John Heyl Vincent Papers - SMU/media/Site/Bridwell/Archives/BA30125.pdf · Page 3 John Heyl Vincent Papers Rev. John H. Vincent founded two successful religious periodicals: Northwestern

Finding Aid to the

John Heyl Vincent Papers

The Archives at Bridwell Library

Perkins School of Theology

Southern Methodist University

Dallas, Texas

John H. Vincent in 1848 or 1849. Box 314A, file 1, John Heyl Vincent papers.

Page 2 John Heyl Vincent Papers

Overview

Creator: Vincent, John Heyl

Title: John Heyl Vincent papers

Inclusive Dates: 1798-1956

Bulk Dates: 1860-1920

Abstract: John Heyl Vincent (1832-1920) was a bishop in the Methodist

Episcopal Church and a co-founder of the Chautauqua Institution.

The John Heyl Vincent papers consist of family history research files,

personal and professional correspondence, journals, public address

notes, publications, and photographs created or collected by John

Heyl Vincent; his wife, Sarah Elizabeth Dusenbury Vincent (1832-

1909); their son, Dr. George Edgar Vincent (1864-1941); and his

wife, Louise Palmer Vincent (1865-1953).

Accession Number: BridArch 301.25

Extent: 7 boxes; 6.5 linear ft.

Language: Material is in English.

Repository: Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist

University

Biographical Note

The Rev. John Heyl Vincent, S.T.D., LL. D. (1832-1920), was a noted minister, author,

educator, and public speaker. He was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on February 23, 1832,

to John Himrod Vincent (1798-1873) and Mary Raser Vincent (1803-1852). In 1838 the

Vincent family relocated to Northumberland County, Pennsylvania.

As a young adult, John Heyl Vincent worked as a school teacher and as a circuit riding

Methodist preacher. He was licensed to preach and became a local pastor in 1850. He

relocated to Newark, New Jersey in 1852 upon the death of his mother. After completing

studies at the Newark Wesleyan Institute, Vincent was ordained in the New Jersey

Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1857. His first action as elder was to

request a transfer to the Rock River Conference. While in Illinois, Rev. Vincent served

Methodist churches in Joilet, Mt. Morris, Galena, Rockford, and Chicago.

In 1862 John Heyl Vincent traveled to Europe and Palestine. This was the first of several

international voyages he would undertake. Toward the end of the American Civil War,

Vincent served in the U. S. Christian Commission.


Rev. John H. Vincent founded two successful religious periodicals: Northwestern Sunday

School Quarterly (1865) and Sunday School Teacher (1866). The Methodist Episcopal

Church General Conference of 1868 affirmed his work in religious education by naming

him editor of the Sunday-School Journal, Corresponding Secretary of the Sunday-School

Union, and Superintendent of the Department of Sunday-School Instruction.

Believing that a large-scale, interdenominational, religious educators’ training event could

strengthen the Sunday School movement, Rev. Vincent and Akron, Ohio, businessman

Lewis Miller organized a Sunday School Assembly at Lake Chautauqua, New York, in

1874. The Chautauqua Assembly became the Chautauqua Institution under the long-term

guidance of President Miller and Chancellor Vincent.

Rev. Vincent was elected Bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1888. He was

named Resident Bishop Abroad in 1890, charged with overseeing Methodist conferences in

Europe. Bishop Vincent retired in 1904 and died in 1920.

John Heyl Vincent married Sarah Elizabeth Dusenbury (1832-1909), daughter of Henry and

Caroline Butler Dusenbury, on November 10, 1858. Known as Elizabeth, ―Lib,‖ and

―Libbie,‖ Mrs. Vincent shared her husband’s Methodist faith, love of books, and passion for

the promotion of education.

Their son, George Edgar Vincent (1864-1941), adopted many of his parents’ interests. He

became the literary editor of the Chautauqua Press in 1886 when in his early twenties.

