Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Rolla Hoffman papers , 1915-1957
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Hoffman, Rolla E. (Rolla Edwards), 1887-1974
- Title
- Rolla Hoffman papers
- Dates
- 1915-1957 (inclusive)19151957
- Quantity
- 0.5 linear feet, (1 container)
- Collection Number
- Ax 703
- Summary
- Rolla Edwards Hoffman (1887-1974) was a medical missionary in Iran in Tehran and Meshed (Masshad) from 1916-1947. The collection includes correspondence, reports, manuscripts and tear sheets that reflect his work as a medical missionary.
- Repository
-
University of Oregon Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives
UO Libraries--SCUA
1299 University of Oregon
Eugene OR
97403-1299
Telephone: 5413463068
spcarref@uoregon.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open to the public. Collection must be used in Special Collections and University Archives Reading Room. Collection or parts of collection may be stored offsite. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives in advance of your visit to allow for transportation time.
- Additional Reference Guides
-
See the Current Collection Guide for detailed description and requesting options.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Rolla Edwards Hoffman, medical missionary for the United Presbyterian Church in the USA, served in Iran for 42 years. Dr. Hoffman was born in Leipsic, Ohio in 1887. He graduated from Berea College in 1908, spent the first year of medical school at American Medical Missionary College, and received his M.D. from Western Reserve University in 1913. He worked in Tehran during 1915-1916, 1932-1933, and 1940-1942. He was in charge of the American Hospital in Meshed from 1916-1947 and the Christian Hospital in Resht from 1948-1957.
In 1919, Dr. Hoffman married Helen Easton, a nurse working in Iran. They had two children, Elizabeth and Harriet. Helen Hoffman died in 1949. Dr. Hoffman married Dr. Adelaide Kibbe Frame, widow of Dr. John Davidson Frame and a medical missionary with 28 years of service in Iran, in 1950.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The collection includes 381 letters from Dr. Hoffman, 1915-1957. The majority are to his family in Ohio and discuss medical, social and family news. His major correspondents are Dr. Joseph Cochran, 20 letters, and Dr. Hartman A. Lichtwardt, 27 letters, both medical missionaries in Iran. There is also an exchange of 20 letters between Dr. Edward Blair, a medical missionary in Iran, and others concerning the nursing situation in Iran in 1937-1938.
There are 9 station letters from Meshed, 14 personal reports from medical missionaries, 11 itinerating reports from 1918-1948 and 22 medical reports from the hospitals at Meshed and Resht. Also included is the manuscript of Dr. Hoffman's autobiography, Pioneering in Meshed, The Holy City of Iran; Saga of a Medical Missionary, 9 articles on Iran and a folder of tear sheets of articles by Dr. Hoffman and others about Iran.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Description |
|---|
| Guide to the Rolla Hoffman Papers |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Missionaries, Medical--Iran--Biography
- Missionaries, Medical--Iran--Correspondence
- Missions, Medical--Iran
- Presbyterian Church--Missions--Iran
Personal Names
- Hoffman, Rolla E. (Rolla Edwards), 1887-1974
- Hoffman, Rolla E. (Rolla Edwards), 1887-1974
Geographical Names
- Mashhad (Iran)--Description and travel
Form or Genre Terms
- Correspondence
- Manuscripts for publication
