Giles Hooker Cowles, Papers, 1789-1956 [bulk 1792-1835]

Finding Aid

Prepared by Merritt D. Betts, January 28, 1976; Revised by Stephanie Wachalec, December 22, 2003
5 record storage boxes, 5 cubic feet, 11th floor
Old archives number: D.1.4.1.

Biographical Note

This collection was donated by Margaret Cowles Ticknor, (great-great-granddaughter of Giles Hooker Cowles) in 1975. Giles Hooker Cowles (1766-1835), was granted a license to preach by the Western Reserve Association of New Haven County in Connecticut in May 1791. He married Sally White in 1793 and they had a total of nine children. Giles was formally installed as the minister of Austinburg Church in Austinburg, Ohio in 1811. Two of his children Betsy Mix Cowles and Lysander Mix Cowles have their papers in Special Collections and Archives. Related collections are: the Cowles Family Papers, the Fuller Family, Papers, and Myra G. Cowles, Papers.

Scope and Content

Sermons written by Giles make up most of the collection. Journals covering 1811-1834 provide a detailed account of Giles' activities as minister and missionary. Please note that Giles Hooker Cowles frequently used abbreviation or symbols in preparing his sermons, a guide to the meaning of these can be found in the inventory folder in Box 1.

Box 1

Folder--Contents

  1. Act of the State of Ohio incorporating the Congregational Church of Austinburg, March 11, 1831 (shelved in 11th floor map case)
  2. Confessions and depositions of unchristian behavior from members of Giles Cowles' congregation, [no date]
  3. Confession of Roswell Austin of unbecoming levity and fishing on the Sabbath, January 9, 1821 [original at the Ohio Historical Society]
  4. Correspondence, Monthly Convention recommending Reverend Giles Hooker Cowles be sent to Ohio, 1810
  5. Correspondence, to and from Sally White Cowles, January 1791-September 1832, [no date]
  6. Correspondence between Sally White Cowles and her sister Clara Cowles, 1798-1809
  7. Correspondence, to and from Giles Hooker and Sally White Cowles, 1792-1832
  8. Delegate convention report and efforts to establish churches in New Connecticut (the Western Reserve), 1807
  9. Document establishing the Female Praying Society, [no date]
  10. Documents pertaining to Eliphalet Austin Jr., 1816, 1837
  11. Diploma from Yale University, 1789 (shelved in 11th floor map case)
  12. Financial account books kept for the Missionary Society of Connecticut, 1823-34, 1833
  13. Handbook of the First Congregational Church, Austinburg, Ohio Howard E. Cowles Memorial Edition, 1956
  14. Journal by Reverend Giles Hooker Cowles while at Yale, 1787-1788
  15. Journal of visit to Ballstown Springs, New York, 1794
  16. Journal of Sally White Cowles, 1800
  17. Journal of missionary tour to New Connecticut (the Western Reserve), May-August 1810
  18. Journal typescript of trip from Connecticut to Austinburg, Ohio, 1811
  19. Land sale in the Connecticut Reserve, signed by Noah Cowles, 1802
  20. Last will and testament and probate document of Giles Hooker Cowles, 1835
  21. Letter by Anna Seeley Tuttle [about Giles Hooker Cowles], 1896
  22. Letter fragments 1794, 1816
  23. Medical diagnosis, 1803
  24. Miscellaneous papers, 1789, [no date]
  25. Miscellaneous religious writings [not in Giles' hand], 1773; [no date]
  26. Missionary journals, 1811-1822
  27. Missionary journals, 1823-1834
  28. Ohio Farmers' Insurance Company, papers, 1867, 1868, 1878
  29. Outline by Lewis D. Cowles for a history his life and times [original manuscript located in the Cowles Family Papers]
  30. Pamphlet Old Herbert on his way home, [no date]
  31. Photocopies of sermon numbers 1, 6, 45, 72, 319, 523, 724, one unnumbered [originals at Ohio Historical Society]
  32. Published notices establishing the Trumbull and Ashtabula Turnpike Company, 1818-1819
  33. Sermons, May-September 1791, numbers 2-5, 8, 10-11, 15-16, 20-21
  34. Sermons, November 1791-March 1792, numbers 21, 26-27, 29-31, 33, 35, 37
  35. Sermons, April-August, 1792, numbers 40-41, 46-48, 51, 53
  36. Sermons, October-December 1792, numbers 55-57, 59-63
  37. Sermons, December 1792-March 1793, numbers 64-68, 70, 73-75
  38. Sermons, April-August 1793, numbers 77-78, 82, 86, 91-92, 95-97
  39. Sermons, October 1793-January 1794, numbers 104-105, 110, 112-117, 120-121
  40. Sermons, February-May, 1794, numbers 126-127, 129, 131-133, 136-138, 141
  41. Sermons, August-November 19, 1794, numbers 143-144, 146-148, 151-152, 155
  42. Sermons, November 21, 1794-January 1795, numbers 156, 159-164, 166-167
  43. Sermons, February-March 6, 1795, numbers 168-168, 171-174
  44. Sermons, March 22-April 1795, numbers 175-177, 179-180, 183
  45. Sermons, May 1795, numbers 184-189

