Finding aid for Harriet Wood papers 3327
Diann Benti
USC Libraries East Asian Library
2021 November
Doheny Memorial Library
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California 90089-1825
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries East Asian Library
Title: Harriet Wood papers
Creator:
Wood, Harriet, 1917-2001
Identifier/Call Number: 3327
Physical Description:
5.31 Linear Feet
8 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1935-1990
Abstract: This collection contains the papers of Harriet Wood (1917-2001), a devout American Christian who worked in South Korea from
1966 to 1978. Materials include journals kept by Wood in Korea, photographs and slides, correspondence, writings, and Bible
and devotional material.
Language of Material:
English,
Korean.
Biographical / Historical
Harriet Wood (1917-2001) was born Harriet Martha Todd in Seattle, Washington, in 1917. She became a born-again Christian at
about twenty years old. In 1956, she began working for World Vision, a Christian missionary organization, and from 1966 to
1978 worked for the group in South Korea. While there she managed the World Vision guest house in Seoul and was a secretary
to Marlin Nelson, president of World Vision, Korea. In 1978, Wood returned to the United States and continued working for
World Vision in Monrovia, California. Wood had one daughter, Joanne, and one adopted Korean son. Wood's husband, Edward Wood,
died in 1964.
Scope and Contents
This collection contains the papers of Harriet Wood (1917-2001), a devout American Christian who worked in South Korea from
1966 to 1978. Materials include journals kept by Wood in Korea, photographs and slides, correspondence, writings, and Bible
and devotional material. Items often reflect Wood's religious life and time in Korea, as well as her involvement with the
Christian humanitarian organizations World Vision and the United World Mission.
There are also correspondence and travel logs kept by Wood and her sister Ruth Todd while visiting Alaska in 1935, as well
as an additional Alaska travelogue by Wood from 1949. There is also a personal photograph album, circa 1907, primarily depicting
unidentified young men and their friends and family in the United States, including in a mining area in South Dakota.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Korean Heritage Library
at eal@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Korean Heritage Library as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder no. or item name], Harriet Wood papers, Collection no. 3327, Korean Heritage Library, USC Libraries, University
of Southern California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Joanne Small, 2001.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Korea -- Description and travel -- Archival resources
Korea (South) -- Description and travel -- Photographs
Missionaries -- Korea (South) -- Archival resources
Christians -- Korea (South) -- Archival resources
Korea (South) -- Photographs
Alaska -- Description and travel
Audiocassettes
Correspondence
Journals (accounts)
Photographs
Religious texts
Slides (photographs)
Wood, Harriet, 1917-2001 -- Archives
World Vision International -- Archives
World Vision International -- Photographs
Box 1, Folder 1-8
Journals
1966-07-1969-08-01
Box 2, Folder 1-8
Journals
1969-08-02-1977-12-31
Box 3, Folder 1-9
Journals
1978-01-01-1994-10-05
World Vision
1966-1982
Language of Material: English.
Box 4, Folder 8
Brief history of World Vision Korea
Visitor log books
1968-1977
Scope and Contents
Visitor log book with handwritten names and addresses and occasional thanks for hospitality and thanks to World Vision.
Box 6
Visitor log book
1968-1977
Box 6
Visitor log book
1970-1975
United World Mission, Korea
1983-1990
Language of Material: English.
Box 4, Folder 9
[Ministry clients]
1983-1986
Box 4, Folder 10
Prayer letters
1983-09-1986-03
Scope and Contents
Folder contains mostly Harriet Wood's prayer letters; also includes mailing labels in envelope; two issues (Spring 1984, Summer
1984) of the quarterly newsletter "United World Mission children's ministries"; Tom and Phyllis Craig's newsletter, "Working
in Korea", March 1986.
Alaska trips
1935, 1949
Language of Material: English.
Box 5, Folder 1
Alaska travel account by Ruth Todd
1935
Box 5, Folder 2
Alaska letters from Ruth Todd
1935
Box 5, Folder 3
Alaska letters from Harriet Wood, with hand-drawn map of Alaskan village
1935
Box 5, Folder 4
Alaska travel account by Harriet Wood
1949
Correspondence with family and friends
Box 5, Folder 5-7
Correspondence with family and friends
1963-1984
Box 5, Folder 8-11
Published and manuscript writings and interviews (various)
Box 5, Folder 12
Notes, clippings, and ephemera
Bible and Devotional material
Box 7
Slides
Scope and Contents
Color transparency slides depicting locations in the United States, Korea, and Africa. Includes images of the World Vision
project, villages in Kimpo, Korea, and Taechon Beach 대천해수욕장 in the 1960s, family trips in the United States, and a trip to
Africa in the 1970s.
Box 6
Photograph album
circa 1907
Scope and Contents
Small album containing personal snapshots, circa 1907, chiefly of three young men in a dormitory room, traveling and working,
including views of a South Dakota mining area, and with family and friends.
Box 6
Christine Small's (granddaughter) visit album
1980
Scope and Contents
Color photos of a trip to Korea.
Box 6
Photograph albums of Korea
circa 1960s-1970s
Scope and Contents
2 photograph albums depicting Harriet Woods and others at events, work, and on trips in Korea.
Box 7
World Vision album
1983
Scope and Contents
Scrapbook containing photographs and handwritten notes to Wood from members of the World Vision ministry; includes photographs
office employees and picnic gatherings.
Box 4, Folder 6
Harriet Wood passport
1987
Box 7
Audio cassettes
1984 and undated
Scope and Contents
There are two cassette tapes: one is labeled "Ruth's Memorial Service, Union Chapel, Oak Bluffs, MA, August 25, 1984" and
the other is unidentified.
Box 7
Asian Center for Theological Studies and Mission (ACTS) Korean paperweight