George E. Vincent later served as Vice-President (1888-1889) and President (1907-1915) of

the Chautauqua Institution. Dr. Vincent taught and held administrative positions at the

University of Chicago from 1900 to 1911. From 1911 until 1917, he served as President of

the University of Minnesota. Dr. George Vincent then became the President of the

Rockefeller Foundation in 1917, retiring in 1929.

George Edgar Vincent married Mary Louise Palmer in January of 1890. They raised three

children: Isabel, John H., and Elizabeth.

Sources:

Leete, Frederick DeLand. Methodist Bishops – Personal Notes and Bibliography. Nashville:

Parthenon Press, 1948.

Price, Carl F. Who’s Who in American Methodism. New York: E. B. Treat & Co., 1916.

Vincent, Leon H. John Heyl Vincent: A Biographical Sketch. New York: The MacMillan

Co., 1925.

John Heyl Vincent, February 23, 1832 - May 9, 1920, Commemorative Exercises, August 1,

1920. Chautauqua, NY: Chautauqua Press, 1920.


Scope and Contents of the Collection

The John Heyl Vincent papers chronicle the family life and career of Methodist Bishop

John Heyl Vincent, revealing his broad intellectual and religious interests. The collection

also demonstrates that, during his long career as a public figure, Vincent met many of the

leaders of his day, including Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Thomas Edison. The

Vincent papers feature one linear foot of genealogical research notes, more than 1200

family and business letters, twenty folders of Chautauqua Institution-related materials, Rev.

Vincent’s lecture notes and journals, copies of books and booklets written by him,

publications owned by Bishop Vincent but not written by him, and photographs.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection has been arranged into nine topical series:

Series 1: Personal and Family History Files, 1798-1924

Series 2: Correspondence, 1822-1920

Series 3: Journals and Notebooks, 1832-1920

Series 4: Lecture Notes, 1860-1920

Series 5: Chautauqua, 1874-1925

Series 6: Publications by John H. Vincent, 1861-1912

Series 7: Other Printed Matter, 1875-1920

Series 8: Photographs, 1870-1920

Series 9: Administrative Data, 1920-1956

Restrictions

Access to Collection:

The collection is open for research use.

Publication Rights:

Permission to publish materials must be obtained from the Director of the Bridwell

Library.

Copyright Statement:

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain copyright authorization.

Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following terms in the Southern Methodist University

Libraries’ online catalog. Researchers desiring related materials may search the catalog

using these terms:

Vincent, John Heyl—1832-1920.

Methodist Episcopal Church—Bishops.

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/smu/00099/smu-00099.html#controlaccess


Chautauqua Institution.

Religious educators—United States.

Genealogies.—rbgenr

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation:

John Heyl Vincent papers, Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Southern

Methodist University.

Acquisition Information:

Gift of Bishop Frederick DeLand Leete, 1956.

Custodial History:

The core of this collection consists of materials that were gathered by John Heyl

Vincent and used by him in publishing a serialized autobiography in 1910. The

papers later came into the possession of George E. Vincent, who added

correspondence and anecdotes collected from Bishop Vincent’s friends and

colleagues. The augmented collection was then used by Bishop Vincent’s nephew,

Leon H. Vincent, author of John Heyl Vincent: A Biographical Sketch (1925).

Internal evidence suggests that the entire collection was acquired by Bishop

Frederick D. Leete. Bishop Leete added a number of publications by Bishop Vincent

given by Mrs. Paul V. Harper of Libertyville, Illinois, before donating these

materials to Bridwell Library in 1956 as part of his Methodist Historical Library.

Processing Information

This collection was arranged and described in 2010 by Timothy S. G. Binkley with

assistance from Heather M. Oglevie and Elizabeth Perry.

Encoded by Lara Corazalla, 2010.

Related Collections

Bridwell Library Digital Collections ―Images from the John Heyl Vincent Papers,‖ http://

digitalcollections.smu.edu/all/bridwell/jhv/

BridArch 301.09A Bishop F. D. Leete Bishops Collection, Bridwell Library, Perkins School

of Theology, Southern Methodist University.