Box 2

Folder--Contents

  1. Sermons, June 1795-July 19, 1795, numbers 190-196
  2. Sermons, July 22-August 1795, numbers 197-202
  3. Sermons, September-November 1795, numbers 203, 205-206, 210, 215-216
  4. Sermons, December 1795- January 1796, numbers 220-225
  5. Sermons, February-April 1796, numbers 226, 229-231, 234-235, 237-239
  6. Sermons, May-August 1796, numbers 242, 246-250, 254-255
  7. Sermons, September-October 23, 1796, numbers 256-258, 260-262, 265-266
  8. Sermons, October 30-November, 1796, numbers 267-273
  9. Sermons, December 1796-January 1797, numbers 274-275, 277-280, 282, 284-285
  10. Sermons, February-April 13, 1797, numbers 286-287, 290, 292-293, 295-296
  11. Sermons, April 28-June 1797, numbers 297-300, 302-303, 305-307
  12. Sermons, August-September 1797, numbers 311-312, 314-318, 320-322
  13. Sermons, October-December 1797, numbers 323, 325-326, 328-330, 333, 336
  14. Sermons, January-February 1798, numbers 337, 339-345
  15. Sermons, March-May 1798, numbers 346-348, 350-352, 354-358
  16. Sermons, June-July 1798, numbers 359-365
  17. Sermons, August-September 1798, numbers 366-374
  18. Sermons, October-November 1798, numbers 375-378, 380-383
  19. Sermons, December 1798-January 1799, numbers 384-387, 389-390, 392-392
  20. Sermons, February-May 1799, numbers 393-404
  21. Sermons, June-October 1799, numbers 405-406, 409-415
  22. Sermons, November 1799-January 1800, numbers 412-420 (numbering overlaps)
  23. Sermons, February-April 1800, numbers 417-426 (numbering overlaps)
  24. Sermons, May-August 1800, numbers 427-428, 430-437
  25. Sermons, September-November 1800, numbers 439, 442-445, 447-449
  26. Sermons, December 1800-March 7,1801, numbers 451-452, 455-461, 463
  27. Sermons, March 30-May 1801, numbers 464, 466-473

Box 3

Folder--Contents

  1. Sermons, June-July 1801, numbers 475-477, 479-484
  2. Sermons, August-October 27, 1801, numbers 485-486, 488-491, 493-495
  3. Sermons, October 30-December 1801, numbers 496-499, 501-505
  4. Sermons, February-April 12, 1802, numbers 507-511, 513-516
  5. Sermons, April 23-June 1802, numbers 517-522, 524
  6. Sermons, July-August 1802, numbers 525-534
  7. Sermons, September-October 1802, numbers 535-539, 541
  8. Sermons, November-December 1802, numbers 542-550
  9. Sermons, January-March 1803, numbers 551-554, 556-558
  10. Sermons, April-May 1803, numbers 559-566
  11. Sermons, June-September 1803, numbers 567-579
  12. Sermons, October-December 1803, numbers 580-581, 584, 586-590, 592
  13. Sermons, January-February 1804, numbers 593, 595-602
  14. Sermons, March-May 1804, numbers 603-604, 606-609, 612-613
  15. Sermons, June-September 1804, numbers 614-618, 620-625
  16. Sermons, October-December 1804, numbers 627-632, 634-636, 638-640
  17. Sermons, January- April 1805, numbers 641-647, 650-651, 653
  18. Sermons, June-December 1805, numbers 655, 658-666, 668
  19. Sermons, January-February 1806, numbers 670-676
  20. Sermons, March-June 1806, numbers 677, 679-682, 684-688
  21. Sermons, July-September 1806, numbers 689-697
  22. Sermons, October-November 1806, numbers 698-703
  23. Sermons, January- March 1807, numbers 704, 706, 708-709, 711-714
  24. Sermons, April-June 1807, numbers 716-722, 725-726
  25. Sermons, July-August 1807, numbers 727, 729-737
  26. Sermons, September-November 1807, numbers 738-743, 745-746

