Finding Aid for the Midnight Mission and Tom and Mary Liddecoat papers
0413
Finding aid prepared by John Howard Fowler
USC Libraries Special Collections
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, California, 90089-0189
213-740-5900
specol@usc.edu
©2003
Title: Midnight Mission and Tom and Mary Liddecoat papers
Collection number: 0413
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
5.0 boxes
8 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1899-2005
Abstract: The papers of the Midnight Mission and of Tom and Mary Liddecoat consist of material that documents the personal and business
history of the Liddecoat family, the Midnight Mission, and various other charities and individuals associated with the Liddecoat
family; specifically, the collection documents two generations of the Liddecoat family and their involvement in charitable
organizations such as the Midnight Mission, the Gospel Foundation of America, and charitable organizations on the family's
ranch in Walnut Creek, California.
creator:
Liddecoat, Mary
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the California Social Welfare Archives. All requests for permission to publish or quote
from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the appropriate agency or person.
Preferred Citation
Midnight Mission and of Tom and Mary Liddecoat papers, Collection no. 0413, California Social Welfare Archives, Special Collections,
USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Acquisition Information
The material was acquired by friends and associates of Miss Mary Liddecoat.
Processing Note
The papers of the Midnight Mission and of Tom and Mary Liddecoat were in less than perfect order and poorly preserved when
they arrived at the CSWA archives. Much of the original collection consisted of unattributed photographs and highly deteriorated
newspaper clippings collections. Samples of the photographs were given special attention for preservation. Newspapers were
photocopied. The collection also contains a great deal of extraneous material, in particular that dealing with Death Valley.
Given the intinsic interest of some of this material, it has been retained, but the researcher should note that some of this
material is more germaine to California regional historical research than Social Welfare research.
Historical Note
Tom "Brother Tom" Liddecoat (1874-1942) owned a lucrative packing firm in turn of the century Los Angeles. In 1914, he turned
away from this business and began a mission to help the poor and the homeless on LA's streets. This became the Midnight Mission.
Liddicoat and his daughter Mary ran the Mission until shortly before his death.
The Mission was initially funded by $100,000 of Liddecoat's own money. Soon, other donations came in. From 1924 on, Liddecoat
returned to the packing business in order to help fund the Mission. Aided by anonymous benefactors like Walter Webb, Liddecoat
was ultimately to receive donations from several wealthy men.
Among the Mission's strongest supporters were Albert M. Johnson and Harry Chandler. Johnson owned a home in Chicago, 1620
acres of land in Death Valley including a "castle" he had built there, that was widely held to be the property of Johnson's
friend, "Death Valley Scotty," and a 326 acre ranch in Ygnacio Valley, called Shadelands Ranch.
After Johnson's death, all this property was willed to the Gospel Foundation of California, a non-profit Christian charity
established by Johnson in the mid-1940's. Mary Liddecoat became the president of the Foundation. Following her understanding
of Johnson's intent, Miss Liddecoat systematically sold off the Gospel Foundation properties to support a wide variety of
Christian charitable institutions over the years. The records indicate a special attention to children's charities, children's
camps, and a school created on Shadelands property for children with cerebral palsy.
Scope and Content
The papers of the Midnight Mission and of Tom and Mary Liddecoat consist of correspondence, clippings, ephemera, photographs,
and legal and financial documents that document the personal and business history of the Liddecoat family, the Midnight Mission,
and various other charities and individuals associated with the Liddecoat family; specifically, the collection documents two
generations of the Liddecoat family and their involvement in charitable organizations. Included are biographical and genealogical
materials; papers relating to the founding and maintenance of the Midnight Mission by Tom Liddecoat; papers relating to the
Gospel Foundation of America, founded by Albert Johson and managed by Mary Liddecoat; and materials relating to the development
of Walnut Creek from properties managed by Miss Liddecoat. The material is sometimes sketchy, and the collection is haphazard,
but there are remarkable holographic memoirs included as sketches found penciled into otherwise unrelated documents.
