Letters to Rev. and Mrs. Isaac Bird
Scope and Contents
Collection of 10 letters written to Rev. Isaac Bird and/or his wife Ann P. Bird when they were missionaries in Beirut. Many of the letters mention the diseases affecting the area and one letter has slashes in it from when it was fumigated. The letters also give news of the conditions other missionaries in the Middle East were working in, such as a fire destroying a school and the absence of gingham with which to make dresses. One of the Arabic letters concerns repayment of a debt owned to Rev. Bird. Two separate translations of the 4 letters in Arabic is included.
Dates
- 1822-1835
Language of Materials
Folder 1 consists of letters in Arabic
Conditions Governing Access
Unrestricted
Biographical Note
Rev. Isaac Bird, b. Salisbury, Connecticut on June 19, 1793; graduated Yale College and Andover Theological Seminary. Sailed to the Middle East as a missionary for the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in 1822. Was principally in Malta, Beirut and Smyrna until 1835, when his wife Ann's ill-health brought them back to the United States. Following his return, Rev. Bird taught at theological seminaries in New England and died in Hartford, Connecticut in 1873.
Extent
0.08 Linear Feet (2 folders containing 14 letters)
Abstract
Letters to Rev. and Mrs. Isaac Bird, 1822-1835; missionaries in Beirut, Lebanon. Correspondence in English and Arabic (with translations) reflects living conditions among Christian missionaries in the Middle East chiefly with regard to their health, general living conditions, and prospects for success among the Nestorians, Muslims and Jews.
- Diseases -- Middle East -- History -- 19th century -- Sources Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Middle East -- Economic conditions -- 19th century -- Sources Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Missionaries -- Middle East -- Correspondence Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mount Holyoke College Manuscript Collections Subject Source: Local sources
- Title
- Letters to Rev. and Mrs. Isaac Bird, 1822-1835.
- Subtitle
- Finding Aid
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Date
- © 2004
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
- Sponsor
- Encoding funded by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Repository Details
Part of the Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections Repository
50 College Street
8 Dwight Hall
South Hadley MA 01075-6425 USA
413-538-3079
archives@mtholyoke.edu