Asbury Mission Records (MC 318)
Organizational Note
In September 1821, the South Carolina Annual Conference sent the Rev. William Capers to Fort Mitchell as "missionary in South Carolina and to the Indians." After negotiations with the chiefs of the Creek Nations, he opened the Asbury Manual Labor School and Mission in 1822 to teach Creek children reading, writing, and other "civilized" skills.
The mission was one mile north of Fort Mitchell near the Indian village of Coweta and may have been the first formal educational effort in the Chattahoochee Valley. The school opened with twelve pupils under the direction of Rev. Isaac Smith. Throughout its history, the school had, on average, 35 to 50 students. There were soon three teachers, several buildings, and a farm of about 25 acres. The school closed in 1830 with the forced removal to Oklahoma of much of the Creek tribe.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of a typed transcript and copy of the Articles of Agreement between William Capers, on behalf of the Bishops of South Carolina Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Chiefs of the Creek Nation in regard to the establishment of two schools near Coweta and Tuccabachie in present day Alabama. A copy of "Asbury Manual Labor School-Asbury Mission School; Lost pages from Methodism's Story" by Marynell S. Waite is included.
1821 (modern transcript copy) 1 box (.25 l.f.)
Permission to Publish
Permission to publish material from the Asbury Mission Records must be obtained from the Columbus State University Archives at Columbus State University. Use of the following credit line for publication or exhibit is required:
Asbury Mission Records (MC 318) Columbus State University Archives Columbus, Georgia
Provenance
The Asbury Mission Records came to the CSU Archives when the public library closed its archives and donated the materials to the CSU Archives in the fall of 2013.
Note to Researchers
See also:
T. J. Peddy collection MC 36
CSU Collection MC 5
Kenneth Crooks Jr. Collection MC 151
Box and Folder List
Box 1
- Folder 1: Articles of agreement between William Capers on behalf of the Bishops of the South Carolina Conference.
- Folder 2: Asbury Manual labor School - Asbury Mission School; lost pages from Methodism's story