Organization
This collection is organized into the following series:
1. Liddecoate Family
2. Midnight Mission
3. Gospel Foundation of America
Conditions Governing Access
None.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Gospel Foundation of California. -- Archives
Johnson, Albert M., 1872-1948 -- Archives
Liddecoat family -- Archives
Liddecoat Packing Co.. -- Archives
Liddecoat, Mary -- Archives
Liddecoat, Tom, 1864-1942 -- Archives
Midnight Mission. -- Archives
Scott, Walter E., 1872-1954 -- Archives
Scotty's Castle (Calif.). -- Archives
Stocker, Clara Baldwin, 1847-1929 -- Archives
Walnut Creek Historical Society. -- Archives
Certificates
Charities--California--Archival resources
Clippings
Correspondence
Death Valley National Park (Calif. and Nev.)--Archival resources
Ephemera
Financial records
Legal instruments
Los Angeles (Calif.)--Genealogy
Los Angeles (Calif.)--Social conditions--Archival resources
Missions--California--Archival resources
Newsletters
Photographs
Postcards
Printed ephemera
Shadelands Ranch (Walnut Creek, Calif.)--Archival resources
Social service--California--Archival resources
Social service--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources
Youth--Services for--California--Archival resources
Youth--Societies and clubs--Archival resources
Liddecoat Family History
Scope and content
Includes genealogical material, correspondence, and memorabilia
Box 1, Folder 26
Ancestral Homes
undated
Physical Description:
0.1 linear ft.
Scope and content
Photographs
Box 1, Folder 53
Bicycle Racers
undated
Physical Description:
0.1 linear ft.
Scope and content
Photograph, possibly including a young Tom Liddecoat.
Box 1, Folder 63
Biography of Tom Liddecoat
undated
Scope and content
Written in Mary Liddecoat's hand. Only fragments.
Box 1, Folder 9
Correspondence
undated
Scope and content
Christmas postcard from Florence Albright. Handpainted. Personal note on back "To Mary (Liddecoat)."
Box 1, Folder 68, Box 5, Folder 33
Family Photographs
undated
Box 1, Folder 16
Family Trees
circa 1935
Scope and content
Liddecoat and Imhoff families
Box 1, Folder 29
Friends and Family
undated
Scope and content
Photographs
Box 5, Folder 29
Geneaological research, Imhoff family
1932-1987
Box 4, Folder 34
Hymn book, inscribed "Thomas Liddecoat, Central City, Colorado"
1899
Box 2, Folder 3
Inheritance Tax Affadavit
1942
Scope and content
Inheritance from Thomas H. W. Liddecoat
Box 5, Folder 23
Liddecoat's medical condition
1924
Box 4, Folder 35
Photographs of houses (Bay Area?)
undated
Box 5, Folder 34
Pillow slip with photographs of Mary's mother and San Francisco
circa 1899
Box 3, Object 6
Tom Liddecoat and Mary Imhoff marriage certificate
1899
Box 5, Folder 18
Tom's devotional, "Daily Eight"
1923
Box 3, Object 5, Box 1, Folder 46, Box 4, Folder 9
Box 5, Folder 40
Alberta and Lorene Davis
undated
Box 4, Folder 44
Autobiography [photocopy of manuscript]
undated
Box 1, Folder 14
Certificate of Registration as Registered Social Worker
1946 February 25
Box 3, Object 2
Certificate of membership, Betsy Ross Flag House and Betsy Ross Memorial Association
1918
Box 5, Folder 45
Franklin High School benefit performance playbill
circa 1926
Box 4, Folder 48
Franklin High School, Los Angeles, yearbooks
1925-1926
Box 4, Folder 19
Hollington K. Tong speeches, clipping, letter
1930-1957
Box 5, Folder 51
Last will and testament
1943 December 7
Box 3, Object 3
Los Angeles Examinder Certificate of Merit
1920
Box 1, Folder 11
Breakfast in Hollywood
undated
Box 1, Folder 15
Red Cross Service Award
1946 January
Box 5, Folder 41
Safe deposit receipt
1931, 1973
Box 5, Folder 38
Unidentified photographs
undated
Box 5, Folder 20
USC graduation announcement
1931
Box 1, Folder 13
USC graduation program
1931 June 6
Box 5, Folder 19
USC school paper on Lloyd George
circa 1931
Box 4, Folder 51
USC social work certificate
1931
Box 3, Object 4
World Opportunities Inc. Certificate of Appreciation
circa 1960s
Box 1, Folder 65
Bethany Girls
1922 April 27
Scope and content
Mary Liddecoat's Enrollment Card
Box 1, Folder 49
Masonic Bulletins
1922, 1942
Scope and content
Containing Mention of Liddecoat's Mission
Midnight Mission
Scope and content
Covers the period of the founding of the Midnight Mission and the ministry of Tom Liddecoat.
