Guide to the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. West Africa Mission. Records

Descriptive Summary

Title

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. West Africa Mission. Records

Inclusive Dates

1902-1966

Call Number

RG 74

Creator(s)

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. West Africa Mission.

Quantity

5.00 cubic feet

Language

A significant portion of the records are in French, German and several African dialects

Restrictions on Access

Open for research. Medical, educational, and psychological records of living people are closed.

Repository

Presbyterian Historical Society, 425 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516 USA

Biographical Note / Administrative History

Administrative History

Presbyterian work in the Cameroons commenced about 1889 when the Reverend and Mrs. B.B. Brier were assigned to the Batanga station. Mission stations were later established at Efulan (1893), Elat (1895), Lolodorf (1897), Foulassi (1916), Edea (1920) and Sakbayeme (1920). Prior to 1936, the churches in the West African field were organized as the Presbytery of Corisco and attached to the Synod of New Jersey. In 1936, upon action from the General Assembly, the presbytery of Corisco was subdivided into three presbyteries (Corisco, Metet and Sanaga) and organized into a separate synod known as the Synod of the Cameroon.

Collection Overview

Record group 74 contains the correspondence, minutes and reports of the West African Mission of the PCUSA and includes some materials from the UPCUSA. Records from the Presbytery of Yaounde, including missionary correspondence, 1918-1958, mission minutes and reports, 1902-1958, are also included in the collection.

Alternative Formats

Also available on microfilm: MF/POS./904/r.1-13.

Administrative Information

Processing Information

The researcher should be advised of several things before using RG 74. This collection lacks a descriptive finding aid. No attempt was made to impose an arrangement scheme upon the collection. The folder inventory will serve as a general index to the collection, although it does not adequately describe the collection. Folder lists are generally accurate. It is assumed that the collection was maintained in its original filing order.

The researcher is also advised that significant portions of the collection are written in languages other than English, notably French, German and several African dialects. A minimal reading knowledge of these languages would be essential.

Catalog Headings

The following headings have been used to index the description of this collection in the society’s electronic catalog.

Corporate Subject

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. West Africa Mission.

United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. West Africa Mission.

Topical Subject

Presbyterian Church Missions Cameroon.

Corporate Added Name

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Synod of the Cameroon.

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Presbytery of Corisco.

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Presbytery of Yaounde.

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Board of Foreign Missions.

Collection Inventory

Box	Folder	Description

1	1	Inventory list to RG 74
	2	Mission minutes, 1902-05
	3	Mission minutes, 1905-07
	4	Mission minutes, 1908-12
	5	Mission minutes, 1912-14
	6	Mission minutes, 1915-17
	7	Mission minutes, 1919-22, 1924-25
	8	Mission minutes, 1926, reports/resolutions, 1927
	9	Mission minutes, 1928 (September and December)
	10	Mission minutes, 1929-30
	11	Mission minutes, 1932-33
	12	Mission minutes, 1934-36
	13	Mission minutes, 1937-39
	14	Mission minutes, 1940-41
	15	Mission minutes, 1942-43
	16	Presbytery minutes, 1933-51
	17	Miscellaneous Board charters, 1903?
	18	Miscellaneous items, 1914-15

2	1	Dockets of Mission meetings, 1931-55 (incomplete)
	2	Cameroun Synod--Minutes, dockets, reports, correspondence, 1940-44
	3	Yaounde Presbytery--Minutes, 1953-58
	4	Dager Seminary--Minutes, 1947-57
	5	Cameroun Clippings (mission news letter),1950-55
	6	Cameroun Clippings (mission news letter),1956-59
	7	Cameroun Clippings (mission news letter),1960-66
	8	Agriculture committee--Minutes, 1952-57
	9	By laws commission/Board minutes, 1958? 1959?
	10	Miscellaneous minutes, reports, correspondence, 1942-58
	11	Mission minutes, 1944-49
	12	Mission minutes, 1950-53, 1956-57
	13	Station/personal reports, 1925-30
	14	Station reports, 1919-26
	15	Station reports, 1921-26
	16	Statement on West Africa Mission, 1928
	17	Station reports, 1936-37
	18	Station reports, 1938
	19	Reports from Field Representatives, 1933-58 (incomplete)
	20	Station and institution reports, 1943
	21	Station and institution reports, 1944-45
	22	Station and institution reports, 1946
	23	Station and institution reports, 1947
	24	Station and institution reports, 1948
	25	Station and institution reports,1949
	26	Station and institution reports, 1950
	27	Station and institution reports, 1951

