Descriptive Summary
Creator(s)
Collection open for research
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The entire collection has been digitized.
Biographical Note / Administrative History
The Free Methodist Church appointed Frank R. Millican (1883-1961) and his wife Aimee Boddy Millican (1884-1974) to its China mission in 1907. The Millicans served as evangelists in the province of Hunan until 1915; the following year they requested and were granted a transfer to the PCUSA's China Mission, arriving at Ningpo in September of 1917. Until 1929, Frank Millican served as Principal of the Presbyterian Boys' High School and later as Vice-President of the Union Middle School, while Aimee Millican engaged in evan-gelistic work with Chinese women. In 1930, they were assigned to the Christian Literature Society in Shanghai, where Frank Millican translated, edited and supervised the distribution of Christian literature and Aimee Millican was instrumental in starting a Christian broadcasting station. 1940 found the Millicans in the United States on furlough; due to increasing political tensions in China, Rev. Millican returned alone to Shanghai in 1941. He was interned by the Japanese until 1945. After the end of the war, the Millicans returned to Shanghai, but as a result of the Communist takeover, they were transferred to the Philippine Mission in 1950. During their three years of service there, Rev. Millican taught at Union Theological Seminary in Manila and at Silliman University in Dumaguete City, while his wife continued her radio work. The Millicans retired from missionary service in 1953.
Edith Frances Millican, their daughter, was born in Hunan in 1914. She earned her MD degree from the Women's Medical College of Philadelphia, and in 1941 she was appointed to the PCUSA's China Council. When war conditions delayed her sailing, she temporarily joined the staff of the Embudo Presbyterian Hospital in Embudo, New Mexico. She arrived in China in 1943, and became physician to the 14th Air Force Fighter Squadron for eleven months. Afterwards she worked with war victims and refugees in Hengyang, Kweiyang, Pichieh and Kweichow. In 1946 she was put in charge of the Chenhsien Hospital in Hunan.
During her 1948 furlough, Dr. Millican returned to Embudo, expecting to resume her work in China the following year. When conditions in China prevented her from returning, she began a two and one-half year residency at the Women's Medical College. She returned to Embudo in 1951 and spent the next five years there. In 1956 she accepted a one-year residency at St. Luke's Hospital in Spokane, Washington before assuming the duties of resident physician at the Board of National Missions' Mora Valley Medical Unit in Cleveland, New Mexico. She resigned from the Board in 1964, moved to Las Vegas, New Mexico, and started a private practice. She died in her sleep on February 14, 1985.
Collection Overview
Record Group 199 documents the Millican family's years of service in the Presbyterian Church from 1917-1964; some later materials are also included. Frank and Aimee Millican's correspondence documents their missionary experience in China and to a lesser extent in the Philippines, emphasizing the difficulties of their work during the Sino-Japanese War of the late 1930s and during the post-World War II years.
Edith Millican's correspondence documents Presbyterian work in China during and after World War II, providing significant insight into the training, experiences and opportunities of American women in the medical profession.
Record Group 199 also includes photographs and other miscellaneous items.
Organization and Arrangement
SERIES I: CORRESPONDENCE and WRITINGS, 1917-1984
SERIES II: BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 1902-1984
SERIES III: PHOTOGRAPHS, 1900-1984
Alternative Formats
To browse this collection's digitized content visit Pearl.
The entire collection has been digitized.
Administrative Information
Letters written by Frank and Aimee Millican to Edith Millican are filed in Frank and Aimee Millican's outgoing correspondence; letters written by Edith to her parents are filed in her outgoing correspondence.
Box 2 Folders 16-19 contain undated letters written by Edith Millican. Internal evidence was used to determine the approximate chronological order in which these four folders are arranged. They appear to cover the same time span as her dated letters, 1940-1968.
Box 2 Folders 28 and 29 contain correspondence which relates only tangentially to the Millicans but which is informative about the situation in China during the post-World War II years.
