Sprague, William B. (William Buell), 1795-1876

Clergyman and autograph collector from Albany, N.Y.

From the description of Papers, 1830-1843. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 33203510

American pastor, collector, and biographer.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Albany, N.Y., to [Andrew Preston Peabody?], 1866 Jan. 15. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 751989045

William Buell Sprague (1795-1876) was an American Presbyterian clergyman and author. A graduate of Yale and of Princeton Theological seminary, he was installed as pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, Albany, New York in 1829. He is the author of the nine-volume work Annals of the Pulpit of All Denominations, a comprehensive biographical dictionary of American Protestant ministers up to 1850. Sprague was also an avid collector of autorgraphs, particularly those of important American statesmen.

From the guide to the William B. Sprague Letters, 1857-1865, (Special Collections Research Center, Syracuse University Libraries)

American Presbyterian Divine and autograph collector.

From the description of Autograph letters signed (2) : Albany, to Professor Griscom, 1830 Oct. 25-1830 Dec. 10. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270580264

William Buell Sprague was born in Andover, Connecticut, and educated at Yale University and Princeton Theological Seminary, being ordained a minister in 1819. He became pastor at the Congregational Church in West Springfield, Massachusetts; in 1829, he moved to the Second Presbyterian Church in Albany, New York, where he served for forty years. Sprague was also a prolific writer and published many of his serrmons and tracts; he also compiled or wrote biographies of hundreds of United States clergymen, collecting them into The Annals of the American Pulpit, a nine-volume set that continues to be a valuable source. He was also an eminent collector of American books, manuscripts, and autographs.

From the description of William Buell Sprague letters, 1859-1861. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 71225951

William Buell Sprague was a Albany, New York Congregational clergyman, author and autograph collector.

From the description of Autograph book, ca. 1872. (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). WorldCat record id: 122441839

Rev. William Buell Sprague was a Albany, New York Congregational clergyman, author and an autograph collector.

From the description of Collection of speeches and sermons, 1799-1857. (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). WorldCat record id: 122633150

Author of book, ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN PULPIT.

From the description of Letter of William Buell Sprague, 1867. (Wheaton College). WorldCat record id: 31743380

Clergyman, antiquarian, and collector.

From the description of William Buell Sprague collection, 1702-1783. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 71070198

American clergyman, biographer and collector.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Albany, to the Rev. John Pierpont, 1852 Dec. 30. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270574422

Clergyman, author, and autograph collector.

From the description of William Buell Sprague correspondence, 1841. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70980511

William Buell Sprague (1795-1876), clergyman and autograph collector. He was born in Andover, Conn, a son of Benjamin Sprague and Sybil Buell. William Sprague's great grand uncle, John Buell, was one of the original proprietors of Litchfield. After graduation from Yale in 1815, Sprague was a private tutor, studied two years at Princeton theological seminary. In 1819, he was ordained pastor of the First Congregational Church in West Springfield, Mass., remaining there until 1829, when he was installed as pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church in Albany, N.Y. He held this charge until 1869, when he resigned and moved to Flushing, N.Y. In 1828 and 1836 he visited Europe. Sprague was an enthusiastic collector of religious pamphlets and autographs. He gave his autographs, numbering nearly 100,000, to his son. Sprague was the author of more than 100 published sermons, memoirs, addresses, and essays, and wrote many introductions to books. His principal work was "Annals of the American Pulpit."

From the description of William Buell Sprague papers, 1796-1867 [microform]. (Litchfield Historical Society). WorldCat record id: 754997021