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Pease Family Papers: Finding Aid
mssPease family papers
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Title: Pease Family Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1816-1974
Bulk dates: 1870-1930
Collection Number: mssPease family papers
Creator:
Pease family.
Extent: 1,535 pieces in 16 boxes, 3 books
and 2 oversize items
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection consists of
materials from three generations of the family of Massachusetts doctor and Marshall/Caroline Islands medical missionary Edmund
Morris Pease (1828-1906)
and his wife Harriet A. Sturtevant Pease (born 1877), dating
from 1816 to 1974 (bulk 1870-1930), and consisting chiefly of family correspondence.
Language: English.
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to
quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such
activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is
one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.
[Identification of item]. Pease Family Papers, The Huntington Library, San
Marino, California.
Gift of Mrs. Edmund M. Pease, III, June 21, 1999.
Edmund Morris Pease (1828-1906) was born on December 6, 1828, in Granby, Hampshire County,
Massachusetts, to Asa and Abigail Pease. Early in his life, E.M. Pease desired to
become a medical missionary. In his pursuit, Pease graduated from Union Seminary,
New York City, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University.
However, before pursuing his call as a medical missionary, Pease was called into the
army as an assistant surgeon in the 16th Connecticut regiment during the Civil War
in 1863. He was later transferred to the 9th regiment of the colored troops where he
would complete his service in the army. Pease went on to practice medicine in New
York City and Springfield, Massachusetts for several years. Pease was called and
accepted by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions as a medical
missionary and was ordained and commissioned for work in the Micronesian Islands
where he served as a medical missionary for 17 years. As a medical missionary, Pease
taught at a seminary school and practiced medicine. His missionary work
included compiling a dictionary of the native language, translating and creating a
hymn and tune book in the Marshall Island dialect, and creating small educational
books for the island natives. One of his greatest achievements was translating the
entire New Testament into the island dialect and bringing it back to the United
States for printing. Pease returned to the United States and took residence in
Claremont, California where he worked on translating the Old Testament into the
island language.
E.M. Pease married Harriet A. Sturtevant on April 25, 1877. Harriet was an assistant
librarian in Massachusetts before marriage. After marriage, Harriet served with her
husband in the Marshall/Caroline Islands. E.M. Pease and Harriet had two sons:
Edmund Morris (Ned), Jr. and Francis Sturtevant. E.M. Pease died on November 28,
1906.
The collection consists of family and personal correspondence, family business
papers, manuscripts, ephemera, photographs and books. The collection consists of
materials from three generations of the Pease family from 1816 to 1974.
The majority of the collection consists of personal correspondence to members of the
family. The correspondence is separated into four main divisions: the correspondence
of E. M. Pease, Harriet A. (Sturtevant) Pease, Ned (Edmund Morris) Pease, Jr., and
other correspondence. The subject matter of the personal correspondence consists of
daily family activities, missionary work on the Marshall Islands, descriptions of
raising children, traveling, family health and well-being, and theological/spiritual
matters. A large portion of the correspondence consists of letters to and from
Harriet A. (Sturtevant) Pease. The subject matter includes family matters, family
estate concerns, and missionary work. Notable correspondence includes travel and
missionary work letters to friends (letters dated 1877-1894) and consolatory letters
after the death of her husband (letters dated 1906). A great deal of the personal
correspondence is also authored by Ned (Edmund Morris) Pease, Jr. His correspondence
is primarily addressed to his mother, Harriet A. (Sturtevant) Pease, and recounts
his daily activities as a medical student, church and spiritual matters, business
matters concerning the family estate, and his personal thoughts and desires. Notable
correspondence includes his feelings for Clara Bradbury and their marriage (Mar. 3,
1907; Nov. 2, 1910), thoughts about his relationship with his mother (Jan. 22,
1911), arrival of daughter Phyllis (July 13, 1912), and the mention of the infantile
paralysis epidemic in Boston, Massachusetts (Aug. 10, 1916).
The family business papers consist of various issues regarding the family estate and
the sale and care of property. The business papers include business correspondence,
deeds, trust papers, and stock and bond papers. Notable papers include the estate
papers of E. M. Pease (July 9, 1907) and letters from the American Board of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions (1923-1925). The collection also contains papers
that pertain to the Pease family’s time on the Marshall/Caroline Islands. These
items include correspondence about their work and activities on the islands and with
the people as well as manuscripts describing their missionary work on the islands.
The manuscripts of the collection consist of a variety of different materials such
as poems, songs, stories, recipes, notes and journal entries. Notable manuscripts
include the poems and theological papers by E. M. Pease and the notebooks of Harriet
A. (Sturtevant) Pease (1877-1885) along with her account of the farewell meeting in
Boston (May 3, 1886).
The photographs and ephemera of the papers include items pertaining to the family.
There are several photographs of family members and friends. Most notable are the
photographs of the Marshall/Caroline Islands and their people. Within the ephemera
are biographical sketches of E.M. Pease as well as various religious booklets that
deal with theology and missionary work. The collection also contains several books
including a translated copy of the Holy Bible in the Marshall Island language and a
Civil War Surgical Kit that belonged to E. M. Pease.
The papers
are organized chronologically in their respective series:
- Correspondence (Boxes 1-8)
- Family Business Papers (Boxes 9-10)
- Caroline/Marshall Island Papers (Box 11)
- Manuscripts (Box 12)
- Photographs (Box 13)
- Ephemera (Boxes 14-16)
- Books (3 volumes)
- Oversize (2 items)
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
Huntington Library's Online Catalog.
Pease, E. M. (Edmund
Morris), 1828-1906 -- Archives.
Pease family.
Amherst College --
Alumni and alumnae.
Bible -- Versions.
Missionaries.
Kosraean language -- Texts.
Caroline Islands --
History -- Sources.
Claremont (Calif.) --
History -- Sources.
Kosrae
(Micronesia)
Marshall Islands --
History -- Sources.
Micronesia -- History
-- Sources.
United States --
History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Sources.
Ephemera -- United States.
Family papers -- United States.
Letters (correspondence) -- United
States.
Manuscripts -- United States.
Photographs -- United States.
Pease, E. M. (Edmund Morris),
1828-1906.
American Board of Commissioners for
Foreign Missions.