A Guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church Minute Book and Ministers' Aid Society Ledger, 1875-1882 Henrico County (Va.) Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church Minute Book and Ministers' Aid Ledger, 1875-1882 Barcode numbers 1108247 and 1108250/Henrico County (Va.) Microfilm Reel 213

A Guide to the Henrico County (Va.) Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church Minute Book and Ministers' Aid Society Ledger, 1875-1882

A Collection in
the Library of Virginia
Collection numbers: Barcode numbers 1108247 and 1108250/Henrico County (Va.) Microfilm Reel 213


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Repository
The Library of Virginia
Collection numbers
Barcode numbers 1108247 and 1108250/Henrico County (Va.) Reel 213
Title
Henrico County (Va.) Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church Minute Book and Ministers' Aid Society Ledger, 1875-1882
Physical Characteristics
2 v. (215 p.); 1 microfilm reel
Collector
Henrico County (Va.) Circuit Court.
Location
State Records Center - Archives Annex, Library of Virginia
Language
English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

Use microfilm copy, Henrico County (Va.) Reel 213.

Preferred Citation

Henrico County (Va.) Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church Minute Book and Ministers' Aid Society Ledger, 1875-1882. Henrico County (Va.) Reel 213, Local government records collection, Henrico County Court Records. The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia, 23219.

Acquisition Information

These volumes came to the Library of Virginia in a transfer of papers from Henrico County.

Microfilm Reel 213 was generated by the staff of OCLC while filming at the Library of Virginia.

Historical Information

Henrico County was one of the eight original shires, or counties, first enumerated in 1634. The county was named for Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son of James I.

Historically, after Emancipation, African Americans established separate congregations and church facilities to create their own communities and worhip in their own culturally distinct ways. African American churches have long been the centers of communities, serving as schools in the early years after the Civil War and taking up social welfare functions, such as providing for the indigent. The Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church was organized in March 1875 by members of the 2nd Baptist Church. The church was organized to give facilities to a section known as "Sheep Hill." Now known as the Carver neighborhood, it became a thriving black community and is now part of the Greater Richmond area.

On March 17th 1875, church deacons purchased an old soap factory consisting of three buildings on a lot on Moore Street. The center building was used as a church. The church was dedicated on April 18, 1875 and the congregation was officially recognized. The first pastor Rev. William Troy, 1875-1881, was a student at the Virginia Union Theological Seminary. In 1878, elaborate improvements were made to the building including galleries. In 1878, the deacons decided to run an industrial school in connection with the church and in April 1880, two-thirds of the church property was deeded to the Moore Street Industrial School. The school was a community response to the needs of African American children.

The transference of the deed of the property from the church to the school caused the congregation trouble and resulted in a long suit which was finally settled in favor of the church. The property was returned to the church in 1901. The noise of the nearby railways caused the congregation to move to their present site. The church was dedicated on May 31, 1908. The Ministers' Aid Society was funded by a fee paying membership. The organization combined church and charity--providing aid and helping people adjust to and deal with the demands of life through religion.

The minute book and ledger were used as evidence in the chancery case, Charles J. Clarke and others versus John Oliver and others and John W. Williams versus Coleman Smith, trustee, and others, heard in the Circuit Court of Henrico County.

Scope and Content

Henrico County (Va.) Moore Street Missionary Baptist Church Minute Book and Ministers' Aid Society Ledger, 1875-1882, includes a Minute Book, 1875-1881, that contains a handwritten index in the front. The volume records the meetings with the church moderator and clerk about church business. In addition, the volume includes financial information such as bills due, subscriptions, the pastor's salary, the expenses paid, the collections received, a list of deceased members, names of the church sisters and a list of new members. Loose papers, dating from 1887 and 1888, are found between pages 21 and 22. These papers refer to the industrial school found on the church grounds. There are 156 pages in this volume.

The Ministers' Aid Society Ledger,1881-1882, contains a handwritten index in the front. The ledger notes the officers and the members of the society. The volume also records minutes as well as financial records--such as subscribers, bills paid and debts and church income.

Arrangement

Arranged chronologically.

Related Material

For additional information see the Henrico County Chancery Cause, Charles J. Clarke and others versus John Oliver and others and John W. Williams versus Coleman Smith, trustee, and others. It can be found in the Chancery Records Index at the Library of Virginia web site. The index number is 1896-053.

Henrico County is one of Virginia's Lost Record Localities. Additional Henrico County Court Records may be found in the Virginia Lost Records Localities Collection at the Library of Virginia. Search the Lost Records Localities Digital Collection available at Virginia Memory.

For more information and a listing of lost records localities see Lost Records research note .

For a history of African American Baptist churches, consult the "Inventory of the Church Archives of Virginia: Negro Baptist Churches in Richmond," Historical Records Survey of Virginia, Work Projects Administration, June 1940.

These volumes are located at the State Records Center. Contact Archives Research Services for access information, directions and hours.

Index Terms

    Corporate Names:

  • Henrico County (Va.) Circuit Court.
  • Subjects:

  • African American Baptists--Virginia--Henrico County.
  • African American churches--Virginia--Henrico County.
  • African Americans--History--1863-1877.
  • African Americans--History--1877-1964.
  • African Americans--Virginia--Henrico County.
  • Fraternal organizations--Virginia--Henrico County.
  • Geographical Names:

  • Henrico County (Va.)--History--19th century.
  • Genre and Form Terms:

  • Financial records--Virginia--Henrico County.
  • Ledgers (account books)--Virginia--Henrico County.
  • Local government records--Virginia--Henrico County.
  • Minute books--Virginia--Henrico County.
  • Organization records--Virginia--Henrico County.

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • Henrico County (Va.)--History--19th century.