BridArch 301.09B Bishop F. D. Leete Methodist Historical Collection, Bridwell Library,

Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University.

Bishop John H. Vincent’s 1893-1903 daybooks are owned by The Chautauqua Institution

and can be accessed through the New York State Library.

http://digitalcollections.smu.edu/all/bridwell/jhv/



John H. Vincent and Elizabeth D. Vincent, circa 1890. Box 314A, file 1,

John Heyl Vincent papers, Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology,

Southern Methodist University.

Detailed Description of the Collection

Series 1: Personal and Family History Files, 1798-1924

The first series, Personal and Family History Files, consists of sixty-six folders of

biographical and genealogical documents dating between 1798 and 1924. The series has

been divided into nine subseries:

Subseries 1: Personal and Family Life

Subseries 2: School Teacher and Circuit Rider

Subseries 3: Ministry in New Jersey and Illinois

Subseries 4: Travel Abroad

Subseries 5: Civil War

Subseries 6: Sunday School Work

Subseries 7: Episcopate

Subseries 8: Youth and Young Adult Ministries

Subseries 9: Retirement


The subseries follow the order of a previous arrangement scheme that reflects the outline of

Leon H. Vincent’s book, John Heyl Vincent: A Biographical Sketch.

Box File Contents Dates

Subseries 1: Personal and Family Life

287 01 Notes autobiographical 1880-1924

02 Notes autobiographical 1880-1924

03 Anecdotes 1880-1924

04 Biographical data 1880-1933

05 Bibliography and chronology 1900-1924

06 Bethuel Vincent memoir 1890

07 Elizabeth Dusenbury Vincent 1854-1909

08 J. Himrod Vincent 1867-1924

09 Mary R. Vincent 1892

10 Anna Vincent Massey 1906

11 Family mementoes 1877-1909

12 Genealogy research 1808-1900




16 Major Hogan letter 1825

17 John H. Vincent’s descendents 1870-1924

18 John H. Vincent’s humor 1920-1924

19 Religious thought and experience 1865-1924

20 Methodism 1895-1900

21 Chillisquaque (Vincent Memorial) Chapel 1889-1902

22 Appreciations and obituaries 1888-1924

Oversize:

2022 01 Genealogy oversize (from Box 287 file 14) 1798-1887

Subseries 2: School Teacher and Circuit Rider

287 23 School teaching 1849

24 Luzerne Circuit 1887-1924

Subseries 3: Ministry in New Jersey and Illinois

287 25 New Jersey 1867-1924

26 Joliet and Mt. Morris, IL 1858-1924

27 Galena, IL 1862-1924

28 Rockford, IL 1863-1924

29 Rock River Conference 1883

30 Plainfield, NJ reflection 1888

31 Palestine Classes 1857-1887



287 32 Palestine Classes Ledger 1855-1862

Subseries 4: Travel Abroad

287 33 Europe 1862 1862-1924

34 First Palestine Trip 1862 1862-1924

35 Europe 1871 1871-1924

36 Europe 1886 / Second Palestine Trip 1886-1924

37 Europe 1891 1891-1924

38 Europe 1892 1892-1924

Subseries 5: Civil War

287 39 U. S. Christian Commission 1862-1924

40 General Grant 1865-1924

41 Farewell Address to the soldiers 1861-1924

42 12th Regiment Reunion 1896

Oversize:

Flat File Drawer 1 General Grant oversize materials 1865

2022 02 Newspaper Account of A. Lincoln’s Funeral 1865

Subseries 6: Sunday School Work

288 01 Sunday School movement leadership 1865-1920

02 International Sunday School movement 1878-1920

03 Notes for Sunday School work 1864-1900

04 Sunday School institutes 1867-1878

05 Uniform Sunday School Lessons 1871-1891

Subseries 7: Episcopate

288 06 Election to office 1884-1920

07 Critical articles and letters 1896

08 Europe 1893 1893-1924

09 Harvard University 1894-1895 1893-1924

10 South America 1896-1897 1896-1924

11 Europe 1901-1904 1901-1924

12 Wesley’s Chapel Simpson window 1901-1902

13 Rules and practices as Bishop 1890-1924

14 Mount Union College Trusteeship 1888-1920 1923

Oversize:

