Edwin St. John Ward (AC 1900) Papers, 1897-1986 (bulk 1915-1918):Finding Aid

Materials from other institutions found in the Edwin St. John Ward Papers may not be duplicated, as indicated. Requests for permission to publish material from collection should be directed to the Archives and Special Collections. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights.

Biographical Note

Edwin St. John Ward (1880-1951) graduated from Amherst College in 1900. He received his medical degree from Columbia University in 1904. From 1907 through 1911 he was a medical missionary for the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions in Turkey. He was a professor of surgery at the American University in Beirut from 1911-1931, where he served as the acting Dean of the Medical Department from 1920-1921 and as Dean of Medical Faculty from 1924-1931. Dr. Ward was also a member of the American Red Cross Service in Palestine and Turkey from 1915-1916, in France in 1917 and Palestine from 1918-1919. After completing his work abroad, he returned to the United States where he worked as a physician and surgeon in various hospitals in Massachusetts.

In 1907, he married Charlotte Edwards Allen. Together they had six children. Two sons Paul L. Ward (A.C. 1935) and Richard Storer Ward (A.C. 1942) are graduates of Amherst College. Dr. Ward's brother's Mark Ward and William Earl Dodge Ward are both members of the class of 1906.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Edwin St. John Ward Papers (A.C. 1900) document the professional activities and some of the personal life of Dr. Ward. The collection spans the years 1897-1986, with the bulk of the material falling into the period of 1915-1918 when Dr. Ward was in service to the American Red Cross in Turkey, Palestine and France.

Professional correspondence includes letters exchanged with officials at the American Red Cross in Washington D.C. in relation to the missions in Turkey and Beirut, as well as legal documents and travel certificates. Also of note is a German map of the Sinai expedition taken by Dr. Ward in 1915, with the route penned by hand. There are newspaper clippings and journal articles, as well as the copy of a book, The Way of this General Practitioner, all which relate to the expeditions undertaken.

Personal correspondence includes letters written to his wife Charlotte, and family, when he was stationed with the Red Cross in Turkey, Beirut and France. Also included is correspondence with his brother, William Earl Dodge Ward (AC 1906), as well as condolences sent to William Earl Dodge and Mark Ward (AC 1906) upon the death of Edwin St. John Ward in 1951.

Organization of the Collection

Box	Folder
1	1	Correspondence from Edwin St. John Ward to Charlotte Allen Ward from Turkey, France and Palestine; French permit at Salonika, Greece; Cable from American Red Cross in Port Said. 1915-1918

Box	Folder
1	2	Sinai Expedition: official passes for Edwin St. John Ward from the United States Consul and Jemal Pasha. 1915

Box	Folder
1	3	Sinai Expedition: "Report of the American Red Cross Mission to the Turkish Army in Palestine" by Edwin St. John Ward; "New Work for a Sidon Missionary" by George C. Doolittle; Sister Hanna Meyer letter to her fellow Sisters in the Zoar Orphanage, Beirut; Springfield Union newspaper clipping; Letter from Edwin St. John Ward to Walter Dyer (A.C. 1900) with article "The Modern Crusader in Palestine". 1915

Box	Folder
1	4	Sinai Expedition: Worcester Sunday Telegram clipping of interview with Edwin St. John Ward. 1947

Box	Folder
1	5	Constantinople: letter from United States Consul in Beirut certifying Edwin St. John Ward as member of Beirut American Red Cross Medical Mission; letter from Istanbul Red Cross to Drs. Wilfrid Post and Edwin St. John Ward; letter from Edwin St. JohnWard to Dr. Samuel M. Brickner with article "The American Red Cross at Work in Turkey". 1915-1916

Box	Folder
1	6	Constantinople: Correspondence between Edwin St. John Ward and Dr. Ernest P. Bicknell, Director General, Civilian Relief of the American Red Cross, Washington DC 1916

Box	Folder
1	7	Constantinople: American Red Cross appointment of Edwin St. John Ward as Special Agent in Beirut. 1916

Box	Folder
1	8	Constantinople: Edwin St. John Ward's "Medical Education in the Near East" lecture presented at the United States Embassy in Constantinople 1916

Box	Folder
1	9	Constantinople: letter from the Department of State to Dr. Ernest P. Bicknell assigning ship to carry Edwin St. John Ward party and supplies from Greece to Beirut. 1916

