.png)
The Diocese received a rare gift when four bound volumes of the journals of the earliest General Conventions were given to Bishop Kendrick who received them for the archives of the Diocese. Sue Cobbs of St. Christopher's, Pensacola, gave these books from the library of her late husband, the Rev. Richard H. (Dick) Cobbs, IV.
Two volumes contain the journals of the 1785 General Convention and succeeding conventions through 1814, including the convention of 1789 when the Constitution and first Book of Common Prayer of The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America were adopted. The third volume contains journals of conventions in the 1830s, and the fourth contains journals of conventions in the 1850s. The books are in remarkably good condition. They will be kept in the Duvall Center archives repository.
A native of Alabama, Dick Cobbs graduated from Auburn University, served in the U. S. Navy, and graduated from the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest. After his ordination, he served as vicar of St. Peter's, Bon Secour; curate of St. Christopher's, Pensacola; and rector of St. Simon's-on-the-Sound (where then-teen-age Russell Kendrick was an acolyte and EYCer at the time). He served on the Standing Committee of the Diocese and was a deputy to several General Conventions. In 1987, Dick and Sue Cobbs moved to the Diocese of Southwest Florida. After his retirement there in 2000, they moved to Greensboro, Alabama, and Dick served churches in that area. After his death in 2011, Sue moved back to Pensacola. He was a great-great-grandson of the first Bishop of Alabama, the Rt. Rev. Richard H. Cobbs.
The bishop and the registrar-historiographer are excited to receive this very special gift and are deeply appreciative to Sue Cobbs. Many members of the Diocese cherish their memories of Dick as priest and beloved friend.
These historic journals and other materials in the archives of the Diocese may be seen at the Duvall Center by appointment with the historiographer or his designee as arranged through a member of the Duvall Center staff.
The Rev. Albert Kennington is registrar-historiographer of the Diocese