Rev. Oscar C. McCulloch papers L363, OB6 folder 16, OBC90, OBF3 1860-1924 6 mss. boxes, 3 os. folders
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Processed by: Jill Costill, September
1997
Reprocessed by: Elizabeth M. Wilkinson, April 2007
Biographical Note:
Oscar Carleton McCulloch was born July 2, 1843 in Fremont, Ohio to C. G. and Hattie McCulloch. McCulloch was educated in Portage, Wisconsin, and at Eastman Business College in New York. He worked as a government clerk in Springfield, Illinois and as a salesman in Chicago before entering the Chicago Theological Seminary in 1867. He became the minister of the First Congregational Church in Sheboygan, Wisconsin in 1870. Around this time McCulloch married a woman named Alice and they subsequently had five children: Carleton, David, Agnes, Margaret, and Ruth.
McCulloch came to Indianapolis in 1877 and headed up the Plymouth Church. He moved the congregation toward a social gospel mission. He would often visit the poor in their homes or institutions, which led him to begin a study of the genetic and environmental factors affecting poverty. In particular, he studied what he called “the Tribe of Ishmael” and published a pamphlet on the subject in 1888.
He played a critical role in the evolution of charity in Indianapolis, moving to a more pro-active organized state from its earlier informal iteration. He assisted in the coordination of the Indianapolis Benevolent Society (IBS) and other local charitable organizations, which led to the creation of the Charity Organization Society (COS). McCulloch was president of the COS from 1882 until his death as well as the president of the IBS. McCulloch was also actively involved with the Board of State Charities and the Flower Mission Society. He became president of the National Council of Charities and Correction in 1891. Oscar C. McCulloch passed away on December 10, 1891.
Source:
Forbes, J. Thomas. “Oscar Carleton McCulloch.” Encyclopedia of Indianapolis.
Indianapolis: IU Press, 1994.
Scope and Content Note:
This collection includes McCulloch’s diaries, clippings, papers, letters, and many materials for the Plymouth Church and McCulloch Club. The bulk of the collection consists of McCulloch’s diaries (1877-1891). The collection is grouped into letters, papers and clippings, diaries, memorial scrapbooks, and McCulloch club materials. All groups are arranged chronologically.
Item Listing:
Box 1, Folder 1. Letters, 1877-1885
1877 May 17 Willard, C.A. to McCulloch, ALS, 2 p. 1879 Jan. 13 Anderson, Melville B. to McCulloch, ALS 1879 Nov. 14 Hoyt, Sheretta to McCulloch, ALS 1879 Dec. 24 McCulloch, Oscar and Alice to “Dear Friends,” ANS 1881 Feb. 20 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to Dear Oscar, ALS 1881 Feb. 27 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to Dear Oscar, ALS, 2 p. 1881 Mar. 9 Loring, Rev. L. to McCulloch 1881 Mar. 25 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS 1881 Dec. 1 Breed, William J. to McCulloch, ALS, 4 p. 1882 Dec. 28 Sinclair, R.S. to McCulloch, ALS 1882 May 8 Walker, H.H. to McCulloch, ALS 1882 June 22 Thayer, Fred A. to McCulloch, ALS 1882 Oct. 17 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS, 3 p. 1883 Jan. 17 Carson, Sumner to McCulloch, ANS 1883 Mar. 15 Salmon, C. P. to McCulloch, ALS, 2 p. 1884 Jan. 22 Cleole, George to McCulloch, ALS 1884 Jan. 25 Pantzer, H.D. to McCulloch, ALS 1884 Feb. 7 Eddy, N. A. to McCulloch, ALS 1884 Feb. 11 Leppoldt, A. H. to McCulloch, ALS 1884 Apr. 8 Elam, Emma L. to McCulloch, ALS 1884 Apr. 13 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS 1884 Aug. 17 Clarke, William Horatio to McCulloch, TLS 1847 Aug. 20 McCulloch, Oscar C., memorandum (will), ADS 1884 Aug. 24 Clarke, William Horatio to McCulloch, TLS 1884 Sept. 5 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS 1884 Sept. 27 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS, 3p. 1884 Oct. 8 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS, 3 p. 1884 Oct. 12 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS, 3p. 1884 Nov. 1 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS 1885 Jan. 19 Eddy, A.H. to McCulloch, ALS 1885 Jan. 23 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS, 2p. 1885? Apr. 8 Eddy, A.H. to McCulloch, ALS 1885 May 26 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS, 2p. 1885 July 11 Wandby, W.S. to McCulloch, ANS 1885 July 18 Hibker, Harold B. to Rev. O.C. McCullough [sic], ANS 1885 July 22 McKechnie, J. to McCulloch, ALS 1885 Aug. 11 Mill, J. Harrison to McCulloch, ALS, 2p. 1885 Aug. 31 Hale, Edward E. to McCulloch, ALS 1885 Sept. 22 Tomas to McCulloch, ALS 1885 Oct. 6 Mayer, Mrs. M. to McCulloch, ANS 1885 Oct. 7 Taylor, Anna to McCulloch, ALS 1885 Oct. 9 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS, 3p. 1885 Dec. 24 Hartman, C.E. to McCulloch, ALS
