by-laws from 1942 to 1954, a scrapbook compiled during the years 1901 to 1972 related to the School’s history, dedication ceremonies for the Sunday School’s Lily R. Lopes Library in 1974, and documentation on the School’s teachers and students during the years 1965 to 1980. Sunday School records also consist of attendance records in the form of bound volumes dating from 1857 to 1951. Some of these volumes contain notes related to School business written in or tipped in the pages. Beginning in 1951 up until 1989, the Church no longer kept these attendance records in volumes, opting to maintain unbound records. School records also consist of minutes during the years 1853 to 1988 from executive meetings and executive sessions related to the Sunday School’s governing body at the Church. Beginning in 1972, this body became officially known as the First Baptist Church Board of Christian Education and includes curriculum notes for the years 1974 to 1980. Sunday School records also include records kept during the years 1901 to 1907 related to the Girdwood Bible Class. These records consist of meeting notes and minutes from 1901 to 1916 and include a copy of the School’s constitution. Girdwood Class documentation also contains yearly attendance notes for the years 1904 to 1916, financial records during the years 1904 to 1905 in the form of treasurer’s reports, and a hymn written in 1902 dedicated to the Class. Financial records related to the Sunday School span the years 1906 to 1995 and include account statements, treasurer’s reports, ledger sheets, documentation regarding School donations, and bills and receipts. The Sunday School’s checking account was at the New Bedford Institute for Savings until 1993 when the account was at the Compass Bank in New Bedford.

The Diaconate records contain mostly meeting notes, reports, and minutes compiled during the years 1945 to 1992 of the First Baptist Church of New Bedford Diaconate. These materials relate to the activities of the Diaconate and include discussion of all major church business including services, events, committees, and finances. Beginning in 1983, the minutes officially referred to the Diaconate as the Board of Deacons, and in 1985, the Board took on an expanded role in church management. Their monthly meeting reports began to include reports from the Christian Education/Missions Committee, Finance/Property Committee, Membership Committee, and the Treasurer’s financial report. Diaconate records also contain a list of the Church’s deacons from the years 1908 through 1966, greeter and communion schedules from 1973 to 1986, calendars of Church events from 1985 to 1993, and acknowledgement notes dated 1956 to 1959 regarding food donations to Italy. Financial records of the Diaconate include checking account statements for the years 1950 to 1964. The Diaconate fund checking account was at the First National Bank of New Bedford in 1953 and then at the First Safe Deposit National Bank of New Bedford beginning in 1955.

This collection also contains notes and minutes from several of the Church’s committees. These committee records span from 1864 to 1998 and consist primarily of meeting notes and minutes of each of the Church’s standing committees, while some committee records also contain financial documentation. The Board of Trustees, Church Council, and Nominating Committee represent a few of the Church’s most significant committees. Records for the Board of Trustees cover the years 1971 to 1983 and consist of meeting minutes documenting the Board’s role in governing the monthly business of the Church, including the finances, building maintenance, and social aspects. The Church Council records consist of meeting minutes and notes compiled during the years 1965 to 1985. The Church Council served as a coordinating agency for the total body of the Church and provided a forum for discussion of matters that deal with the entire Church. Often times, the minutes show that these meetings reflect upon strategic topics centered around the Church’s mission and goals and address monthly Church issues and questions in this light. Records for the Nominating Committee date from 1926 to 1998 and include the proposed officer slate for each year in addition to meeting notes and minutes related to the officer slate and the nominating process.

In addition to the overarching Board of Trustees, Church Council, and Nominating Committee, several other committees are represented in this collection that served more specialized roles in Church management. The Music Committee was tasked with providing music for the Sunday services primarily by means of the Church choir and organist. Although there are meeting notes and minutes that cover the years 1864 to 1969, the bulk of the Music Committee documents consist of bills and receipts for purchasing music during the years 1906 to 1995. Benevolence Committee records date from 1945 to 1973 and include documentation related to Church donations to charitable organizations. Although these records contain mostly notes from the Benevolence Treasurer, there are checking account statements for the year 1977, and the Benevolence checking account was at the First National Bank of New Bedford. The Flower Committee oversaw the maintenance, purchase, and delivery of flowers for the Church’s interior and exterior. Although there are committee notes and minutes for the years 1956, the majority of the Flower Committee’s records consist of bills and receipts for the flowers during the years 1953 to 1995. The Building and Property Committee worked closely with the Finance Committee and discussed matters of Church maintenance and renovation. Materials for the Building and Property Committee span the years 1926 to 1993 and consist primarily of meeting notes and minutes. The Board of Missions met on a monthly basis and discussed the Church and its overall role in the world and made charitable donations in the process. Records consist of meeting notes and minutes from 1962 to 1997 and include monthly financial reports of mission support. There are also checking account statements from 1976 to 1995 documenting the Board’s financial support. The Board of Missions’ checking account was at New Bedford Five Cent Savings Bank until 1988 when the account was at the Compass Bank in New Bedford.

