Theodore L. Cuyler correspondence
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Abstract
Typewritten and photocopied transcriptions of Theodore L. Cuyler's 1872-1899 correspondence primarily addressed or in relation to Rev. Augustus Bedlow Prichard. Cuyler was pastor of the Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in Fort Greene, Brooklyn from 1860-1890.
Biographical note
Theodore Ledyard Cuyler (January 10, 1822-February 26, 1909) graduated from The College of New Jersey (later known as Princeton University) in 1841, and was ordained as a minister in 1848. On March 17, 1853, he married Annie E. Mathiot (d. July 12, 1915). In 1854, Cuyler founded the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in New York City. He was Brooklyn's leading proponent of the YMCA after he moved to Brooklyn, circa 1859. Cuyler also helped found the National Temperance Society and its publication house in 1865, serving as the Society's president from 1885 to 1893. Cuyler began serving as pastor of Brooklyn's Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church in 1860 and remained at that church until 1890. In 1885, Culyer started the Sunday Mission School on lower Atlantic Avenue in order to bring the Christian religious faith to the poor. The Sunday Mission School was soon known as Cuyler Presbyterian Church, located at 360 Pacific Street. In 1902, he published Recollections of a Long Life. Cuyler resided at 176 South Oxford Street in Fort Greene.
Augustus Bedlow Prichard studied at Adelphi Academy, Brooklyn, from 1866-1867. He was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in 1880 and served as pastor at Pleasant Valley in Dutchess County and then at Cumberland Street Church in Brooklyn until 1891. He organized and was pastor at Arlington Avenue Church from 1891-1898 before moving to Los Angeles, CA.
Arrangement
This small collection is housed in a single folder with no particular arrangement.
Scope and Contents
The Theodore L. Cuyler correspondence measures .08 linear feet and spans the period 1860 to 1890. The collection consists of typewritten and photocopied transcriptions of Theodore L. Cuyler's correspondence primarily addressed or in relation to Rev. Augustus Bedlow Prichard.
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Conditions Governing Access
Open to users without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
The materials in this collection are in the public domain. While many items at the Center for Brooklyn History are unrestricted, we do not own reproduction rights to all materials. Be aware of the several kinds of rights that might apply: copyright, licensing and trademarks. The researcher assumes all responsibility for copyright questions.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Theodore L. Cuyler correspondence, 1978.167, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1978.
Custodial History
Sent by Paul Molnar, office manager at Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, according to whom the original handwritten letters were sent to the church by Mr. William H. Prichard of Duarte, CA. The church had them transcribed by typewriter and sent these copies of the transcriptions to what was then the Long Island Historical Society at the request of Dr. George Knight, pastor.
About this Guide
Processing Information
This collection was rehoused and the finding aid revised by Dee Bowers in 2024.
