Guide to the Zoeckler Family Papers

Descriptive Summary

Title

Zoeckler Family Papers

Inclusive Dates

1912-1987

Bulk Dates

1914-1970

Call Number

RG 280

Creator(s)

Zoeckler family.

Quantity

1.00 cubic foot

Language

Materials primarily in English with some materials in Persian

Restrictions on Access

Collection open for research

Digital Content

To browse this collection's digitized materials 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

George Frederick Zoeckler (1884-1948) was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated from Carroll College Academy in 1903 and Carroll College in 1906, both in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and from Auburn Theological Seminary in 1909. Zoeckler applied to the Board of Foreign Missions of PCUSA and was assigned to the East Persia Mission. Most of his service was at Hamadan and Daulatabad-Malayir, an outstation of Hamadan Station. He was principal of the American Boys' Schools, at Hamadan and at Malayir from 1909-1929. After responsibility for education was taken over by the Iranian government, Zoeckler did rural and city evangelistic work at Malayir and Hamadan, and at Kermanshah where he oversaw the construction of the hospital, 1936-1937. He served as architect and supervised the construction of other mission buildings and, being interested in rural agricultural development, Zoeckler introduced to Iran American varieties of apples and other agricultural products. He also served on several mission committees.

Mary Dayton Allen Zoeckler (1884-1954) graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1905 and received in 1910 an M.D. degree from Johns Hopkins University Medical School. In the same year she was appointed and assigned to the East Persia Mission of the PCUSA, arriving in Iran in 1911. In 1914 she married the Rev. George F. Zoeckler. Most of their service was at Daulatabad-Malayir, an outstation of Hamadan Station, where she carried on medical work in the city and country dispensaries. She and her husband went to Kermanshah during the construction of the hospital there.

Frances Louisa Zoeckler, the only child of George and Mary Zoeckler, was born in 1919 at Hamadan, Iran. She graduated from the College of Wooster in 1941 and the Johns Hopkins University Medical School in 1945. Her internship was at the Women's Hospital in Philadelphia. She was appointed to overseas service and assigned to the Iran Mission in 1947, serving at Kermanshah, 1947-1952 and 1955-1958, when the hospital closed. After a brief service at Resht, 1958-1959, she went to the Christian Hospital at Meshed, 1959-1970, until that hospital was closed. The hospital at Tabriz closed at the same time, ending Presbyterian medical work in Iran. Frances returned to the United States and never went back to Iran. In 1972, she was granted a Master of Public Health by the University of Michigan.

Collection Overview

Record Group 280 consists of the papers and records of the Rev. Frederick and Dr. Mary A. Zoeckler and their daughter, Dr. Frances Zoeckler, including home letters, personal reports, and reports of their evangelistic and medical work. Records of Westminster/Kermanshah and Meshed Hospitals provide information about the operations of these mission hospitals from the 1930s to1970, when Presbyterian medical work was discontinued in Iran.

The mission records and the photographs (contact prints) deal with mission operations and policy, Iranian nationals, and the work of the Zoecklers.

Organization and Arrangement

The collection is arranged accordingly:

Series I: George F. Zoeckler's Papers, 1912-1947, n.d.

Series II: Mary A. Zoeckler's Papers, 1914-1950, n.d.

Series III: Frances L. Zoeckler's Papers, 1947-1970, n.d.
Subseries 1: Correspondence and Reports, 1947-1970, n.d.

Series IV: Christian Hospitals in Iran (Mary and Frances Zoeckler),
1936-1967, n.d.
Subseries 1: Westminster/Kermanesh Hospital (Mary and Frances Zoeckler), 1936-1958
Subseries 2: The Christian Hospital at Meshed (Frances Zoeckler), 1958-1967, n.d.

Series V: Presbyterian Mission in Iran/Commission on Ecumenical Mission and Relations (COEMAR), 1960-1970

Series VI: Photographs (Contact Prints) and Audiotape, 1987, n.d.

Alternative Formats

To browse this collection's digitized materials visit Pearl.

Interview, 1987, available in digital audio formats.

Related Material

Administrative Information

Processing Information

Collection processed and a finding aid prepared, August 1991
Glenn Colliver, Assistant 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

Zoeckler family.

Corporate Subject

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. East Persia Mission.

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

United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Iran Mission.

Christian Hospital (Mashad, Iran)

Westminster Hospital (Kermanshah, Iran)

Topical Subject

Missions, Medical--Iran.

Missions--Educational work--Iran.

Missions--Agricultural work--Iran.

Evangelistic work--Iran.