Box 5, Folder 36
Advertisements for speeches
1922-1927
Box 2, Folder 11
Agreement with Los Angeles Police
1925 February 27
Scope and content
Loan of jail cots to Mission
Box 4, Folder 30
Alexander Hardie, "The Atonement"
1931
Box 4, Folder 15
Articles of Incorporation
1922 May 12
Box 4, Folder 2
Bible inscribed to Brother Tom
1922
Box 1, Folder 64
Billy Sunday
undated
Scope and content
Postcard
Box 4, Folder 14
"Brother Tom and his Midnight Mission" pamphlet
1928
Box 4, Folder 11
Brother Tom radio address, KJH
1931 June 9
Box 5, Folder 10
Brother Tom radio address, KJH
1931 June 30
Box 1, Folder 56
Clara Baldwin Stocker Estate
1931 May 8
Box 1, Folder 61, Box 5, Folder 16
Box 1, Folder 10
Devotional Materials
1930
Scope and content
Poems, photos of the Holy Land, pamphlets.
Box 4, Folder 5
Evangelistic party photograph
1923
Box 1, Folder 67
Friends and Associates
undated
Scope and content
Photographs
Box 1, Folder 71
Harry Chandler's Speech
1933 June 8
Box 1, Folder 54
Liddecoat letters to Mary
1941
Scope and content
Including claim by Tom Liddecoat that Mission had been stolen from him by embezzlers.
Box 1, Folder 57
Liddecoat Condolence letters
1943
Box 5, Folder 37
"Mealtime" [photograph]
undated
Box 5, Frame 8
Midnight Mission News
1925-1927
Box 5, Folder 9
Midnight Mission News
1929
Box 1, Folder 50
Mission Christmas Pamphlet
1987-1990
Box 1, Folder 52
Mission Printing Press
undated
Scope and content
Photographs
Box 1, Folder 70
Mission Views
undated
Scope and content
Glass Photographic Plates
Box 2, Folder 13
Mortgage Extension
1920 December 2
Box 4, Folder 7-8, 10, 13, Box 5, Folder 35, Box 1, Folder 1
Newsclippings
1923-1962
Scope and content
Xeroxes of highly deteriorated clippings files. Most are from the Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles Herald Express.
Box 1, Folder 45
Night In Night Court
1929 April 17
Scope and content
Newsclipping. Original. Xerox in "clippings" folder.
Box 1, Folder 48
Note pad
circa 1941
Scope and content
Penciled notes, possibly in Mary Liddecoat's hand.
Box 1, Folder 47
Pamphley for Kingsway Social Club
undated
Box 5, Folder 32
Photographs of Brother Tom
1915-1935
Box 4, Folder 4
Proposed appraisal plan, Midnight Mission
1929
Box 1, Folder 66
Purpose of Mission
undated
Scope and content
Fragment in Tom Liddecoat's hand.
Box 5, Folder 47
Resolution on passing of Brother Tom
1942
Box 2, Folder 12
Signatures
undated
Scope and content
Several pages of signatures, bound as if part of a legal petition.
Box 5, Folder 11
Statement by Tom Liddecoat
circa 1938
Box 4, Folder 6
Testimonial and letter from Harry Chandler
1942-1943
Box 5, Folder 14
Testimonials and letters of introduction for Brother Tom
1926-1943
Box 4, Folder 12
"Tom Preaches/Tom Speaks" audio cd
2005
Box 4, Folder 16
"Tom Preaching" vinyl recording
undated
Gospel Foundation of California
Scope and content
Mostly funded by a bequest from Albert Johnson
Box 4, Folder 24
Aimee Semple McPherson
1929-1932
Box 2, Folder 6
Articles of Incorporation
1948
Box 4, Folder 45
Biography [by Mary?]
undated
Box 5, Folder 7
Johnson's intent [fragment]
undated
Box 1, Folder 35
Outstanding Assets
1949
Scope and content
Suit in Federal Court, with copies of materials presented.
