Guide to the William M. Orr Papers
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Guide to the William M. Orr Papers

Descriptive Summary

Title
William M. Orr Papers
Inclusive Dates
1914-1965
Bulk Dates
1938-1955
Call Number
RG 289

Creator(s)

Orr, William M. (William Mails), 1891-1964.
Quantity
1.00 cubic foot
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

William Orr was born in Manhattan, Kansas, on February 8, 1891. He attended Kansas State Agricultural College and McCormick Theological Seminary. After graduation in 1914, he married Eula D. McDonald and joined the Board of Home Missions, which sent the Orrs to Isabela, Puerto Rico. They remained there for eight years.

In December of 1922, Orr was transferred to Texas and placed in charge of missions to the growing Mexican population. In 1925 he was called to a pastorate in Las Cruces, NM, and in 1928 he moved his family to Colorado to accept another call. He served as Colorado Synod Moderator from 1937-38.

In 1937, Orr became a joint field representative for the Boards of National Missions and Christian Education in Arizona and New Mexico. This work brought him into contact with native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and ranch workers in all parts of his vast, sparsely settled territory. Orr retired from missionary service in 1956.

Collection Overview

This collection is composed of photographs and their negatives, slides, and one photograph album illustrating Orr's years of mission work in the American Southwest and the West Indies. The bulk of the collection dates from 1938-1955, with the exception of the photograph album from Orr's first year in Puerto Rico and one postcard from 1965. The photographs depict churches, hospitals, camp meetings, adult traveling seminars (labeled as ATS on the slides), missionaries, and scenes of the Southwest. Nearly all the photographs have negatives--each negative is filed with its print.

Photographs and slides are arranged alphabetically by place name, following Orr's system of classification.

Organization and Arrangement

SERIES I: PHOTOGRAPHS, 1914-1965

SERIES II: SLIDES, 1943-1955

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: July 1992
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
Orr, William M. (William Mails), 1891-1964.
Topical Subject
Presbyterian Church--Missions--Southwest, New.
Presbyterian Church--Missions--Puerto Rico.
Home missions--Southwest, New.
Missions--Puerto Rico.
Missionaries--Southwest, New.
Missionaries--Puerto Rico.
Geographic Subject
Southwest, New--Missions.
Puerto Rico--Missions.
Genre-form
Photographs.
Slides.
Photograph albums.

Collection Inventory

BoxFolderDescriptionAlternative Formats

1

1

Finding Aid to Record Group 289

 

1

2

Biographical Sketch of Orr (by Elizabeth Orr Wilson)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SERIES I: PHOTOGRAPHS, 1914-1965

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Puerto Rico

 

1

3

Photograph Album, 1914

Digital
14"Fruitage of Pioneer Sunday School Missionary Work," by William M. Orr, n.d. 
    

2

1

Loose Photographs from Album, 1914

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arizona

 

2

2

Benson Church, 1938

 

2

3

Casa Grande, 1938

 

2

4

Chinle

 

2

5

Clifton, 1938

 

2

6

Coolidge, 1938

 

2

7

Douglas, 1941

 

2

8

Florence, 1938

 

2

9

Fort Defiance, 1940

 

2

10

Ganado, 1938-47

 

2

11

Globe Church, 1938

 

2

12

Kayenta, 1939

 

2

13

Kimatbe Church, 1941

 

2

14

Leupp, 1942

 

2

15

Maricopa, 1941

 

2

16

McNary--Lumber Mills, 1948

 

2

17

Miami, 1938, 1949

 

2

18

Monument Valley (Arizona/Colorado), 1941

 

2

19

Morenci, 1938

 

2

20

Perkins Ranch Camp Meeting

 

2

21

Phoenix, 1938, 1949

 

2

22

Pima Indians--Memorials, 1941

 

2

23

Sacaton, 1941

 

2

24

Sells--Papago Meeting, 1941

 

2

25

Stotonic Pima Church, 1939

 

2

26

Superior, 1941

 

2

27

Tucson, 1938, 1948

 

2

28

Vah Ki Church, 1944

 

2

29

Window Rock area

 

2

30

Winkleman, 1940

 

2

31

Yuma Church, 1938

 

2

32

AZ--Unidentified Photos with Negatives, 1938-42

 

2

33

AZ--Unidentified Photos, 1938-41

 

2

34

AZ--Unidentified Negatives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Mexico

 

2

35

Almogado, 1938

 

2

36

Albuquerque, 1945-46

 

2

37

Artesia, 1938

 

2

38

Carlsbad, 1938

 

2

39

Chamisal, 1938

 

2

40

Chimayo, 1938

 

2

41

Curtis Hill School, 1938

 

2

42

Dexter Church, 1938

 

2

43

Embudo Hospital, 1940

 

2

44

Eunice, 1949

 

2

45

Farmington, 1942

 

