Correspondence by William Kincaid, Jr.: Letter to a newspaper editor, 1858

The papers of William Kincaid Jr. primarily comprise correspondence, essays, verses, and notes for composition and rhetorical classes, 1856-1867 and undated, most of which were organized under the title “Compositions and Scraps, mainly College Essays.” These writings were written by Kincaid before and during his student days at Oberlin College--in the Preparatory School, the College (A.B. 1865), and the Graduate School of Theology (Sem. 1867). The papers dating from Kincaid’s student years concern such subjects as patriotism, faith, and reason, John Locke’s works, theology, and suffrage for African Americans. Additionally, the papers include personal letters to a newspaper editor and Kincaid’s parents dating to the late 1850s and early 1860s, respectively. The great-granddaughter of William Kincaid Jr., Katherine Kincaid Newman, provided transcriptions of the items from his student years and her own notes regarding them in 2010.

Later correspondence and records (1870-1887) relate to his appointment as a financial agent for Oberlin College in 1870; his installation as a pastor of Second Congregational Church, where he served from 1876 to 1882; and his appointment as Treasurer of Oberlin College by President Fairchild in 1887. Additionally, the papers include minutes of Kincaid’s installation as a pastor of the Second Congregation Church in 1876 and the results of a church council meeting in 1882.

The Papers are organized into two series: Series 1. Oberlin College Student Materials, and Series 2. Career and Church Service at Oberlin.