.
By Tanner Simon '20
Collection Overview
Title: Roger E. Sappington Research Collection
ID: MSS/MSS-0006
Extent: 24.88 Linear Feet
Collection Historical Note
Roger Sappington (1929-1989) was born on March 6, 1929 to Ross and Beulah Sappington in Avon Park, Florida. He attended Manchester College and Bethany Theological Seminary before attaining his Ph.D from Duke University in 1959. In 1949, Sappington married LaVerle Hochstetler, with whom he had four children. In 1951, Sappington was ordained as a minister for the Church of the Brethren, serving a congregation in Lima, Ohio. In 1958, he took a position at Bridgewater College in Virginia as a professor of history, where he would teach for 31 years until his death in 1989. In addition to being a professor, Sappington was also the debate coach at the College. He was a member of the National Historical Committee of the Church of the Brethren, serving as chairman between 1958-1963 and 1970-1973. A dedicated Brethren historian, Sappington authored a number of books, including Brethren Social Policy (1960), Courageous Prophet (1964), The Brethren Along the Snake River (1966), The Brethren in the Carolinas (1971), The Brethren in Virginia (1973), The Brethren in the New Nation (1976), The Brethren in Industrial America (1985) and The Brethren in Tennessee and Alabama (1988). Sappington passed away in 1989 at the age of 60.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Brethren Service Committee, 1938-1952],
[
Series 2: Brethren Social Policy, 1959-1961],
[
Series 3: Research Material, 1800-1985],
[
Series 4: Brethren in Virginia, 1889-1989],
[
Series 5: Meeting Minutes and Committees, 1957-1980],
[
Series 6: The History of the Bridgewater Virginia Church of the Brethren, 1813-1978],
[
Series 7: Sappington's Sermons, 1935-1958],
[
Series 8: Brethren Committee Meeting Notes, 1912-1985],
[
Series 9: Professorial Papers, 1962-1987],
[
Series 10: Assorted Biographical Research and Resources, 1833-1988],
[
Series 11: General brethren Research, 1865-1970],
[
Series 12: Brethren in Industrial America & The Brethren in the New Nation, 1893-1970],
[
Series 13: The Brethren in the Carolinas: the history of the Church of the Brethren in the district of North and South Carolina, 1869-1986],
[
Series 14: General Notes on Conscientious Objection and Peace, 1926-1988],
[
Series 15: Correspondence, 1955-1988],
[
Series 16: Sappington's Graduate Work, 1950-1992],
[
Series 17: The Courageous Prophet: chapters from the life of John Kline; The Brethren Along the Snake River; Reuel B. Prichett: Tennessee churchman and antiquarian, 1964-1972],
[
Series 18: Sappington's Classes, 1937-1991],
[
Series 19: Sappington's Undergraduate Class Papers, 1946-1959],
[Series 20: Index Cards],
[
All]
- Series 20: Index Cards
- Box 20
- Item 1: Notes on the Church of the Brethren and the American Revolution
- Item 2: Notes and Bibliographical Infromation for Research Including Excerpts from John Kline's Diary
- Item 3: Working Outlines and Notes on Brethren Service Commission
- Item 4: Cards 1-409
- Topics covered from Correspondence and documents (1899-1927): India Famine, “Colored Mission”-various states and countries, Future of the Church and Church work, Scandinavian churches, GRB Reports on Conferences, Conventions, and Missions, Dress Committee/Dress Reform, Opinions and stands on various matters, Issues in the church, Land, Life insurance, Religion in schools-bans, City vs. Rural, Finances and Funding, Equality, Dealing with other denominations, Cuba, China, Loyalty, Prohibition, Division in the church, Peace Committee, Forward Movement, Exemption Services/Military/Draft, Friends and Mennonites, Gospel Messenger, Camps, Conscientious Objectors, Liberty Loan/Bonds, Refugee camps, Armenians, Central Service Committee, Relief Work/Aid, Orphans, Sunday-School Commission, Reconstruction Committee, Universal training (military-compulsory), Interchurch World Movement, Bills to vote on, Bethany, Russia, Hospitals, Welfare Board, Statements on War and Peace