2

46

Grants, 1938

 

2

47

Hageman Church and Manse, 1938

 

2

48

Hobbs Church, 1949

 

2

49

Holman, 1938

 

2

50

Isleta, 1938

 

2

51

Jemez, 1937

 

2

52

Laguna, 1940

 

2

53

Las Vegas, 1938

 

2

54

Lindrith, 1938

Digital

2

55

Llano, 1938

 

2

56

Magdalena, 1941

 

2

57

Ranchos de Taos, 1938

 

2

58

Reserve, 1938

 

2

59

Santa Fe, 1945

 

2

60

Socorro, 1938

 

2

61

Tremention, 1938

 

2

62

Truchas, 1938

 

2

63

NM--Unidentified Photos with Negatives

 

2

64

NM--Unidentified Photos

 

2

65

NM--Unidentified Negatives

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miscellaneous

 

2

66

Montlure Camp Meeting, 1939

 

2

67

People

 

2

68

Postcards, 1931-65

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SERIES II: SLIDES, 1943-1955

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arizona

 

3

 

(Item # 1-7) Ajo

 

3

 

(Item # 8) Benson Church

 

3

 

(Item # 9) Chandler Church, 1952

 

3

 

(Item # 10) Chinle--Mr. and Mrs. Bysegger, 1949

 

3

 

(Item # 11) Flagstaff--Federated Church, 1949

 

3

 

(Item # 12) North AZ Presbytery Meeting

 

3

 

(Item # 13) Fort Defiance--Navajo children, 1949

 

3

 

(Item # 14) Rev. and Mrs. Reemsa, 1949

 

3

 

(Item # 15) Pre-Staff Caravan, 1952

 

3

 

(Item # 16-25) Ganado, 1947-49

 

3

 

(Item # 26-28) Kayenta--Missionaries, 1953

 

3

 

(Item # 29-33) McNary Lumber Camp, 1945-48

 

3

 

(Item # 34-35) Mesa Church and Mortuary, 1952

 

3

 

(Item # 35-37) Morenci--Mill and Housing

 

3

 

(Item # 38) Phoenix--African-Americans

 

3

 

(Item # 39) Phoenix--Bethany Church

 

3

 

(Item # 40-47) Phoenix--Cook Christian Training School, 1948

 

3

 

(Item # 48-49) Phoenix--Covenant Church, 1948

 

3

 

(Item # 50-54) Phoenix--Desert Mission

 

3

 

(Item # 55-56) Phoenix--First Church

 

3

 

(Item # 57-58) Phoenix--Indian Church

 

3

 

(Item # 59) Phoenix--Mrs. Keeler and Eula Orr, 1948

 

3

 

(Item # 60) Phoenix--Rev. A. Lucero, First Church

 

3

 

(Item # 61) Phoenix--Morningside Church

 

3

 

(Item # 62) Phoenix--Rev. C.L. Morton

 

3

 

(Item # 63) Sacaton--Church and Manse

 

3

 

(Item # 64) Sacaton--Relocation Center

 

3

 

(Item # 65) Sacaton--Lower Santan Church

 

3

 

(Item # 66) Sacaton--Pima Indian Church

 

3

 

(Item # 67-68) San Miguel--Indian Church, 1946

 

3

 

(Item # 69) San Miguel--Day School Class

 

3

 

(Item # 70) San Miguel--Throssel Brothers, 1946

 

3

 

(Item # 71) Sells--Indian Church, 1943

 

3

 

(Item # 72-73) Springerville--People, 1949

 

3

 

(Item # 74-75) Tempe--Guadalupe Mission and Clinic

 

3

 

(Item # 76) Tuba City--Educational Building

 

3

 

(Item # 77) Missionaries

 

3

 

(Item # 78) Tucson--Housing Project Congregation

 

3

 

(Item # 79-80) Mountain View Church, 1948

 

3

 

(Item # 81-84) Southside Interracial Indian Church, 1945-47

 

3

 

(Item # 85-93) Tucson Indian Training School, 1945-47

 

3

 

(Item # 94-104) Vah Ki--Pima Indians, Camp Meeting

 

3

 

(Item # 105) Wellton Church, 1950

 

3

 

(Item # 106-107) Yuma--Migrant Workers

 

3

 

(Item # 108) Yuma Church

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Mexico

 

4

 

(Item # 1) Albuquerque, 1956

 

4

 

(Item # 2-7) Albuquerque--Bethany Church, 1948

 

4

 

(Item # 8) Albuquerque--First Church

 

4

 

(Item # 9) Albuquerque--Marie Hubbel, 1949

 

4

 

(Item # 10-14) Albuquerque--Immanuel Church, 1955

 

4

 

(Item # 15-19) Albuquerque--Menaul School, 1954

 

4

 

