Dr. J. K. Zeman Fonds

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Title proper

Dr. J. K. Zeman Fonds

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  • Textual record
  • Sound recording
  • Graphic material

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Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

1900.063-ZEM, 1900.085-ZEM, 1985.001-ZEM, 1986.003-ZEM, 1988.001-ZEM, 1990.001-ZEM, 1998.003-ZEM, 2001.005-ZEM, 2003.001-ZEM, 2004.001-ZEM, 2013.021-ZEM, 2015.027-ZEM.

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Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

  • [1900-2013] (Creation)
    Creator
    Dr. J. K. Zeman

Physical description area

Physical description

9.0 metres of textual records, photographs, audio cassettes, postcards, and ephemera.

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Archival description area

Name of creator

(1926-2000)

Biographical history

Jarold Knox Zeman was born as Jaroslav Zeman in 1926 at Semonice, Czechoslovakia, now in the Czech Republic. In 1945 Zeman attended the Charles University in Prague and primarily studied theology. In 1948, the World Council of Churches awarded Zeman a scholarship to continue studies at Knox College in Toronto. After finishing his studies in 1949, Zeman received a warning about the danger in returning to Czechoslovakia. Instead of returning home Zeman decided to stay in Canada, becoming a citizen in 1955 and changing his name to Jarold Knox Zeman.

From 1949 to 1955 Zeman pastored at the Czechoslovak Baptist Church in Toronto serving Czech speaking immigrants, while during this period in 1951 he married Lilian Koncicky of Esterhazy, Saskatchewan eventually having four children. After 1955 Zeman became pastor for an English-speaking congregation at the Villanova Baptist Church in Brantford, Ontario, while also working with Czech speaking immigrants in London, Ontario until 1959. From 1959 to 1968, Zeman worked for the Baptist Convention of Ontario and Quebec Home Mission Board.

In 1969, Zeman joined the newly reorganized Acadia Divinity College of Acadia University as an associate professor, from then until 1991 teaching a variety of courses in Church History. While teaching at Acadia Divinity College Zeman wrote many of his works on the history of Canadian Maritime Baptists and on the Anabaptists, Czech Brethren, and Hussites of Reformation Bohemia and Moravia. In addition to these responsibilities, Zeman was heavily involved in a variety of Baptist conferences and organizations in North America including from 1979 to 1982 serving as president of the Baptist Federation of Canada. After retiring from his position as professor, Zeman founded and served as director of the Acadia Centre for Baptist and Anabaptist Studies from 1991 to 1996. Jarold Knox Zeman passed away on September 18, 2000 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

Custodial history

The fonds is comprised of multiple donations given by both Dr. J. K. Zeman and by his family members after his death. (Janice Zeman, Timothy Zeman, Dagmar Carter, and Lillian Zeman) The majority of these donations occurred between 1985 and 2015, with two accessions (1900.063-ZEM, 1900.085-ZEM) having unknown dates of acquisition. Certain records that were within these donations were determined to not be a part of Zeman’s records and have been separated into their own fonds. (1900.600, 1900.601-WHI, 1900.602-WEI)

Scope and content

This fonds represents the professional life of Dr. J. K. Zeman as a professor, church historian, and pastor as well as collecting related correspondences and personal records. The primary items of the fonds include research materials and drafts of his academic writings, textual materials related to teaching and student research, records of conferences and committees Dr. J. K. Zeman participated in, and textual materials related to his pastorships.

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Arrangement

Language of material

  • Czech
  • English
  • French
  • German

Script of material

    Location of originals

    Availability of other formats

    Records not yet available digitally.

    Restrictions on access

    Certain files are under restricted access due to authorship issues or containing personally identifying information. More information is available in the finding aid.

    Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

    Records subject to the Copyright Act.

    Uploaded finding aid

    Associated materials

    Related materials

    Accruals

    No further accruals are expected.

    General note

    Certain files hold records that use outdated terms or describe potentially traumatic topics. Content warnings are applied to specific files on the related Finding Aid.

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