Guide to the R.R. Stewart and Hladia Porter Stewart Papers

Descriptive Summary

Title

R.R. Stewart and Hladia Porter Stewart Papers

Inclusive Dates

1911-1992

Bulk Dates

1982-1991

Call Number

RG 415

Creator(s)

Stewart, R. R. (Ralph Randles), 1890-1993.

Quantity

1.00 cubic foot (1 box)

Language

Materials in English

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

Ralph Randles Stewart was born in West Hebron, New York, on April 15, 1890. He attended Columbia College, New York City, and was graduated in 1911 with a BA and elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Sigma Ki. He taught biology at Gordon College, Rawalpindi, India, for three years, as a short-term missionary. He returned to Columbia College and was awarded an A.M. in 1915 and a Ph.D. in 1916 in Botany. In October 1916, he was married to Isabelle Caroline Darrow, herself also a missionary and botanist. In 1916, the United Presbyterian Church of North America appointed Ralph and Isabelle Stewart missionaries to India, assigned to Gordon College, Rawalpindi.

In addition to his work at Gordon College, Ralph Stewart served briefly at the Christian Hospital, Taxila, Pakistan. In 1934, Dr. Stewart was elected principal of Gordon College, a position which he held until 1955. From 1941 to 1944, due to the difficulties of wartime travel, Dr. Stewart served as Curator of the Oriental Herbarium at the New York Botanical Garden.

Ralph and Isabelle Stewart had two daughters. In 1953, Isabelle Stewart died of cancer.

In October 1954, Dr. Stewart was married to Winifred Hladia Porter. In 1955, the Stewarts took a six month furlough and then returned for a final term of service at Gordon College. Dr. Stewart also served as an elder in his local congregation, taught Sunday School for several years, and supervised construction of church buildings. Upon his retirement on April 15, 1960, Dr. Stewart was awarded "Sitari-I-Imtiaz" (Star of Distinction) by the Pakistani government. He was a member of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences, and his plant collection became the basis for the National Herbarium of Pakistan.

After his retirement from Gordon College in 1960, Dr. Stewart served as a Research Associate at the University of Michigan until 1981. In 1981, Ralph and Hladia Stewart entered the Presbyterian retirement home, Westminster Gardens, Duarte, California. Dr. Stewart died in 1993, at the age of 103 years and 6 months.

Winifred Hladia Porter, a fourth generation member of a mission family, was born on November 23, 1896, in Gujranwala, Pakistan. She received her early schooling in India and then her BA in 1917 and MA in 1919 from Wooster College, Wooster, Ohio. She taught high school for one year in Salem, Ohio.

Hladia Porter served in the Punjab for forty-one years. She was appointed to India by the Board of Foreign Missions, Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and served from 1919 to 1954 as teacher of English and Bible, Vice Principal, and then acting Principal of Kinnaird College, Lahore.

From 1955 to 1960, following her marriage to Ralph Stewart, she served as Dean of Women and Professor of English at Gordon College, Rawalpindi. She retired from Gordon College on April 15, 1960.

From 1960 to 1981, Hladia Stewart lived in Ann Arbor with her husband and was active in the First United Presbyterian Church, Ann Arbor. She wrote poetry and painted trees and flowers. In 1981, she entered Westminster Gardens with her husband. Hladia Stewart died on January 5, 1984, in Duarte, California.

Collection Overview

The papers consist of biographical material, correspondence, and writings of both Ralph and Hladia Stewart. Some maps and photographs are included as well. The bulk of the material is dated in the 1980s and early 1990s.

The correspondence reflects the wide web of relationships Ralph and Hladia Stewart enjoyed as workers in the Pakistani mission field. Over their many years of service, they met and encouraged many students and church workers at Kinnaird and Gordon colleges. They kept in touch with alumni of the colleges and fellow missionaries; these relationships are reflected in the correspondence. Subseries III: Shared Correspondence consists of letters collected by the Stewarts through the practice of circulation of mutual friends' correspondence.

The writings consist of personal reflections on the work of the missions in Pakistan, including their history and evaluation of their success; Dr. Stewart's history of Gordon College and his memoir; and Hladia Stewart's plays, presentations, autobiography, and poetry. A posthumous collection of Hladia Stewart's poetry, "Living with Joy," is included. Subseries III: Converts' Stories consist of the personal stories of several converts to Christianity, which documents a project of particular interest to Hladia Stewart and, subsequently, to Ralph Stewart. Included in the Daskawie and McAuley files is correspondence relating to the composition of their respective conversion stories.

Organization and Arrangement

Series I. BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 1947-1990

Series II. CORRESPONDENCE, 1930-1992
Subseries I: Outgoing, 1930-1991
Subseries II: Incoming, 1943-1992
Subseries III: Shared, 1947, 1952, 1983-1992, nd

Series III. MAPS, 1936, 1961, 1973

Series IV. PHOTOGRAPHS, 1911-1970s

Series V. WRITINGS AND SPEECHES, 1950-1990
Subseries I: Ralph Randles Stewart, 1952-1990
Subseries II: W. Hladia Porter Stewart, 1950-1988
Subseries III: Converts' Stories, 1936-1990

Series VI. MISCELLANY, 1952, 1957

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.

