Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

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Preferred Citation

Nomini Baptist Church Minute Books, 1824-1883. Accession 30051a-b, Church records collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Lent for copying by Nomini Baptist Church, Westmoreland County, Virginia, per Edith Healy, 24 August 1978.

Biographical/Historical Information

Nomini Baptist Church was organized in Westmoreland County, Virginia, on 29 April 1786. By 1809 it was reported to have the largest membership of Baptist churches in Virginia, 875 members, many of whom were slaves. This church was the mother church of many of the Baptist churches in Westmoreland, King George, and Richmond Counties. For more information see, "Nomini Baptist Church: 200 Years, 1786-1986, by John and Frances Smith, 1986.

Scope and Content Information

Consists of two volumes. a) Minute Book, 1824-1843, contains minutes that cover the period January 1824-July 1843. The first few pages of this well-organized volume are missing. The constitution of the church, as approved on 22 June 1839, is recorded on pages 107-109. It replaced the constitution adopted in 1786, which had been "lost or mislaid." Membership lists appear on pages 152-160. (81 leaves). b) Minute Book, 1865-1883, contains minutes that cover the period December 1865-May 1883. This volume is well organized, but the first few pages have been lost. The minutes are difficult to read in places. Although pages 147-149 contain an assessment of members for the support of the church, names to complement the assessments on page 147 are missing. Membership lists appear on pages 15-16. (78 leaves).