Guide to the Belle Hawkes Papers

Descriptive Summary

Title

Belle Hawkes Papers

Inclusive Dates

1872-1969

Bulk Dates

1872-1919

Call Number

RG 116

Creator(s)

Hawkes, Belle, 1854-1919.

Hawkes, James W.

Quantity

0.75 cubic feet

Restrictions on Access

Collection open for research

Digital Content

To browse this collection's digital content visit Pearl.

Repository

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

Biographical Note / Administrative History

Biographical Note

Sarah Belknap "Belle" Sherwood was born on December 13, 1854 in Ballston, New York. Belle was appointed to the mission in East Persia by the Board of Foreign Missions in 1883. In October 1884, she married the Reverend James W. Hawkes, also of the East Persia Mission. Together they were stationed in Hamadan for 36 years. During their mission work, Belle ministered to the needs of Armenian, Jewish, and Moslem women and children. She acquired an exceptional mastery of Farsi, and her home became a center of missionary service and hospitality to the flow of travelers between Teheran and Baghdad. She died in service on December 4, 1919.

Collection Overview

Record Group 116 consists primarily of Sarah Hawkes' outgoing correspondence addressed to her family during her years in Hamadan, and her diaries. It also contains photographs of the East Persia missionaries, including Belle herself, and other miscellaneous items.

Organization and Arrangement

SERIES 1: CORRESPONDENCE, 1872-1919

SERIES 2: DIARIES, 1880-1919

SERIES 3: PHOTOGRAPHS AND OTHER ITEMS, 1872-1969

Alternative Formats

To browse this collection's digitized content visit Pearl.

Related Material

Administrative Information

Processing Information

Collection processed and finding aid prepared: 1975
Jane Ramsay/Grace Mullen, Assistant Records Researcher

Collection rehoused and finding aid revised: February 1991
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

Hawkes, Belle, 1854-1919--Correspondence.

Hawkes, Belle, 1854-1919--Diaries.

Hawkes, James W.

Sherwood, Margaret Pollock, 1864-1955.

Corporate Subject

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

Topical Subject

Presbyterian Church--Missions--Iran.

Women missionaries--Iran.

Women missionaries--Iran--Diaries.

Missionaries--Iran.

Missions--Iran.

Geographic Subject

Iran--Missions.

Genre-form

Diaries.

Photographs.

Correspondence.

Portraits.

Collection Inventory

Box	Folder	Description	Alternative Formats

1	1	Finding Aid to Record Group 116

		SERIES 1: CORRESPONDENCE, 1872-1919

1	2	Correspondence, 1872-1879	Digital
1	3	Correspondence, primarily outgoing, 1880-1885	Digital
1	4	Outgoing correspondence, 1887-1889	Digital
1	5	Correspondence, primarily outgoing, 1892-1895	Digital
1	6	Correspondence, primarily outgoing, 1897-1901	Digital
1	7	Condolence letters addressed to Margaret Sherwood, 1919-1920	Digital

		SERIES 2: DIARIES, 1880-1919

1	8	Diary, 1880-1913, with some undated	Digital
1	9	Personal items, ca. 1883-1919	Digital
1	10	Diary, 1899-1903	Digital
1	11	Diary, 1912	Digital
1	11	Diary, 1913	Digital
2	12	Diary, 1890-1895	Digital
2	12	Diary, 1914	Digital
2	12	Diary, 1915	Digital
2	12	Diary, 1916	Digital
2	12	Diary, 1917	Digital
2	12	Diary, 1918	Digital
2	12	Diary, 1919	Digital

		SERIES 3: PHOTOGRAPHS AND OTHER ITEMS, 1872-1969

2	13	Photographs, ca. 1872-1919	Digital
2	14	Biographical items, ca. 1872-1969	Digital
2	15	Personal items, ca. 1872-1919	Digital

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Guide to the Belle Hawkes Papers

Creator(s)