The Kemper Fullerton Papers, 1850(1902-1940)-1946, consist of correspondence, diaries, lecture notes, and writings documenting Fullerton's career as a teacher and scholar.  The bulk of the collection, the lecture notes and writings, dates from his tenure (1904-34) as Finney Professor of Old Testament Language and Literature at the Oberlin College Graduate School of Theology.  With the exception of portions of the correspondence and seven diaries (1905-08, 1915, 1935, 1937), there is little material relating directly to his family life and none relating to his undergraduate years at Princeton (1884-88) or to his graduate studies in Berlin (1891-93).

The collection has been divided into six series alphabetically arranged:  Series I. Correspondence; Series II. Diaries and Notebooks; Series III. Genealogical Files of the Fullerton Family; Series IV. Sermons and Talks; Series V. Teaching Materials; and, Series VI. Writings.  Fullerton's teaching materials ([1897]-1931) are extensive and include lecture notes for courses on the Old Testament prophets, the history of Israel, and the development of the Hebrew Canon.  One notebook contains notes on Romans and Galatians made at Lane Seminary.  His scholarly writings are represented by manuscript (typescript) and printed articles, monographs, preliminary studies for and chapter-length excerpts of longer published and unpublished works, and clipping service reviews of his 1918 publication, Prophecy and Authority.  Fullerton's immensely popular chapel talks (1924, 1930-34), some of which were published in Essays and Sketches (Yale, 1938), are housed in Series IV. Sermons and Talks.

Fullerton's incoming (1911-13, 1921-40) and outgoing correspondence (1891-1939) reflects his unflagging dedication to biblical scholarship.  Important correspondents include Orientalist and editor (1908-14, 1921-31) of the Harvard Theological Review, George Foote Moore (1851-1931), President of Cornell University, Livingston Farrand (1867-1939), and editor of the Nation, Oswald Garrison Villard (1872-1949).  Fullerton and Moore debated the finer points of Hebrew prophecy taken up in Fullerton's submissions to the Harvard Theological Review.  Letters to and from Oberlin Professor of Homiletics William James Hutchins (1871-1958) reveal a close friendship between the Fullertons and Hutchins.

The genealogical files include a notebook (1889) kept by Fullerton's father, Thomas Fullerton, which records what he knew of his family's ancestry.  The correspondence of family members seeks to establish the family genealogy.

Series I. Correspondence, 1891-1940, 1.0 l.f.

The correspondence of Kemper and Kate Fullerton is separated in two subseries.  Incoming and outgoing correspondence is chronologically arranged.

Series II.  Diaries and Notebooks, 1905-38, 0.5 l.f.

The diaries and notebooks are separated and chronologically arranged.

Series III.  Genealogical Files of Fullerton Family, 1850-1941, 0.25 l.f.

These files are alphabetically arranged and include correspondence, miscellaneous genealogical papers, and various personal items belonging to Kemper Fullerton.

Series IV.  Sermons and Talks, 1890, 1924-34, n.d., 0.5 l.f.

Sermons and talks are separated in two subseries; thereunder they are chronologically arranged.

Series V.  Teaching Materials, [1897]-1931, n.d., 2.0 l.f.

Teaching materials consist mainly of lecture notes.  They are arranged alphabetically by course name.

Series VI.  Writings, 1891-1930, n.d., 2.0 l.f.

The writings have been divided into Articles, Books, and Monographs.  Within each division, arrangement is alphabetical by title or chronological by chapter.

The papers of Kemper Fullerton were transferred to the Oberlin College Archives in two separate accessions in 1969 and 1970.  Additional material was received from the Oberlin College Library, Special Collections, in 2001.

Researchers interested to learn more about the Graduate School of Theology in general might wish to consult the Records of that institution, record group 11.  Within that collection, in Series IV. Faculty/Staff Files, Fullerton has a file containing syllabi for his bible courses.  Fullerton's annual reports to the President are filed in the records of the Office of the Secretary, Subgroup I, Series V.  A complete bibliography of Fullerton's books and articles is shelved in Special Collections, call number 16.2F959B.