St. Stephen's Church, Providence


University of Rhode Island, University Archives and Special Collections
15 Lippitt Road
Kingston, RI 02881-2011
Tel: 401-874-4632

email: archives@etal.uri.edu

Published in 2007

Collection Overview

Title: St. Stephen's Church, Providence
Date range: 1833-1988
Creator: St. Stephen's Church (Providence, R.I.)
Extent: 33 box(es)
(24 linear feet)
Abstract: The records described here document the administrative, fiscal and religious activities of St. Stephen's Church. Though the Church was chartered in 1839, the large majority of the records are from the twentieth century. The financial records of the parish are the most comprehensive, while administrative and religious activities are less completely documented.
Language of materials: English
Repository: University of Rhode Island, University Archives and Special Collections
Collection number: Mss. Gr. 98

Scope & content

The records of St. Stephen's Church documents the administrative activities of the parish and includes minutes of the parish's annual meetings, minutes of vestry and Parish Corporation meetings, a parish guest book, correspondence, bound copies of the Sunday Bulletin of the parish entitled The Kalendar, a typed chronology of significant events in parish history and a published history of the parish entitled St. Stephen's Church in Providence, 1839-1964.

Additional materials are bound volumes in which are recorded the details of religious services as well as listings of communicants, marriages, baptisms, confirmations, and burials held in the parish. The information recorded includes the date, the type of service, the place of service, the number of people in attendance, the name of the officiating priest and celebrant.

The bulk of the records detail the financial activities of the parish and includes balance sheets, check registers, cash receipts and disbursement ledgers, general ledgers, payroll ledgers, pledges and offering ledgers, treasurer's reports and treasurers' monthly statements. Further financial records include pew rental ledgers, and deeds to pews both in bound volumes and in loose pages.

The final grouping of documents consists of bound volumes of the parish's monthly newsletter entitled St. Stephen.

Arrangement

After processing, the records were organized into five series as follows:

  • 1. Subject Files, 1833-1988
  • 2. Registers of Church Services, 1837-1983
  • 3. Pew Records, 1840-1915
  • 4. Financial Records, 1864-1984
  • 5. St. Stephen,1885-1960

Access & Use

Access to the collection: Open for research.
Use of the materials: Terms governing use and reproduction: Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.
Preferred citation: St. Stephen's Church, Providence, Mss. Gr. 98, University of Rhode Island, University Archives and Special Collections.
Contact information: University of Rhode Island, University Archives and Special Collections
15 Lippitt Road
Kingston, RI 02881-2011
Tel: 401-874-4632

email: archives@etal.uri.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION  
Acquisition: The records of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Providence were deposited in the Special Collections Department of the University Library in 1989 by the priest-in-charge, the Rev. S. W. Martin.
Custodial history: Custodial HistoryHoused in the parish office prior to their transfer, the records are in generally good physical condition. In 2003 the parish deposited an additional 2 linear feet of records consisting of 8 bound registers of communicants, marriages, baptisms, confirmations, and burials in Special Collections. These were added to Series II. The records contained in this collection represent the inactive records of the parish. The most recent active records are still housed in the parish offices.
Processing information: The records were processed in 1991.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID  
Author: Finding aid prepared by Kevin J. Logan and Beth Ullucci.
Encoding: Finding aid encoded by Russell M. Franks on 2007 July 29, updated by Hailie D. Posey on 2009 September 2, updated by Mark Dionne2020 May 04
Descriptive rules: Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Related material: See Mss. Gr. 41, Records of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island, 1715-1990, and Mss. Gr. 41.1, Records of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island, 1810-2003, for additional related materials regarding St. Stephen's Church.
Separated material: There are no known separate materials.

Inventory

Inventory

Series 1. Subject Files, 1833-1988
4 box(es)
(3 linear feet)

The records in this series document the administrative and religious activities of St. Stephen's Church in
Providence, Rhode Island. Topics include the annual meetings of the parish, the Parish Corporation
, the vestry, fundraising, the history of the parish, renovation of the Parish House, the Ladies Sewing Circle
, and the Women's League
.

