Gaustad, Edwin 2007-05-01
Dr. Gaustad, a retired history professor and renowned author of American religion talks about his life, family, education, publications and interests.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: Edwin Gaustad
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: May 01, 2007
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Interviewer: David Marshall
Length: 01:21:41
Abstract
Personal Information; Father’s dairy business; Places he has lived – Iowa, South Texas; Grew up in Houston, Texas; Schools where he studied; Studied Texas history grades 4, 8, 10 and 11; No clearly defined academic interest; Siblings – Two elder brothers; Mother – Nurse; Father – Driver; Self motivated for going to college and choosing a major; Mother – Congregational Background; Father – Lutheran Background; Developed interest in history on his own; Studied at Baylor University, major – religion; Majored in history in Junior and Senior Years; Joined the army – 1943; Reentered Baylor; First reaction to Baylor University; Comfortable with Texas culture; Impact of faculty members – positive and negative; Teaching – professional aim; Learned Greek from Professor Henry; Not much freedom of inquiry; Got good grades; Graduate work at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island; Married in 1946; Scholarship; Libraries at Baptist institutions; Research materials for completing master’s degree available at Brown; His thesis; His wife Virginia Morgan; met at Baylor; His children and their professions; Survived three children during graduate school; Graduated in 1951 with Ph.D.; Did research, traveled; Went to Massachusetts Historical Society, Connecticut Historical Society; Influences from Brown University that impacted him; Model Professor: Prof. Edmund S. Morgan; his personality; Scholar, teacher, writer, mentor; Periods of interest; 1960’s - interest in geography; First Publication in1962 - Historical Atlas of Religion in America; Other publications; Libraries in London; Historical atlas – career booster; 1970’s – Publications on religious dissent; Names of his publications; Worked in Newport Historical Society; More publications – 1980’s and 1990’s; 1982 - Documentary History of Religion; Published in area of Religious Liberty and American Founders; Reasons for interest in this area; His book on Thomas Jefferson; Church and State; Wrote many biographies; Reasons for writing about Benjamin Franklin; Other Interests; How to write church history; Thirty-two page publication on church history in 1991; Favorite definition of a fanatic; Does not give an opinion on the subjects he writes about; Admiration of Will Rogers; Grateful to Harper and Row; long relationship; Publishers he worked with; Baylor Publications, Oxford University Press; Most fulfilling to work with – Harper, Oxford; Changes in Baylor – Scholarships; Contributions to the history of America; Publication that made a difference – Historical Atlas; About James Wood’s personality; William Estep; Other Colleagues; About Thomas Jefferson; Perspective on Separation of Church and State in America; Attitude toward the Southern Baptist Convention; Adventist Leadership.
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