Contents

Collection Overview

Biographical Note

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Organization of the Collection

Search Terms

Justin Perkins (AC 1829) Papers, ca. 1830-1869

Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by .

Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

© 2004

Biographical Note

Justin Perkins (AC 1829), missionary, was born in 1805 near Holyoke, Massachusetts. He spent his childhood on his father's farm and at the age of eighteen responded to a revival that influenced him to enter the ministry. He attended Amherst College and upon graduating, taught for a year at Amherst Academy. He then spent two years at Andover Theological Seminary, tutored for a year at Amherst College, and then returned to Andover to finish his theological course.

In 1833, Perkins was married and the American Board of Missions commissioned him to work in Persia among the Nestorians. He traveled to Oroomiah, Persia and set up a mission there. He stayed with this mission for more than thirty years, with intermittent visits home, until he died in 1869.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The collection contains a body of correspondence to Perkins with letters from men well known in his field at the time. Letters are included from Edwin E. Bliss (AC 1837, 4 letters), Harrison Gray Otis Dwight (10), Fidelia Fiske (8), William Goodell (8), Cyrus Hamlin (4), Elias Riggs (AC 1829, 3), William G. Schauffler (10), Benjamin Schneider (AC 1830, 8), Horatio Southgate (7), and William S. Tyler (AC 1830, 8). It also contains eighteen manuscript sermons by Perkins, a few lectures and notes, some newspaper clippings and pamphlets, and some bound manuscripts - mostly letters and journals.

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Search Terms

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Organization of the Collection

This collection is organized into four series:

• 1. Correspondence
• 2. Sermons, Lectures and Notes
• 3. Printed Materials
• 4. Bound Manuscripts

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Series 1: CORRESPONDENCE

Series 1, CORRESPONDENCE, is organized into two sub-series: letters to Perkins (A) and letters from Perkins (B). Within each group the letters are organized alphabetically by correspondent's name.

Sub-Series A: Incoming Correspondence

Sub-Series B: Outgoing Correspondence

Series 2: SERMONS, LECTURES AND NOTES

Series 2, SERMONS, LECTURES, AND NOTES, consists of sermons, lectures, notes, a private journal and the thesis Perkins wrote at Andover Theological Seminary.

Series 3: PRINTED MATERIALS

Series 3, PRINTED MATERIALS, consists of pamphlets and clippings relating to his missionary work among the Nestorians. It is organized into two sub-series:

A. Pamphlets by Justin Perkins

B. Newspaper and Magazine Clippings

Sub-Series A: Pamphlets by Justin Perkins

Sub-Series B: Magazine and Newspaper Clippings

Series 4: BOUND MANUSCRIPTS

Series 4, BOUND MANUSCRIPTS, consists of Perkins' books, letters and notes.