Guide to the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. West Africa Mission Records
Open for research.
Presbyterian work in the Cameroons commenced about 1889 when the Reverend and Mrs. B.B. Brier were assigned to the Batanga station. Mission stations were later established at Efulan (1893), Elat (1895), Lolodorf (1897), Foulassi (1916), Edea (1920) and Sakbayeme (1920). Prior to 1936, the churches in the West African field were organized as the Presbytery of Corisco and attached to the Synod of New Jersey. In 1936, upon action from the General Assembly, the presbytery of Corisco was subdivided into three presbyteries (Corisco, Metet and Sanaga) and organized into a separate synod known as the Synod of the Cameroon.
Record group 74 contains the correspondence, minutes and reports of the West African Mission of the PCUSA and includes some materials from the UPCUSA. Records from the Presbytery of Yaounde, including missionary correspondence, 1918-1958, mission minutes and reports, 1902-1958, are also included in the collection.
Also available on microfilm: MF/POS./904/r.1-13.
The researcher should also consult RG 142, Secretary's files of the West African Mission 1911-1965.
The researcher should be advised of several things before using RG 74. This collection lacks a descriptive finding aid. No attempt was made to impose an arrangement scheme upon the collection. The folder inventory will serve as a general index to the collection, although it does not adequately describe the collection. Folder lists are generally accurate. It is assumed that the collection was maintained in its original filing order.
The researcher is also advised that significant portions of the collection are written in languages other than English, notably French, German and several African dialects. A minimal reading knowledge of these languages would be essential.
| Box | Folder | Description | |
| 1 | 1 | Inventory list to RG 74 | |
| 2 | Mission minutes, 1902-05 | ||
| 3 | Mission minutes, 1905-07 | ||
| 4 | Mission minutes, 1908-12 | ||
| 5 | Mission minutes, 1912-14 | ||
| 6 | Mission minutes, 1915-17 | ||
| 7 | Mission minutes, 1919-22, 1924-25 | ||
| 8 | Mission minutes, 1926, reports/resolutions, 1927 | ||
| 9 | Mission minutes, 1928 (September and December) | ||
| 10 | Mission minutes, 1929-30 | ||
| 11 | Mission minutes, 1932-33 | ||
| 12 | Mission minutes, 1934-36 | ||
| 13 | Mission minutes, 1937-39 | ||
| 14 | Mission minutes, 1940-41 | ||
| 15 | Mission minutes, 1942-43 | ||
| 16 | Presbytery minutes, 1933-51 | ||
| 17 | Miscellaneous Board charters, 1903? | ||
| 18 | Miscellaneous items, 1914-15 | ||
| 2 | 1 | Dockets of Mission meetings, 1931-55 (incomplete) | |
| 2 | Cameroun Synod--Minutes, dockets, reports, correspondence, 1940-44 | ||
| 3 | Yaounde Presbytery--Minutes, 1953-58 | ||
| 4 | Dager Seminary--Minutes, 1947-57 | ||
| 5 | Cameroun Clippings (mission news letter),1950-55 | ||
| 6 | Cameroun Clippings (mission news letter),1956-59 | ||
| 7 | Cameroun Clippings (mission news letter),1960-66 | ||
| 8 | Agriculture committee--Minutes, 1952-57 | ||
| 9 | By laws commission/Board minutes, 1958? 1959? | ||
| 10 | Miscellaneous minutes, reports, correspondence, 1942-58 | ||
| 11 | Mission minutes, 1944-49 | ||
| 12 | Mission minutes, 1950-53, 1956-57 | ||
| 13 | Station/personal reports, 1925-30 | ||
| 14 | Station reports, 1919-26 | ||
| 15 | Station reports, 1921-26 | ||
| 16 | Statement on West Africa Mission, 1928 | ||
| 17 | Station reports, 1936-37 | ||
| 18 | Station reports, 1938 | ||
| 19 | Reports from Field Representatives, 1933-58 (incomplete) | ||
| 20 | Station and institution reports, 1943 | ||
| 21 | Station and institution reports, 1944-45 | ||
| 22 | Station and institution reports, 1946 | ||
| 23 | Station and institution reports, 1947 | ||
| 24 | Station and institution reports, 1948 | ||
| 25 | Station and institution reports,1949 | ||
| 26 | Station and institution reports, 1950 | ||
| 27 | Station and institution reports, 1951 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 1952 | |
| 2 | 1953 | ||
| 3 | 1954 | ||
| 4 | 1954-55 | ||
| 5 | 1955-56 | ||
| 6 | Reports/resolutions, 1905; duties of commission, 1921, 1926, 1928, 1938, 1949, 1952 | ||
| 7 | Executive committee reports, 1950-57 | ||
| 8 | Reports, Church affairs, 1952-56 | ||
| 9 | Reports, Mission Treasurer, 1927-57 (1928-29, 1933-34 missing) | ||
| 10 | School statistics, 1931-35 | ||
