Stahl Family Papers

Identity elements

Reference code

US NjMdUMCG 5972

Name and location of repository

General Commission on Archives and History

Level of description

Collection

Title

Stahl Family Papers

Date(s)

  • 1903-1999 (Creation)

Extent

1.4 cubic feet

Name of creator

Stahl, Ruth Louise
(1887-1959)

Biographical history

Ruth Louise Stahl, Methodist Episcopal and Methodist Church Missionary, was born on April 8, 1887 in Somerset, Ohio to Clara W. Stahl. Her father's name is not known at the present time. Ruth is the sister of Minta May Stahl who later married A. W. Nagler. Osie Stahl is her other sibling. Stahl attended Canal Winchester High School, Ohio State University and Mount Union Conservatory where she earned a Bachelor of Music in 1909.

Ruth received her Women's Foreign Missionary Society appointment to China in November 1917. She set sail that same month. Upon arriving in China her assignment was to teach music at North China Women's College in Beijing. Later the college would become part of Yenching University. The school was closed by the Japanese in 1941. For the next two years Ruth was interned by the Japanese until repatriation in December 1943. Ruth then sailed back to the United States but returned to China in 1946 for two more years of service. Her official missionary retirement came in March 1951. Ruth died in July 1959.

Minta May Stahl, and Tirzah Marie Stahl were also missionaries who served in China between 1917 to 1945. They worked in various schools around China with students of all ages. Minta May Stahl worked in Tientsin, China and Tirzah Marie Stahl worked in Taianfu, Shantung, China.

Content and structure elements

Scope and content

This collection contains photographs, portraits, photograph albums, correspondence, higher education documents and artifacts from the missionary work of the Stahl family members. The numerous photographs and photograph albums contain images of former students including wedding photographs, other missionary workers and various landscapes in China.

System of arrangement

Papers have been arranged by record type.

Conditions of access and use elements

Conditions governing access

There are no restrictions regarding this collection.

Physical access

Technical access

Conditions governing reproduction

Detailed use restrictions relating to our collections can be requested from the office of the archivist at the General Commission on Archives and History. Photocopying is handled by the staff and may be limited in certain instances. Before using any material for publication from this collection a formal request for permission to publish is expected and required.

Languages of the material

  • English
  • Chinese

Scripts of the material

    Language and script notes

    Material is predominantly in.

    Finding aids

    Acquisition and appraisal elements

    Custodial history

    Immediate source of acquisition

    2003-039 Malcom Stahl 2000-09-01

    1997-015 Malcolm Stahl via Robert Fitch 1997-05-12

    1999-043 Malcolm K. Stahl 1999-08-03

    2018-038 Mrs. Malcom Stahl 2018-09-19

    Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information

    Accruals

    Related materials elements

    Existence and location of originals

    Existence and location of copies

    Related archival materials

    Microfilm Edition of the Mission Biographical Reference Files.

    United Methodist Church (U.S.). General Board of Global Ministries. Women's Division

    Related descriptions

    Notes element

    General note

    When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder, Stahl Family Papers, United Methodist Church Archives - GCAH, Madison, New Jersey. Do not make use of the item's call number as that is not a stable descriptor.

    Specialized notes

    Alternative identifier(s)

    Description control element

    Rules or conventions

    Sources used

    Archivist's note

    Archivist's note

    Prepared by Rachel Li, Student Assistant and Mark C. Shenise, Associate Archivist

    Access points

    Subject access points

    Place access points

    Name access points

    Genre access points

    Accession area