]> ba1000-85 Inventory of the Osmon C. Baker Collection, 1827 - 1869, 1934 Processed by: Patricia Bodak Stark, Valerie Gillispie; machine-readable finding aid created by: Valerie Gillispie &hdrsca;

© 2011 Wesleyan University. All Rights Reserved.

 Machine-readable finding aid derived from XML authoring program. Date of source: April 2011 Description is in English Finding aid was prepared using DACS Inventory of the Osmon C. Baker Collection, 1827 - 1869, 1934 Special Collections & ArchivesWesleyan University Middletown, CT, USA

© 2011 Wesleyan University. All Rights Reserved.

 Descriptive Summary Special Collections & Archives, Wesleyan University Baker, Osmon C. (Osmon Cleander), 1812-1871. Osmon C. Baker Collection, 1827 - 1869, 1934 1000-85 Material in English 1.25 3 For current information on the location of these materials, please consult Special Collections & Archives staff. Osmon Cleander Baker attended the Wesleyan Academy (now Wilbraham Academy) and Wesleyan University. Active in the Methodist Episcopal church, he taught and administered at the Newbury Seminary in Vermont and the Methodist General Biblical Institute, in Concord, New Hampshire. In 1852, he was elected a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Osmon C. Baker Collection is arranged into two main series. The first, Accession #1000-85, contains materials from Baker's education at Wesleyan University, including notes, essays, and an autograph album. The second series, Accession #1000-208, is mostly comprised of correspondence to and from Baker. The correspondence begins during Baker's time at the Wesleyan Academy and continues to his service as a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. The series also includes family materials and a small number of writings by Baker. Administrative Information Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

 Copyright Notice

Copyright for Official University records is held by Wesleyan University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

 Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Osmon C. Baker Collection, Collection #1000-85, Special Collections & Archives, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA.

 Acquisitions Information

Series 1 (Accession #1000-85) given by Ohio Northern University Library in October 1977. Series 2 (Accession #1000-208) given by William A. Morrill, Class of 1952, around 2007.

 Processing Information

Processed by Patricia Bodak Stark, Valerie Gillispie, April 2011

Encoded by Valerie Gillispie, April 2011

 Biographical Note

Osmon Cleander Baker, born July 30, 1812 in Marlow, New Hampshire, attended the Wesleyan Academy (now Wilbraham Academy) in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, from 1827 to 1830. He was a member of the Wesleyan University class of 1834, and worked as a preacher while he was a student. However, he did not graduate with his class, as he left college during his senior year, possibly due to illness. Baker taught in the Newbury Seminary in Vermont from 1834 to 1839, and was principal of the institution from 1839 to 1843.

Active in the Methodist Episcopal church, he was a member of the New Hampshire Conference from 1844 to 1847. Baker served as a professor at the Methodist General Biblical Institute, in Concord, New Hampshire from 1847 to 1849, then as President from 1850 to 1852. He was elected a bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1852. In 1858, Baker University in Kansas was named in Baker's honor.

Baker died in Concord, New Hampshire, December 20, 1871.

Collection Overview

The Osmon C. Baker Collection is arranged into two main series. The first, Accession #1000-85, contains materials from Baker's education at Wesleyan University, including notes, essays, and an autograph album. The second series, Accession #1000-208, is mostly comprised of correspondence to and from Baker. The correspondence begins during Baker's time at the Wesleyan Academy and continues to his service as a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. The series also includes family materials and a small number of writings by Baker.

 Online Catalog Headings

These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.

Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.)--Alumni and alumnae. Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.)--History. Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.)--Students. Baker, Osmon C. (Osmon Cleander), 1812-1871. Wesleyan Academy (Wilbraham, Mass.)--Students. Methodist Episcopal Church--Clergy. Newbury Seminary (Newbury, Vt.)--Faculty. Methodist General Biblical Institute (Concord, N.H.)--Faculty. Baker family. Separated Material

The following two items have been cataloged separately in Special Collections & Archives.

Baker, Osmon C. Manly elements in the ministry: a discourse delivered to the graduating class of the Methodist General Biblical Institute in June 1867 (Boston: J.P. Magee, 1867).

Worcester, Joseph E. An historical atlas, containing the following charts : I. Chart of general history, II. Chart of sacred history, III. Chart of ancient chronology, IV. Chart of sovereigns of Europe, V. Chart of modern chronology, VI. Historical chart of England, VII. Historical chart of France, VIII. Chart of American history, IX. Chart of biography, X. Chart of mythology (Boston: Hilliard, Gray, Little, and Wilkins, 1828). 3rd edition.

 Detailed Description of the Collection Series 1. Accession #1000-85 1 1 Notes

Subjects include Acids, Experiments, Botany, Legislation, Moral Reasoning, Light, Government, Politics, Art, and Chemistry

 1 2 Outlines of Dr. Fisk’s Moral and Religious Lectures begun March 13th, 1833 1 2 The Lord’s Prayer, Illustrated 1 2 Notes on religion 1 2 Notes on Natural Philosophy 1 2 The System of Epicurus 1 3 The Claims of Society, Wesleyan University, October 18, 1831 1 3 Chemistry notes 1 3 Government notes 1 3 Sincerity, Wesleyan University, December 27, 1830 1 3 Fragment of a scheme (essay), May 30, 1833 1 4 A letter to Mr. Editor, on baptism, November 18, 1830 1 4 Portions of essays 1 5 Lines Written on the Departure of Salmon C. Perry, Wilbraham, October 16, 1828 1 5 Scripture for Gospel Perfection, Sanctification, Holiness of Heart, and Leasing from Sin 1 5 Notes on Natural Philosophy 1 6 The Exercises of my mind relation to Preaching, 1829 1 6 Reflection, [poem], Wilbraham, May 5, 1829 1 6 A Good Disposition, Middletown, Conn., December 24, 1830 1 6 Lines composed by [?] Wilson previous to his death July 10, 1831, member of the college 1 7 Autograph album

Contains entries (poems, inscriptions, and drawings) dated from Baker’s time at Wilbraham Academy and Wesleyan University, 1828-1833. Title page has imprint of E. Hunt & Co., Middletown, Conn.

 Series 2. Accession #1000-208 Letters to Baker 2 1 1827-1828 2 2 1829 2 3 1830 2 4 1831 2 5 1832 2 6 1833-1839 2 7 1840-1843 2 8 1845 2 9 1846 2 10 1847-1848 2 11 1849-1852 3 1 1853-1854 3 2 1855-1857 3 3 1862 3 4 Undated Letters from Baker 3 5 To Isaac Baker (father), 1838-1845

11 letters.

 3 6 To Mehitable Baker (wife), 1835-1855

5 letters.

 3 7 To others, 1828-1833

6 letters.

 3 8 Letters of other individuals, 1828, 1845-1855, 1869, 1934, and undated 3 9 Family items

Family history, legal documents, materials belonging to family members.

 3 10 Items related to Methodism or the church 3 11 Wesleyan items

An appeal from the Alumni Library Fund (1863) and a Commencement/Alumni activities program (1856).

 3 12 Writings

Many date from Baker's time at the Wilbraham Academy and Wesleyan University.

 3 13 Receipts, 1836, 1839 3 14 Robinson's Map of Western Railways and Connections, undated