William Mathusen Verdery Collection

Collection

Identifier: MU-PP-0129

Staff Only

W. M. Verdery Collection Finding Aid

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Scope and Contents

The Verdery collection consists of diaries of William Mathusen Verdury from 1870-1896. The brief entries discuss where he preached and the scripture references he used, individuals he baptized, church visitations and travels, social life, and weather, mostly while residing in Hancock County, Georgia.

Dates

Creation: 1870 - 1897

Rights Statement

To quote in print, or otherwise reproduce in whole or in part in any publication, including on the World Wide Web, any material from this collection, the researcher must obtain permission from (1) the owner of the physical property and (2) the holder of the copyright. Persons wishing to quote from this collection should consult the reference archivist to determine copyright holders for information in this collection. Reproduction of any item must contain the complete citation to the original.

Biographical / Historical

William Mathusen Verdery was born at Belair, Georgia (ten miles west of Augusta), on July 27, 1825. His early childhood was spent in his grandfather’s house, where an aunt taught him to read, instructed him in the Presbyterian catechism, and trained him to read the Scriptures. In 1837, he attended the Mercer Institute in Penfield, Georgia. In 1841, he was sent to school at Cave Spring, and while there was baptized at the Cave Spring Baptist Church. He returned home and joined the Abilene Church, and was ordained there in November, 1848. In December of 1847, Verdery married Cornelia F. Skinner of Richmond County, and the couple had eighteen children.

For the years 1849-1857, Verdery served churches in the Hephzibah Association. In 1857, he moved to Hancock County, Georgia, within the bounds of the Washington Association, and served churches there for thirteen years. Verdery returned to the Hephzibah Association in 1870 and served both as an evangelist and pastor. He was elected Clerk of the Association in 1876 and was re-elected every year for twenty years. Verdery died April 29, 1897.

(Sources: Patterson, J. H. (1897). “A Memorial.” Hephzibah Baptist Association. Kilpatrick, W. L. (1894). The Hephzibah Baptist Association Centennial, 1794-1894. Augusta, GA: Richards & Shaver, Printers.)