2022 03 Europe articles by J. H. Vincent 1901

04 ―Seven Days Study in Church Life‖ 1905



Subseries 8: Youth and Young Adult Ministries

288 15 Epworth League 1889-1891

16 Oxford League 1887-1924

17 Our Youth (undated issue) 1880-1900

Subseries 9: Retirement

288 18 ―Timely Message‖ Roosevelt Christmas letter 1908-1909

19 Retirement reflections and correspondence 1908-1910

Oversize:

2022 05 ―Timely Message‖ Vincent Christmas Letter 1908-1909

Series 2: Correspondence, 1822-1920

The second series is an extensive collection of family (90%) and business (10%)

correspondence. These letters and cards date between 1822 and 1920. Most of the 1200

letters in Bishop John H. Vincent papers reside in the seventy-seven folders of this series,

which has been divided into six subseries:

Subseries 1: John Heyl Vincent

Subseries 2: Elizabeth Dusenbury Vincent

Subseries 3: George Edgar Vincent

Subseries 4: Louise Palmer Vincent

Subseries 5: Extended Family

Subseries 6: Correspondence File Remainders

One item that merits special note is John H. Vincent’s letter to Elizabeth dated April 12,

1865, in which he discusses meeting President Abraham Lincoln while visiting General

Grant.

Subseries 1: John Heyl Vincent

288 20 To J. Himrod Vincent 1860

21 To Henry Dusenbury 1858

22 To Elizabeth D. Vincent 1859-1879


24 To Elizabeth D. Vincent 1882









288 31 To Elizabeth D. Vincent 1900-1904


33 To Elizabeth D. Vincent, undated 1865-1909

34 To George E. Vincent 1865-1869


36 To George E. Vincent, undated 1869-1920

37 To Louise P. Vincent 1908

38 To Others 1869-1915

39 From J. Himrod Vincent 1850-1853

40 From Bethuel Vincent 1855, 1900-1903

41 From Others 1851-1893


43 From Others, undated 1860-1920

44 70th birthday greetings notebook 1902

Subseries 2: Elizabeth Dusenbury Vincent

288 45 To Henry Dusenbury 1859

46 To John H. Vincent 1859-1868





289 01 To John H. Vincent, undated 1859-1909

02 To John H. Vincent, undated 1859-1909

03 To George E. Vincent 1869, 1895


05 From Grandchildren 1900-1907


Subseries 3: George Edgar Vincent

289 07 To John H. Vincent 1875-1884


09 To John H. Vincent 1890

10 To John H. Vincent 1891



13 To John H. Vincent, undated 1880-1910






289 17 To Elizabeth D. Vincent 1893-1895





22 To Elizabeth D. Vincent Jan.-June 1905

23 To Elizabeth D. Vincent Aug.-Dec. 1905


25 To Elizabeth D. Vincent July-Dec. 1906

26 To Elizabeth D. Vincent Jan.-March 1907

27 To Elizabeth D. Vincent Apr.-July 1907


29 To Elizabeth D. Vincent July-Dec. 1908


31 To Louise P. Vincent 1906


Subseries 4: Louise Palmer Vincent

289 33 To John H. Vincent, undated 1880-1920










Subseries 5: Other Family Members

289 43 Extended family 1822-1865

44 Extended family 1883-1906

45 ―Vincent Family Bulletin‖ newsletter 1908

Subseries 6: Correspondence File Remainders

289 46 Other and unidentified senders / recipients 1889-1908

47 Enclosures 1902-1909



Series 3: Journals and Notebooks, 1832-1920

The third series is comprised of fifteen folders containing John H. Vincent’s personal

journals, notebooks, and pocket calendars. These items give offer insights into Vincent’s

thoughts and activities throughout much of his life (1832-1920).

