Oscar C. McCulloch collection
Collection
Identifier: L363
Scope and Contents
This collection includes diaries, clippings, papers, letters, writings, notes, scrapbooks, pamphlets, and ephemera from Oscar C. McCulloch and his family in Indianapolis, Indiana, ranging from 1860 to 1924, regarding Plymouth Church, Indianapolis Benevolent Society, Charity Organization Society, and McCulloch Club. The bulk of the collection consists of McCulloch’s diaries (1877-1891).
Oversize items include contains newspapers clippings, a National Conference of Charities and Correction appointment document, Christian Register clippings (1885-1889), other oversize clippings, and a Plymouth Church broadside, 1890s (OBD031). There is also a pamphlet with an oversize fold-out diagram of the family lineage of the "Tribe of Ishmael" also called the Ben-Ishmael Tribe, a poor, white Protestant family in Indianapolis, Indiana. The chart was prepared for Reverend Oscar C. McCulloch's paper, read at the National Conference of Charities in Buffalo, New York during July 5-11, 1888 (OBF003).
Oversize items include contains newspapers clippings, a National Conference of Charities and Correction appointment document, Christian Register clippings (1885-1889), other oversize clippings, and a Plymouth Church broadside, 1890s (OBD031). There is also a pamphlet with an oversize fold-out diagram of the family lineage of the "Tribe of Ishmael" also called the Ben-Ishmael Tribe, a poor, white Protestant family in Indianapolis, Indiana. The chart was prepared for Reverend Oscar C. McCulloch's paper, read at the National Conference of Charities in Buffalo, New York during July 5-11, 1888 (OBF003).
Dates
- 1860-1924
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Oscar Carleton McCulloch was born July 2, 1843, to C. G. and Hattie McCulloch in Fremont, Ohio. McCulloch was educated in Portage, Wisconsin, and at Eastman Business College in New York. He worked as a government clerk in Springfield, Illinois, and as a salesman in Chicago, before entering the Chicago Theological Seminary in 1867. In 1870, McCulloch became the minister of the First Congregational Church in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. Around this time McCulloch married a woman named Alice and they subsequently had five children: Carleton, David, Agnes, Margaret, and Ruth.
In 1877, McCulloch came to Indianapolis, Indiana and assumed leadership of the Plymouth Church. He moved the congregation toward a Social Gospel mission, a liberal theology that applied Christianity to economics, business ethics, labor, and social issues. McCulloch would often visit the poor in their homes or institutions, which led him to begin a study of the genetic and environmental factors affecting poverty. In particular, he studied what he called “The Tribe of Ishmael” and published a pamphlet on the subject in 1888, which was used to support Indiana's eugenics laws and efforts of the next few decades.
McCulloch played a critical role in the evolution of charity in Indianapolis, moving to a more proactive organized state from its earlier informal iteration. He assisted in the coordination of the Indianapolis Benevolent Society (IBS) and other local charitable organizations, which led to the creation of the Charity Organization Society (COS). McCulloch was president of the COS from 1882 until his death as well as the president of the IBS. McCulloch was also actively involved with the Indiana Board of State Charities and the Indianapolis Flower Mission Society. He became president of the National Council of Charities and Correction in 1891. Oscar C. McCulloch died on December 10, 1891, and was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.
Source:
Items in the collection.
Findagrave.com. "Rev. Oscar C. McCulloch." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 13, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45968326/oscar-c-mcculloch.
Forbes, J. Thomas and Katherine Badertscher. “Oscar Carleton McCulloch.” Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Revised February 2021. Accessed March 13, 2025. https://indyencyclopedia.org/oscar-carleton-mcculloch.
Markhison, Deborah B. and Katherine Badertscher. "Plymouth Congregational Church." Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Revised March 2021. Accessed March 13, 2025. https://indyencyclopedia.org/plymouth-church.
In 1877, McCulloch came to Indianapolis, Indiana and assumed leadership of the Plymouth Church. He moved the congregation toward a Social Gospel mission, a liberal theology that applied Christianity to economics, business ethics, labor, and social issues. McCulloch would often visit the poor in their homes or institutions, which led him to begin a study of the genetic and environmental factors affecting poverty. In particular, he studied what he called “The Tribe of Ishmael” and published a pamphlet on the subject in 1888, which was used to support Indiana's eugenics laws and efforts of the next few decades.
McCulloch played a critical role in the evolution of charity in Indianapolis, moving to a more proactive organized state from its earlier informal iteration. He assisted in the coordination of the Indianapolis Benevolent Society (IBS) and other local charitable organizations, which led to the creation of the Charity Organization Society (COS). McCulloch was president of the COS from 1882 until his death as well as the president of the IBS. McCulloch was also actively involved with the Indiana Board of State Charities and the Indianapolis Flower Mission Society. He became president of the National Council of Charities and Correction in 1891. Oscar C. McCulloch died on December 10, 1891, and was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.
Source:
Items in the collection.
Findagrave.com. "Rev. Oscar C. McCulloch." Find a Grave Memorial. Accessed March 13, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45968326/oscar-c-mcculloch.
Forbes, J. Thomas and Katherine Badertscher. “Oscar Carleton McCulloch.” Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Revised February 2021. Accessed March 13, 2025. https://indyencyclopedia.org/oscar-carleton-mcculloch.
Markhison, Deborah B. and Katherine Badertscher. "Plymouth Congregational Church." Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Revised March 2021. Accessed March 13, 2025. https://indyencyclopedia.org/plymouth-church.
Extent
1.6 Cubic Feet (4 manuscript boxes, 1 extra-large oversize folder, 1 oversize object)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Agnes McCulloch Hanna.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Existence and Location of Copies
Digitized images of the "The Tribe of Ishmael: Diagram" pamphlet is available online in the ISL Digital Collections: https://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16066coll38/id/15
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 1997/09 by Jill Costill. Collection reprocessed 2007/04 by Elizabeth M. Wilkinson. Finding aid updated 2015/11/04 by Laura Eliason. EAD finding aid created 2018/05/04 by Lauren Patton. EAD finding aid revised 2021/09/15; 2021/11/24 by Lauren Patton; 2022/04/05. Collection reprocessing completed 2025/03/13 by Brittany Kropf. EAD finding aid revised 2025/03/13 by Brittany Kropf.
- Broadsides
- Certificates
- Charities -- Indiana
- Charity Organization Society (Indianapolis, Ind.)
- Christianity
- Clergy
- Clippings
- Correspondence
- Diaries
- Ephemera
- Eugenics
- Indiana -- Societies and clubs
- Indianapolis (Ind.)
- Indianapolis (Ind.) -- Societies and clubs
- Minutes (Records)
- Pamphlets
- Plymouth Church (Indianapolis, Ind.)
- Programs
- Religion
- Scrapbooks
- Societies and clubs
Creator
- Title
- Oscar C. McCulloch papers
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