Related Material

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

These materials were donated to the Presbyterian Historical Society by Dr. Stewart's daughter, Ellen S. Daniels, in 1992.

Processing Information

Collection processed and finding aid prepared: August 2002
Ellen C. Rutherford, Archives Intern

Catalog Headings

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

Personal Name Subject

Stewart, R. R. (Ralph Randles), 1890-1993.

Stewart, Hladia Porter, 1896-1984.

Corporate Subject

Gordon College (Rawalpindi, Pakistan)

Kinnaird College for Women.

United Presbyterian Church of North America--Missions--India--20th century.

United Presbyterian Church of North America--Missions--Pakistan--20th century.

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.--Missions--India--20th century.

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.--Missions--Pakistan--20th century.

United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.--Missions--Pakistan--20th century.

Topical Subject

Missionaries--India--20th century.

Missionaries--Pakistan--20th century.

Women missionaries--India--20th century.

Women missionaries--Pakistan--20th century.

Presbyterian Church--Missions--India--20th century.

Presbyterian Church--Missions--Pakistan--20th century.

Christian converts.

Geographic Subject

India--Missions--20th century.

Pakistan--Missions--20th century.

Genre-form

Correspondence. aat

Photographs. aat

Writings (documents) aat

Personal Added Name

Stewart, Hladia Porter, 1896-1984.

Collection Inventory

Box	Folder	Description	Alternative Formats

1	1	Finding Aid to RG 415

		SERIES I: BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 1947-1990

1	2	Ralph Randles Stewart, 1947-90
1	3	W. Hladia Porter Stewart, 1960-84

		SERIES II: CORRESPONDENCE, 1930-1992

		Subseries I: Outgoing, 1930-1991

1	4	Ralph Randles Stewart, 1947-54
1	5	W. Hladia Porter, 1930-51
1	6	Ralph & Hladia Stewart, 1955-83
1	7	Ralph Randles Stewart, 1962
1	8	Ralph Randles Stewart, 1984-91

		Subseries II: Incoming, 1943-1992, nd

1	9	A-C, 1958, 1982-91
1	10	D-F, 1943, 1983-91
1	11	G-J, 1943-47, 1983-90
1	12	K-M, 1979, 1982-92
1	13	N-Q, 1975, 1978, 1984-90
1	14	R-S, 1978, 1982-91
1	15	T-Z, 1978-79, 1982-91
1	16	Unidentified, 1979, 1982-90, nd

		Subseries III: Shared, 1947, 1952, 1983-1992, nd

1	17	Various Authors and Recipients, 1947, 1952, 1983-92, nd

		SERIES III: MAPS, 1936, 1961, 1973

1	18	Maps, 1936, 1961, 1973


		SERIES IV: PHOTOGRAPHS, 1911-1970s

1	19	1911-early 1930s, nd	Digital
1	20	1911-1949, nd
1	21	Ralph and Hladia Stewart, 1970s	Digital
1	22	Mission Annual Meetings, 1921-34
1	23	Miscellaneous, nd

		SERIES V: WRITINGS AND SPEECHES, 1950-1990

		Subseries I; Ralph Randles Stewart, 1952-1990

1	24	"Changes in My Time in Pakistan," nd
1	25	Gordon College, 1953, nd
1	26	Gordon College, Results in Life, nd
1	27	History, nd
1	28	History, nd
1	29	History, nd
1	30	Diaspora of Pakistan Christians, nd
1	31	Church Workers, 1965, 1983-89, nd
1	32	Hladia [biography], nd
1	33	"Maharaja Dalip Singh and Bamba Miller," 1952, 1961, 1977, 1985, nd
1	34	Memoir, nd
1	35	Memoir, nd
1	36	Memoir, nd
1	37	Education, nd
1	38	Financial History, nd
1	39	Journey to Pakistan to Attend the International Symposium of Plant Life in South Asia, [co-authored with daughter, Ellen Daniels], 1990
1	40	Leper Work, nd
1	41	Presentations, 1986-88, nd
1	42	Miscellaneous, 1989-90, nd

		Subseries II: W. Hladia Porter Stewart, 1950-1988

1	43	"Centennial Drama of the Sialkot Mission: The First Hundred Years," nd
1	44	Church Programs, 1974, nd
1	45	Genealogical Notes on the Walsh and Porter Families, 1977
1	46	History, nd
1	47	"In the Land of the Five Rivers" [autobiography], nd
1	48	Poetry, 1936, 1982-82, 1988, nd	Digital
1	49	Miscellaneous, 1950-57, nd

		Subseries III: Converts' Stories, 1936-1990

1	50	"On Converts," 1937-38, 1954, 1968, nd
1	51	Daskawie, 1963, c.1970, nd
1	52	James, nd
1	53	Khan, nd
1	54	McAuley, 1984-90, nd
1	55	Ponsonby, nd
1	56	Samuel, c.1936, 1985, nd
1	57	Various Authors, 1940, c.1949, 1987, nd

		SERIES VI: MISCELLANY, 1952, 1957

1	58	Gordon College, 1952, 1957

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Guide to the R.R. Stewart and Hladia Porter Stewart Papers

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