297 01 Journal 1832-1865

02 Journals 1850-1861

03 Journals 1862

04 Journals 1862-1863

05 Journals 1863-1872

06 Notebooks 1878, 1890

07 Notebooks, undated 1860-1920

08 Helpful Hints for the Sunday School Teacher 1866

09 12 Lessons from Genesis / 12 Lessons from the Psalms 1860-1920

10 Sermons notebook 1888-1891

11 Pocket calendars 1893, 1897

12 Chautauqua memoranda 1885-1887

13 European episcopacy notebook 1893

14 Europe notebook 1901-1903

15 Unidentified notebook (post-1850 narrative) 1850-1900

Series 4: Lecture Notes, 1860-1920

Series 4, Lecture Notes, contains thirty folders of lecture and sermon notes and an oversize

folder of newspaper clippings about Bishop Vincent’s public addresses. Most items in this

series are undated and may have been produced any time between 1860 and 1920.

297 16 South America 1860-1920

17 ―The Receding House: Mother‖ 1912-1913

18 ―Sidney Lanier‖ 1881-1920

19 ―That Boy‖ 1860-1920

20 ―That Boy’s Sister‖ 1860-1920

21 ―That Boy’s Sister‖ (duplicate?) 1860-1920

22 ―The Best Type of Church Unity‖ 1912

23 ―Story of an English Sceptic‖ 1860-1920

24 ―School Out of School‖ 1890-1910

25 ―An Every Day Parliament‖ 1860-1920

26 Address to the Irish Conference 1902

27 Address to the English Wesleyan Conference 1902

28 ―Lecture on Egypt‖ 1863-1920

29 ―From Eisleben to Eisleben‖ 1880-1920



297 30 ―Hannah More― 1916

31 ―A Summer Journey‖ 1900-1910

32 ―Brain Work‖ 1860-1920

33 ―John Paul Jones‖ 1900-1910

34 ―A Greater and More Perfect Tabernacle‖ 1860-1920

35 ―A Vision in the Yosemite‖ Part 1 1895-1920

36 ―An Old Quilt‖ 1860-1920

37 ―The Subject of Prayer‖ 1860-1920

38 Switzerland 1860-1920

39 Canaan / Palestine 1860-1920

40 Robert Browning 1860-1920

41 ―Tuesday Evening Lecture on Miracles‖ 1860-1900

42 ―Question Drawer‖ 1860-1920

43 ―Story of the Christian Church‖ 1880-1920

44 Other lecture and sermon notes 1860-1920

45 Other lecture and sermon notes 1860-1920

Oversize:

2022 06 Lecture news clippings 1862-1898

Series 5: Chautauqua, 1874-1925

The fifth series includes twenty folders of data from and about the Chautauqua Institution.

Materials in this series date between 1874 and 1925.

313 01 Founding of Chautauqua 1876-1908

02 Chautauqua history 1881-1923

03 Board of Trustees 1887

04 Old first night 1912-1925

05 Articles 1889-1920

06 Chautauqua University 1886-1898

07 Chautauqua correspondence 1879-1910

08 Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle 1876-1923

09 Grant, Ulysses S. 1875-1900

10 Lathbury, Mary A. 1909-1910

11 Booklets, leaflets 1879-1920

12 Advertisements 1876-1910

13 Chautauqua Sunday School Assembly 1874-1897

14 S. C. Swallow article: ―Unmethodistic Literature‖ 1882

15 Piedmont Chautauqua correspondence 1888

16 Chautauqua in Great Britain 1897-1923

17 New England Assembly 1881-1885



313 18 Round Lake Sunday School Assembly 1878

19 Report of the Chautauqua Hebrew Class 1877

Oversize:

2022 07 Chautauqua Assembly Daily News 1876

Series 6: Publications by John H. Vincent, 1861-1912

The articles, tracts, booklets, and books in Series 6 represent Bishop Vincent’s many

published works. The earliest example dates from 1861; the latest from 1912. Some of these

volumes were owned by John H. Vincent. Others were added by Mrs. Paul V. Harper while

the collection was under the care of Bishop Frederick DeLand Leete.

