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Chester and Phebe Fuson Papers

 Collection
Call Number: RG 143

Scope and Contents

The Fuson Papers provide valuable documentation of religious and political conditions in South China from 1905 to 1949. The family correspondence in Series I includes more than 200 letters from Chester and Phebe Fuson to their sons and other family members; it is most substantive for the years 1938 to 1940. General correspondence includes printed and typescript report letters, early letters to the Trustees of Canton Christian College (1906-1908) that are particularly interesting for their descriptions of College athletic activities, correspondence with members of the First Presbyterian Church of Pueblo, Colorado, which supported CGF as its foreign pastor, and miscellaneous other correspondence to or from the Fusons. Writings by the Fusons, collected material and memorabilia provide additional documentation of their life and work in South China.

Dates

  • 1905-1965

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The materials are open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of William Fuson.

Arrangement

  1. I. Correspondence, 1906-1950
  2. II. Writings, 1905-1940, n.d.
  3. III. Personal Items and Memorabilia, 1915-1965, n.d.
  4. IV. Collected Material, 1924-1949, n.d.
  5. V. Addendum, 1907-1959, n.d.

Extent

1.25 Linear Feet (3 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Catalog Record

A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/divinity.143

Abstract

Letters, writings, collected material, and photos document religious work and political conditions in South China from 1905 to 1929. Chester Garfield and Phebe Meeker Fuson were American Presbyterian missionaries in South China from 1905 to 1929. Chester Fuson taught at Canton Christian College (later Lingnan University) from 1905 to 1917. Thereafter he was an administrator and educator for the South China Mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Biographical / Historical

Chester Fuson

1881
Born in Wakeeney, Kansas
1905
B.A., College of Emporia
1905-1917
Taught at Canton Christian College (later known as Lingnan University)
1908-1909
Accompanied American scientist on magnetic survey, traveling 5,500 miles from Beijing (Peiping) through Henan (Honan), Shaanxi (Shensi), Gansu (Kansu), Xinjiang (Sinkiang), over the Kunlun (Kwenlun) and Himalaya mountains to India. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society for participation in this survey.
1909
Married Phebe Meeker. Children: Ben, Nelson, William.
1917
Appointed by Board of Foreign Missions of Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. to serve its South China Mission. While in Guangzhou (Canton), Chester Fuson was Executive Secretary of the Board of Primary Education of the provincial Christian Education Association and was on the faculty of Pui Ying Middle School as Director of Teacher Training.
1924
Ordained by Topeka Presbytery
1930
Litt. D., College of Emporia
1938
Transferred to Lianzhou (Linhsien/Linchow) where Chester Fuson aided in educational work, was in charge of country churches and was acting superintendent of the Linhsien Hospital from 1941 on. He was South China Mission Executive Secretary until furlough in 1944.
1946
Returned to Lianzhou (Linhsien) following furlough; was active in relief and rehabilitation work.
1949
Retired
1965
Died in Duarte, California

Processing Information

Place names were modernized in the description, with the name originally used in the collection material or in an older version of the finding aid in parenthesis: e.g. “Beijing (Peking)” or “Benin (Dahomey)”.

Title
Guide to the Chester and Phebe Fuson Papers
Author
Compiled by Martha Lund Smalley
Date
1998
Description rules
Finding Aid Prepared According To Local Divinity Library Descriptive Practices
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Part of the Yale Divinity Library Repository

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