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Overview

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Arrangement of the Collection

Restrictions

Access Terms

Related Material

Administrative Information

Description of Series

William Henry Sweet ministerial papers, 1873-1916

Sweet family personal papers, 1895-1960

Southern Methodist University

Collection of Sweet family papers

A Guide to the Collection


Overview

Creator: Bridwell Library
Title: Collection of Sweet family papers
Inclusive Dates: 1873-1960
Bulk Dates: 1873-1916
Abstract: This collection contains the ministerial papers of the Rev. Dr. William Henry Sweet (1843-1919) and personal papers of his son and daughter-in-law William Warren Sweet and Louise M. Neill Sweet and their children W. W. Sweet, Jr., Elizabeth Louise Sweet Hix, and Paul R. Sweet. William Henry Sweet was a Kansas Methodist clergyman and educator. William Warren Sweet was a Methodist minister and noted church historian. The collection offers insights into William Henry Sweet’s public ministry and his descendants’ private lives.
Accession No: BridArch 303.36
Extent: 2 boxes (1 linear foot)
Language: Material is in English
Repository Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University

Biographical Note

William Henry Sweet was born on July 14, 1843 in Brown County, Ohio to Benjamin F. and Jane Robinson Sweet. He studied at Goshen Academy, 1865-1866; South West Normal (Lebanon, Ohio), 1866-1867; and Ohio Wesleyan University, A.B. 1872 and A.M. 1875. Chaddock College in Quincy, Illinois granted Sweet an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree in 1885.

In 1875, Rev. Sweet married Rose A. Williams, a graduate of the Ohio Wesleyan Female College, class of 1871. They raised five children. One son, William Warren Sweet, became a Methodist minister and noted church historian.

After serving in the American Civil War, William Henry Sweet began his career as a school teacher in Nebraska, 1867-1868. From 1872 until 1877 he worked as a mathematics instructor at Baker University, Baldwin City, Kansas. In 1873 Sweet also began serving pastoral appointments in the Kansas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was ordained Deacon by Bishop Merrill in 1875 and Elder by Bishop Simpson in 1877.

Rev. Sweet served as president of Baker University from 1879 to 1886, then as professor of psychology and ethics at Kansas Wesleyan University, 1886-1888. Sweet was appointed Presiding Elder of the Salina District, 1892-1898. He retired from teaching and the ministry in 1915.

Both William Henry Sweet and Rose A. Williams Sweet died in January of 1919. Dr. Sweet’s memoirs, A History of Methodism in Northwest Kansas, were published posthumously in 1920.

William Warren Sweet and Louise M. Neill married in 1906. Their children were W. W. Sweet, Jr., Paul R. Sweet, Richard W. Sweet, Elizabeth Louise Hix, and Esther Neill Lewis. Additional biographical information on William Warren Sweet and his family is presented in the finding aid for Bridwell Library’s William Warren Sweet papers (http://www.lib.utexas.edu/taro/smu/00180/smu-00180.html).

Sources:

Cutler, William G., and A. T. Andreas. History of the State of Kansas, Containing a Full Account of Its Growth from an Uninhabited Territory to a Wealthy and Important State. Chicago: A.T. Andreas, 1883.

Harmon, Nolan B., Ed. The Encyclopedia of World Methodism. Nashville: United Methodist Pub. House, 1974. "Sweet, William Henry," by Ina Turner Gray.

Price, Carl F. Who's Who in American Methodism. New York: E.B. Treat & Co., 1916.

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Scope and Contents of the Collection

The collection of Sweet family papers features William Henry Sweet’s sermon and public address notes and business correspondence. These documents offer insights into the public ministry of a prominent late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century Kansas Methodist clergyman and educator. The personal papers in Series 2 document some of the interests and relationships between two generations of William Henry Sweet’s descendants. These records supplement and give context to the professional papers of Dr. William Warren Sweet, collection BridArch 105.16.

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Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is organized into 2 series:
Series 1: William Henry Sweet ministerial papers, 1873-1915
Series 2: Sweet family personal papers, 1895-1960

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Restrictions

Access to Collection:

The collection is open for research use. Patrons must sign the Acknowledgement of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.

Publication Rights:

Permission to publish materials must be obtained from the Director of the Bridwell Library.