3	1	1952
	2	1953
	3	1954
	4	1954-55
	5	1955-56
	6	Reports/resolutions, 1905; duties of commission, 1921, 1926, 1928, 1938, 1949, 1952
	7	Executive committee reports, 1950-57
	8	Reports, Church affairs, 1952-56
	9	Reports, Mission Treasurer, 1927-57 (1928-29, 1933-34 missing)
	10	School statistics, 1931-35
	11	Miscellaneous reports (Ecumenical Dept.), 1956
	12	Federation reports, 1957-59
	13	Personal reports, 1957-58
	14	Planning conference, 1957
	15	Correspondence and reports, 1958-62, MPA, EPC, COEMAR, Cameroun government, Democratic Party of Cameroun
	16	Reports, MPA, Statistical Survey with specials on Metet, 1928, EPC, Church Statistics, 1960
	17	Statistical reports to the Board 1955-57
	18	Planning conference, annual reports, July 1957
	19	Evaluation material for 1956 Conference
	20	International Missionary Council, miscellaneous items, 1958
	21	Extracts from Board minutes, 1952
	22	Miscellaneous items, 1957-58
	23	Miscellaneous items, property affairs, 1951-58
	24	Year Book of Prayer, 1953-58
	25	Publications, "Why Don't They Answer?" "Recrutment au Ministere Pastoral," 1964
	26	Narrative reports of West Africa Mission, 1950-57
	27	MPA Treasurer's reports, 1951-53

		CORRESPONDENCE

3	28	Medical statistics and correspondence, 1936
	29	Board letters, 1917
	30	Board correspondence, 1918-28
	31	Board correspondence, 1926-29
	32	Board correspondence, 1930-31
	33	Board correspondence, 1930-31

		L.K. Anderson Correspondence

3	34	1950-53
	35	Mission Federation, 1945-59

4	1	Field workers, 1949-58
	2	Field workers, 1949-58
	3	Field workers, 1950-59
	4	Field workers, 1954-58
	5	Board letters to LKA, 1950-58
	6	Frances Gray, 1950-52
	7	Frances Gray, 1953
	8	Frances Gray, -July 1957
	9-10	R. Sundberg, 1957
	11	Field Rep. Reports, 1945-56
	12	1956-57
	13	Mary Hunter, 1949-59
	14	1952-59
	15	1956-58
	16	Miscellaneous items, 1956
	17	Furlough correspondence, 1955-56
	18	Miscellaneous correspondence, 1955-56
	19	A.I. Good, 1956-58

		Correspondence

4	20	FIDES, 1955-58
	21	W.H. Guthrie, 1949-55
	22	LKA, 1955-56
	23	J. Beaumont, 1952-58
	24	World Council of Christian Education, 1951-58
	25	French Mission, 1955-58
	26	Miscellaneous items I.M.E. College, 1954-59
	27	Marie Gocker, 1927-52
	27a	Property matters, 1951-1958
	28	Mission self-support, 1895, 1939
	29	Names of persons buried at Batanga Cemetery, 1911

5	1	LKA, 1949-56
	2	LKA, 1956-60
	3	Darst Newhouse to Executive Committee, 1955-56
	4	Darst Newhouse, 1955-56
	5	Board of Foreign Missions, 1933-36
	6	Chester Whittier, 1949
	7	Francis Akoa, 1949-60
	8	CTL-LICA/Board Letters, 1955-58
	9	Awumu, Luc Ball, Montpelier, 1955-58
	10	David Mandeng, 1953-59
	11	Rev. Mvondo, 1952-58
	12	Moubitang a Mepoui, 1955-57
	13	LKA, 1957-58
	14	American Leprosy Mission in Cameroun, 1952-58
	15	American Bible Society, 1953-58
	16	LKA, 1954-59
	17	Board Letters, 1944-55
	18	Mission Treasurer, 1946-48
	19	Scholarship correspondence, 1949-51
	20	Frank James, 1955
	21	J. Cavin and LKA, 1949-54
	22	All Africa Conference, 1958
	23	Judicial Cases, 1952-54
	24	Minutes, reports, miscellaneous items re medical affairs, 1952-58
	25	LKA, 1948-59
	26	LKA, 1950
	27	LKA, 1953-57
	28	Board letters, 1953-57 (incomplete)
	29	Miscellaneous correspondence/minutes, 1947-54
	30	LKA and M. Berrueux, 1951-52
	31	NOT USED
	32	Theological survey, 1955-58
	33	Field Representatives, 1957-58
	34	Field Representatives General letters, 1956-58
	35	Dockets/correspondence of Synod/Mission Committee, 1951-57
	36	Minutes, reports, lists re: primary schools, 1955-57
	37	Scholarship Committee, 1958-59
	38	Edea Station, 1956-57
	39	Relations with Roman Catholics, 1930
	40	Conseil d'administration, EPC, 1954-56
	41	Field Secretaries, 1949-58
	42	Ibong-Metet-Ngumba schism, 1946-47
	43	L.H. Chatterson, 1949
	44	Federation des Missions (Cameroun), 1942-55
	45	W.C. Johnston, 1924-39
	46	Miscellaneous government correspondence, 1936-40
	47	Miscellaneous government correspondence, 1946-47