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Overview
Biographical Note
Scope and Content
Arrangement
Preferred Citation
Restrictions on Access
Restrictions on Use
Related Material
Subject Terms
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| Record Creator: | Jayne, Walter Peter |
| Title: | Walter Payne Jayne Papers |
| Date Span: | 1838-1904 |
| Abstract: | Walter Peter Jayne (1810-1894), American Printer and Missionary, was born on January 18, 1810 in Islip, Long Island, New York. In 1838, the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church hired Jayne to set up a printing press in Monrovia, Liberia. Walter Jayne died in his home in Williamsbridge section of New York City on January 27, 1894. The biggest part of the collection is two journals Walter Jayne created while serving in Monrovia, Liberia. |
| Extent: | 0.36 cubic feet |
| Identification: | drew.ms.gcah2393 |
| dbtext | 2393 |
Walter Peter Jayne (1810-1894), American Printer and Missionary, was born on January 18, 1810 in Islip, Long Island, New York. Jayne married Eleanor Ferguson on April 16, 1832. By 1834, the Jaynes' moved to New York City where Walter set up a printing shop. In 1838, the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church hired Jayne to set up a printing press in Monrovia, Liberia. Jayne left his family on December 12, 1838 to sail across the ocean to his new employment. The ship finally docked at its destination on January, 19, 1839 and began offloading all the necessary equipment and supplies to start printing the Africa Luminary, a mission paper. Jayne spent a little more than two years at Monrovia while setting up the press on solid footing. By the time he set sail back to New York City on May 17, 1841, there were two well trained indigenous Liberians to take over the mission’s printing shop. On June 30, the ship docked in New York City where Walter resumed his life. He moved his family to Medina, Ohio, for one year before returning to New York City where Jayne successfully established his own printing firm. Walter Jayne died in his home in Williamsbridge section of New York City on January 27, 1894
The biggest part of the collection is two journals Walter Jayne created while serving in Monrovia, Liberia. He writes in frank, detailed prose about serving as a missionary printer during the formative years of Methodist Episcopal Church work in the area. Most entries give reach detail on a variety of topics which include African culture, topography, daily hardships along with the joys of mission work of all attached to the Monrovia station, his faith, etc. The one true gem, however, is how a nineteenth century mission printing press gets started and then runs a successful enterprise under trying circumstances. There is a typed transcript of the journals as well. Loose documents from the inside cover of the first journal volume covering a variety of topics are separated out for the researcher’s convenience. Correspondence from the 1860s reveals how Jayne maintained a business contact with the mission by importing dry goods to his New York City office.
Materials have been arranged in the following manner.
Material arranged by record type.
When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder, Walter Peter Jayne Papers, Methodist Collection - Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. Do not make use of the item's call number as that is not a stable descriptor.
There are no restrictions regarding this collection. Copyright still owned by Drew. Permissions to publish must be directed to Drew.
Detailed use restrictions relating to our collections can be requested from the office of the archivist at the General Commission on Archives and History. Photocopying is handled by the staff and may be limited in certain instances. Before using any material for publication from this collection a formal request for permission to publish is expected and required.
Africa's Luminary, 1839-1841 - Microfilm
S. M. E. Goheen Journal
John Seys Correspondence
Index Terms |
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| Subject Terms | ||
| Missions-Africa | ||
| Geographic Terms | ||
| Liberia | ||
| Subject Names - Corporate Bodies | ||
| Methodist Episcopal Church | ||
| Genre Terms | ||
| Clippings | ||
| Correspondence | ||
| Journals | ||
| Maps | ||
| Transcripts | ||
| Call Number | Folder Title | Date(s) |
| - 2143-4-4: 1 | Journal | 1838-1840 |
| - 2143-4-4: 2 | Journal | 1841 |
| - 2143-4-4: 3 | Correspondence | 1860-1885 |
| - 2143-4-4: 4 | Clippings and Maps | 1904 |
| - 2143-4-4: 5 | Transcripts | 1838-1841 |