Types of records represented include minutes of meetings of the vestry, and the Parish Corporation, bound volumes of the minutes of parish annual meetings; the parish guest book; typed "historic notes" of the parish; contracts and plans for renovation of the Parish House; bound volumes of The Kalendar, the Sunday Bulletin of the parish; correspondence; and a history of the parish published on the occasion of its one hundred twenty-fifth anniversary and entitled St. Stephen's Church in Providence, 1839-1964.

Arrangement:

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

Container Description Date
Box 1, Folder 1 Annual Meetings, Minutes of
 1969, 1971-1972
Box 1, Folder 2 Centenary Luncheon Program

 1939
Box 1, Folder 3 Corporation and Vestry
Meetings, Minutes of. See also: Vestry Meetings, Minutes of
 1896 Apr 6, 1940 Nov 14
Box 1, Folder 4 Fundraising Brochure
 1954
Box 1, Folder 5 Guest Book
 1984-1988
Box 1, Folder 6 Historical Notes (Typed mss.)
 1932?
Box 2, Folder 6a The Kalendar
 1932-1956
Box 3, Folder 6b The Kalendar
 1957-1979
Box 4, Folder 7 Ladies Sewing Circle
: Accounts
 1838-1844
Box 4, Folder 8 Ordination Service
 1868
Box 4, Folder 9 Parish House Renovations: Contract and Plans
 1955
Box 4, Folder 10 Photograph: St. Stephen's
 undated
Box 4, Folder 11 Report of the Rector to the Convention
 1839?
Box 4, Folder 12 Saint Stephen's Church in Providence, the History of a New England Tractarian Parish 1839-1964, by Norman Joseph Catir, Jr. 1964.
 1964
Box 4, Folder 13 Subscriptions for the Erection of St. Steven's
 1833?
Box 4, Folder 14 Vestry: Miscellaneous
 1967-1974, undated
Box 4, Folder 15 Women's League of St. Stephen's
: Meetings
 1956-1962
Box 4, Folder 16 Women's League of St. Stephen's: Meetings
 1963-1971

Series 2. Registers of Church Services, 1837-1983
4 box(es) plus 5 oversized boxes
(2 linear feet)

This series consists of bound volumes in which are recorded the details of religious services as well as listings of communicants, marriages, baptisms, confirmations, and burials held in the parish. The information recorded includes the date, the type of service, the place of service, the number of people in attendance, the name of the officiating priest and celebrant.

Arrangement:

The registers are arranged chronologically.

Container Description Date
Box 5, Folder 1 Register of Church Services
 1924 Sep 7-1949 Dec 9
Box 5, Folder 2 Register of Church Services
 1949 Dec 10-1953 Jul 24
Box 5, Folder 3 Register of Church Services
 1953 Aug 8-1957 May 23
Box 6, Folder 4 Register of Church Services
 1957 May 24-1961 Dec 13
Box 6, Folder 5 Register of Church Services
 1961 Dec 14-1962 Nov 2
Box 6, Folder 6 Register of Church Services
 1962 Nov 3-1964 Apr 6
Box 6, Folder 7 Register of Church Services
 1964 Apr 7-1965 Nov 5
Box 6, Folder 8 Register of Church Services
 1965 Nov 6-1967 Mar 8
Box 7, Folder 9 Register of Church Services
 1967 Mar 8-1968 Aug 28
Box 7, Folder 10 Register of Church Services
 1968 Aug 28-1970 Mar 4
Box 7, Folder 11 Register of Church Services
 1970 Mar 5-1972 Oct 29
Box 7, Folder 12 Register of Church Services
 1972 Oct 30-1973 Nov 8
Box 8, Folder 13 Register of Church Services
 1973 Nov 9-1975 Oct 29
Box 8, Folder 14 Register of Church Services
 1975 Oct 30-1977 Jul 10
Box 8, Folder 15 Register of Church Services
 1977 Jul 10-1979 Mar 14
Box 8, Folder 16 Register of Church Services
 1979 Mar 15-1981 Feb 4
Box 8, Folder 17 Register of Communicants, Marriages, Baptisms, Confirmations, Burials (in oversize 1)
 1837-1872
Box 8, Folder 18 Register of Communicants, Marriages, Baptisms, Confirmations, Burials (in oversize 1)
 1874-1893
Box 8, Folder 19 Register of Communicants, Marriages, Baptisms, Confirmations, Burials (in oversize 2)
 1893-1905
Box 8, Folder 20 Register of Communicants, Marriages, Baptisms, Confirmations, Burials (in oversize 3)
 1905-1922
Box 8, Folder 21 Register of Communicants, Marriages, Baptisms, Confirmations, Burials (in oversize 4)
 1922-1931
Box 8, Folder 22 Register of Communicants, Marriages, Baptisms, Confirmations, Burials (in oversize 4)
 1931-1947
Box 8, Folder 23 Register of Communicants, Marriages, Baptisms, Confirmations, Burials (in oversize 5)
 1947-1962
Box 8, Folder 24 Register of Communicants, Marriages, Baptisms, Confirmations, Burials (in oversize 5)
 1962-1983