Copyright Statement:

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain copyright authorization.

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Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following terms in the Southern Methodist University Libraries' online catalog. Researchers desiring related materials may search the catalog using these terms.
Sweet, William Warren, 1881-1959.
Sweet, William Henry.
Sweet family.
Methodist Episcopal Church -- Clergy.
Church historians -- United States.
Letters.
Sermons.
Photographs.

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Related Material

William Warren Sweet papers, Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas.

Sweet papers, Archives of DePauw University and Indiana United Methodism, Greencastle, Indiana

William Warren Sweet papers, University of Chicago Library, Chicago, Illinois

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Collection of Sweet family papers, Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Louise M. Neill Sweet and family, 1959-1961, and Gift of Patricia Sweet, 2008.

Custodial History

Most of the documents in this collection were separated from the William Warren Sweet papers in 2011. One folder of family correspondence was added from the holdings of DeGolyer Library (former accession A2008.0047c).

Processing Information

This collection was arranged and described in 2011 by Timothy Binkley.

Finding aid written by

Timothy Binkley, 2011.

Encoded by

Ada Negraru, 2011.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 

Series 1:
William Henry Sweet ministerial papers, 1873-1916

The first and largest series, William Henry Sweet Ministerial Papers, begins with 121 folders of hand-written sermon notes arranged in scripture reference order. Only one sermon is dated: the “Funeral of Mrs. Sibbs.” All others fall within the dates of Rev. Sweet’s preaching career, 1873-1915. Supplied titles are noted in square brackets.
Series 1 continues with ten folders of hand-written notes from public addresses other than sermons given by Rev. Sweet. Eight of these folders are arranged in alphabetical order by title. Two folders contain an assortment of incomplete notes from unknown addresses.
The first series concludes with a folder of business correspondence and a printed program from the Kansas State Teachers’ Association annual meeting held in Lawrence, Kansas, October 18-20, 1874.
Box Folder
1723A 1 Christian Purity, Numbers 13:30, 1873-1915
2 Responsibility of the Church , Deuteronomy 6:7, 1873-1915
3 Infant Baptism , Deuteronomy 6:7, 1873-1915
4 [Christian Charity], Deuteronomy 5:11, 1873-1915
5 Hindrances to God's Service, Joshua 24:19, 1873-1915
6 Choosing Sides, 1 Kings 18:21, 1873-1915
7 God is Very Near Us, 2 Kings 6:16, 1873-1915
8 How to Make the Church Popular, 2 Chronicles 15:9, 1873-1915
9 An Exhortation to Church Work, Nehemiah 2:17, 1873-1915
10 Unanimity in Church Work, Nehemiah 4:19-20, 1873-1915
11 [The Work to be Done], Nehemiah 4:19-20, 1873-1915
12 The Gladness of Religion, Nehemiah 8:11, 1873-1915
13 Causes of Dearth in the Church, Nehemiah 13:11, 1873-1915
14 Personal Responsibility for the Salvation of Others, Esther 4:14, 1873-1915
15 Queen Esther, Esther 4:15-16, 1873-1915
16 [A Perfect Development], Job 5:26 , 1873-1915
17 Funeral of Mrs. Sibbs , Job 14:10, Aug. 16, 1891
18 Thoughts on the Closing Year, Job 16:22, 1873-1915
19 Remedy for National Pride, Psalm 14: 7, 1873-1915
20 Thanksgiving, Psalm 18:35-36, 1873-1915
