Guide to the Mattoon Family Collection

Descriptive Summary

Title

Mattoon Family Collection

Inclusive Dates

1827-1945

Call Number

RG 275

Creator(s)

Mattoon family.

Quantity

0.75 cubic feet

Restrictions on Access

Collection open for research

Digital Content

To browse this collection's digital content visit Pearl.

Materials marked "Digital" in the Collection Inventory may not be available on Pearl or in their entirety.

Repository

Presbyterian Historical Society, 425 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516 USA

Biographical Note / Administrative History

Biographical Note

Stephen Mattoon was born in Champion, New York on May 5, 1815 or 1816 (sources agree on the date but not the year of his birth). He graduated from Union College in 1842 and went on to the seminary at Princeton. During his years there he met Mary Lourie, preceptress of the Argyle Academy. In February of 1846 Mattoon was ordained by Troy Presbytery; in June he and Mary Lourie were married, and in July they sailed for Siam under the auspices of the Board of Foreign Missions (PCUSA). They arrived in Bangkok in March of 1847.

The Siamese language fascinated Mattoon, and his missionary work involved translation and distribution of Christian literature. His chief project was a complete Siamese New Testament, which was not finished until he left Siam in 1866. He served as pastor of the First Church in Bangkok from 1860 to 1866. Mattoon was greatly esteemed by the Siamese court; in recognition of this, the U.S. Minister Plenipotentiary appointed him the first United States Consul in Bangkok. He held this position from 1856 until 1859. Mary Lourie Mattoon taught English and took Siamese girls and young women into her home, instructing and training them as Christians. She also gave birth to three children during these years: Lourie (1850-1851), Mary Lourie (b. 1854) and Emma Williams (b. 1857). The Mattoons also adopted a Siamese child, whom they christened Esther.

Mary Lourie Mattoon's frail health forced her to leave Siam in 1864. Stephen Mattoon remained in Bangkok to finish his translation of the New Testament. In 1866 he rejoined his family in New York, accepting assignment as pastor of the church at Ballston Spa. In 1870 he was asked by the Freedmen's Board to take over the presidency of Biddle Institute (now Johnson C. Smith Seminary) in North Carolina. He served Biddle as its president until 1885 and as professor of theology until his death in 1889.

Collection Overview

The collection includes family correspondence, some business correspondence of Stephen Mattoon, letters from fellow missionary Jonathan Wilson, diaries and other writings, and photographs. Of special interest is a biographical sketch of her father by Mary Mattoon, which includes many details of family history and of the Mattoon's service in Siam.

Stephen Mattoon's wife and daughter were both named Mary Lourie Mattoon; to avoid confusion, the finding aid and folder labels always refer to the mother as Mary Lourie Mattoon and to the daughter as Mary Mattoon. Mary Lourie Mattoon's maiden name is given variously in sources as Lourie and Lowrie. According to Mary Mattoon's biography of her father, the correct spelling was Lourie and this spelling is used in the finding aid and on folder labels.

The photographs in this collection are all portraits of Stephen and Mary Lourie Mattoon.

Except for a few manuscript letters (Box 2 Folder 2 and one item in Box 2 Folder 4), all of the letters in this collection are transcriptions; the originals remain in the Mattoon family. Margaret Landon transcribed the letters in the course of research for her book Anna and the King of Siam.

There is no evidence that the clippings in Box 2 Folder 6 were authored by Mary Lourie Mattoon, but as they were found pressed between the pages of her diary and indicate her state of mind on the death of her son, they have been kept in the collection.

Organization and Arrangement

SERIES I: Diaries and Correspondence, 1827-1945

SERIES II: Other Writings, 1852-1928

SERIES III: Photographs, n.d.

Alternative Formats

To browse this collection's digitized content visit Pearl.

Materials marked "Digital" in the Collection Inventory may not have been digitized in their entirety.

Administrative Information

Processing Information

Collection processed and finding aid prepared: December 1990
Stephanie Muntone, Processing Archivist

Catalog Headings

The following headings have been used to index the description of this collection in the society’s electronic catalog.

Personal Name Subject

Mattoon, Stephen, 1815-1889.

Mattoon, Mary Lourie, -1885.

Mattoon, Mary L. (Mary Lourie), 1854-1929.

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865--Assassination--Sermons.

Corporate Subject

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Siam Mission.

Topical Subject

Missionaries--Thailand--19th century.

Women missionaries--Thailand--19th century.

Missions--Thailand--19th century.

Geographic Subject

Thailand--Missions--19th century.

Genre-form

Diaries. aat

Clippings. aat

Transcripts. aat

Writings. aat

Photographs. aat

Personal Added Name

Mattoon, Stephen, 1815-1889.

Mattoon, Mary Lourie, 1820-1885.

Mattoon, Mary L. (Mary Lourie), 1854-1929.

Wilson, J. (Jonathan), 1830-1911.

Landon, Margaret, 1903-1993.

Collection Inventory

Box	Folder	Description	Alternative Formats

1	1	Finding Aid to Record Group 275

		SERIES I: DIARIES AND CORRESPONDENCE, 1827-1945

1	2	Notebook, 1827-1847
1	3	Diary, 1847-1851
1	4	Diary, 1857-1867
1	5	Diary/Notebook, 1863-1883
1	6	Transcript of Diaries, 1847-1883
1	7	Diary, 1867-1868
1	8	Correspondence, 1844-1848

2	1	Correspondence, 1848-1859
2	2	Correspondence, 1848-1856
2	3	Correspondence, 1860-1867
2	4	Jonathan Wilson Correspondence, 1864-1870
2	5	Margaret Landon Letter, 1945

		SERIES II: OTHER WRITINGS, 1852-1928

2	6	Poem and Clippings, 1852, n.d.
2	7	Address, 1865
2	8	Biographical Sketch "The Life and Career of Stephen Mattoon," 1928

		SERIES III: PHOTOGRAPHS, n.d.

2	9	Photographs, n.d.	Digital

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Guide to the Mattoon Family Collection

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