Collection processed and finding aid prepared: 1985
Frederick J. Heuser Jr., Archivist
Collection reprocessed, material added and finding aid revised: January 1991
Stephanie Muntone, Processing Archivist
Catalog Headings
Collection Inventory
| Box | Folder | Description | Alternative Formats |
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1 | 1 | Finding Aid to RG 199 | |
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| SERIES I: CORRESPONDENCE and WRITINGS, 1917-1984 | |
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| Aimee Millican: Outgoing Correspondence | |
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1 | 2 | Aimee and Frank Millican outgoing correspondence, 1933. | Digital |
1 | 3 | Aimee Millican correspondence to her daughter, Edith, 1934. | Digital |
1 | 4 | Aimee Millican correspondence to her daughter, Edith, January-August 1935. | Digital |
| 1 | 4 | Frank Millican Annual Report, 1935 | |
1 | 5 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, September-December 1935. | Digital |
1 | 6 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1936. | Digital |
| 1 | 6 | Worship Trends in the Chinese Church by Aimee B. Millican, 1936. | Digital |
1 | 7 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1937. | Digital |
| 1 | 7 | "Our Dear Friends" letter by Elleroy and Mabelle Smith, 1937. | |
1 | 8 | Aimee Millican correspondence, primarily to her daughter, Edith, 1938. | Digital |
1 | 9 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1939. | Digital |
1 | 10 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1940. | Digital |
1 | 11 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, May-December 1941. | Digital |
| 1 | 11 | Broadcast Bulletin of the National Christian Council of China, 1941. | |
1 | 12 | Aimee Millican correspondence to her daughter, Edith, 1942. | Digital |
1 | 13 | Aimee Millican correspondence to her daughter, Edith, 1943-1944. | Digital |
1 | 14 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1945-1948. | Digital |
1 | 15 | Aimee Millican correspondence to her daughter, Edith, 1949-1950. | Digital |
1 | 16 | Aimee Millican correspondence to her daughter, Edith, 1951. | Digital |
1 | 17 | Aimee Millican correspondence, primarily to her daughter, Edith, 1952. | Digital |
1 | 18 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1953. | Digital |
1 | 19 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1954. | Digital |
1 | 20 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1955. | Digital |
1 | 21 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1956-1957. | Digital |
1 | 22 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1958-1961. | Digital |
1 | 23 | Aimee Millican correspondence to her daughter, Edith, 1962. | Digital |
1 | 24 | Aimee Millican correspondence to her daughter, Edith, January-June 1963. | Digital |
1 | 25 | Aimee Millican correspondence to her daughter, Edith, June-December 1963. | Digital |
1 | 26 | Aimee Millican correspondence to her daughter, Edith, 1964-1965. | Digital |
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| Aimee Millican: Incoming Correspondence, Writings | |
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1 | 27 | Commission on Ecumenical Mission and Relations' correspondence to Aimee Millican, 1942, 1964. | Digital |
1 | 28 | Miscellaneous writings by Aimee Millican, 1938, nd. | Digital |
| 1 | 28 | "Wounded Soldiers Find God" by Aimee B. Millican, February 1938. | |
| 1 | 28 | "The Second World MRA Assembly" by Aimee B. Millican, October 1939. | |
1 | 29 | Aimee Millican's notebook, 1964-1968. | Digital |
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| Frank Millican: Outgoing Correspondence, Writings | |
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1 | 30 | Frank Millican correspondence to his daughter, Edith, 1934-1939. | Digital |
1 | 31 | Frank Millican correspondence to his wife, Aimee, and daughter, Edith, 1939-1951. | Digital |
1 | 32 | Frank Millican correspondence to his daughter, Edith, 1951-1961, nd. | Digital |
1 | 33 | Frank Millican's miscellaneous writings, 1936-1937; 1951; nd. | Digital |
| 1 | 33 | The Chinese Recorder, Vol. 69, No. 1, January 1938. | |
| 1 | 33 | The Chinese Recorder, Vol. 69, No. 2, February 1938. | |
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| Aimee and Frank Millican: Correspondence | |
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1 | 34 | Aimee and Frank Millican home letters, 1934-1960, nd. | Digital |
1 | 35 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1955. | Digital |
1 | 36 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1956. | Digital |
1 | 37 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1957-1959. | Digital |
1 | 38 | Aimee and Frank Millican correspondence to their daughter, Edith, 1960-1961. | Digital |
1 | 39 | Incoming correspondence addressed to Aimee and Frank Millican, 1929-1966; n.d. | Digital |
1 | 40 | Aimee and Frank Millican's Christmas speech transcript, ca. 1952. | Digital |
1 | 41 | Correspondence regarding Aimee and Frank Millican's transfer to the Board of Foreign Missions, 1916-1917. | Digital |
1 | 42 | Correspondence regarding Aimee and Frank Millican's East Cliff property in China, 1926-1934. | Digital |
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| Edith Millican: Outgoing Correspondence | |
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1 | 43 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, 1940-1942. | Digital |
