Guide to the Willard Edwin Graves Papers
Prepared by Jean Yrigoyen, Assistant Archivist and Christopher Grygo, Student
Assistant
United Methodist Archives and History Center
General Commission on Archives and History, Madison, New Jersey
11/14/2003
Overview of Records
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| Record Creator: |
Graves, Willard Edwin |
| Title: |
Willard Edwin Graves Papers |
| Dates: |
1903-1964 |
| Abstract: |
Willard Edwin Graves (1880-1966), American missionary and educator, was born in Oak Hill, Clay County, Kansas, on April 5, 1880. Willard and Almyra Graves were commissioned by the Board of Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church to serve as teaching missionaries in Rangoon, Burma beginning in 1908. Willard taught and later served as principal of the Methodist Episcopal Church School for Boys in Rangoon. Almyra Graves became ill in Burma and died after returning to the United States in 1914. Graves went on to get a master's degree and became a teacher in Kansas and Colorado, to marry Edna B. Murphy in 1915, and father four children. |
| Extent: |
0.84 cu. feet |
| Resource ID:
|
gcah.ms.1336 |
Biographical Note
Willard Edwin Graves (1880-1966), an American missionary and educator, was born in Oak Hill, Clay County, Kansas, on April 5, 1880. His wife, Almyra Alford Graves was born in Beloit, Kansas, on May 31, 1884. Both graduated in June 1907 from Kansas Wesleyan University and were married that same month.
Willard and Almyra Graves were commissioned by the Board of Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church to serve as teaching missionaries in Rangoon, Burma beginning in 1908. Willard taught and later served as principal of the Methodist Episcopal Church School for Boys in Rangoon. Almyra suffered ill health and returned home for a year. She returned to Burma, but her health deteriorated again, which necessitated their final departure for the United States in 1913. She died on July 7, 1914.
Following his wife's death, Graves earned his master of arts degree at the University of Chicago. He never returned to the mission field, though he remained an ardent supporter of missions all of his life. He married Edna B. Murphy in 1915. They had four children. He continued to teach in Kansas and Colorado, and later became a sales representative for a company that published textbooks in New York. He died in Milwaukee on December 10, 1966.
Scope Note
TThe collection contains mostly letters, some publications, artifacts, photographs, and personal documents (1903-1913). The letters cover all phases of their lives in Rangoon and are addressed primarily to " the folks at home," which makes them both personal and informative. There is some later correspondence dated 1951 to 1964 between Graves and persons he knew in Burma. The collection contains original letters as well as photocopies.
Arrangement
Materials have been arranged in the following manner.
The over-arching
arrangement is by record type. Within each folder the materials are arranged chronologically by
calendar date when possible.
Preferred Citation
When citing material
from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file
folder, Willard Edwin Graves collection, United Methodist Church Archives - GCAH, Madison, New
Jersey. Do not make use of the item's call number as that is not a stable
descriptor.
Access Restrictions
There are no
restrictions regarding this collection.
Restrictions on Use
Detailed use
restrictions relating to our collections can be requested from the office of the archivist at the
General Commission on Archives and History. Photocopying is handled by the staff and may be
limited in certain instances. Before using any material for publication from this collection a
formal request for permission to publish is expected and required.
Related Material
Missionary
File Series, Board of Missions, Methodist Church.
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Subject Terms |
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Additonal Creators - Personal |
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:Graves,
Almyra Alford. |
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Subject Names - Corporate |
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Methodist
Episcopal Church |
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Subject Topics |
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Missions. |
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Methodists, Burmese
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Subject Geographic |
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Burma. |
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Genre |
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Correspondence |
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Photographs. |
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Artifacts |
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Occupations |
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Educator. |
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Missionary |
| Call Number |
Folder Title |
Date(s) |
| 1581-4-1:
1 |
Correspondence |
1903 |
| 1581-4-1:
2 |
Correspondence |
1906 |
| 1581-4-1:
3 |
Correspondence |
1908 |
| 1581-4-1:
4 |
Correspondence |
1909 |
| 1581-4-1:
5 |
Correspondence |
1910 |
| 1581-4-1:
6 |
Correspondence |
1911 |
| 1581-4-1:
7 |
Correspondence |
1912 |
| 1581-4-1:
8 |
Correspondence |
1913 |
| 1581-4-1:
9 |
Correspondence, writings and publications |
1905-1964 |
| 1581-4-1:
10 |
School, marriage and travel records |
1904-1910 |
| 1581-4-1:
11 |
Photographs |
Undated |
| 1581-4-1:
12 |
Photographs and negatives |
Undated |
| 1581-4-2:
1 |
Handpainted silk certificate with English translation of Farewell Address |
1913 |
| 1581-4-2:
2 |
UA Valedictory Address with English translation |
1913 |
| 1581-4-2:
3 |
Handpainted rice parchment "Modes Live Forgives" |
Undated |
| 1581-4-2:
4 |
Handpainted rice parchment "Legal and Political Rights" |
Undated |
| 1581-4-2:
5 |
Group photograph |
Undated |
| 1581-4-2:
6 |
Building photograph |
Undated |
| 1581-4-3:
1 |
Photocopies of correspondence |
1908-1913 |