21 Psalm and its Teaching, The [23rd], Psalm 23:1, 1873-1915
22 Loyalty to the Church , Psalm 26:8, 1873-1915
23 [A Thankful Spirit], Psalm 34:1, 1873-1915
24 Several Beliefs of the People, Psalm 39:7, 1873-1915
25 The Attractiveness of Christ, Psalm 45:8, 1873-1915
26 [Psalm 51], Psalm 51:12, 1873-1915
27 A Backslider's Plea, Psalm 51:12-13, 1873-1915
28 Vows to God, Psalm 66:13-14, 1873-1915
29 Education Divinely Enjoined, Psalm 78:5-7, 1873-1915
30 For the Lord God is a Sun and Shield , Psalm 84:11 , 1873-1915
31 God the Source of Light and Blessing , Psalm 84:11, 1873-1915
32 Thus They Changed Their Glory, Psalm 106:20, 1873-1915
33 [Earnest Work], Psalm 126:6, 1873-1915
34 Permanent Success of the Church, Psalm 132:12, 1873-1915
35 Divine Guidance, Proverbs 3:9, 1873-1915
36 Christian Living, Proverbs 3:9-10, 1873-1915
37 The Young Man and his Job, Proverbs 22:29, 1873-1915
38 Worth of Education to the Nation, Proverbs 23:23, 1873-1915
39 The Divinity of Christ , Isaiah 7:14, 1873-1915
40 Christ our Standard Bearer, Isaiah 11:10, 1873-1915
41 [The Day of the Lord], Isaiah 11:10 , 1873-1915
42 [Grief], Isaiah 40:11, 1873-1915
43 Waiting for the Gospel, Isaiah 42:4, 1873-1915
44 [The Need for Salvation], Isaiah 45:22, 1873-1915
45 The Way of Salvation , Isaiah 45:22, 1873-1915
46 Christ’s Face Set Like a Flint, Isaiah 50:7, 1873-1915
47 [Light and Darkness] , Isaiah 60:19, 1873-1915
48 Christ’s Conquest of the Nations, Isaiah 62-66, 1873-1915
49 Israel Not Saved, Jeremiah 8:22, 1873-1915
50 Sorrow for the Unsaved, Jeremiah 9:1, 1873-1915
51 Is a Revelation Probable? Ezekiel 3:22, 1873-1915
52 Sermon to Traveling Men, Daniel 12:4, 1873-1915
53 Promise of the Spirit, Joel 2:28, 1873-1915
54 A Call to a Sleeping World, Jonah 1:6, 1873-1915
55 Divine Help the Only Hope of Success, Zechariah 4:6, 1873-1915
56 [Not Evolution but Development], Zechariah 4:10, 1873-1915
57 The Safe Refuge, Zechariah 9:12, 1873-1915
58 Lessons Taught by the Master, Matthew 11:29, 1873-1915
59 Wheat and Tares, Matthew 13:24-43, 1873-1915
60 Divine Help, Matthew 15:2-5, 1873-1915
61 Separations in Eternity, Matthew 25:32, 1873-1915
62 Observance of the Sabbath, Mark 2:27, 1873-1915
63 Faith, Mark 11:22-23, 1873-1915
64 Acceptable Service, Mark 14:8, 1873-1915
65 Jesus Crucified, Dead, Buried , Mark 15:24-44, 1873-1915
66 Inquiring for Help, Mark 16:3, 1873-1915
67 Ascension and Intercession of Christ, Mark 16:19, 1873-1915
68 Salvation through Christ, Luke 2: 30-32, 1873-1915
69 Boyhood of Jesus, Luke 2:40-50, 1873-1915
70 Confessing Christ, Luke 12:, 1873-1915
71 [Stewardship], Luke 12:48, 1873-1915
72 The Prodigal's Wandering, Luke 15:11-18, 1873-1915
73 The Prodigal Son, Luke 15:11-32, 1873-1915
74 Parable of the Unjust Judge, Luke 18:1-18, 1873-1915
75 Parable of the Pounds, Luke 19:12-24, 1873-1915
76 Duty of Perseverance , Luke 19:13, 1873-1915
77 Power from on High, Luke 24:49, 1890-1915
78 Christ the Good Shepherd, John 10:3-4, 1873-1915
79 Christ’s Care for the Individual, John 10:3-4, 1873-1915
80 [The Beauty of Christ], John 12:32, 1873-1915
81 [Christ’s Desires for his Followers], John 17:15, 1873-1915
82 [Trial of Christ], John 18:38, 1873-1915
83 Baptism, Acts 2:38-39, 1873-1915
84 Seeking Salvation, Acts 16:30, 1873-1915
85 “I Believe in the Holy Ghost”, Acts 19:2, 1873-1915
86 [Just Judging], Romans 2:1-6, 1873-1915
87 [New Life in Christ], Romans 13:14, 1873-1915
88 Personal Responsibility, Romans 14:12, 1873-1915
89 Essential Knowledge, 1 Corinthians 2:12, 1873-1915