Box 4

Folder--Contents

  1. Sermons, December 1807-January 1808, numbers 747, 749-751, 753-758
  2. Sermons, February-March 1808, numbers 759-763
  3. Sermons, April-October 12,1808, numbers 764-773
  4. Sermons, October 26-December 1808, numbers 774-782
  5. Sermons, January-March 1809, numbers 783-791
  6. Sermons, April-July 1809, numbers 792, 794-795, 797-799, 801-804
  7. Sermons, August-September 1809, numbers 805-813
  8. Sermons, October-December 1809, numbers 814-816, 819-824
  9. Sermons, January-March 1810, numbers 826-827, 830-835
  10. Sermons, May 1810-August 1812, numbers 837-839, 841-846 [841 and 845 are photocopies]
  11. Sermons, January 1813-December 1815, numbers 705, 849-851 [includes unnumbered sermons]
  12. Sermons, January-December 1816, unnumbered
  13. Sermons, January-December 1817, unnumbered
  14. Sermons, April-September 1818, unnumbered
  15. Sermons, February-December 1819, unnumbered
  16. Sermons, January-July 1820, unnumbered
  17. Sermons, August-December 1820, unnumbered
  18. Sermons, January-July 1821, unnumbered
  19. Sermons, August-December 1821, unnumbered
  20. Sermons, February-July 1822, unnumbered
  21. Sermons, August-December 1822, unnumbered
  22. Sermons, January-June 1823, unnumbered
  23. Sermons, July-December 1823, unnumbered
  24. Sermons, January-May 1824, unnumbered
  25. Sermons, June-August 1824, unnumbered

Box 5

Folder--Contents

  1. Sermons, October-December 1824, unnumbered
  2. Sermons, January-July 1825, unnumbered
  3. Sermons, September-December 1825, unnumbered
  4. Sermons, February-June 1826, unnumbered
  5. Sermons, July-August 1826, unnumbered
  6. Sermons, September-December 1826, unnumbered
  7. Sermons, January-March 9, 1827, unnumbered
  8. Sermons, March 13-June 1827, unnumbered
  9. Sermons, July-September 1827, unnumbered
  10. Sermons, October-December 1827, unnumbered
  11. Sermons, January-March 1828, unnumbered
  12. Sermons, July-September 1828, unnumbered
  13. Sermons, October-December 1828, unnumbered
  14. Sermons, January-April 1829, unnumbered
  15. Sermons, May-July 1829, unnumbered
  16. Sermons, August-December 1829, unnumbered
  17. Sermons, January-October 1830, unnumbered
  18. Sermons, March 1831-September 1833, unnumbered
  19. Writings of Giles Hooker Cowles, most are complete sermons, addresses and prayers, [no date]
  20. Writings of Giles Hooker Cowles, theological questions answered and views on baptism, [no date]
  21. Writings of Giles Hooker Cowles, theological questions answered and views on baptism, [no date]
  22. Writings of Giles Hooker Cowles, theological questions answered, [no date]
  23. Writings of Giles Hooker Cowles, scripture and expositions of particular scriptural passages, [no date]
  24. Writings of Giles Hooker Cowles, incomplete theological writings, sermons, addresses, etc. in paginated sequence, [no date]
  25. Writings of Giles Hooker Cowles, incomplete theological writings, sermons, addresses, etc. paginated fragments, [no date]
  26. Writings of Giles Hooker Cowles, incomplete theological writings, sermons, notes, etc. fragments, [no date]
  27. Writings of Giles Hooker Cowles, miscellaneous papers includes notebook, accounts, etc.; "Covenant" and "Confession of Faith", [no date]
  28. Writings of Giles Hooker Cowles, Theological Text, pp. 3-230