The Garber Collection 1899-1972

Access and use

Location of collection:
Randolph-Macon College
McGraw-Page Library
Randolph Macon College
P.O. Box 5005
305 Henry Street
Ashland, VA 23005
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Laurie Preston
Phone: (804) 752-4718
Phone: (804) 752-3203
Fax: (804) 752-7345

Summary

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The Garber Papers include a plethora of materials ranging from Garber's birth to his death. These materials include personal items such as diaries and correspondences, professional items from his work as bishop in both Europe and the United States, lecture notes, research notes and typed scripts of sermons and lectures.

Biographical / historical:

Bishop Paul Neff Garber 1899-1972 Paul Neff Garber was born in New Market, VA, the son of Samuel and Ida Garber. He was raised there and began his religious life attending The Church of the Brethren. He was an undergraduate at Bridgewater College and later received his Masters and Doctorate degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He went on to teach history at the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, and Duke University. In 1926, he became the first professor of church history at the newly opened Duke School of Religion. His career at Duke continued for 18 years, becoming the school's registrar in 1928 and dean in 1941. He was elected Bishop in 1944. At this point, he was assigned to the Geneva Area Episcopacy, which consisted of nine European countries and part of North Africa. Bishop Garber returned to the U.S. when he was assigned to the Richmond Area Conference in 1951, which consisted of Virginia and North Carolina. When the Raleigh Area Conference was created in 1964, Garber became its first bishop. He served there until his retirement in 1968, at which time he went back to Switzerland, having been commissioned by the Methodist World Council to write a history of the Methodist Church. His retirement here was pleasant, doing research among old friends and colleagues. He was nearly finished with this work when he suddenly passed away on December 18, 1972. History of Methodism in Europe was completed by Roy Short, a noted Methodist Historian, and was published in 1980. Garber wrote several other books, mainly on the history of the United Methodist Church.

Acquisition information:
The majority of the collection was a gift from Bishop Garber to the college in August of 1964, when he left Virginia, having been appointed Bishop of the North Carolina Conference. The remainder of the collection was donated by Mrs. May.
Arrangement:

The collection is divided into nine topical divisions and each topical division is divided either topically or chronologically.

Physical description:
57 archival boxes along with 15 scrapbooks