Collection Details:

Collection Name and Number: Amite and Florida Auxiliary Bible Society Minutes (Z/0019).
Creator/Collector: Amite and Florida Auxiliary Bible Society.
Date(s): 1815-1835.
Size: 0.30 cubic feet.
Language(s): English.
Processed by: MDAH staff, before 1983.
Provenance: Gift of unknown donor before 1983.
Repository: Archives & Records Services Division, Mississippi Department of Archives & History.

 

Rights and Access:

Access restrictions: Collection is open for research.

Publication rights: Copyright assigned to the MDAH. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to Reference Services. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the MDAH as the owner of the physical items and as the owner of the copyright in items created by the donor. Although the copyright was transferred by the donor, the respective creator may still hold copyright in some items in the collection. For further information, contact Reference Services.

Copyright notice: This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code).

Preferred citation: Amite and Florida Auxiliary Bible Society Minutes (Z/0019), Mississippi Department of Archives & History.

 

History:

Amite and Florida Auxiliary Bible Society

Amite and Florida Auxiliary Bible Society, an auxiliary of the American Bible Study, with subscribing members consisting of members in Amite County, Mississippi, and parts of the West Florida territory south of Amite County. It was established in or before 1816, before the formation of the American Bible Society. An early member of the bible society, Jacob Buckholts was an officer, for many years, of the Mississippi Baptist Education Society.

Scholars have not found any formal connection tying early American Bible Societies to the British and Foreign Bible Society, the latter still supplied bound scriptures at cost, contributed to their treasuries, and even cooperated with them to some extent while the two nations were actively engaged in war, during the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. From the beginning, both the Philadelphia and the New York societies conceived of their mission in national terms; they encouraged the formation of other societies throughout the country and provided them with bibles for distribution.

Pastors mentioned in the volumes:
Ezra Courtney
W. Hulbert
Samuel Marsh
Acy Mercer
John Patterson
John Smiley

 

Scope and Content Note:

This collection consists of the constitution and minutes of the Amite and Florida Auxiliary Bible Society, which met at various locations, including Ebenezer and Liberty (1829–1835) in Amite County, Mississippi.. Originally called the Amite and Florida Bible Society, its membership consisted primarily of Amite, Wilkinson, and Florida counties.

 

Series Identification:

Series 1: Volume 1, December 7, 1815 - June 1, 1822.
Volume 1 has 128 pages, and measurements are 19.5 x 15.75 cm. 

Contents of Volume 1 include: 
Bethany Meeting House (September 1818-July 1819)
Bogue Chitto Baptist Meeting House
History of British and Foreign Bible Society
Mission work on Chickasaw and Choctaw Indians
Chickasawaha mission work
Duodecimo Bibles
Meetings at Ebenezer (1822)
Providence Church at New Providence in Amite County (September 1822)
Religious correspondence with eastern counties
Society meetings at Shiloh
W. Thomas mission work

Box 1

Series 2: Volume 2, 1829-1835.
Volume 2  has 173 pages, and measurements are 15 x 19.5 cm. 

Contents of Volume 2 include: 
Bibles
Current price listings of Liberty County Courthouse
Meetings at Louisiana Legislature (1829)
Mississippi State Bank
Octavo Bibles

Box 1