- Item 5: Notes on 18th Century Brethren
- Miscellaneous Bibliographical materials and notes on Universalism, Colonies, Virginia, Carolinas, Beginnings, etc., Various handwritten notes on different states, people, sources, and research materials, John Tanner, More various notes and bibliographical materials for NC, Notes on various Congregations in NC, Notes from Brethren printed materials, More various notes and bibliographical materials for NC, Notes on the Mennonites in Carolinas, Notes on the Moravians in Carolinas, Notes on the Dunkers in the Carolinas, More various notes and bibliographical materials for NC, More notes on the Moravians in Carolinas, More notes on Dunkers in Carolinas, More various notes and bibliographical materials for NC, MD, and PA, Polk County, District Meetings and Conferences, Blue Ridge, Brummett’s Creek, Mitchell & Yancey Cos, Flat Rock, Little Pine, Melvin Hill, Mill Creek, Clover, Dimsdale, Mt. Airy, Mt. Carmel, New Haven, Peak Creek, Hallow-Poplar, Petersons Chapel, Pleasant Grove, Pleasant Valley, Spindale, Travelers Rest, Brooklyn, Cherokee, Downs Chapel, Chestnut, Rutherford Co., Fairview, Galden, Highlands, Laurens, Jefferson, La Grange, Eastern NC, Long hope, Mt. Olive, Riverside, Rowland Creek, New Bethel, Scottsville, Vax, White Rock, Bailey, Cub Creek, Seven Springs, Onslow Co., Oak Grove, Darden, N.N. Garst, Greenville, Anna, Chesterfield, Clifton, Delphia, Elizabeth City, Gladys River, Farboro, Tennessee Churches, Fraternity, Cana, Coulson, VA, Snow Creek, VA, Maple Grove, St. Paul, Shelton, Spray.
- Box 21
- Item 1: Sappington's Correspondences
- Initials used in Correspondence: CDB=Charles D. Bonsack, RDB=R.D. Bowman, PHB=Paul H. Bowman, AWC=Andrew Q. Cordier , FHC=F. H. Crumpacker , HCE=H.C. Early, EF=Edward Frantz, JMH=J.M. Henry, CSI=C.S. Ikenberry, CRK=C. Ray Keim, JWL=J.W. Lear, JHM=J.H. Moore, JEM=J.E. Miller, HSM=H. Speman Minnish, RM=Rachel Myers (Dan’s secretary or assistant), RRP=Raymond R. Peters, GBR=Galen B. Royer, CHS=Chauncey H. Shamberger, RMS=Ruth Shraren , VFS=V.F. Schwalm, WJS=W.J. Swigert, DW=Dan West, JHBW=J.H.B. William, MRZ=M.R. Zigler, OW=Otto Weinger, PCF=Paul Cerley French of NSBRO, RN=Ray Newton, VDN=Vincent D. Nicholson-Exc. Sect-AFSC, WWI, CP=Clarence Pickett, Exec Sect AFSC-1930s
- Item 3: Brethren Service Committee
- Item 2: Brethren World Service
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Brethren Service Committee, 1938-1952],
[
Series 2: Brethren Social Policy, 1959-1961],
[
Series 3: Research Material, 1800-1985],
[
Series 4: Brethren in Virginia, 1889-1989],
[
Series 5: Meeting Minutes and Committees, 1957-1980],
[
Series 6: The History of the Bridgewater Virginia Church of the Brethren, 1813-1978],
[
Series 7: Sappington's Sermons, 1935-1958],
[
Series 8: Brethren Committee Meeting Notes, 1912-1985],
[
Series 9: Professorial Papers, 1962-1987],
[
Series 10: Assorted Biographical Research and Resources, 1833-1988],
[
Series 11: General brethren Research, 1865-1970],
[
Series 12: Brethren in Industrial America & The Brethren in the New Nation, 1893-1970],
[
Series 13: The Brethren in the Carolinas: the history of the Church of the Brethren in the district of North and South Carolina, 1869-1986],
[
Series 14: General Notes on Conscientious Objection and Peace, 1926-1988],
[
Series 15: Correspondence, 1955-1988],
[
Series 16: Sappington's Graduate Work, 1950-1992],
[
Series 17: The Courageous Prophet: chapters from the life of John Kline; The Brethren Along the Snake River; Reuel B. Prichett: Tennessee churchman and antiquarian, 1964-1972],
[
Series 18: Sappington's Classes, 1937-1991],
[
Series 19: Sappington's Undergraduate Class Papers, 1946-1959],
[Series 20: Index Cards],
[
All]