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Title: Asa Mahan Presidential Papers, 1764-1995

Predominant Dates:1835-1894

ID: RG 2/001

Creator: Mahan, Asa, 1799-1889

Extent: 0.67 Linear Feet

Arrangement:

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series 1. Correspondence, 1835-1836, 1845, 1884

Series 1 is organized into two subseries consisting of original correspondence and non-original correspondence.

  Subseries 1. Original Correspondence, 1835, 1884

The original correspondence consists of two letters written by Asa Mahan in 1835 (to Nathan P. Fletcher) and 1884 (to "My Dear Daughter").

  Subseries 2. Non-Original Correspondence, 1836, 1845

The non-original correspondence includes a photocopy of an 1845 letter written to Hamilton Hill (Original is in the Hamilton College Archives. The letter was reportedly sent by President Henry Churchill King to someone who requested a Mahan autograph). The remaining non-original material consists of printed correspondence from Letters of James Gillespie Birney, 1831-1857, Volume 1, edited by Dwight L. Dumond (New York, 1938).

Series 2. Original Documents, 1850, 1853, 1874, undated

This series contains documents relating to Mahan's disagreements with the Oberlin faculty and Board of Trustees. Includes the ten-point indictment of Mahan drawn up by the faculty in 1850, and extracts from an appeal presented to the Board of Trustees by Mahan on August 23, 1854. This series also includes a Holy Bible (1874), originally presented to Mrs. A.B. Mumford by Asa Mahan in 1886.

Series 3. Writings by Asa Mahan, 1836, 1848, 1851, 1855, 1883, 1889-1890

Series 3 is separated into two subseries, Writings by Asa Mahan, Originals and Writings by Asa Mahan, Photocopies.

  Subseries 1. Writings by Asa Mahan, Originals

This subseries contains original writings by Asa Mahan, including Principles of Christian Union, and Church Fellowship (1836), Mahan's address before the National Educational Convention at Cleveland on August 20, 1851 on the "Character and Comparative Merits of the Old and New System of Liberal Education," Introduction to the Critical History of Philosophy (1883), Modern Mysteries Explained and Exposed (1855) and Science and Moral Philosophy (1848).

  Subseries 2. Writings by Asa Mahan, Photocopies, 1889-1890

The non-original writings include photocopies of Mahan's writings in The Divine Light, 1889-1890.

Series 4. Writings About Asa Mahan, ca. 1859, ca. 1884-1894, 1935-1985

Consists of writings about Mahan, both published and unpublished. Included is a folder of writings relating to the short-lived Cleveland University.

Series 5. Family Information and Genealogy, 1764-1990s

Series 5 contains genealogy and family information on Mahan. The bulk of the material was compiled by Kenneth Roose, former Professor of Economics, who was a descendant of Mahan. Two cards from 1889 and 1894 announce the death of Mahan and his second wife, respectively. A 1922 letter accompanied the transfer of Mahan's scale (housed in the Objects Collection, RG 35). Also included are photocopies of letters, articles, family histories, genealogical charts, and Revolutionary War service records of Mahan's father, Samuel.

Date Acquired: 01/01/1973

Languages: English [eng]

The Mahan papers are an artificial creation compiled from a variety of sources and are mainly photocopies. All original documents were transferred from the Library "Autograph File" (RG16). Additional non-original documentation was gathered and contributed from several sources, including researchers and genealogists. The Mahan papers are arranged in five series: 1. Correspondence; 2. Original Documents; 3. Writings by Asa Mahan; 4. Writings about Asa Mahan; and 5. Family Information and Genealogy.

Accruals: Accession Nos: 223, 2002/040, 2013/020

Access Restrictions: Unrestricted.

Acquisition Method: By archival definition there are no papers of Asa Mahan. The collection represents a compilation which has little organic relationship to Asa Mahan. The items were received from a variety of sources, few of which were recorded. The lone exception are the original items received under accession number 223. The original items were transferred from the Library "Autograph File" by Archivist William E. Bigglestone. The book Modern Mysteries Explained and Exposed (1855), by Asa Mahan, was received from Barbara Zikmund as part of accession 2000/082. The book Science and Moral Philosophy (1848) was received from Joanne Moir in 2002 (2002/040). Genealogical materials were received from Kenneth Roose in 1983, 2006, and 2011. Holy Bible, received from the Oberlin College Library Special Collections in 2013.

Related Materials:

Mahan correspondence can be found in the following institutional records in the Oberlin College Archives: Presidential papers of Charles G. Finney (RG 2/2) and James Harris Fairchild (2/3); Office of the Secretary (Miscellaneous Early papers) (RG 5); and Treasurer's Office Records (RG 7). The following personal papers collection contain Mahan correspondence: James Monroe (RG 30/22) and Henry Cowles (RG 30/27). The papers of Robert S. Fletcher (RG 30/24) contains transcripts and photocopies of Mahan correspondence and related records. Additional documentation may be gathered from the minutes of the Oberlin College Board of Trustees and Prudential Committee (RG 1). The papers of Barbara Zikmund (RG 30/327) contain research materials related to her dissertation Asa Mahan and Oberlin Perfectionism (1969).

Correspondence about Asa Mahan can be found in the David Todd (OC 1843) correspondence at the Illinois State Historical Society.

Processing Information: Processed by Brian A. Williams, April 1992.

Finding Aid Revision History: Revised by Archives Staff March 2001, April 2002, April 2005, February 2007, June 2012; Louisa C. Hoffman April 2024.