Guide to the Papers of Bishop John McKendree Springer 1840 - 1961 General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church P.O. Box 127, Madison, NJ 07940 2016-12-01 Guide to the Papers of Bishop John McKendree Springer Papers of Bishop John McKendree Springer 1840 - 1961 60 Cubic feet gcah.ms.660 The items located at 2259-5-2 to 2259-6-6, 2262-4-1 to 2261-6-8, and 2267-3-1 to 2267-6-2 are a series of photographs and negatives which have not yet been arranged or described, as well as the originals of photocopied records in the collection. The photographs and negatives mentioned above are currently in white paper folders within document cases and storage boxes. They are in need of professional attention ( flattening, special storage, etc.) Biographical Note John McKendree Springer (1873-1963), a pioneering Methodist Episcopal Church missionary and bishop, was instrumental in developing Methodism in Africa. He graduated from Northwestern University (1895 and 1899) and received a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Garrett Biblical Institute (1901). In 1901 he was appointed a missionary. From 1901 to 1906 he was a pastor and the superintendent of the Old Umtali Industrial Mission in Rhodesia. During 1907 he and his wife journeyed across the continent of Africa. His first furlough was taken from 1907-1909, and when he returned to Africa in 1910, he was stationed in the Lunda country of Angola and Congo. Between 1910 and 1915 Springer had various appointments: Kalalua in North Western Rhodesia ( 1910-1911); Lukoshi in Belgian Congo (1911-1913); and Kambove (1913- 1915). A second furlough, taken in 1915, lasted until 1916. Upon return to Africa, Springer became superintendent of the Congo Mission Conference but returned to the United States in 1918 to work on the Centenary and Inter-Church World Movement projects. In 1920 he was appointed superintendent of the Elisabethville-Luba District but was transferred to the Rhodesia Mission Conference in 1921 to serve as superintendent of the Mutumbara District. Another transfer occurred in 1924 when Springer joined the Congo Mission Conference a second time and was appointed superintendent. During this time he was stationed at Panda-Likasa. From 1925 to 1928 he was in the United States on furlough. Returning to Africa in 1928, Springer continued his work as superintendent of the Congo Mission Conference but was stationed on the Likasi Circuit. His missionary work there would continue until 1935 when he was granted a fourth furlough. In 1936 Springer was elected Missionary Bishop for Africa and began travels through the continent. He retired in 1944 and returned to the United States in 1950. Helen Emily Chapman Springer (1868-1949) was a pioneer Methodist Episcopal Church missionary to Rhodesia and the Congo. She graduated from Holyoke High School in Massachusetts and Women's Medical College in Philadelphia. In 1890 she sailed for Africa and soon married William Rasmussen (n.d.-1895). The Rasmussens arrived in Lower Congo, Africa, in 1891. Due to ill health they were forced to return to the United States after only a year and a half. When they returned to the mission field in 1894, they were assigned to Isangila, Congo, but she was forced to leave Africa again due to failing health. In 1901 she returned to Africa and was stationed in Rhodesia at Old Umtali where she started a girls' boarding school. On January 2, 1905, she married John McKendree Springer, and they continued to work as missionaries in Africa. Helen Springer's work focused on translating Christian literature and scriptures into native languages. She also assisted her husband in his duties as bishop and missionary. Helen Newton Everett Springer was the second wife of Bishop John McKendree Springer. She was a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Massachusetts General Hospital where she received a B.A. and a nursing degree. Springer arrived in Africa in 1921 and began work as a nurse in Kapanga, Congo. She also worked in Kanene and Elisabethville, Congo, as well as in Mount Silinda, Southern Rhodesia. General Commisson on Archives and History Page 1 Madison, New Jersey Guide to the Papers of Bishop John McKendree Springer Springer served as a missionary for twenty-one years. Scope Note This collection includes dossiers, correspondence, letters, records of annual conferences and agencies, subject files, manuscripts, articles, personal and family papers, photographs, negatives, clippings, and other printed matter. Bishop Springer's papers primarily document the interaction of American social and ecclesiastical structures forged at the edge of the American frontier with a region of the African continent which was undergoing the process of civilization. Reflected also among these materials is the impact which such interaction had upon Americans who went to spend their lives in the African mission