Box 1, Folder 2. Letters, 1886-1924
1886 Mar. 23 Rappaport. Phil to McCulloch, ALS, 4 p. 1886 Mar. 24 [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS, 3p. 1886 Apr. 11 Father [McCulloch, C. G.] to McCulloch, ALS 1886 Apt. 13 Chearlton, T. J. to McCulloch, ALS 1887 Mar. 19 Stone, D.E. to McCulloch, ANS 1887 Mar. 28 Moler, Emma Dora to McCulloch, ALS, 6p. 1888 Mar. 31 Charles S. Lewis to McCulloch, ALS, 3p. 1888 May 7 Friends to McCulloch, ANS 1888 May 8 Moler, Emma D. to Mr. + Mrs. McCulloch, ANS 1888 Dec. 24 Dye, Charity to My Dear Friends, ANS 1890 Apr. 6 The Big Elm to Friends, ALS, 4p. 1891 Apr. 5 Hufford, Lois G. to McCulloch, ALS, 3p. 1891 June 24 [McCulloch], Oscar to Dr. Runnels, ALS, copy 1891 July 4 McCulloch, Oscar to Scott, ALS 1891 Oct. 26 McCulloch, Oscar to Dear Friend, ALS 1910 June Bowman, P. W. to HMS, ANS 1910 June 27 [Enclosure] Eliza A. Blaker to P.W. Bowman 1910 Oct. 5 Blaker, Eliza A. to P.W. Bowman, TNS 1910 Nov. 9 Nicholson, ? to The McCulloch Club, ANS 1912 Feb. 5 Stackhouse, H. M. to Friends, ANS 1914 May 7 Parker, Mrs. Kate F. to Dr. Carleton B. McCulloch, TLS 1914 May 11 Parker, Kate F. to Mrs. Runnels 1918 Aug. 7 Butler, Amos W. to Agnes McCulloch Hanna, TLS 1918 Aug. 7 Amos W. Butler to Miss Margaret McCulloch, TLS 1919 Feb. 27 Fitt, Rev. Frank to Mrs. Runnels, TNS 1924 Mar. 15 McCulloch, Dr. Carleton B. to Mrs. O. S. Runnels (Mother), TNS
Box and Folder Listing:
Box 1. Papers and Clippings, 1868-1916
| Folder | |
| 3. | Papers and clippings, 1868, 1875-1878 |
| 4. | Clippings and papers, 1879 |
| 5. | Clippings and papers, 1880 |
| 6. | Clippings and papers, 1881-1883 |
| 7. | Clippings and papers, 1884 |
| 8. | Clippings and papers, 1885 |
| 9. | Papers and clippings, 1886 |
| 10. | Papers and clippings, 1887 |
| 11. | Papers and clippings, 1888 |
| 12. | Papers, clippings, and ribbon, 1889, 1880s |
| 13. | Papers and clipping, 1890 |
| 14. | Papers and clippings, 1891 |
| 15. | Memorials, 1891 |
| 16. | Clippings and papers, 1892 |
| 17. | Clippings and papers, 1911-1916 |
| 18. | Plymouth Church booklets, 1860, 1890-1891 |
Box 2. Diaries, 1877-1880
| Folder | |
| 1. | Diary, 1877 |
| 2. | Diary, 1878 |
| 3. | Diary, 1879 |
| 4. | Diary, 1880 |
Box 3. Diaries, 1881-1884
Diary and scrapbook, 1881-1883
| Folder | |
| 1. | Diary and scrapbook, 1883 |
| 2. | Part of 1883 diary |
| 3. | Diary and scrapbook, 1884 |
Box 4. Diaries, 1885-1887
| Folder | |
| 1. | Diary and scrapbook, 1885 |
| 2. | Diary, 1886 |
| 3. | Diary, 1887 |
Box 5. Diaries, 1888-1890
| Folder | |
| 1. | Diary, 1888 |
| 2. | Diary, 1889 |
| 3. | Diary, 1890 |
Box 6. Diary, memorials, and minutes,1891-1914
| Folder | |
| 1. | Diary, 1891 |
| 2. | McCulloch memorial scrapbook, 1891 |
| 3. | McCulloch memorial scrapbook, 1891-1909 |
| 4. | McCulloch Club, 1896 |
| 5. | McCulloch Club minutes, 1909-1914 |
OB6, folder 16.
| 1885 May 5 | Appointment of Rev. Oscar C. McCulloch as delegate to National Conference of Charities and Correction, ADS, 1 p. |
| 1889 Feb. 28 | Clipping from the Christian Register. |
| 1889 Aug. 8 | Clipping from the Christian Register, p. 513-514 |
| 1889 Dec. 19 | "The New Born Christ," news clipping. |
| circa 1889 | Clipping from the Christian Register, p. 327-328 |
| circa 1889 | Clipping from the Christian Register, p. 493-494 |
OBC 90.
| 1890 | Clipping discussing Oscar C. McCulloch and his work, 1p. |
| circa 1890s | "Plymouth Church," broadside |
OBF 3.
| 1888 | The Tribe of Ishmael diagram. |
Collection Information:
|
Size of Collection: |
6 manuscript boxes, 3 oversize folders |
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Collection Dates: |
1860-1924 |
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Provenance: |
Agnes McCulloch Hanna |
| Access: | This collection is open for research. |
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Restrictions: |
None |
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Reproduction Rights: |
Permission to reproduce, exhibit, or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Manuscript Section, Indiana State Library. Possession of a reproduction from an Indiana State Library collection does not constitute permission for use. |
| Language | Materials are entirely in English |
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Alternate Formats: |
None |
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Related Holdings: |
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Notes: |
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Photocopying Policy:
Manuscript materials CANNOT be photocopied or digitized in their entirety. Photocopies and/or digital images cannot exceed 25% of a collection or a folder within a collection. In some cases, photocopying may not be permitted due to the condition of the item. Check with a Manuscript Librarian for other options.