90 [Co-partnership with God], 1 Corinthians 3:9, 1873-1915
91 The Lord's Supper, 1 Corinthians, 11:25-26 , 1873-1915
92 Resurrection of Christ , 1 Corinthians 15:20, 1873-1915
93 The Gospel an Appeal , 2 Corinthians 4:2, 1873-1915
94 [God Created Light], 2 Corinthians 4:6, 1873-1915
95 [Terror of the Lord], 2 Corinthians 5:1, 1873-1915
96 [Co-workers], 2 Corinthians 6:1, 1873-1915
97 Church Separate from the world, 2 Corinthians 6:17,1873-1915
98 Mutual Helpfulness, Galatians 6:2, 1873-1915
99 Burden Bearing, Galatians 6:2-5, 1873-1915
100 Reward for Labor, Galatians 6:7, 1873-1915
101 Joyfulness of Sacrifice, Philippians 2:17, 1873-1915
102 Sacrificing for Christ, Philippians 3:7-8, 1873-1915
103 A Clean Life, Philippians 4:8, 1873-1915
104 [Baptism], Colossians 3:10-12, 1873-1915
105 Acceptable Service, Colossians 3:23, 1873-1915
106 The Dependence of Ministry, 1 Thessalonians 3:18, 1873-1915
107 Right Estimate of the Ministry, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, 1873-1915
108 Pray without Ceasing , 1 Thessalonians 5:17 , 1873-1915
109 Essential Knowledge, 1 Timothy 2:2, 1873-1915
110 Office and Work of Jesus, 1 Timothy 2:5, 1873-1915
111 Efficient Workmen, 1 Timothy 3, 1873-1915
112 Time and Eternity, 1 Timothy 4:8, 1873-1915
113 The Bible Adapted to man, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, 1873-1915
114 Christ our Pattern, Hebrews 12:3, 1873-1915
115 Preached Before the Odd Fellows Lodge, James 1:29, 1889-1915
116 The Suffering of Christ, 1 Peter 1:10-11, 1873-1915
117 Evidence from Prophecy, 2 Peter 1:21, 1873-1915
118 Prophecy an Evidence , 2 Peter 1:21, 1873-1915
119 God's Wonderful Love, 1 John 3:1, 1873-1915
120 Working out Salvation, Jude 1:20-21 , 1873-1915
121 The Cordial Invitation, Revelation, 1873-1915
122 Address to Class in Down’s College, 1904
123 Essentials in Sunday School, The, 1873-1915
124 Free Speech, 1873-1915
125 Is Life Worth Living? 1897-1915
126 Memorial Address at Langley, 1907
127 Methodist Episcopal Church, 1894-1915
128 Part of the Sunday School in the Conversion of the World, The, 1894-1915
129 Three Calls, The, 1900-1915
130 [Notes on dancing], 1873-1915
131 [Notes from incomplete sermons and addresses], 1873-1915
132 William Henry Sweet business correspondence, 1890-1916
133 Kansas State Teachers’ Association annual meeting, 1874

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Series 2:
Sweet family personal papers, 1895-1960

The final series begins with nine folders of personal papers of William Warren Sweet, his wife Louise M. Neill Sweet, and their children W. W. Sweet, Jr., Elizabeth Louise Sweet Hix, and Paul R. Sweet, and continues with four folders of family correspondence. Of special note, folder 11 contains letters written by Paul Sweet to his parents from Austria during the civil unrest of 1933. Series 2 concludes with a folder of eight informal photographs.
Box Folder
1723B 1 William Warren Sweet quotations notebook , 1896-1906
2 Louise Neill Epworth League documents, 1895
3 W. W. Sweet, Jr. poem: “A Few Easter Verses, 1925-1935
4 W. W. Sweet, Jr. short story: “Changed Destiny” 1925-1935
5 Elizabeth Sweet school papers, 1936
6 Paul R. Sweet thesis draft and notes, 1950-1954
7 Paul R. Sweet thesis draft and notes, 1950-1954
8 Paul R. Sweet thesis draft and notes, 1950-1954
9 Paul R. Sweet thesis draft and notes, 1950-1954
10 Correspondence
11 Correspondence, 1929-1939
12 Correspondence, 1945-1948
13 Correspondence, 1955-1956
14 Photographs, 1920-1960

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