First Baptist Church of New Bedford organized several other committees and groups that contributed to Church administration. The Pulpit Committee handled the selection of a new Church Pastor whenever such a vacancy needed to be filled. Pulpit Committee records date from 1890 to 1967 and include information related to potential candidates and their qualifications, the search process, the hiring process, and the H-R paperwork required when a new Pastor was hired. The Visiting Committee devoted their time to visiting Church members who had taken ill and members who were “shut-in” and could not attend Sunday services. Records for this committee consist of reports for the years 1945 to 1950. The Long Range Planning Committee met to discuss the role of the Church in the surrounding community and offered input into matters concerning building maintenance and renovations. Documents for this Committee date from 1946 to 1981 and consist of minutes, reports, and strategic planning literature. The Monday Club was formed in order to enrich the activities of the Church and promote a sense of fellowship among Church members. Although there are Monday Club annual reports for the years 1955 to 1957, the bulk of the documents are financial in nature and date from 1957 to 1966 and consist of treasurer’s reports, checking account statements, and bills and receipts. The Monday Club checking account was at the Merchants National Bank of New Bedford. Another committee that performed duties similar to the Monday Club was the Fellowship Group, and this collection contains notes, minutes, and reports documenting the work of the Fellowship Group for the years 1967 to 1980. The Stewardship Committee was established in 1965 for the purpose of determining the needs of the Church and orchestrating members of Church committees in order to satisfy said needs. Stewardship Committee documentation consists of notes, minutes, and forms for the year 1965. The Baptist Community Witness Committee began in 1965 as a missionary program for the Puerto Rican community. Documents span the years 1965 to 1967 and consist of notes, minutes, and checking account statements for the First Safe Deposit National Bank of New Bedford.

Records of the Women’s Federation and Women’s Mission Society span the years 1846 to 1974 and consist of meeting minutes, committee minutes, and financial papers. The earliest minute book dates from 1846 to 1877 and refers to the Society as the First Baptist Female Benevolent Society. Beginning in 1935, the Society was known as the Women’s Federation. The minutes and meeting reports document the activities of the Society, primarily the organization of Church events and charities. The Women’s Federation oversaw several committees, and several of them are represented in this collection in the form of meeting minutes and reports, including the Friendly Service Group from 1932 to 1950, the House Committee from 1935 to 1958, the Howes Class from 1946 to 1957, the Missionary Committee from 1932 to 1974, the Red Cross Sewing Group from 1943 to 1972, the Social Committee from 1932 to 1948, the White Cross Group from 1933 to 1960, and the Work Committee from 1935 to 1942. Financial records for the Women’s Society document the finances and financial activity of the Society for the years 1889 to 1974 and include treasurer’s reports from 1927 to 1963, Finance Committee notes from 1914 to 1949, the Society’s account book from 1927 to 1970, and cash book from 1947 to 1970. Banking records for the Women’s Federation date from 1920 to 1974, and their checking account was at the Merchants National Bank of New Bedford. In addition to the general financial documents of the Society, the collection also contains an account book along with bills and receipts from the years 1889 to 1894 for the Young Ladies Mission Circle, another committee under the purview of the Women’s Federation. Documentation related to the Society’s history includes copies of the Federation’s by-laws for the years 1909 to 1946, a collection of the society’s bulletins for the years 1927 to 1932 providing an update on their yearly activities, and several scrapbook entries for the years 1929 to 1950.

Church history documents contain a wide range of materials that were compiled about the First Baptist Church of New Bedford over the years beginning with a list of all the ministers who served the Church from 1813 to 1979. The collection also includes newsletters from 1955 to 1975 written by the pastors informing the congregation of upcoming events and social activities hosted by the Church. Church historians also wrote yearly histories of the Church that included references to all notable events and charity work in addition to building and Sunday School news. These yearly histories range from events in 1813 all the way through 1991. The Church also collected several newspaper clippings and compiled multiple scrapbooks from 1828 to 1983 documenting the Church’s history, ministers, the Church building, the meeting house, and Church anniversaries, notably the Church’s 150th. There is also a guestbook noting Church attendance during the years 1942 to 1984 in addition to an analysis of Church attendance for the year 1985.

