James Avery Skinner commonplace book, circa 1890
Collection context
- Creator:
- Skinner, James Avery, 1835-1917
- Abstract:
- James Avery Skinner was a graduate of the UTS Class of 1860, and an ordained minister in the Presbyterian and Episcopal churches, who served in California, Ohio, and New York City area ministries. The collection contains a commonplace book containing newspaper clippings, certification materials, and manuscript and printed sermon materials.
- Extent:
- 0.25 linear feet 0.25 linear feet; 1 box
- Language:
- English .
- Scope and content:
-
This collection contains a single commonplace book containing pasted-in newspaper clippings, certification materials related chiefly to Skinner's studies at Hamilton College, and manuscript and printed sermon materials.
- Biographical / historical:
-
James Avery Skinner was born in New York City's Union Square neighborhood on November 15, 1835. On February 28, 1860, Skinner married Cornelia North Bristol, and later Olivia Lane (1869), with whom he had three children. He was a graduate of Hamilton College (class of 1857) with membership in the Epsilon Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, and an 1860 graduate of Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Following his studies at Union, Skinner was ordained as an evangelist minister in the Third Presbytery of New York (1861). Much of his early service work was as a home missionary in California, where he settled in 1863 prior to organizing the Presbyterian Church in Santa Clara, California, serving as pastor there. He served in a number of settings in the Presbyterian Church, including Stockton, California and Cleveland, Ohio. He also served as District Superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication (New York State) from 1875 to 1880. In 1888, Reverend Skinner was ordained in the Protestant Episcopal Church, serving as rector in New York State until 1895. Following his second ordination, Skinner served as Librarian of the State Teachers' Library, Department of Public Instruction (Albany, New York) for six years. Following his work as a librarian, Skinner participated actively in ministries throughout New York City, serving as an urban missionary in chapels of the Atonement, the Good Shepherd, and Emmanuel (Bronx). James Avery Skinner died of pneumonia at St. Luke's Hospital, New York City, on November 25, 1917.
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
This collection may contain some restricted material. Restrictions related to specific material are listed in the detailed contents list.
The following boxes are located offsite: Box 1. Please note that requests for use of boxes held in offsite storage must be made three business days in advance.
- Terms of access:
-
Some material in this collection may be protected by copyright and other rights. Information concerning copyright, fair use, and reproduction requests can be consulted at Columbia's Copyright Advisory Office.
- Preferred citation:
-
UTS1: James Avery Skinner commonplace book, circa 1890, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.
- Location of this collection:
- Before you visit:
- Researchers must book an appointment at least 5 business days in advance to view special collections material in the reading room. To make the most of your visit, be sure to request your desired materials before booking your appointment, as researchers are limited to one item per hour of appointment time.
- Contact:
- burke@library.columbia.edu