313 20 The Chautauqua Text Books 1877-1878

21 The Chautauqua Text Books 1879

22 The Chautauqua Text Books 1880-1882

23 Chautauqua Hand Book of Sabbath-School Normal Work 1879

24 Our Alma Mater 1878-1887

25 The Book of Bible Services, part second 1877

26 The Magi and The Messiah 1880

27 Bible People 1882

28 Geometry 1883

29 The Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle 1889

30 To Old Bethlehem 1890

31 The Meaning of Chautauqua 1888-1912

32 Little Footprints in Bible Lands 1861, 1882

The Revival and After The Revival

33 Our Own Church 1890-1893

My Mother: An Appreciation

Two Letters to a Minister by Paul the Apostle

34 The Story of a Letter (Ephesians) 1893

Timothy: Two Letters to a Minister

35 The Holy Waiting: The Christian’s Hand-Book 1893, 1896

At the Table Altar: Meditations for a Month of Mornings

36 The Inner Life: A Study in Christian Experience 1900

37 My Church: the Church of the True Life 1890-1910

38 Zu Ihm: Der Weg zum wahren Leben 1890-1910

39 Old and New Fashions in Sunday School Work 1890-1910

40 Tracts 1888-1910

41 Articles and addresses 1862-1904

42 Oration: ―A School of Oratory‖ 1895

43 ―The Morning‖ Easter programs 1880



Series 7: Other Printed Matter, 1875-1920

Dating as early as 1875 and perhaps as late as 1920, the documents and publications in

Series 7 were in the possession on Bishop Vincent but were not produced by him.

313 44 Reviews of books by John H. Vincent 1880-1910

45 The Chautauqua School of Theology 1881

46 The Oxford League and the Epworth League 1875-1920

47 The Conference System of Theological Education 1903

48 The Church Steps 1875-1920

49 A Unique Church Club: An Appeal to Pastors 1880-1920

50 The Book of Psalms 1877

51 The Holy Bible 1885

Oversize:

2022 08 The Sunday School Times front cover 1875

Series 8: Photographs, 1870-1920

The forty-eight images in Series 8 include photographs of Bishop Vincent and Chautauqua

dating approximately 1870 to 1910. Of special note, a photograph of a daguerreotype of

John H. Vincent at age 16 or 17 (1848-1849) resides in file 1. The images in this series have

been digitized and posted on website http://digitalcollections.smu.edu/all/bridwell/jhv/ for

remote user access.

314A 01 Vincent family images 1870-1910

02 Bishop Potter cabinet card 1905

03 Lakescape (Chautauqua Lake?) 1870-1910

04 Gatherings / Events 1890-1910

05 Residences 1870-1910

06 Stereoscopic cards 1870-1910

07 Post cards 1900-1920

Series 9: Administrative Data, 1920-1956

The final series includes two folders of collection administration documents dating between

1920 and 1956. The inventory sheets in file 9 are not dated and may have been produced by

George or Leon Vincent in the 1920s, by an assistant to Bishop Leete in the 1950s, or by

Bridwell Library staff.

314A 08 Leete correspondence and book lists 1950-1956

09 George E. Vincent – Leon H. Vincent 1920-1925

10 Inventory sheets 1920-1956



“Old First Night, 1900.” Box 314A, file 4, John Heyl Vincent papers,

Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University.


Image of Vincent and Miller from a Chautauqua Institution publication.

Box 313, John Heyl Vincent papers, Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology,

Southern Methodist University.

Documents

John Heyl Vincent Papers - SMU/media/Site/Bridwell/Archives/BA30125.pdf · Page 3 John Heyl Vincent Papers Rev. John H. Vincent founded two successful religious periodicals: Northwestern