Sara Tinsley Rees Papers, 1875-1929
General International Standard for Archival Description
Sophia Smith Collection Smith CollegeNorthampton, MA
Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Brook Hopkins. 2003-07-01
Encoded Archival Description
Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
collection
Sarah Tinsley Rees Papers
Creation of Sarah Tinsley Rees Papers
Time of Creation of Sarah Tinsley Rees Papers
Rees, Sarah Tinsley, 1882-1929
Biographical History for: Sarah Tinsley Rees Papers
Biographical Note 1882Born, Macon, GA, October 301897Moved to Hartford, CT1901Graduated from Hartford High School1905Graduated from Smith College1911Graduated from New York Training School for Deaconesses1911-18Served as missionary to Japan under the auspices of the Protestant Episcopal Church 1918-19Served as nurse's aide, Vladivostok, Red Cross Commission to Siberia1919Served as nurse's aide aboard Red Cross transport ship1919-29Taught English at Hartford High School and served as its first dean and first woman vice principal1925Received teacher's certificate1929Died July 30
Scope and Contents of the Collection Sarah Tinsley Rees and her "Tuesday Bible Class," Kanazawa, Japan, 1914 The Sarah Tinsley Rees Papers consist of two linear feet of correspondence (which forms the bulk of the papers), printed material, memorabilia, and photographs. The inclusive dates are 1875 to 1929, but the major portion of the material dates from 1911 to 1919. The CORRESPONDENCE series consists of three sections: Sarah T. Rees, Family, and Miscellaneous. The first section contains outgoing letters to her family from Japan and Vladivostok (1911-1919) and incoming letters from family, friends, and others (1894- 1922). The Japan and Russia letters form the bulk of this section. There are approximately 450 letters that describe Rees's experiences in Japan. They relate mostly to her daily activities, replies to news from home, and housing arrangements, rather than her actual work experiences as a missionary. There are also letters regarding her work both in Siberia and on the Red Cross transport ship en route to England. The incoming letters are from her parents, Fanny H. and Henry Reese, and her siblings, Mary Addison, Harry, and Frances (1894-1918). There are also two folders of letters to Rees from friends (1904-1920), which include postcards from Japanese colleagues and students, and one folder of business letters from the missionary society of the Protestant Episcopal Church, the Bishop of Kyoto, and the Red Cross Commission to Siberia. Finally there is one folder of miscellaneous letters to and from family members in the U.S., especially between Mary, Harry, and Frances and their mother. These include some to the family from others. The BIOGRAPHY AND MEMORABILIA series consists of a small amount of biographical clippings and memorabilia from Hartford High School, Smith College, Columbia University, Japan, and the Red Cross. The PHOTOGRAPHS consist of a dismantled album of snapshots and postcards from Japan; twenty-six snapshots from Vladivostok of hospital personnel and patients, Russian scenes, and the transport ship; and six of Egypt which were taken on the way home from the Far East. The album was photocopied and dismantled so that the postcards with messages could be placed with the correspondence.
World War, 1914-1918--War work--Russia--Red Cross
lcsh
World War, 1914-1918--Russia--Personal narratives, American
Missionaries--Japan--History--Sources
lcnaf
Vladivostok (Russia)--Description and travel--Sources
United States--History--1865-1921--Sources
series
SERIES I. CORRESPONDENCE
Outgoing to family
Japan, 1911-18
Vladivostok, 1918-19
Incoming
Family
Fanny H. Rees (mother), 1894-18
Henry Rees (father), 1892-1918
Mary Addison Rees (sister), 1901-18
Harry Rees (brother), 1901-18
Frances Rees (sister), 1904-18
Miscellaneous, 1875-1918
Friends, 1904-28, n.d.
Business, 1911-22
Miscellaneous, 1906-29, n.d.
SERIES II. BIOGRAPHY AND MEMORABILIA
Biographical clippings, 1911, 1929, n.d.
Memorabilia
Hartford High School: printed material, 1919-29
Smith College and Columbia University: records, printed material, 1901-05
New York Training School for Deaconesses: records, printed material, 1911
[See also Oversize Materials]
Japan: "Keepsake" book, expenditures, postcards, 1911-18
Red Cross: notebooks, printed material, 1918-19
Miscellaneous, 1912-19, n.d.
SERIES III. PHOTOGRAPHS
Japan: album contests including postcards and snapshots, 3 miscellaneous, 1911-18
Vladivostok (Red Cross): personnel, patients, Russian scenes, transport ship (26), 1918-19
Egypt (6), 1919
OVERSIZE MATERIALS
Hartford High School: diploma, 1901
Smith College: diploma, 1905
New York Training School for Deaconesses: certificate, 1911