De Blois, Austen Kennedy. Collection, 1852-1857, 1909

Scope and Contents: Austen Kennedy De Blois was a Baptist preacher and the author of John Mason Peck and One Hundred Years of Home Missions, 1817-1917 (New York: American Baptist Home Mission Society, 1917). This collection consists of five items De Blois used as source material for that book, including Circular Address. To Baptist Associations, Churches and Brethren in Middle and Southern Illinois. And to All Others Whom It May Concern (written by John Mason Peck in 1852); one letter from Peck to Prof. Ebenezer Marsh, of Shurtleff College (Upper Alton, Ill.), of which Peck was founder and chairman of the board (July 23, 1856), discussing the college's search for a new president and Peck's hopes for the college's future; two letters (Oct. 14, 1856, and July 16, 1857) from President Daniel Read to Ebenezer Marsh, discussing the administration of Shurtleff College; and De Blois's inventory of the materials.