The Jesse Maxwell Corum Manuscript Collection

Collection

Identifier: SCM 228

Staff Only

Scope and Content

This collection consists of manuscript sermons by Jesse Maxwell Corum and a small amount of miscellaneous personal materials that he collected.

Dates

1913-1961

Language of Materials

English

Access:

There are no special restrictions to access of this collection. It may be examined by library patrons under the normal rules and conditions of Special Collections.

Preferred Citation

The following is the acceptable citation for publication: The Jesse Maxwell Corum Manuscript Collection. Special Collections, Princeton Theological Seminary Library.

Biographical Information

Jesse Maxwell Corum (1880-1973) was born in Paris, Tennessee and was a student at Lee School in Paris and Peabody Preparatory School in Nashville. After graduating high school, he attended Vanderbilt University (1902-06), Lebanon Theological Seminary (1906-07), and Princeton Theological Seminary (1907-1909). He attained the highest general, four-year grade point average ever made at Vanderbilt with a 97.8. While at Princeton Seminary, he was awarded a Gelston-Winthrop Fellowship in Church History, which enabled him to study at the University of Marburg, Germany from 1912 to 1913. He was ordained in 1909 and served as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Norristown, Pennsylvania for 39 years. During World War II, Dr. Corum also served as a civilian chaplain with the Marine Corps in North Carolina.

Extent

6.6 Linear Feet (16 boxes)

Additional Description

Arrangement

This collection consists mainly of sermon manuscripts from Jesse M. Corum's time in Norristown. These were kept in their original order, which organized the sermons around certain themes, passages or dates. They were delivered on multiple occasions. The date that best matched that of other sermons in a particular group was written on the folder by the processor. Almost every sermon is typed, with a hand-written version attached, and a list of dates on which the sermon was delivered recorded on the cover. This collection also includes miscellaneous notes, correspondence, and periodicals. Some contents are very brittle and should be handled with care.

Processing Information:

The material in this collection was donated to the Seminary Libraries by Dr. Corum's son, the Reverend Frederick Corum (PTS class of 1940) in August of 1996. The collection was initially inventoried by Raymond D. Cannata under the direction of William O. Harris, Archivist, in 1996. It was organized and the full finding aid was written by Daved Anthony Schmidt in May of 2010. The finding aid was edited by Sarah Seraphin.