Series 3. Pew Records, 1840-1915
2 box(es)
(1 linear feet)

The records in this series document the rental and transfer of pews in St. Stephen's Church. Included are bound volumes of deeds to pews, unbound copies of deeds, and pew rental and tax ledgers.

Until well into the twentieth century, the Episcopal churches in Rhode Island continued the practice of assigning specific pews in the church to families or individuals who paid a one time fee plus additional rental fees or taxes for the privilege of having a pew assigned to them. The individual or family received a deed to the pew and could will it or assign it to an heir or another parishioner as long as the rental fee or tax payments were current.

Arrangement:

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

Container Description Date
Box 9, Folder 1 Deed Book
 1840-1862 scattered
Box 9, Folder 2 Deed Book
 1862-1915 scattered
Box 9, Folder 3 Deeds
 1840-1863 scattered
Box 9, Folder 4 Deeds
 1867-1898 scattered
Box 10, Folder 5 Rent Ledger
 1844-1856
Box 10, Folder 6 Rent Ledger
 1856-1862
Box 10, Folder 7 Rent Ledger
 1862-1866
Box 10, Folder 8 Rent and Taxes Ledger. See: Oversize
 1864-1900
Box 10, Folder 9 Rent and Taxes Ledger. See: Oversize
 1900-1908

Series 4. Financial records, 1864-1984
8 box(es) plus 7 oversized boxes
(7 linear feet)

The records contained in this series document the financial activities of St. Stephen's Church. Included are trial balance sheets, check registers, cash receipts and disbursement ledgers, general ledgers, payroll ledgers, pledges and offerings ledgers, and the monthly and annual reports of the treasurer.

Arrangement:

