Fidelia Fiske papers

Fidelia Fiske was teaching at Mount Holyoke Seminary in 1843 when Dr. Perkins, missionary to the Nestorian Christians in Persia, called for someone to accompany him and his wife on their return to Persia in order to found a school for girls at Oroomiah. Fidelia was chosen and on March 1st then sailed from Boston. Fidelia's first letter addressed to Miss Whitman was written on March 13th aboard their "frail bark"; she felt that she would "meet no more my dearest earthly friends." Her letters continued to those at the Seminary for the next 14 years, through July 15, 1851. These letters as well as others written after her return to Massachusetts (November 14, 1859 to June 17, 1864) are included in the collection. The voyage was unusually short, only 21 days on the Atlantic. The accommodations were "very comfortable" although the dreaded foe-sea sickness - descended soon after departure. After several weeks in Constantinople visiting missionary families, they went on by boat to Trebizond (along with hundreds of deck passengers) where the land journey began. Donkeys and men were the means of transport; 150 pounds was an ordinary load for a porter. It was 200 miles to Erzeroom (she "rather enjoyed" the ride) and another 17 days to Oroomiah. Fidelia had a room at the Stockings, a missionary family in Oroomiah When the school opened in October of 1843 there were 15 girls, but by Christmas there were 30. Gradually more and more pupils became boarders. Sickness, especially cholera, death, government. harrassment, struggles between Kuords and Mountain Nestorians, "Mussulman" resistance - all threatened the work and the life of the missionary. 1n 1847 Mary Susan Rice came out from the Seminary to be Fidelia's assistant. Her missionary work extended to the women, as she traveled among the villages. Ill health led to her return to the United States in 1858. She continued close ties with the Seminary until her death in 1864.