A large portion of materials related to the Church’s history consist of Avis Miller Pillsbury’s research notes compiled 1946 and 1980 for her book The Genealogy of the First Baptist Church of New Bedford, Massachusetts (New Bedford, Mass.: Reynolds-DeWalt Print, 1979). Not only do these papers include her correspondence and research notes, but they also include several drafts of her book in addition to printing bids from Hiller Printing, Vining Printing, and Reynolds-Dewalt Printing. Pillsbury paid particular attention to Captain Henry Martyn Robert, a member of the Church beginning in 1862, who later gained national and international recognition for his Rules of Order on parliamentary procedure, by creating a separate research file for him. This research file consists of a 1946 magazine article, a 1976 newspaper clipping, a copy of his portrait, and copies of 19th century documents referencing his name. Once Pillsbury decided on Reynolds-Dewalt Printing in 1979, she then produced one final publication draft to be printed. Following the book’s publication, Pillsbury produced a written progress report for the Church in 1980 on the book’s sales. Also included among Pillsbury’s papers are copyright registration documents form 1980 and financial statements related to the book from 1975 to 1983.

The bulk of the materials pertaining to the Church’s history consist of weekly church bulletins and calendars documenting the years 1890 to 1991. These bulletins were handed out to the congregation every Sunday and included the proceedings of the service in addition to weekly church updates and a calendar of upcoming scheduled church events. These bulletins were bound together in volumes until the year 1972. All bulletins compiled after 1972 are unbound. In addition to the content in the bulletins, the collection also contains several advertisements, write-ups, newspaper clippings, and invitations to events held at the Church during the years 1897 to 1991. The collection also contains several bills and receipts related to the Church’s printing and advertising expenses. These bills and receipts date from 1847 to 1997 and are made out to several local companies including Duplex Envelope Company, Tripp Printing, Whittemore Associates, Mercury Printing, and the New Bedford Standard Times.

A significant portion of the collection contains the financial records of the Church spanning the dates of 1836 to 1997 and contain Treasurer’s reports, Finance Committee reports, Financial Secretary reports, payroll documentation, loan information, banking statements, and investment documentation. Treasurer’s reports date from 1837 to 1993 and note the Church’s monthly and yearly finances. Early 19th century Treasurer’s records also include reports of the Church’s Collector. Finance Committee reports date from 1936 to 1968 and consist of bound volumes recording the minutes of the Finance Committee. Also included with the Finance Committee are Pastor expenses written for the years 1958 to 1997 and include purchases for maintenance supplies, purchases for functions, reimbursement for business phone calls, and gas mileage for travel. Church account books and ledgers contain date from 1836 to 1963 and include a financial ledger for the years 1836 to 1852, a journal of financial accounts for the years 1836 to 1852, a cash book for the years 1880 to 1906, and an account book for the years 1920 to 1948. The Financial Secretary reports include information related to where Church donations were allocated and date from 1946 to 1997. These reports were compiled on a monthly and yearly basis and also contain documentation related to cash disbursements and notes on permanent funds compiled by the Permanent Funds Committee.

Payroll documentation is also included among the Church’s financial records including a large collection of payroll receipts for the years 1837 to 1907. These receipts record payments to regular Church employees including pastors, substitute pastors, custodians, organists, and singers in the Church chorus. In addition to the payroll receipts, the Church also compiled several “time books” from 1955 to 1982 listing the Church’s employees and recording their payroll. The collection also includes payroll tax documentation for the years 1943 through 1987. This tax information includes the Church’s Employer Quarterly Federal Tax Return 941 tax forms completed for Church employees, noting who was on the Church’s payroll and how much they earned during those years. Additional payroll documentation includes retirement documents for several of the Church’s Pastors, including Rev. Eugene Dolloff for the year 1955, Rev. Thomas Bichan for the years 1964 to 1968, Rev. Robert Heskett for the years 1969 to 1975, Rev. Donald Blanchard for the years 1983 to 1986, and Rev. Carl Nichol for the years 1988 to 1997. These retirements documents consist primarily of paperwork from the Ministries and Missionaries Benefit Board of the American Baptist Convention and note the balance of the Pastor’s retirement plans.

