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American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1810 (date of establishment)
  • Existence: 1961 (date of dissolution)

Historical Summary

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM) was among the first American Christian missionary organizations. It was created in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College. In the 19th century it was the largest and most important of American missionary organizations and consisted of participants from Reformed traditions such as Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and German Reformed churches.

After some secessions due to the slavery issue and the movement of New School Presbyterian-affiliated missionaries to the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, the ABCFM was left as a Congregationalist body after 1870.[1] The American Board, as it was known continued to operate as a largely Congregationalist entity until the 1950s. In 1957, the Congregational Christian church merged with the German Evangelical and Reformed Church to form the United Church of Christ. As a part of the organizational merger associated with this new denomination, the ABCFM ceased independent existence and merged operations with other missions entities to form the United Church Board for World Ministries, an agency of the United Church of Christ.

Found in 56 Collections and/or Records:

Blake and Goodsell Family papers, 1883-2005. : [manuscript]

 Collection
Identifier: MS4922 (RG1200)
Abstract Fred Field Goodsell was born to Dennis and Abby Goodsell in 1880. He graduated from UC Berkley and enrolled as a student at the Hartford Seminary in 1902. Goodsell married Lulu (Lou) Service on June 26th, 1905. Lou was born to John and Julia Service on 1881. In 1907 the couple moved to Turkey where they serviced as missionaries for the next 23 years. Their first years were at Central Turkey College in rural Aintab (Gaziantep). From 1914 to 1919 the Goodsells returned to the United States...
Dates: 1883-2005 [Bulk: 1905-1980]

Campbell Family papers, 1912-1993.

 Collection
Identifier: MS0043
Abstract Iain C. G. Campbell was born in St. Albans, England on June 15, 1912. He graduated from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 1935. He was ordained as a Congregationalist in Omaha, NE in June 1952. He served as pastor in Albion, NE from 1950-1970, Fairmont, NE from 1957-1958, Weeping Water in NE, 1958-1974 and was a pastor emeritus from 1974-1997. He died in Lincoln, NE on December 22, 1997. Iain, an archaeologist and teacher, met missionary Gladys Perry Campbell in Turkey. Gladys...
Dates: 1912-1993

Capron Family papers, 1777-1950.

 Collection
Identifier: MS0044
Abstract William Banfield Capron was born in Uxbridge, Massachusetts on April 14, 1824. Sarah Brown Hooker was born in Lanesboro, Massachusetts, on April 24, 1828. Sarah and William met while both were teaching at the Hartford High School. They were married on October 1, 1856. Almost immediately after their marriage, the couple were assigned to the Madurai (then called Madura) Mission of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. They worked in Madurai and Manamadurai until 1872....
Dates: 1777-1950