fields, as well as the impact upon Africans themselves. See the published guide, "Preliminary Inventory of the Papers of Bishop John McKendree Springer" (issued by the General Commission on Archives and History, 1982) for individual series descriptions. Arrangement Material has been arranged in the following manner. DOSSIERS OF MISSIONARIES AND SPECIALIZED WORKERS, 1901-1961. Records of the Annual Conferences, 1901-1958 EAST CENTRAL AFRICA MISSION CONFERENCE. WEST CENTRAL AFRICA MISSION CONFERENCE. LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE. RHODESIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE. ANGOLA ANNUAL CONFERENCE. CENTRAL CONGO ANNUAL CONFERENCE. SOUTHERN CONGO ANNUAL CONFERENCE. SOUTHEAST AFRICAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE. RECORDS OF AFRICAN NATIONALS, 1905-1960. BISHOPS OF THE METHODIST CHURCH AND IT ANTECEDENTS, 1900-1960. BOARD OF MISSIONS OF THE METHODIST CHURCH AND ITS ANTECEDENTS, 1901-1961. CONGO PROTESTANT COUNCIL, 1920-1961. SUBJECT FILES,A THROUGH Z, 1857-1961. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1897-1961. Manuscripts and Articles, 1900-1959 MANUSCRIPTS AND PUBLISHED BOOKS. ARTICLES. UNPUBLISHED BOOKS. Personal and Family Papers,1840-1961 JOHN MCKENDREE SPRINGER PERSONAL PAPERS. HELEN R. SPRINGER PERSONAL PAPERS. CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN JOHN SPRINGER AND HELEN R. SPRINGER, 1904-1947. HELEN EVERETT SPRINGER PERSONAL PAPERS, 1957-1960. PARENTS, 1868-1924. ANCESTORS AND IMMEDIATE FAMILY. NEPHEWS,NIECES AND COUSINS. HELEN R. SPRINGER'S RELATIVES. GENEALOGICAL DATA ON THE SPRINGER CLAN, 1913-1955. CLOSE PERSONAL FRIENDS. MISCELLANY. PHOTOGRAPHS, 1862-1959. PRINTED MATTER, 1845-1961. CLIPPINGS, 1898-1961. General Commisson on Archives and History Page 2 Madison, New Jersey Guide to the Papers of Bishop John McKendree Springer MISCELLANY, 1901-1960. Related Material Roy Stinson Smyres Collection Administrative files of United Methodist Communications Missionary files series Mission Geographical Reference Files Joseph Crane Hartzell Papers Records of the World Division of the General Board of Global Ministries Microfilm Edition of the Missionary correspondence of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Episcopal Church Microfilm Edition of the Missionary files series of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Church Records of the General Commission on Archives and History Microfilm Edition of the Mission Biographical Reference Files Microfilm Edition of the Administrative Files Series of the Board of Missions of the Methodist Church Access Restrictions Some restrictions may apply. See archivist. Index Terms Subject Names- Personal Springer, Helen Subject Topics Missions Women Subject Geographic Africa Genre Agendas Artifacts Blueprints Clippings Correspondence Diaries Financial records Journals Manuscripts Maps Minutes General Commisson on Archives and History Page 3 Madison, New Jersey Guide to the Papers of Bishop John McKendree Springer Negatives Newsletters Pamphlets Photographs Programs Sermons Sound recordings Speeches Occupations Abolitionist Missionary Table of Contents Dossiers of Missionaries and Specialized Workers, 1901-1961 ..................................................................... 5 Records of the Annual Conferences, 1901-1958....................................................................................... 14 East Central Africa Mission Conference.............................................................................................. 14 West Central Africa Mission Conference............................................................................................. 15 Liberia Annual Conference............................................................................................................... 15 Rhodesia Annual Conference............................................................................................................ 16 Angola Annual Conference............................................................................................................... 17 Central Congo Annual Conference..................................................................................................... 17 Southern Congo Annual Conference................................................................................................... 18 Southeast African Annual Conference ................................................................................................ 19 Records of African Nationals, 1905-1960 ............................................................................................... 20 Bishops of The Methodist Church and it Antecedents, 1900-1960 ............................................................... 20 Board of Missions of The Methodist Church and its Antecedents, 1901-1961 ...............................................