The "New York Baptist Union For Ministerial Education" was a membership
society whose objective was to:
"...furnish means of instruction to such young men of the Baptist
denomination, as shall give satisfactory evidence to the churches of which
they are members, and to the Trustees of the Society, of their personal
piety, and their call to the gospel ministry."

Schuyler County was formed in April 1854, three months before the fiscal
year covered by these records.  As can be seen in county assignments by
persons' names, following the founding of Schuyler County places that are
part of present-day Schuyler were at that time officially part of Tompkins
and Steuben Counties. The passing  back and forth of small areas of land in
some towns is a well-known a source of confusion for Schuyler County
genealogical researchers.

Fundraising in the Schuyler County area was done by Rev. Hezekiah West of
Watkins. Members paid dues of at least two dollars per year; life membership
was $20.00.   Although there was already a thriving Baptist theological
seminary in Hamilton, NY in 1854-55, the Union's goal was to create further
opportunity for a thorough training in the ministry at a new seminary in the
city of Rochester, Monroe County. By 1855 the Union had raised $40,000
towards the permanent endowment of professorships, a library of 7,000
volumes, and $28,000 in scholarship funds for a school with three full-time
professors and 40 theological students. The 1855 president's address
stressed that due to increasing immigration and population there was a need
to enlarge their German Department to train ministers to become pastors of
German-speaking congregations.

Monies were being raised at a time of severe economic depression in the
country overall. For fundraising purposes the state was divided into 3
geographic sections. Letters were sent to pastors of 636 Baptist churches in
the state. Only 210 churches responded and insufficient monies proportionate
to the seminary's needs were raised. The names of local residents below were
culled from listings of all Union members across NY State.

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TREASURER'S REPORT
>From July 10, 1854 to July 2, 1855
The New York Baptist Union for Ministerial Education

STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS
>From July 1854 to July 1st 1855

Name of ministers who secured the donations, Name of Member, Residence, Type
of Fund, Amount Donated.

Type of Donation:

L.M. = life membership
end. = general endowment notes and subscriptions
int. = interest on subscriptions, notes, &c.
Perm. Schol. = permanent scholarships
P.S. = permanent scholarships
U.S. = ?; not listed in table
 

Per Rev. H. WEST - Rep. for July (1854)
H. HEIST, Pine Grove, end. $6.00, int. $1.26

Per Rev. H. WEST - Rep. for August (1854)
Joseph JESSOP, Tyrone, L.M. $5.00
Peach Orchard Church, North Hector, U.S.  $1.50
Rev. H. WEST, Mecklenburg, L.M. $10.00
Mrs. H. WEST, Mecklenburg, L.M. $10.00
Elizabeth B. HANLEY, Peach Orchard, end. $20.00

Per Rev. H. WEST - Rep. for September (1854)
Jersey & Tyrone Church, L.M. $6.00
Tyrone Church, Altay, L.M. $1.25
Catlin & Dix Church, Moreland, L.M. $4.50
J.M. JACKSON, Altay, int. $2.60
J.H. NICHOLS, Reading Cen.,  end. $6.25, int. $1.40

Per Rev. H. WEST - October (1854)
Mecklenburg Church, U.S. $2.38
Peach Orchard Church, U.S. $2.50
J.D. DAVIS, Reading Cen., end. $6.00, int. $1.37
H.S. OWEN, Mecklenburg, end. $18.75, int. $1.31

Per Rev. H. WEST - December (1854)
Tyrone & Jersey Church, for Life Member for Mrs. O.B. Call, Weston, $14.50
Tyrone Church, Altay, for Life Member to Rev. Edwin ROYCE, $4.00

Per Rev. H. WEST - January (1855)
Reading Church, Reading Center, U.S. $2.65
Mrs. Roswell HOLDEN, Reading, L.M. $5.00

Per Rev. H. WEST - February (1855)
Catlin & Dix Church, U.S. .25

Per Rev. H. West - March (1855)
O.B. Case, Weston, end. $6.25, int. $1.10

LIFE MEMBERS
By Payment of Twenty Dollars and Upwards

BAILEY, Jarvis, Tyrone, Schuyler
BENNETT, Mrs. Atilda G., Havanna, Schuyler
DAVIS, John D., Reading, Schuyler
ELLIS, Cornelius, Reading, Schuyler
GARRISON, Dea. Marvel, Mecklenburgh, Tompkins
GIBBS, Rev. O.W., Bennettsburg
HEIST, Henry, Pine Grove, Schuyler
JESSUP, Joseph, Tyrone, Steuben
KENDALL, L.S., Tyrone, Steuben
LaFEVER, Reuben, Reading, Schuyler
NICHOLS, John H., Reading, Schuyler
OWEN, Henry S., Mecklenberg (sp), Tompkins
SEARS, Orrin, Mecklenburg, Tompkins
SEARS, Mrs. Orrin, Mecklenburg, Tompkins
SMITH, C.R., Reading, Schuyler
SUNDERLIN, Eli, Tyrone, Steuben
SUNDERLIN, Mrs. E., Tyrone, Steuben
WEST, Rev. Hezekiah, Watkins, Schuyler
WEST, Mrs. H., Watkins, Schuyler

All spellings and locations are as in the original book.

Contributed by  Martha Perry Magill
Copyright © 1999 Martha Perry Magill
All Rights Reserved.