Guide to the William Caldwell Johnston Papers
William Caldwell Johnston and his wife, Emily Logan Truax Johnston, were assigned to the West Africa Mission by the Board of Foreign Missions in 1895. Arriving at Batanga in that year, Reverend Johnston spent his entire career in West Africa and played a large part in framing the policy of the Church there. His service included work at Efulan, Elat and Yaounde and in 1921 he was named Field Secretary of the Presbyterian Mission in West Africa. He retired from missionary service in 1938.
Record Group 133 consists primarily of Reverend Johnston's correspondence, 1895 1951, the bulk of which covers the period up to 1938. Other items, including the correspondence of his wife, 1897 1938, photographs, slides, station minutes and reports, 1902 1938, are also included. It is arranged as follows:
SERIES 1: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1895 1951 Boxes 1-2
SERIES 2: PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1897 1938 Box 2
SERIES 3: STATION MINUTES/REPORTS, 1902 1938 Box 2
SERIES 4: W.C. JOHNSTON DIARIES/JOURNALS, 1894 1938 Boxes 3-5
SERIES 5: E.L. JOHNSTON DIARIES, 1897, 1906 Box 5
SERIES 6: PHOTOGRAPHS AND SLIDES, CA. 1900 Boxes 6-10
SERIES 7: MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS, 1890S-1959, UNDATED Box 6
Portions of collection available on microfilm: MF/POS./833/r.1-7.
Reel 1: Correspondence and reports, 1893-1912
Reel 2: Correspondence and reports, 1912-1922
Reel 3: Correspondence and reports, 1922-1925
Reel 4: Correspondence and reports, 1926-1933
Reel 5: Correspondence and reports, 1933-
Reel 6: Series 2, personal correspondence, 1897-1938
Reel 7: Series 3, Station minutes and reports; miscellaneous, 1902-1959
Related collections include RG 74, West Africa Mission Records, and RG 142, West Africa Mission Records. There are also several personal paper collections of missionaries to West Africa.
Portions of this collection available on microfilm.
After processing and microfilming, RG 133 was shipped to a relative of Mr. Johnston's for perusal. When the papers were returned in September 1981, they were somewhat disorganized, and the following folders were missing: Box 1, folder 2; Box 2, folder 16 (folder empty).
Behind folder 20, Box 2, is one folder which was not included in the original lot. It contains transcripts of travel letters from Johnston's daughter, Mrs. Jonny Adams, written from Africa and Asia in the 1960s.
The photographs in Series 6 were donated by Joseph McNeil.
The glass slides in Series 6 should be handled with care, as several are cracked.
Collection processed and finding aid prepared: 1978
Jane Ramsey, Records Researcher
Notes to finding aid added: 1983
Frederick J. Heuser, Jr., Archivist
Finding aid revised: March 1992
Stephanie Muntone, Processing Archivist
Additional photographs added and finding aid revised: July 1998
Jeffrey LaMonica, Archives Technician
| Box | Folder | Description | |
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1 | 1 | Finding Aid to Record Group 133 | |
| 2 | Biographical Data | |
| 3 | Deed to Land 1893 | |
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| SERIES 1: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1895-1951 | |
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1 | 4 | 1895, 1896 | |
5-7 | 1897-99 | ||
| 8 | 1900‑1902 | |
| 9 | 19O3-04, 1906‑08 | |
| 10 | 1909-10 | |
| 11 | 1911-12 | |
| 12 | 1912‑1915 | |
| 13 | 1915-16 | |
| 14 | 1916-17 | |
| 15 | 1918-19; 1921 | |
16-18 | 1922-24 | ||
19-20 | 1925-26 | ||
| 21 | 1927 (incl. correspondence re appointment of Negro missionaries); Minutes of Conference, 1927 | |
| 22 | 1928-29 | |
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2 | 1 | 1930 | |
| 2 | 1930‑32 | |
| 3 | 1932-33 | |
4-5 | 1934-35 | ||
| 6 | 1936-37 | |
| 7 | 1938-39; 1951 | |
8 | Articles by and about W.C. Johnston | ||
| 9 | Writings of E.L. Johnston, 1897‑1938 | |
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| SERIES 2: PERSONAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1897-1938 | |
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2 | 10 | E.L. Johnston to her mother, 1924‑38 | |
11-12 | W.C. Johnston to R.C. Johnston, 1910‑13, 1915-22 | ||