(Item # 19a-19b) Artesia--Men's Rally, Camp Wehinape, 1954

 

4

 

(Item # 20-21) Carlsbad--Presbytery Meeting, 1948

 
4

 

(Item # 22-25) Chacon, 1945, 1955

 
4

 

(Item # 26-28) Chamisal, 1947-49

 

4

 

(Item # 29) Chimayo, 1951

 

4

 

(Item # 30) Claunch Church and Manse, 1952

 

4

 

(Item # 31) Corona Church, 1952

 

4

 

(Item # 32-34) Cuba, 1948-49

 

4

 

(Item # 35-36) Cundiyo, 1948-49

 

4

 

(Item # 37-40) Datil, 1948-49

 

4

 

(Item # 41-45) Embudo Hospital, 1946, 1953

 

4

 

(Item # 46-48) Eunice, 1952-53

 

4

 

(Item # 49-50) Farmington, 1954

 

4

 

(Item # 51-52) Grants, 1952-53

 

4

 

(Item # 53-58) Hobbs, 1952-53

 

4

 

(Item # 59-63) Jemez Pueblo Church, 1954

 

4

 

(Item # 64-83) Laguna, 1945-52

 

4

 

(Item # 84-90) Las Cruces--Sesquicentennial, 1952

 

4

 

(Item # 91) Las Vegas--Spanish Church and Manse (ATS), 1951

 

4

 

(Item # 92-93) Lindrith (ATS), 1947

 
4 (Item # 94) Lindrith (ATS), 1947Digital
4 (Item # 95) Lindrith (ATS), 1947 

4

 

(Item # 96-102) Llano Church (ATS), 1947

 

4

 

(Item # 103-104) Lovington, 1945

 

4

 

(Item # 105-110) Los Alamos, 1948-49

 

4

 

(Item # 111-114) Magdalena--Roger Sherman, 1953

 
4 (Item # 112) Magdalena--Roger Sherman, 1953Digital
4 (Item # 113) Magdalena--Roger Sherman, 1953 
4 (Item # 114) Magdalena--Roger Sherman, 1953 

4

 

(Item # 115-133) Montosa Camp Meetings, 1946-48, 1955

 
4 (Item # 116) Montosa Camp Meetings, 1946-48, 1955Digital
4 (Item # 117-120) Montosa Camp Meetings, 1946-48, 1955 
4 (Item # 121) Montosa Camp Meetings, 1946-48, 1955Digital
4 (Item # 122) Montosa Camp Meetings, 1946-48, 1955Digital
4 (Item # 123-133) Montosa Camp Meetings, 1946-48, 1955 

4

 

(Item # 134-135) Mora, 1951

 

4

 

(Item # 136) Pecos, 1948

 

4

 

(Item # 137-164) Penasco--Groundbreaking for Church and Clinic, 1954

 

4

 

(Item # 165-174) Placitas Church, 1954

 

4

 

(Item # 175-177) Ranchos de Taos, 1945, 1952

 

4

 

(Item # 178-180) Regina Church, 1947-49

 

4

 

(Item # 181-185) Reserve, 1947-55

 

4

 

(Item # 186-207) Santa Fe--Summer School, 1944-47

 

 

 

 

 

5

 

(Item # 1-4) Tres Rios, 1954

 

5

 

(Item # 5-14) Truchas, 1947-53

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West Indies

 

5

 

(Item # 15-19) Cuba, 1945, 1949

 

5

 

(Item # 20) Puerto Rico--50th Anniversary

 

5

 

(Item # 21) Puerto Rico--Cabo Rojo, 1949

 

5

 

(Item # 22-23) Puerto Rico--Guacio, 1949

 

5

 

(Item # 24) Puerto Rico--Isabela, 1949

 

5

 

(Item # 25-26) Puerto Rico--Mayaguez, 1949

 

5

 

(Item # 27-28) Puerto Rico--San German, 1949

 

5

 

(Item # 29-35) Puerto Rico--San Juan, 1949

 

5

 

(Item # 36) Puerto Rico--Santurce, 1949

 

5

 

(Item # 37-40) Puerto Rico--Santo Domingo, 1949

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other

 

5

 

(Item # 41-45) Kentucky, 1949

 

5

 

(Item # 46-61) Oklahoma, 1947-49

 

5

 

(Item # 62-94) North Carolina--Warren Wilson College, 1949

 

5

 

(Item # 95-128) Adult Traveling Seminars, general, 1947-55

 

5

 

(Item # 129-130) Board of Christian Education National Staff, 1949

 

5

 

(Item # 131-133) General Assembly, 1952

 

5

 

(Item # 134-145) Young People's Conference, Story, Wyoming, 1948

 

5

 

(Item # 146-164) Unidentified Slides

 

 

Source URL: https://www.history.pcusa.org/collections/research-tools/guides-archival-collections/rg-289