Box 5, Folder 22
Photographs
1937, undated
Box 2, Folder 7
Tax Exempt Status
1948-1954
Box 5, Folder 50
Annual meeting minutes
1963-1970
Box 4, Folder 39
Articles of incorporation
1946
Camps and Children's Charities
Box 2, Folder 18
Hume Lake Wagon Train
1964-1966
Scope and content
Large Photographs
Box 4, Folder 17
Cordie May Ditto memorial
1959
Box 4, Folder 26
Dove of Hope mission
1950
Box 1, Folder 19
Eulogy and Account Book
circa 1952
Scope and content
Spiral notebook with signed eulogy of "Brother Tom," accounts (1948-1951), and statement about purpose of Johnson in funding
the Foundation, written in Mary Liddecoat's hand.
Box 5, Folder 46
Financial notes
1948-1949
Box 5, Folder 12
Financial notes
1982-1983
Box 5, Folder 49
"God's Hand over Hume", inscribed to Mary
undated
Box 5, Folder 48
Gospel Foundation history
undated
Box 5, Folder 44
Letters from Harold S. Pandy to "Dave"
1940-1941
Box 4, Folder 23
Little Country Church of Hollywood
1983
Box 5, Folder 13
National Park Service oral history with Mary Liddecoat
1983 March 17
Box 4, Folder 36
Pisgah home songs
undated
Box 4, Folder 20
Pisgaph newsletters
1909-1922
Box 4, Folder 28
Sister Alice M. Kidd, "Ten Years in Pisgah"
circa 1920
Box 4, Folder 18
Plaque to Mary Liddecoat from Christian Jail Workers, Inc.
1985 February 1
Box 4, Folder 33
Plaque to Mary Liddecoat from Hospital Chaplains Ministry of America
undated
Box 4, Folder 32
"Rebuilding Palestine According to Prophecy"
1935
Box 1, Folder 24
Request for exemption
1951 March 13
Scope and content
Petition to Internal Revenue Service.
Scotty's Castle and Death Valley
Scope and content
Covers history of the Castle and Liddecoat involvement in the estate. Mostly clippings and memorabilia.
Box 4, Folder 47
Castle Chronicle Quarterly
1939 April-June
Box 1, Folder 4
Death Valley Anniversary booklets
1983-1993
Box 5, Folder 21
Horace M. Albright
1959-1991
Box 4, Folder 42
Letter from Scotty to Albert Johnson
1932 February 8
Box 1, Folder 3, Box 4, Folder 40, Box 5, Folder 1
Newsclippings
1940-1982
Scope and content
Xeroxes of highly deteriorated clippings files. Most are from Los Angeles or San Diego.
Box 1, Folder 28, Box 4, Folder 41
Box 1, Folder 8
Religious Services
1949-1994
Box 4, Folder 43
Recollection of Scotty [by Mary?]
undated
Box 1, Folder 6, Box 4, Folder 46
Box 1, Folder 5
Where are You
1954
Scope and content
Sheet Music Dedicated to Death Valley Scotty
Shadelands
Scope and content
Covers properties held in Walnut Creek area, in particular those that were originally part of the Shadelands Ranch.
Box 5, Folder 6
Board report draft
undated
Box 5, Folder 2
Children's camps
circa 1970s
Box 1, Folder 33
Sales of Real Property
1955-1980
Box 1, Folder 43
School for Cerebral Palsied Children
undated
Box 2, Folder 17
Shadelands Development
undated
Box 5, Folder 5
Shadelands financial report
1980
Box 3, Object 1
Shadelands Park aerial photo and engineering map
1978 June
Box 1, Folder 40
Foundation Donations
1974-1983
Box 5, Folder 25
Shadelands real estate development
undated
Box 1, Folder 39
Walnut Creek Historical Society meeting
1971 February 8
Box 5, Folder 24
Walnut Creek Historical Society
1971-2000
Box 1, Folder 34
Shadelands News
1979 January 30
Box 5, Folder 44
Shadelands plantings
1928
Box 4, Folder 37
Thank you note and photographs of children sent to Mary
undated
Box 5, Folder 26
Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church
1985
Box 4, Folder 32
"Spare Moments" By Mrs. Julia Goodman
undated
Box 1, Folder 42
Various Charities
undated
Box 1, Folder 2
Walnut Creek and Shadelands
1952-1985
Scope and content
Newsclippings. Xeroxes of highly deteriorated clippings files. Most are from local news sources.
Box 1, Folder 20
Walter Webb
1966-1977
Scope and content
Photographs
Box 4, Folder 25
William Cameron Townsend
1995
Box 1, Folder 41
Youth Camps
undated
Scope and content
Mostly "Thank You" notes