1 | 44 | Edith Millican correspondence primarily to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, 1943 to 1945. | Digital |
1 | 45 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, 1946 to 1948. | Digital |
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2 | 1 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, 1952. | Digital |
2 | 2 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, 1953 to 1955. | Digital |
2 | 3 | Edith Millican correspondence primarily to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, 1956. | Digital |
2 | 4 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, 1957. | Digital |
2 | 5 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, 1958. | Digital |
2 | 6 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, 1959. | Digital |
2 | 7 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, 1960. | Digital |
2 | 8 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, 1961. | Digital |
2 | 9 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, 1962. | Digital |
2 | 10 | Edith Millican correspondence to her mother, Aimee Millican, 1963. | Digital |
2 | 11 | Edith Millican correspondence to her mother, Aimee Millican, 1964. | Digital |
2 | 12 | Edith Millican correspondence to her mother, Aimee Millican, 1965. | Digital |
2 | 13 | Edith Millican correspondence to her mother, Aimee Millican, 1966. | Digital |
2 | 14 | Edith Millican correspondence to her mother, Aimee Millican, 1967. | Digital |
2 | 15 | Edith Millican correspondence to her mother, Aimee Millican, 1968. | Digital |
2 | 16 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, nd. | Digital |
2 | 17 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, nd. | Digital |
2 | 18 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, nd. | Digital |
2 | 19 | Edith Millican correspondence to her parents, Aimee and Frank Millican, nd. | Digital |
2 | 20 | Edith Millican general letters, 1943-1967. | Digital |
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| Edith Millican: Incoming Correspondence, Writings | |
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2 | 21 | Edith Millican incoming correspondence, 1939-1948. | Digital |
2 | 22 | Edith Millican incoming correspondence, 1949-1984. | Digital |
2 | 23 | Edith Millican incoming correspondence from the Women's Hospital of Philadelphia and the Board of Foreign Missions, 1948-1950. | Digital |
2 | 24 | Edith Millican incoming correspondence from Embudo Presbyterian Hospital and the Board of Foreign Missions, 1950-1951. | Digital |
2 | 25 | Edith Millican personal notebook, 1943-1946. | Digital |
2 | 26 | Edith Millican personal notebook, 1944-1948. | Digital |
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| SERIES II: BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIALS, 1902-1984 | |
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2 | 27 | Board of Foreign Missions General Letters, 1949. | Digital |
| 2 | 27 | Board of Foreign Missions General Letter, December 1949. | Digital |
2 | 28 | Chinese missionaries miscellaneous letters, 1949-1950. | Digital |
2 | 29 | The World Day of Prayer Program, February 28, 1941. | Digital |
| 2 | 29 | Chinese missionaries miscellaneous letters, Shanghai, 1941-1949; 1972; 1982; n.d. | Digital |
2 | 30 | Millican family biographies, 1961; 1974; 1983. | Digital |
2 | 31 | Millican family clippings, 1941-1985. | Digital |
| 2 | 31 | Two articles by Janette T. Harrington, 1957-1958. | Digital |
2 | 32 | Aimee Millican notebook, 1902-1906. | Digital |
| 2 | 32 | Frank Millican Foreigners' Resident Certificate, 1948. | Digital |
2 | 32 | Aimee Millican Foreigners' Resident Certificate, ca. 1948. | Digital |
| 2 | 32 | Edith Millican Certificate of Church Membership, 1949. | Digital |
| 2 | 32 | Edith Millican birth certificate, China, 1914. | Digital |
| 2 | 32 | Board of Foreign Missions' Citation of Frank and Aimee Millican, 1953. | Digital |
| 2 | 32 | Edith Millican missionary service certificate, March 1943. | Digital |
| 2 | 32 | Edith Millican New Mexico Medical License, April 1942. | Digital |
| 2 | 32 | Aimee Millican United States passport, 1944. | Digital |
| 2 | 32 | Aimee Millican United States passport, 1948. | Digital |
| 2 | 32 | Aimee Millican United States passport, 1952. | Digital |
| 2 | 32 | Edith Millican United States passport, 1947. | Digital |
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| SERIES III: PHOTOGRAPHS, nd | |
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3 | 1 | Aimee Boddy Millican | Digital |
3 | 2 | Frank Millican, Millican Family | Digital |
3 | 3 | Aimee and Frank Millican | Digital |
3 | 4 | Edith Millican | Digital |
3 | 5 | Aimee, Frank and Edith Millican | Digital |
3 | 6 | China Missionaries | Digital |
3 | 7 | Girls' School, Ning Po | Digital |
3 | 8 | China Mission | Digital |
3 | 9 | Embudo Presbyterian Hospital, New Mexico | Digital |
3 | 10 | Portraits | Digital |
3 | 11 | Millican family photograph album, 1917 | Digital |
3 | 12 | Frank and Aimee Millican photograph album, Shanghai, China, 1937-39 | Digital |
3 | 13 | Millican family photograph album, 1943-44 | Digital |
3 | 14 | Millican family photograph album, ca. 1907-1915 | Digital |
3 | 15 | Millican family photograph album, nd | Digital |
3 | 16 | Edith Millican photograph album, 1943-1948 | Digital |
3 | 17 | Edith Millican photograph album, New Mexico, ca. 1940s | Digital |