Guide to the Collection of Jesse Coldren,1787-1930

Arrangement

Repository
Heinz History Center
Title
Collection of Jesse Coldren
Creator
Coldren, Jesse
Collection Number
MSS#15
Extent
3.75 cubic feet (8 Boxes)
Date
1787-1930
Abstract
This collection primarily includes municipal records, church records, and diaries transcribed by Jessie Coldren in preparation of his Masters' thesis at the University of Pittsburgh entitled, "A Study of Four Pioneer Churches in Western Pennsylvania." While whereabouts of the original manuscripts transcribed herein is unknown, Coldren discusses his search for these records in the introduction of his thesis. This collection primarily includes material from Brownsville, Pennsylvania (Fayette County) and records of churches throughout Western Pennsylvania.
Language
The material in this collection is in English.
Author
This guide to the collection was originally prepared by: Julia Pretti and Corey Seeman on September 15,1993. Revisions occurred to the finding aid as a part of the encoding process on
Sponsor
This finding aid has been encoded as a part of the Historic Pittsburgh project a joint effort of the University of Pittsburgh and the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Funding for this portion of the project has been donated by the Hillman Foundation.
Publisher
Heinz History Center
Address
1212 Smallman St.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
library@heinzhistorycenter.org
URL: https://www.heinzhistorycenter.org

Biographical Sketch of Jesse Coldren (1880-1958)

Jesse Coldren was a teacher and historian in the Brownsville, Pennsylvania community for nearly fifty years. Jesse was born and lived most of his life in that Fayette County community with his one brother and his mother, who operated a Brownsville haberdashery. Jesse Coldren married Susan (Sudie) Chowles and had no children. He lived on Market street in the north side of Brownsville. Jesse Coldren was certified to teach bookkeeping, math, english, civics, political science, sociology and hand writing. He taught at one room schools at Albany and Redstone Townships where all eight grades of primary education were housed together. He eventually became a principal in the Brownsville Area Schools and remained with the school district until his retirement.

Jesse Coldren went to the University of Pittsburgh for both his bachelors degree and masters degree (1929) in history where he reportedly took every course offered in that department. He wrote his masters thesis on the Presbyterian Church in Western Pennsylvania entitled, "A Study of Four Pioneer Churches in Western Pennsylvania: Dunlaps Creek, Rehoboth, Round Hill and Brownsville First Presbyterian." For 48 years, Jesse Coldren was a historian, teacher and principal in the Brownsville community and continually wrote articles and historical sketches of people and organizations in the greater Brownsville area.

Brownsville, Pennsylvania is located on the east bank of the Monongahela River in Fayette County and was first settled by traders in the second half of the eighteenth century. Captain Cresap, noting the potential value of the area, received a deed for the land from the Commonwealth of Virginia. Cresap sold his land to two Maryland brothers, Thomas and Basil Brown. In 1785, Thomas laid out the original town plans and within twenty years, eighty lots were sold bringing the population to nearly 400. Brownsville was incorporated as a borough on December 14, 1814 and in 1817, Brownsville township was constituted out of Redstone Township. Brownsville flourished throughout the 19th century with strong ship building, distilling and iron industries supported by a railroad and water link with Pittsburgh. As Brownsville grew in population and stature, the community merged with neighboring communities including Bridgeport in 1882.

The Presbyterian Church grew rapidly with the population growth in the Western Pennsylvania region. Primarily responsible for the growth of the church in this region was the large number of immigrants from the Scotland, Ulster and numerous transplanted citizens from the eastern seaboard. The first account of the Presbyterian Church in the Brownsville area was in 1811, when Rev. Boyd Mercer sought to preach to the citizens of Brownsville and Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Two years later, the first Presbyterian church was established in Brownsville by Rev. William Johnson, which he led until 1841. This church was part of the Presbytery of Redstone, which was established in 1781 as the first presbytery west of the Alleghenies. Given the true frontier nature of Western Pennsylvania at this time, the presbytery met for the second time nearly a year later and slowly gained a foothold in the region. All subsequent presbyteries in the Upper Ohio Valley region sprang from the Redstone including the Presbytery of Ohio, which included all churches west of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers. The churches which remained in the Redstone Presbytery were primarily located in Allegheny, Fayette and Westmoreland Counties.

Scope and Content Notes

The Jesse Coldren Collection primarily includes municipal records, church records, and diaries transcribed by Jesse Coldren in preparation of his Masters' thesis at the University of Pittsburgh entitled, "A Study of Four Pioneer Churches in Western Pennsylvania." While whereabouts of the original manuscripts transcribed herein is unknown, Coldren discusses his search for these records in the introduction of his thesis. This collection primarily includes material from Brownsville, Pennsylvania (Fayette County) and records of churches throughout Western Pennsylvania. Church records primarily include presbyterian churches operating in the Redstone Presbytery, in Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, and Westmoreland counties. The municipal and church records appear to be comprehensive and include proceedings, financial information, lists of members and/or residents and other information.

Arrangement

The Jesse Coldren Collection is housed in eight archival boxes and is arranged in three series. Series have been designated for municipality records, church records, and personal diaries.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

These items came in one accession.

Acc# 187 Gift of Jessie Coldren, (Collection) 1933

Preferred Citation

Collection of Jesse Coldren, 1781-1930, MSS# 15, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania Previously cited: Jesse Coldren Collection, 1781-1930, MSS# 15, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania

General

Previously cited: Jesse Coldren Collection, 1781-1930, MSS# 15, Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Julia Pretti and Corey Seeman in September 15, 1993.

Revision and rearrangement for the encoded version of the finding aid provided by Kate Colligan on June 30, 1999.

Conditions Governing Use

Property rights reside with the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or publish, please contact the curator of the Archives.

Subjects

    Corporate Names

    • Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. -- Presbytery of Redstone
    • First Methodist Church (Brownsville, Pa.)
    • Carmichaels Presbyterian Church (Pa.)
    • Dunlap Creek Presbyterian Church (Redstone, Pa.)
    • First Presbyterian Church (Brownsville, Pa.)
    • Jefferson (Allegheny County, Pa.). -- Presbyterian Church.
    • Laurel Hill Church (Dunbar, Pa.)
    • Little Redstone Church (Jefferson, Pa.)
    • Long Run Church (Irwin, Pa.)
    • Mount Pleasant Church (Pa.)
    • New Providence Church (Carmichaels, Pa.)
    • Rohoboth Presbyterian Church (Belle Vernon, Pa.)
    • Round HIll Church.
    • Sewickley Presbyterian Church (Sewickley, Pa.)
    • Ten Mile Baptist Association.
    • Tent Presbyterian Church (Pa.)
    • Tyrone Presbyterian Church (Pa.)
    • Uniontown First Presbyterian Church (Pa.)

    Personal Names

    • Gallaher, J. M.
    • Hendrickson, Joseph.

    Geographic Names

    • Brownsville (Pa.) -- Social life and customs.
    • Fayette County (Pa.) -- Social life and customs.
    • Greene County (Pa.) -- Social life and customs.
    • Monongahela River (W. Va. and Pa.)
    • South Brownsville (Pa.) -- Social life and customs.
    • Washington County (Pa.) -- Social life and customs.
    • West Brownsville (Pa.) -- Social life and customs.

    Other Subjects

    • Church management -- Pennsylvania.
    • Presbyterian church buildings -- Pennsylvania.
    • Presbyterian church -- Pennsylvania.
    • Presbyterians -- Pennsylvania.
    • River boats -- Pennsylvania.
    • Rivers -- Pennsylvania

Container List