Corliss Fitz Randolph

Corliss Fitz Randolph

Current Seventh Day Baptist Historian, Nick Kersten's announcement of the Seventh Day Baptist Historical Society's annual membership meeting this weekend came with this picture of Corliss Fitz Randolph [1863-1954], the founder of the society, a president of the General Conference, trustee of Alfred University, author of, among other things, Seventh Day Baptists in West Virginia [1905], and editor of, and contributor to, Seventh Day Baptists in Europe and America [1910]. It seems entirely appropriate that one who contributed so much to the preservation of denominational history should be remembered by those who continue his work.

Mr. Fitz Randolph was largely responsible for collecting many of the materials now residing in the archives and museum of the society. Plainfield, New Jersey, was the location of the society's first museum [now in Janesville, Wisconsin] and Corliss Fitz Randolph it's curator. I recall my father telling of coming over from his home in NYC to work with Mr. Fitz Randolph in the museum. I received the impression that he could be rather garrulous. But it isn't unusual for those who have accumulated a great deal of information interesting to themselves to assume that it will be equally interesting to others.