St. Peter's and St. Andrew's Church, Providence (Mss. Gr. 87)

Series 1. Subject Files, 1899-1986 [1971-1986]
10 box(es)
(5 linear feet)

The Subject Files series contains the general administrative records of the parish. Included are correspondence, annual reports, minutes of annual meetings, minutes of vestry and corporation meetings, printed histories of the parish, parochial reports, lists of parishioners, mortgages, and deeds. Although the large majority of the records in this series were generated by the merged parish of St. Peter's and St. Andrew's, there are some records in the series which pre-date the 1972 merger and were created by one of the two parishes. The records are arranged by the subject and it is possible to find records of all three parishes under one subject heading. In all other cases, the records of the two churches prior to 1972 have been identified under the appropriate folder title. Subjects treated in this series include annual meetings, annual reports, guidelines for acolytes, the by-laws and constitution, Diocesan Conventions and Councils, newsletters, renovations to the church, and meetings of the Vestry and Corporation. The minutes of Vestry and Corporation meetings reveal the struggle of the two separate parishes to survive in the face of financial difficulties and a sharp decline in the number of parishioners. The materials relating to the merger document the process which led to the creation of the combined parish of St. Peter's and St. Andrew's Church from the two separate parishes of St. Peter's Church and St. Andrew's Church.

Arrangement: The records in this series are arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically within folders.

Series 2. Financial Records, 1900-1907 [1958-1986]
4 box(es)
(2 linear feet)

This series consists of financial records documenting the fiscal activity of the two separate parishes and the later combined parish. Although the majority of the records in this series were generated by the combined parish of St. Peter's and St. Andrew's, there are some fiscal records which predate the 1972 merger of the two parishes. No attempt has been made to distinguish among the records of the two pre-merger parishes and the new parish created by the merger. Records for all three are intermingled by the subject or type of record in the appropriately labeled folders (e.g., Treasurer's Reports).

Included among the records are audits, bank statements, bills and receipts, correspondence, cancelled checks, leases, pledges, and subscriptions, and annual and monthly treasurer's reports. Also included are records relating to the parish's rental property. The parish owned apartments which it rented in order to supplement its income. The folders labeled "Rental Property" document these activities.

Arrangement: The records in this series are arranged alphabetically by subject or type of record and chronologically within folders.

Series 3. Parish Registers, 1891-1971
2 box(es)
(1 linear feet)

This series consists of baptism, confirmation, marriage, and burial registers for the separate parishes of St. Peter's Church of Manton, and St. Andrews Church of Providence. Registers for the combined parish are located at the St. Peter's and St. Andrew's Church. The registers provide quite detailed information. For example, the marriage registers lists the names, ages, residence, parents, and prior marital status (e.g., bachelor, widower, maiden, widow) of the prospective bride and groom. The burial registers, in addition to listing the name and age at death of the deceased, also list the cause of death.

Arrangement: The registers are divided by parish and then arranged alphabetically by the type of the register for each parish.

Series 4. Church Bulletins, 1972-1986
2 box(es)
(2 linear feet)

This series contains the bulletins issued by St. Peter's and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church for their weekly services, as well as bulletins for special services such as Easter and Christmas. The bulletins contain schedules for church services, announcements of events, requests for prayers, and communications from the diocese. Only bulletins from the combined parish are represented in this series. Bulletins from the previously separate parishes were not included among the records transferred to Special Collections.

Arrangement: The weekly bulletins are arranged chronologically. Bulletins for special services were grouped together under the folder title of "Christmas - Easter" and placed at the beginning of the series.

Series 5. Photographs, 1902-1977
1 box(es)
(0.5 linear feet)

The photograph series contains about 200 color and black and white photographs documenting events and people in the history of St. Peter's Church, St. Andrew's Church and St. Peter's and Andrew's Church. The photographs are unidentified and have been organized into broad categories (e.g. building exteriors, building interiors, people in groups, social events).

Arrangement: The photographs are arranged alphabetically by category.

Series 6. Memorabilia, 1960-1975
1 box(es)
(0.5 linear feet)

The Memorabilia series consists of dedicatory/memorial plaques and four printer's engravings used in illustrating church publications.

Arrangement: There is no particular arrangement to this series.