| 11 | Miscellaneous reports (Ecumenical Dept.), 1956 | ||
| 12 | Federation reports, 1957-59 | ||
| 13 | Personal reports, 1957-58 | ||
| 14 | Planning conference, 1957 | ||
| 15 | Correspondence and reports, 1958-62, MPA, EPC, COEMAR, Cameroun government, Democratic Party of Cameroun | ||
| 16 | Reports, MPA, Statistical Survey with specials on Metet, 1928, EPC, Church Statistics, 1960 | ||
| 17 | Statistical reports to the Board 1955-57 | ||
| 18 | Planning conference, annual reports, July 1957 | ||
| 19 | Evaluation material for 1956 Conference | ||
| 20 | International Missionary Council, miscellaneous items, 1958 | ||
| 21 | Extracts from Board minutes, 1952 | ||
| 22 | Miscellaneous items, 1957-58 | ||
| 23 | Miscellaneous items, property affairs, 1951-58 | ||
| 24 | Year Book of Prayer, 1953-58 | ||
| 25 | Publications, "Why Don't They Answer?" "Recrutment au Ministere Pastoral," 1964 | ||
| 26 | Narrative reports of West Africa Mission, 1950-57 | ||
| 27 | MPA Treasurer's reports, 1951-53 | ||
| CORRESPONDENCE | |||
| 3 | 28 | Medical statistics and correspondence, 1936 | |
| 29 | Board letters, 1917 | ||
| 30 | Board correspondence, 1918-28 | ||
| 31 | Board correspondence, 1926-29 | ||
| 32 | Board correspondence, 1930-31 | ||
| 33 | Board correspondence, 1930-31 | ||
| L.K. Anderson Correspondence | |||
| 3 | 34 | 1950-53 | |
| 35 | Mission Federation, 1945-59 | ||
| 4 | 1 | Field workers, 1949-58 | |
| 2 | Field workers, 1949-58 | ||
| 3 | Field workers, 1950-59 | ||
| 4 | Field workers, 1954-58 | ||
| 5 | Board letters to LKA, 1950-58 | ||
| 6 | Frances Gray, 1950-52 | ||
| 7 | Frances Gray, 1953 | ||
| 8 | Frances Gray, -July 1957 | ||
| 9-10 | R. Sundberg, 1957 | ||
| 11 | Field Rep. Reports, 1945-56 | ||
| 12 | 1956-57 | ||
| 13 | Mary Hunter, 1949-59 | ||
| 14 | 1952-59 | ||
| 15 | 1956-58 | ||
| 16 | Miscellaneous items, 1956 | ||
| 17 | Furlough correspondence, 1955-56 | ||
| 18 | Miscellaneous correspondence, 1955-56 | ||
| 19 | A.I. Good, 1956-58 | ||
| Correspondence | |||
| 4 | 20 | FIDES, 1955-58 | |
| 21 | W.H. Guthrie, 1949-55 | ||
| 22 | LKA, 1955-56 | ||
| 23 | J. Beaumont, 1952-58 | ||
| 24 | World Council of Christian Education, 1951-58 | ||
| 25 | French Mission, 1955-58 | ||
| 26 | Miscellaneous items I.M.E. College, 1954-59 | ||
| 27 | Marie Gocker, 1927-52 | ||
| 27a | Property matters, 1951-1958 | ||
| 28 | Mission self-support, 1895, 1939 | ||
| 29 | Names of persons buried at Batanga Cemetery, 1911 | ||
| 5 | 1 | LKA, 1949-56 | |
| 2 | LKA, 1956-60 | ||
| 3 | Darst Newhouse to Executive Committee, 1955-56 | ||
| 4 | Darst Newhouse, 1955-56 | ||
| 5 | Board of Foreign Missions, 1933-36 | ||
| 6 | Chester Whittier, 1949 | ||
| 7 | Francis Akoa, 1949-60 | ||
| 8 | CTL-LICA/Board Letters, 1955-58 | ||
| 9 | Awumu, Luc Ball, Montpelier, 1955-58 | ||
| 10 | David Mandeng, 1953-59 | ||
| 11 | Rev. Mvondo, 1952-58 | ||
| 12 | Moubitang a Mepoui, 1955-57 | ||
| 13 | LKA, 1957-58 | ||
| 14 | American Leprosy Mission in Cameroun, 1952-58 | ||
| 15 | American Bible Society, 1953-58 | ||
| 16 | LKA, 1954-59 | ||
| 17 | Board Letters, 1944-55 | ||
| 18 | Mission Treasurer, 1946-48 | ||
| 19 | Scholarship correspondence, 1949-51 | ||
| 20 | Frank James, 1955 | ||
| 21 | J. Cavin and LKA, 1949-54 | ||
| 22 | All Africa Conference, 1958 | ||
| 23 | Judicial Cases, 1952-54 | ||
| 24 | Minutes, reports, miscellaneous items re medical affairs, 1952-58 | ||
| 25 | LKA, 1948-59 | ||
| 26 | LKA, 1950 | ||
| 27 | LKA, 1953-57 | ||
| 28 | Board letters, 1953-57 (incomplete) | ||
| 29 | Miscellaneous correspondence/minutes, 1947-54 | ||
| 30 | LKA and M. Berrueux, 1951-52 | ||
| 31 | NOT USED | ||
| 32 | Theological survey, 1955-58 | ||
| 33 | Field Representatives, 1957-58 | ||
| 34 | Field Representatives General letters, 1956-58 | ||
| 35 | Dockets/correspondence of Synod/Mission Committee, 1951-57 | ||
| 36 | Minutes, reports, lists re: primary schools, 1955-57 | ||
| 37 | Scholarship Committee, 1958-59 | ||
| 38 | Edea Station, 1956-57 | ||
| 39 | Relations with Roman Catholics, 1930 | ||
| 40 | Conseil d'administration, EPC, 1954-56 | ||
| 41 | Field Secretaries, 1949-58 | ||
| 42 | Ibong-Metet-Ngumba schism, 1946-47 | ||
| 43 | L.H. Chatterson, 1949 | ||
| 44 | Federation des Missions (Cameroun), 1942-55 | ||
| 45 | W.C. Johnston, 1924-39 | ||
| 46 | Miscellaneous government correspondence, 1936-40 | ||
| 47 | Miscellaneous government correspondence, 1946-47 |