Roger E. Sappington Research Collection | Earl H. and Anita F. Hess Archives and Special Collections

By Tanner Simon '20

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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 2: Brethren Social Policy, 1959-1961

Box 2

Folder 1: Proof of Brethren Social Policy, 1908-1958, by Roger E. Sappington, 1961
Folder 2: Proof of Brethren Socisl Policy, 1908-1958, by Roger E. Sappington, 1961
Folder 3: Proof of Brethren Social Policy, 1908-1951, by Roger E. Sappington, 1961
Folder 4: Proof of Brethren Social Policy, 1908-1951, by Roger E. Sappington, 1961
Folder 5: Brethren Social Policy-- Duke dissertation by Roger E. Sappington with notes, 1959
Folder 6: Brethren Social Policy-- Duke dissertation by Roger E. Sappington with notes, 1959
Folder 7: Brethren Social Policy book draft, 1961
Folder 8: Brethren Social Policy book draft, 1961
Folder 9: Chapter 1 draft of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 10: Chapter 2 draft of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 11: Chapter 3 draft of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 12: Chapter 4 draft of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 13: Chapter 5 draft of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 14: Chapter 6 & 7 drafts of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 15: Chapter 1 & 2 drafts of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 16: Chapter 3 draft of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 17: Chapter 4 draft of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 18: Chapter 5 draft of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 19: Chapter 6 draft of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 20: Chapter 7 draft of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 21: Letter to Advisor from Roger Sappington
Folder 22: Abstract, preface, ect. of Brethren Social Policy
Folder 23: Speech