Guide to the David Marks papers, 1835-1845

Historical Note

David Marks was a popular evangelist who was connected with the establishment of the Foreign and Home Mission Societies, and the Education Society. He was also prominent in the anti-slavery movement.

Marks was born in New York state in 1805. He was called to the ministry at an early age, and at age 16 he began to preach, traveling through New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Kentucky, and Connecticut. In 1831, Marks was appointed agent of the newly established Book Concern, a position he held for four years. This became the Freewill Baptist printing establishment at Dover, N.H. In 1834, Marks took charge of a church in Portsmouth, N.H. and in 1836 he started a church in Rochester, N.Y.

In 1842, Marks moved to Oberlin, Ohio. His wife, Marilla, attended Oberlin Collegiate Institute and befriended Charles G. Finney, professor of theology and pastor of the Congregational Church. Marilla was active in the underground railroad activities in Ohio. David Marks died in 1845.

An autobiography, The Life of David Marks, was published in 1831. His wife, Marilla, edited and published his Memoirs after his death.

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Scope and Content Note

The David Marks Papers consists of what appear to be unbound journals which cover several periods of Marks's life. Included are numerous pages of notes and reflections pertaining to church services in Portsmouth, N.H. (1835); Rochester, N.Y, (1837); and Oberlin, Ohio (1844-45). Marks comments on lectures and sermons delivered by Amos Sutton, Asa Mahan, President of Oberlin Collegiate Institute; and Charles Finney, professor of theology at Oberlin.

There are numerous outlines of Marks's own sermons which he calls "skeletons;" 26 pages of notes concerning Freewill Baptist missions in India with minutes from several meetings of the Foreign Mission Society (April 1835); and notes for a letter addressed to William Burr, concerning the India missions dated October 1837.

There is also a 24-page sermon dated 1789/1792 which does not appear to have been copied by Marks and whose author is unknown.

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Organization and Arrangement

Organized into seven series: I. Portsmouth, N.H.; II. Rochester, N.Y.; III. Oberlin, Ohio; IV. Minutes; V. Sermon; VI. "Skeletons" of David Marks's Sermons; and VII. Miscellaneous.

Arranged in chronological order within series.

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

The collection is the physical property of Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library. Bates College holds literary rights only for material created by College personnel working on official behalf of the College, or for material which was given to the College with such rights specifically assigned. For all other material, literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for obtaining permission from rights holders for publication or other purposes that exceed fair use.

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Related Material

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Index Terms

These records are indexed under the following headings in the Bates College Library catalog. Researchers wishing to find related materials should search the catalog under these index terms.

Personal Names:

Corporate Names:

Geographic Subjects:

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Administrative Information

Acquisition and Custody Information

No provenance information available. Accession No.: xx-060.

Preferred Citation

David Marks papers, Edmund S. Muskie Archives and Special Collections Library, Bates College.

Processing Information

Initial arrangement and description by Judy Hansen, 1997.

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Series Description