13-15 | E.L. and W.C. Johnston to family, 1923-29 | ||
| 16 | W.C. Johnston to L.T. Johnston, 1910-21 | |
17 | German Involvement, 1900-01 | ||
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| SERIES 3: STATION MINUTES AND REPORTS, 1902-1938 | |
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2 | 18-19 | 1902‑38 | |
20 | Miscellaneous items | ||
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| SERIES 4: W.C. JOHNSTON DIARIES AND JOURNALS, 1894-1938 | |
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3 | 1 | 1894 | |
| 2 | 1895‑1896 | |
| 3 | 1896?‑1897? | |
4-7 | 1897-1900 | ||
8-10 | 1901 | ||
11-14 | 1902-04 | ||
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4 | 1-3 | 1907‑08 | |
4-6 | 1910 | ||
| 7 | 1910‑1911 (plus miscellaneous notes) | |
| 8 | 1910, 1913 (incomplete) | |
9-10 | 1911‑12 | ||
| 11 | 1912‑13 | |
12-16 | 1915-18 | ||
| 17 | 1922; 1927 | |
| 18 | 1922 (incomplete) | |
| 19 | 1923 | |
20-21 | 1922‑23 (incomplete) | ||
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5 | 1 | 1924 | |
| 2 | 1924-25 (incomplete) | |
| 3 | 1925‑27 | |
4-5 | 1926, 1931, 1934 (incomplete) | ||
| 6 | 1927‑28 (incomplete) | |
| 7 | 1927‑29 (incomplete) | |
8-9 | 1928-29 | ||
| 10 | 1931‑1932 (incomplete) | |
11-12 | 1932 | ||
13-15 | 1933‑1935 (incomplete) | ||
16-17 | 1937‑38 | ||
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| SERIES 5: E.L. JOHNSTON DIARIES, 1897, 1906 | |
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5 | 18 | 1897 | |
| 19 | 1906 | |
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| SERIES 6: PHOTOGRAPHS AND SLIDES, CA. 1900 | |
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| PHOTOGRAPHS | |
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6 | 7 | Photographs, ca. 1900 | |
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| SLIDES | ||
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| BUILDINGS | ||
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7 | 1 | "Gabon Mission House" | |
2 | "Batanga Mission House" | ||
3 | Mission House | ||
4 | Mission House | ||
5 | Mission House | ||
6 | Mission House | ||
7 | Hut | ||
8 | Mission Building | ||
| 9 | Hut | |
| 10 | "Church and School" | |
11 | Mission House "Batanga Africa" | ||
12 | Mission Building | ||
13 | Mission Building | ||
14 | Mission House | ||
15 | Mission Buildings | ||
16 | Mission Building | ||
17 | Mission Building | ||
18 | Mission Building | ||
19 | Mission Building Under Construction | ||
20 | Mission Building | ||
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| CHURCH | ||
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7 | 21 | Service | |
22 | "Frame-work for Church" | ||
23 | Church | ||
24 | Church | ||
25 | Church | ||
26 | Inside of a Church | ||
27 | Outdoor Service | ||
28 | Outdoor Service | ||
29 | Inside of a Church "Efulan" | ||
| 30 | Outdoor Service | |
31 | "Congregation" | ||
32A | Congregation | ||
| 32B | Congregation | |
| 32C | Congregation | |
33 | Congregation | ||
34 | Congregation | ||
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| INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL | ||
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7 | 35 | Logs | |
36 | "Carrying a Ridge Pole for Church" | ||
37 | "Plastering Walls" | ||
38 | "Carpenter Class Erecting Residence" | ||
39 | "Making Church Pews" | ||
40 | Sewing Class | ||
41 | Chairs | ||
42 | Making a Chair | ||
43 | "Making Hats" | ||
44 | Blacksmith | ||
45 | Weaving? | ||
46 | Weaving? | ||
47 | Plowing | ||
48 | Woodshop | ||
49 | Cutting a Log | ||
50 | Cutting Wood | ||
51 | Power saw | ||
52 | Woodshop | ||
53 | Woodshop | ||
54 | "Elat-Frank James-Industry School-Instruction in Measures" | ||
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| LANDSCAPES | ||
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7 | 55 | Beach | |
56 | Forest | ||
57 | "Crossing River" | ||
58 | Port | ||
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8 | 1 | Road | |
2 | Big Tree | ||
3 | Village | ||
4 | Farm | ||
8 | 5 | Bridge | |
6 | Bridge | ||
7 | Bridge | ||
8 | River | ||
9 | Waterfall | ||
10 | Forest | ||
11 | Waterfall | ||
12 | Beach | ||
13 | Coast | ||
14 | Coast | ||
15 | Village | ||
16 | Farm | ||
17 | Village | ||
18 | Road | ||
19 | