Guide to the Francis John McConnell Family Papers
Prepared by Peter Cole, Student Assistant; Robert Drew Simpson, Assistant Archivist and Mark C. Shenise, Associate Archivist
United Methodist Archives and History Center
General Commission on Archives and History of The United Methodist Church
12/18/2001
(Published for the Drew University Methodist Library)
Overview of Collection
|
|
| Record Creator: |
McConnell, Francis John |
| Title: |
Francis John McConnell Family Papers |
| Date Span: |
1894-1984 |
| Abstract: |
Francis John McConnell was a Methodist Church bishop. The collection is made up of material relating to his ministry, family, social. |
| Extent: |
2.7 cubic feet |
| Resource ID:
|
drew.ms.2400 |
Biographical
Francis John McConnell (1871-1953), American bishop, was born in Ohio August 18, 1871, the son of I. H. and Nancy J. Chalfant McConnell. His father was a Methodist preacher.
McConnell was educated at Ohio Wesleyan College and Boston University School of Theology. On March 11, 1887, he married Eva Thomas. They had two sons and a daughter.
McConnell became a member of the New England Conference in 1894, and served several churches in Massachusetts before joining the New York Conference.
From 1909 to 1912 he was president of DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. McConnell was elected to the episcopacy in 1912. As bishop he served, Denver, Pittsburgh, and New York. He retired in 1944.
McConnell's service in the larger church included the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America and the Methodist Federation of Social Action. He served as a visiting professor at Columbia University, Yale University, Drew Theological Seminary and Garrett Seminary. McConnell died on his 82nd birthday, August 18, 1955 in Lucasville, Ohio.
Eva Thomas McConnell (1871-1968), wife of Bishop Francis McConnell, was vice -president of The Women's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church and traveled widely with her husband. She died at Lucasville, Ohio, in her ninety-seventh year.
Dorothy McConnell (1900 - 1989), American editor and author and the daughter of Francis and Eva McConnell, was born at Ipswich, Massachusetts, on September 18, 1900.
She received her B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University in 1920, and the M.A. in 1922 from Columbia University. Dorothy McConnell was a social worker (1922-1926), and an editor (1926-1932). From 1940 to 1966 she was editor of World Outlook, a periodical of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church. McConnell served as a member of the Board of Higher Education in Asia, on the executive committee of the World Methodist Council, on the national board of the Y.W.C.A., committee member of the National Council of the Churches in Christ in the U.S.A. and of the World Council of Churches.
Scope Note
The Francis John McConnell collection brings together significant material documenting the church leadership of one of the foremost persons in the Methodist Episcopal Church of the 20th century. McConnell wrote extensively about church history, theology, the Bible, higher education, and social and political issues. He was an early defender of Hinkley G. Mitchell in the heresy controversy which led to the action of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church adopting a resolution giving the Conference the role of approving each professor of theology teaching in a Methodist institution. (Hinkley had lost his teaching position at Boston School of Theology because he doubted the traditional interpretation of Genesis.)
When McConnell was bishop of the Denver area, he was also responsible for the Methodist Episcopal Church in Mexico during the Mexican revolution and civil war. Bishop McConnell was a vocal supporter of the revolution.
When McConnell was a pastor in Pittsburgh, he became deeply involved in the steel strike of 1919 and was a strong advocate in the cause for labor rights. This was a harbinger of the strong social role he took throughout his ministry in every social issue from peace and justice to racism. A large correspondence is a source for reviewing the varied concerns of McConnell's ministry including his deep family relationships.
The collection also includes the manuscript of McConnell's autobiography. The family correspondence, especially with his wife Eva, is a source for appreciating the depth of family and marital bonds.
Arrangement
Materials have been arranged in the following manner.
Series: Administration
subseries: Correspondence
subseries: Writings
Series: Family
subseries: Charles McConnell
subseries: Correspondence
subseries: Dorothy McConnell
subseries: Images
Series: Mitchell Case
subseries: Clippings
subseries: Correspondence
subseries: Supporting Documents
Series: Non-McConnell Records
subseries: Correspondence
subseries: Reports by Others
Series: Social Issues
subseries: General Issues
subseries: Mexico
subseries: Steel Strike
Preferred Citation
When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder, Francis J. McConnell Family Collection, Drew University Methodist Collection, Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. Do not make use of the items' call number as that is not a stable descriptor.
Access Restrictions
Copyright still owned by Drew. Permission to publish must be directed to Drew
|
|
|
Subject Terms |
|
|
|
Additional Creators - Personal |
|
|
McConnell, Charles |
|
|
McConnell, Dorothy |
|
|
McConnell, Eva |
|
|
Mitchell, Huntley G. |
|
|
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano. |
|
Subject Names - Personal |
|
|
Bowne, Parker Borden |
|
|
Cadman, Samuel Parker |
|
|
Davis, Jerome |
|
|
Mitchell, Huntley G. |
|
|
Thomas, Norman |
|
|
Wesley, John. |
|
Subject Names - Corporate |
|
|
Boston University |
|
|
DePauw University |
|
|
Methodist Church (U.S.). Council of Bishops |
|
|
Methodist Church (U.S.). General Conference |
|
|
Methodist Federation for Social Action |
|
|
National Council of Churches |
|
|
United Methodist Church (U.S.). General Board of Global Ministries. Women's Division |
|
|
University of Denver |
|
Subject Topics |
|
|
Bible-Criticism, interpretation, etc. |
|
|
Bishops |
|
|
Christian education |
|
|
Church and industry |
|
|
Church and international organization |
|
|
Church and labor |
|
|
Church and social problems |
|
|
Church and state |
|
|
Church colleges |
|
|
Church history-20th century |
|
|
Ecumenical movement |
|
|
Episcopacy |
|
|
Fascism |
|
|
Human rights |
|
|
Methodist colleges |
|
|
Mexico-History-Revolution, 1910-1920 |
|
|
Modernist-fundamentalist controversy |
|
|
Religious education |
|
|
Social ethics |
|
|
Social justice |
|
|
Strikes and lockouts-Steel industry |
|
|
Theological seminaries, Methodist |
|
|
Theology -Study and teaching -Methodist Episcopal Church |
|
|
Trials (Heresy) |
|
|
Women. |
|
Subject Geographic |
|
|
Colorado |
|
|
Indiana |
|
|
Massachusetts |
|
|
Mexico |
|
|
United States. |
|
Genre |
|
|
Annual reports |
|
|
Articles |
|
|
Autobiographies |
|
|
Autographs |
|
|
Awards |
|
|
Biographies |
|
|
Clippings |
|
|
Correspondence |
|
|
Financial records |
|
|
Lectures |
|
|
Legal documents |
|
|
Manuscripts |
|
|
Periodicals |
|
|
Photographs |
|
|
Publications |
|
|
Wills. |
|
Occupations |
|
|
Bishop |
|
|
Minister. |
Series: Administration
Sub-series: Correspondence
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-2:
1 |
Fragments |
Undated |
| 2131-4-2:
2 |
Correspondence |
Undated |
| 2131-4-2:
3 |
Correspondence |
1900-1919 |
| 2131-4-2:
4 |
Election to the Episcopacy |
1912 |
| 2131-4-2:
5 |
Election to the Episcopacy |
1912 |
| 2131-4-2:
6 |
Election to the Episcopacy |
1912 |
| 2131-4-2:
7 |
Correspondence |
1920-1928 |
| 2131-4-2:
8 |
Correspondence |
1929 |
| 2131-4-2:
9 |
Correspondence |
1930 |
| 2131-4-3:
1 |
Correspondence |
1931-1936 |
| 2131-4-3:
2 |
Correspondence |
1937 |
| 2131-4-3:
3 |
Correspondence--Book--Francis J. McConnell |
1937 |
| 2131-4-3:
4 |
Correspondence |
1938-1946 |
| 2131-4-3:
5 |
Correspondence |
1947-1949 |
| 2131-4-3:
6 |
Correspondence |
1950-1952 |
| 2131-4-7:
3 |
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Correspondence |
1933-1938 |
Sub-series: Writings
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-3:
7 |
Education |
1926-1938 |
| 2131-4-3:
8 |
Sermon Notes |
Undated |
| 2131-4-3:
9 |
Fragments |
1922-1953 |
| 2131-4-3:
10 |
Articles and Addresses---A-B |
1910-1938 |
| 2131-4-4:
1 |
Articles and Addresses---C-D |
1928-1940 |
| 2131-4-4:
2 |
Articles and Addresses---E |
1948 |
| 2131-4-4:
3 |
Articles and Addresses---F-J |
1926-1950 |
| 2131-4-4:
4 |
Articles and Addresses---K-L |
1928-1939 |
| 2131-4-4:
5 |
Articles and Addresses---M-P |
1926-1953 |
| 2131-4-4:
6 |
Articles and Addresses---R |
1907-1939 |
| 2131-4-4:
7 |
Articles and Addresses----S |
1938-1939 |
| 2131-4-4:
8 |
Articles and Addresses----T-W |
1925-1949 |
| 2131-4-4:
9 |
Wesley Material |
1932-1939 |
| 2131-4-4:
10 |
Sermons |
1925-1949 |
| 2131-4-5:
1 |
Autobiography---Manuscript Draft---thru Block 3 |
1949 |
| 2131-4-5:
2 |
Autobiography---Manuscript Draft---Blocks 4-5 |
1949 |
| 2131-4-5:
3 |
Autobiography---Manuscript Draft---Blocks 6-7 |
1949 |
Series: Family
Sub-series: Charles McConnell
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-6:
4 |
Miscellaneous |
1957 |
Sub-series: Correspondence
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-6:
5 |
Correspondence |
Undated |
| 2131-4-6:
6 |
Correspondence |
1895-1923 |
| 2131-4-6:
7 |
Correspondence |
1924-1972 |
Sub-series: Dorothy McConnell
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-6:
1 |
Correspondence |
Undated |
| 2131-4-6:
2 |
Correspondence |
1919-1984 |
| 2131-4-6:
3 |
Reports and Documents |
1958-1979 |
Sub-series: Images
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-6:
8 |
Images |
1933-1956 |
Series: Mitchell Case
Sub-series: Clippings
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-5:
9 |
Clippings |
1905 |
Sub-series: Correspondence
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-5:
10 |
Correspondence |
1899-1908 |
| 2131-4-5:
11 |
Correspondence |
1907-1908 |
Sub-series: Supporting Documents
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-5:
8 |
Supporting Documents |
1899-1900 |
Series: Non-McConnell Records
Sub-series: Correspondence
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-6:
9 |
Correspondence |
1894-1978 |
Sub-series: Reports by Others
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-6:
10 |
A-F |
1909-1977 |
| 2131-4-6:
11 |
G-L |
1913-1978 |
| 2131-4-7:
1 |
M-U |
1899-1984 |
| 2131-4-7:
2 |
W-Y |
1922-1973 |
Series: Social Issues
Sub-series: General Issues
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-5:
7 |
Articles and Reports |
1920-1976 |
Sub-series: Mexico
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-5:
4 |
Correspondence |
1919-1921 |
| 2131-4-5:
5 |
Articles and Reports |
1919-1927 |
Sub-series: Steel Strike
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 2131-4-5:
6 |
Articles and Reports |
1920-1937 |
