Guide to the Arthur Linn Becker Papers
Matthew Van Horne, Student Intern
United Methodist Archives and History Center
General Commission on Archives and History of The United Methodist Church
2018-02-09
Overview of Collection
|
|
| Record Creator: |
Becker, Arthur Linn |
| Title: |
Arthur Linn Becker Papers |
| Date Span: |
1897-1994 |
| Abstract: |
Arthur Linn Becker (1879-?), Methodist missionary, was born in Ray, Indiana on May 12, 1879. Becker was appointed to Korea by the Methodist Episcopal Mission Board in 1903. The bulk of the collection consists of manuscripts. The bulk of correspondence consists of Official Letters. Reports, minutes, publications, and newsletters are included. |
| Extent: |
3.6 cubic feet |
| Identification: |
gcah.ms.gcah2208 |
Biographical Note
Arthur Linn Becker (1879-?), Methodist missionary, was born in Ray, Indiana on May 12, 1879. His parents moved to Reading, Michigan prior to his fifth birthday. He graduated high school in 1899 and enrolled in Albion College that same year. Becker became interested in foreign missionary work in his senior year. He graduated from Albion College in 1903. Becker was then appointed to Korea by the Methodist Episcopal Mission Board in 1903. His first responsibility as a missionary was as an educational missionary in Pyeng Yang.
Becker traveled to Tokyo, Japan, in 1905 where he met and married Louise Ann Smith, the daughter of a Methodist minister. Becker brought his wife back to Pyeng Yang. They had three children, two daughters and a son. Two of their children were born prior to the family's visit to the United States in 1910. Their second daughter was born after the family moved to Seoul.
Becker assisted in the foundation of the Chosen Christian College, now Yonsei University, in 1918. He was involved in the administration of its policies and curriculum from its establishment to his retirement.
Due to World War II, the Beckers were forced to evacuate. They were reassigned to Lucknow Christian College in India where Becker served as a physics instructor. The Becker family later returned to the United States and settled in Michigan where they retired. They were recalled to Korea in 1946 after World War II. Becker served as the President of Yonsei University during the Korean War from 1950-1953.
Dr. and Mrs. Becker returned to the United States to reenter retirement in California. His wife passed away in 1961. In 1965, Becker moved to Frasier Meadows Manor in Boulder, Colorado in 1965 with the help of his granddaughter, Mrs. Claud Morel, a resident of the town. He spent his time transcribing details of his experiences with assistance from his daughter, Mrs. Evelyn Becker McCune, during the summer of 1974.
Scope and Content Note
The bulk of the collection consists of manuscripts including: 90 Years of Meaningful Living; Korea Missions; Reconstruction of Education in Korea; Christ and His Beacon; and Christ and His Torches in Korea. A diary and a journal on healthy living are also included. University Plans and materials on Chosen Christian College and a Conspiracy Trial are provided as well. There is a set of materials written in Hangul.
Reports in the collection include: Chosen Christian College Reports; Korean Reports; and Miscellaneous Reports.
Minutes consist of: Official Minutes of the Nineteenth Annual Meeting of the Korea Mission in May, 1903; Looking Backward Minutes of a Wonsun Beach Association Executive Committee Meeting in 1916; two Annual Meetings pertaining to Chosen Christian College in March, 1922 and May, 1922; and a meeting held by the Association of Methodist Missionaries.
Assorted Korean Publications, Korean Publication Fragments and clippings are available. Named publications include: The Korean Pacific Express: Periscope on Asia; Korean Student Quarterly; The Korea Mission Field; and The Korea Klipper. A Chinese/English Dictionary and a published manuscript, Michigan and Korea, are also included.
The bulk of correspondence consists of Official Letters. Other letters are addressed to dear friends and family members. Correspondence pertaining to the Pre-Cleveland Commission on the Far East in 1949 is included.
General Documents include: Miscellaneous records; photographs; and an Identification Pin.