The collection also includes several documents related to loans, investments, and banking. The Church took several loans from the years 1845 to 1975 for a number of expenses. These expenses included property purchases, mortgages, real estate, and building repairs. Documentation includes promissory notes for the years 1845 to 1856, receipts acknowledging loan payments for 1849 to 1975, and surety receipts from 1858 to 1950. Church documentation related to investments spans the years 1953 to 1966 and represents statements for their entire portfolio. Investments include America Funds Service Company, American Express, Bay Bank, Boston Fund, Commonwealth Group of Mutual Funds, Eaton & Howland, Fundamental Investors, Investment Trust of Boston, Loomis & Sayles Mutual Fund, New England Telephone and Telegraph Co., Putnam Investors Fund, State Street Investment Corporation, Vance Sanders Investment Fund, Waddell & Reed, and Wellington Fund. Banking records for the Church contain primarily checking account statements but also include additional banking information related to safety deposit boxes and tax statements for several New Bedford area banks during the years 1955 to 1997, including the Bank of Boston (Bristol), Bay Bank, Compass Bank, Fairhaven Institution for Savings, First National Bank of Boston, First National Bank of New Bedford, First Safe Deposit National Bank of New Bedford, Merchants National Bank of New Bedford, New Bedford Five Cents Savings Bank, New Bedford Institution for Savings, Old Colony Bank, Shawmut Bank, and Southeastern Bank.

Church documents also include donations made to the First Baptist Church by members during the years 1863 to 1994. The early donation records from 1863 to 1905 refer to donors as “subscribers” and are recorded in bound volumes where the clerk or treasurer recorded the member’s name and their corresponding donation. Beginning in 1955 and continuing through until 1994, pledge envelopes were mailed out to Church members where donations were returned and tabulated by the Church Treasurer and Financial Secretary. Also included with these donation records is the analysis and breakdown of Church funds to which donors elected to contribute. In addition to monetary donations, some members elected to include the Church in their wills, and this collection includes documentation from several wills of donors who bequeathed material assets to the Church during the years 1847 to 2000. These probate records include not only copies the wills citing the provisions to the Church, but also include any additional correspondence and legal documents related to the transfer of assets. Of particular note is the documentation from 1944 to 1994 pertaining to the provisions in the wills of Levi and Marie Flood that would eventually manifest in the Church’s parsonage at Mill Street.

The collection also contains several documents related to the Church’s insurance and include policy statements for the years 1836 to 1997. The policy statements also include fire inspection, boiler inspection, fire extinguisher inspection and insurance company surveys. There was also documentation filed in response to work-related injuries in the Church that occurred from 1964 to 1971. Additionally, the Church filed a fire insurance claim in 1975 after a fire broke out and caused damage to the building’s interior and exterior.

Arrangement of Collection

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Information for Researchers

Access to Collections

Unrestricted. Consult librarian for an appointment.

Preferred Citation

New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library Mss 193, [sub-group, series, sub-series, folder/volume as appropriate], [item]

Copyright Notice

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials. The Privacy Act of 1974 (5 United States Code 552a) governs the use of materials that document private individuals, groups, and corporations.

Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a reproduction if the document does not infringe the privacy rights of an individual, group, or corporation. These specified conditions of authorized use include:

If the researcher later uses a copy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," the researcher is personally liable for copyright, privacy, or publicity infringement and agrees to indemnify the New Bedford Whaling Museum from any legal action as a result of the error. Permission to obtain a photographic, xerographic, digital, or other copy of a document does not indicate permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, sell, distribute, or prepare derivative works from the document without permission from the copyright holder and from any private individual, group, or corporation shown or otherwise recorded.

Permission to publish, exhibit, perform, reproduce, prepare derivative works from, sell, or otherwise distribute the item must be obtained separately in writing from the holder of the original copyright (or if the creator is dead, from his/her heirs) as well as from any individual(s), groups, or corporations whose name, image, recorded words, or private information (e.g. employment information) may be reproduced in the source material. The holder of the original copyright is not necessarily the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The New Bedford Whaling Museum is not legally liable for copyright, privacy, or publicity infringement when materials are wrongfully used after being provided to researchers for "fair use."

This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if fulfillment of the order is judged in violation of copyright or federal or state privacy law. This institution also places restrictions on the use of cameras, photocopiers, and scanners in the research room.

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Administrative Information

Provenance

Materials in this collection were donated to the New Bedford Whaling Museum by the First Baptist Church of New Bedford on 27 January 2021 as part of Accession 2021.1.

Processing Information

Processed by: Mark Procknik and Cecelia Tavares, 2021

Funds for processing this collection were provided by the Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation.

Encoded by: Mark Procknik, 24 November 2011

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Collection Inventory