Box	Folder
1	10	Red Cross Expedition to Palestine: newspaper clippings on situation in Palestine; permit for Edwin St. John Ward to leave Paris for New York; letter to Edwin St. John Ward from the American Red Cross announcing plans for expedition's departure; confidential list of expedition members accompanying Edwin St. John Ward to Palestine; Edwin St. John Ward's second prize in "Deck Quotes" and song sheet; Edwin St. John Ward letter to Dr. James L. Barton of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, Boston; permit for Edwin St. John Ward for shore leave in Capetown. Undated newspaper clippings from Springfield, Massachusetts. 1917-1918

Box	Folder
1	11	Red Cross Expedition to Palestine: newspaper clippings from The New York Times announcing expedition with John H. Finley as head; Edwin St. John Ward's permit for shore leave at Durban; newspaper clipping announcing Mayor's reception for expedition at Durban; newspaper clipping of "On the Way to the Holy Land" from the Christian Herald; "Pushing Food Relief in Palestine" from the Christian Herald; State Department cable; Edwin St. John Ward's permit; note from John H. Finley to Edwin St. John Ward upon Finley's arrival at Port Said. 1918

Box	Folder
1	12	Red Cross Expedition to Palestine: newspaper clipping from The New York Tribune on United States relations with Turkey regarding Armenians and American Missionaries; address by the Grand Mufti at reception for John H. Finley and three deputy commissioners (including Edwin St. John Ward); newspaper clipping from Egyptian Gazette about American Red Cross expedition; General Order number 30 on living expenses; clipping from Egyptian Gazette on life in Lebanon; letter to John H. Finley to American Red Cross, Washington D.C.; newspaper clipping from Palestine News including map of "Palestine Front, August 1918" and "Map of Lebanon". 1918

Box	Folder
1	13	Red Cross Expedition to Palestine: draft of statement by Jews on anniversary of Balfour Declaration; Edwin St. John Ward letter to Henry P. Davidson, Chairman War Council, American Red Cross, Washington D.C. requesting release; response from American Red Cross War Council granting release; rail ticket from Ludd to Haifa; Edwin St. John Ward "Preventive Medicine and Public Hygiene in Syria" with proposed organization under Beirut American Red Cross chapter; letter from Carter Millikin to Edwin St. John Ward; letter from American Consulate in Jerusalem; John H. Finley's "Parting Words to Members of the American Red Cross Commission" upon his resignation; letter from John H. Finley to Edwin St. John Ward; letter from John H. Finley to staff of American Red Cross Commission; letter from John H. Finley to Edwin St. John Ward. 1918-1935

Box	Folder
1	14	American Red Cross files from the National Archives in Washington D.C. authorizing Edwin St. John Ward to receive medical supplies - photocopy. 1916

Box	Folder
1	15	John H. Finley's Parting Words to Members of the American Red Cross Commission - photocopy. 1919

Box	Folder
1	16	Medicus - American University of Beirut magazine, volume 16, number 1, with note "see cornerstone, p. 10" 1986

Box	Folder
1	17	American Red Cross Magazine, "With the Turkish Army in the Desert: an American Red Cross Relief Caravan Journeys Across Syria toward Egypt" by George C. Doolittle - photocopy of article 1915

Box	Folder
1	18	German Map of Sinai with route of expedition's journey marked in pen [by Edwin St. John Ward] 1915

Box	Folder
1	19	"The Forty Days of Musa Dagh" by Franz Werfel - book review n.d.

Box	Folder
1	20	Obituaries and tributes for Edwin St. John Ward: letter from Khalil G. Wakim, M.D.; Amherst College Biographical Record obituary; "In Memoriam" from American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions annual meeting; Congregational Christian Bureau News obituary. 1951-1952

Box	Folder
1	21	Correspondence from Edwin St. John Ward to William Earl Dodge Ward - 25 letters. 1897-1906

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1	22	The Way of this General Practitioner by Dr. Harry C. Hurd. 1968

Box	Folder
1	23	Condolences to brothers of Edwin St. John Ward upon his death. 1951

Contents

Edwin St. John Ward (AC 1900) Papers, 1897-1986 (bulk 1915-1918)

Finding Aid

Finding aid prepared by Molly Brown.

2009

Collection Overview

Administrative Information

Biographical Note

Scope and Contents of the Collection

Organization of the Collection