Arrangement
Materials have been arranged in the following manner.
Manuscripts and Diaries
Reports and Minutes
Publications
Correspondence
General Documents
Preferred Citation
When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder, Arthur Linn Becker Papers, 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 on this collection.
Use Access
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
Microfilm Edition of the Missionary correspondence of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Papers of Marion Conrow.
Microfilm Edition of the Missionary files series of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Church.
Microfilm Edition of the Mission Biographical Reference Files.
|
|
|
Index Terms
|
|
|
|
Subject Terms
|
|
|
Methodist universities and colleges |
|
|
Methodists |
|
|
Missionaries |
|
|
Missions - Korea |
|
Geographic Terms
|
|
|
Korea |
|
|
United States |
|
Genre Terms
|
|
|
Correspondence |
|
|
Diaries |
|
|
Manuscripts |
|
|
Minutes |
|
|
Newsletters |
|
|
Periodicals |
|
|
Photographs |
|
|
Publications |
|
|
Reports |
|
Occupation Terms
|
|
|
Missionaries |
|
Subject Names - Corporate Bodies
|
|
|
Methodist Church (U.S.) |
|
|
Methodist Episcopal Church |
Series: Manuscripts and Diaries
|
Call Number
|
Folder Title
|
Date(s)
|
| 1586-2-1:
1 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1879-1946 - Folder 1 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-1:
2 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1945 - Folder 2 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-1:
3 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1946 - Folder 3 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-1:
4 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1946-1947 - Folder 4 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-1:
5 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1947 - Folder 5 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-1:
6 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1948 - Folder 6 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-1:
7 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1950 - Folder 7 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-1:
8 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1951 - Folder 8 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-1:
9 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1952 - Folder 9 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-1:
10 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1953 - Folder 10 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-1:
11 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1954 - Folder 11 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-1:
12 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1955 - Folder 12 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-1:
13 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1956 - Folder 13 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
1 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1956 - Folder 14 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
2 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1952-1959 - Folder 15 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
3 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1957 - Folder 16 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
5 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1959 - Folder 18 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
6 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1972 - Folder 19 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
7 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1973 - Folder 20 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
8 |
Korea Missions, 1926 - Folder 1 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
9 |
Korea Missions, 1928 - Folder 2 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
11 |
The Reconstruction of Education in Korea, 1946-1947 - Folder 2 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
12 |
University Plans, 1929-1931 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
13 |
A New Home on C.C.C. Campus, 1923 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
1 |
Diary, 1905-1907 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
2 |
A Conspiracy Trial, 1910-1912 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
3 |
Hangul Writings |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
4 |
90 Years of Meaningful Living, 1958 - Folder 17 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
4 |
Christ and His Beacon, 1939-1942 - Folder 1 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
5 |
Christ and His Beacon, 1947 - Folder 2 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
6 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1919-1921 - Folder 1 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
7 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1923-1925 - Folder 2 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