Geographic Subject

Iran--Missions.

Genre-form

Photographs. aat

Personal Added Name

Zoeckler, George Frederick, 1884-1948.

Zoeckler, Mary Dayton Allen, 1884-1954.

Zoeckler, Frances Louise, 1919-

Collection Inventory

Box	Folder	Description	Alternative Formats

1	1	Finding Aid to Record Group 280

		SERIES I: GEORGE F. ZOECKLER, CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS, 1912-1947, n.d

1	2	Home Letters and Correspondence re Income Taxes, 1921- 1947
1	3	Personal Reports, 1924-1935, 1938-1947
1	4	Reports of Outfield Evangelism and Itineration, 1912-1935, 1938-1947
1	5	Reports and Articles, 1935-1938, n.d.
1	6	Report of the Second Century Deputation on the Medical Work in Iran, 1939
1	7	Reports (Letters) of Hugo A. Muller, Secretary, Hamadan, re Visits to Iran Mission Stations, 1940-1941

		SERIES II: MARY A. ZOECKLER, CORRESPONDENCE, REPORTS STORIES, 1914-1950, n.d.

1	8	Home Letters, 1917-1950
1	9	Personal Reports, 1923-1940
1	10	Medical Reports, 1914-1949, n.d.
1	11	Reports of Evangelistic Work for Women, 1915-1929
1	12	Reports and Stories, n.d.

		SERIES III: FRANCES L. ZOECKLER CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS, 1947-1970, n.d.

		Subseries 1: Correspondence and Reports, 1947-1970, n.d.

1	13	Personal Reports, 1947-1966, 1969
1	14	Report of Medical Itineration, 1963
1	15	Correspondence with Mission Committees and COEMAR Representatives, 1958-1966, 1970
1	16	Correspondence and Report re H. G. Buehler, M.D., 1966
1	17	Home Letters, 1970, n.d.
1	18	Correspondence (on furlough in USA) re Hamadan Hospital, 1955
1	19	Hamadan Hospital Inventory, 1952
1	20	"Thoughts" re Mission and Medical Policies and Practices, n.d.
1	21	Miscellaneous Items, n.d.	Digital

		SERIES IV: THE CHRISTIAN HOSPITALS IN IRAN, 1936-1967, n.d.

		Subseries 1: Westminster/Kermanshah Christian Hospital (Mary and Frances Zoeckler), 1936-1958

1	22	Annual Reports, 1948-1958
1	23	Financial Reports to the Board of Foreign Missions, 1936-1958
1	24	Report of Frances Zoeckler to the Liquidation Committee for Kermanshah Station, re Employees, 1958

		Subseries 2: The Christian Hosptial, Meshed (Frances Zoeckler), 1958-1967, n.d.

1	25	Annual Reports, 1958-1965
1	26	Statistical Reports, 1964-1966
1	27	Administrative Board Minutes, (some in Persian), 1963- 1964
1	28	Policy, Procedures, Fee Structure, 1960s
1	29	Financial Statements and Reports, 1961, 1964-1965
1	30	Financial Statements and Reports, 1966-1967
1	31	Organizational Chart and Description, 1965
1	32	Provident Trust Fund Statements and Employee Lists, 1964-1966, n.d.
1	33	Nurbakhsh Nursing School: Agreements with Hospital and Reports, 1960s

		SERIES V: PRESBYTERIAN MISSION IN IRAN/COEMAR, 1960-1970

1	34	"History of Meshed Station, 1911-1934 (Postscript, 1934-1960)", [1960]
1	35	"Who's Who in the Iran Mission," (Biographical Sketches), 1963, 1964
1	36	Iran Annual Narrative Reports to COEMAR, 1965-1966
1	37	Missionary Maintenance Committee of Iran (Frances Zoeckler, a member), Minutes, 1969
1	38	COEMAR Official Letters, 1970
1	39	Circular Letters of Durwood A. Busse, COEMAR Representative in Iran, 1970
1	40	Dr. Norman A. Horner, "A Handbook on the Christian Communities in Iran, 1970"

		SERIES VI: PHOTOGRAPHS (CONTACT PRINTS) AND AUDIOTAPE, 1987, n.d.

1	41	Zoeckler Family Photographs, n.d.	Digital
1	42	Mission and Missionary Photographs, n.d.	Digital
1	43	Photographs of Iranians, n.d.	Digital
1	44	Frances Zoeckler's Identification of the Photographs
1	45	Audiotape of Frances Zoeckler's Talk at Albuquerque, NM, 1987	Digital

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Guide to the Zoeckler Family Papers

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