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

Container Description Date
Box 11, Folder 1 Balance Sheets
 1968, 1972-1976
Box 11, Folder 2 Balance Sheets
 1977-1980
Box 11, Folder 3 Cash Book (In oversize 6)
 1864 Apr 30-1889 Jan 21
Box 11, Folder 4 Cash Book (In oversize 6)
 1889 Jan 21-1902 Aug 1
Box 11, Folder 5 Cash Book (In oversize 6)
 1902 Aug 1-1908 Apr 20
Box 11, Folder 6 Cash Book
 1908 Apr 21-1915 Apr 5
Box 11, Folder 7 Cash Receipts and Disbursements
 1967
Box 11, Folder 8 Cash Receipts and Disbursements
 1968
Box 11, Folder 9 Cash Receipts and Disbursements
 1972
Box 11, Folder 10 Cash Receipts and Disbursements
 1973
Box 12, Folder 11 Cash Receipts and Disbursements
 1974
Box 12, Folder 12 Cash Receipts and Disbursements
 1975
Box 12, Folder 13 Cash Receipts and Disbursements
 1976
Box 13, Folder 14 Cash Receipts and Disbursements
 1977
Box 13, Folder 15 Cash Receipts and Disbursements
 1978 Jan-1978 June
Box 13, Folder 16 Cash Disbursements
 1978 Jul-1978 Dec
Box 13, Folder 17 Cash Receipts
 1978
Box 13, Folder 18 Cash Disbursements
 1979 Jan-1979 Jun
Box 13, Folder 19 Cash Disbursements
 1979 Jul-1979 Dec
Box 13, Folder 20 Cash Receipts
 1979
Box 14, Folder 21 Check Register
 1907 Feb 11-1907 Aug 6
Box 14, Folder 22 Check Register
 1908
Box 14, Folder 23 Check Register
 1978 Nov 20, 1979 Jun 22
Box 14, Folder 24 Check Register
 1979 Jun 22, 1980 Feb 22
Box 14, Folder 25 Check Register
 1980 Feb 22-1980 Oct 31
Box 15, Folder 26 Check Register
 1980 Oct 31, 1981 Jun 5
Box 15, Folder 27 Check Register
1981 Jun 10-1981 Oct 30
Box 15, Folder 28 General Ledger
 1972-1973
Box 15, Folder 29 General Ledger
 1974-1976
Box 15, Folder 30 General Ledger
 1977-1978
Box 15, Folder 31 General Ledger
 1978-1980
Box 16, Folder 32 Journal Entries
 1957-1962, 1972-1975, 1978
Box 16, Folder 33 Payroll Book
 1973-1974
Box 16, Folder 34 Payroll Book
 1975-1976
Box 16, Folder 35 Payroll Book
 1977-1978
Box 16, Folder 36 Payroll Book
 1979-1980
Box 16, Folder 37 Payroll Book
 1981-1982
Box 16, Folder 38 Payroll Book
 1983-1984
Box 17, Folder 39 Pledges and Offerings
 1953, 1958
Box 17, Folder 40 Pledges and Offerings
 1959-1960
Box 17, Folder 41 Pledges and Offerings
 1961-1963
Box 17, Folder 42 Pledges and Offerings
 1964-1965
Box 17, Folder 43 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 7)
 1900-1915
Box 17, Folder 44 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 7)
1915-1921
Box 17, Folder 45 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 8)
1931
Box 17, Folder 46 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 8)
1932-1933
Box 17, Folder 47 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 8)
1934-1935
Box 17, Folder 48 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 8)
1936-1937
Box 17, Folder 49 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 9)
1938-1939
Box 17, Folder 50 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 9)
1940-1941
Box 17, Folder 51 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 9)
1942-1943
Box 17, Folder 52 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 9)
1944-1945
Box 17, Folder 53 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 10)
1946-1947
Box 17, Folder 54 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 10)
1948-1949
Box 17, Folder 55 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 10)
1950-1952
Box 17, Folder 56 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 10)
1953-1954
Box 17, Folder 57 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 11)
1955
Box 17, Folder 58 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 11)
1956-1957
Box 17, Folder 59 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 11)
1958-1959
Box 17, Folder 60 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 11)
1960-1961
Box 17, Folder 61 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 12)
1962-1964
Box 17, Folder 62 Pledges and Offerings Ledger. (In oversize 12)
1965-1966
Box 18, Folder 63 Treasurer's Reports: Monthly Statements
 1959-1963
Box 18, Folder 64 Treasurer's Reports: Monthly Statements
 1964-1967
Box 18, Folder 65 Treasurer's Reports: Monthly Statements
 1968-1969
Box 18, Folder 66 Treasurer's Reports: Monthly Statements
 1970
Box 18, Folder 67 Treasurer's Reports: Monthly Statements
 1971
Box 18, Folder 68 Treasurer's Reports: Monthly Statements
 1972
Box 18, Folder 69 Treasurer's Reports: Monthly Statements
 1973

Series 5. St. Stephen, 1885-1960
3 box(es)
(3 linear feet)

This series contains bound volumes of St. Stephen, the parish's monthly newsletter.

Arrangement:

The issues of the newsletter are arranged chronologically.

Container Description Date
Box 19 St. Stephen
1885-1910
Box 20 St. Stephen
1911-1940
Box 21 St. Stephen
 1940-1960