8 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1924 - Folder 3 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
9 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1924 - Folder 4 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
14 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1934 - Folder 9 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-4:
2 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1936 - Folder 11 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
13 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1931 - Folder 8 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
10 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1926-1928 - Folder 5 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
11 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1928 - Folder 6 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-3:
12 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1929 - Folder 7 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-4:
3 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1936-1940 - Folder 12 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-4:
1 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1934-1938 - Folder 10 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-4:
4 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1938 - Folder 13 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-4:
5 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1938-1939 - Folder 14 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-4:
6 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1938-1940 - Folder 15 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-4:
7 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1939 - Folder 16 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-4:
8 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1939-1940 - Folder 17 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-4:
9 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1946 - Folder 18 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-5:
1 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1951-1953 - Folder 19 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-5:
2 |
Christ and His Torches in Korea, 1953-1960 - Folder 20 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-5:
3 |
Healthy Living Journal |
Undated |
| 1586-2-2:
10 |
The Reconstruction of Education in Korea, 1946 - Folder 1 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-5:
4 |
Supporting Documents |
Undated |
Series: Reports and Minutes
|
Call Number
|
Folder Title
|
Date(s)
|
| 1586-2-5:
5 |
Chosen Christian College Reports, 1917-1924 |
1917-1924 |
| 1586-2-5:
6 |
Korean Reports, 1948-1962 |
1948-1962 |
| 1586-2-5:
7 |
Miscellaneous Reports, 1951-1963 |
1951-1963 |
| 1586-2-5:
8 |
Minutes, 1903-1934 |
1903-1934 |
Series: Publications
|
Call Number
|
Folder Title
|
Date(s)
|
| 1586-2-5:
9 |
Clippings, 1932-1970 |
1932-1970 |
| 1586-2-5:
10 |
Chinese/English Dictionary, 1932 |
1932 |
| 1586-2-6:
3 |
Assorted Korean Publications, 1931-1973 - Folder 3 |
1931-1973 |
| 1586-2-6:
4 |
Assorted Korean Publications, 1934-1973 - Folder 4 |
1934-1973 |
| 1586-2-6:
2 |
Assorted Korean Publications, 1910-1960 - Folder 2 |
1910-1960 |
| 1586-2-6:
1 |
Assorted Korean Publications, 1909-1963 - Folder 1 |
1909-1963 |
| 1586-2-6:
5 |
Assorted Korean Newsletters, 1934-1973 |
1934-1973 |
| 1586-2-6:
6 |
Korean Publication Fragments, 1897-1973 - Folder 1 |
1897-1973 |
| 1586-2-6:
7 |
Korean Publication Fragments, Undated - Folder 2 |
Undated |
| 1586-2-6:
8 |
Korean Pacific Express: Periscope on Asia, 1950-1952 |
1950-1952 |
| 1586-2-6:
9 |
Korean Student Quarterly, 1950-1952 |
1950-1952 |
| 1586-3-1:
1 |
The Korea Mission Field, 1930-1934 - Folder 1 |
1930-1934 |
| 1586-3-1:
3 |
The Korea Mission Field, 1938-1939 - Folder 3 |
1938-1939 |
| 1586-3-1:
2 |
The Korea Mission Field, 1936-1937 - Folder 2 |
1936-1937 |
| 1586-3-1:
4 |
The Korea Klipper, 1951-1956 - Folder 1 |
1951-1956 |
| 1586-3-1:
5 |
The Korea Klipper, 1957-1961 - Folder 2 |
1957-1961 |
| 1586-3-1:
6 |
Michigan and Korea, 1899-1914 |
1899-1914 |
Series: Correspondence
|
Call Number
|
Folder Title
|
Date(s)
|
| 1586-3-1:
7 |
Dear Friends Letters, 1909-1994 |
1909-1994 |
| 1586-3-2:
2 |
Official Letters, 1937-1938 - Folder 2 |
1937-1938 |
| 1586-3-2:
3 |
Official Letters, 1937-1938 - Folder 3 |
1937-1938 |
| 1586-3-2:
4 |
Official Letters, 1939 - Folder 4 |
1939 |
| 1586-3-2:
6 |
Pre-Cleveland Commission on the Far East, 1949 |
1949 |
| 1586-3-2:
1 |
Official Letters, 1916-1938 - Folder 1 |
1916-1938 |
| 1586-3-2:
7 |
Family Letters, 1923-1953 |
1923-1953 |
| 1586-3-2:
5 |
Official Letters, 1951-1973 - Folder 5 |
1951-1973 |
Series: General Documents
|
Call Number
|
Folder Title
|
Date(s)
|
| 1586-3-2:
8 |
Miscellaneous, 1909-1961 |
1909-1961 |
| 1586-3-2:
9 |
Photographs, 1907-1936 |
1907-1936 |
| 1586-3-2:
10 |
Artifact: Identification Pin, Undated |
Undated |
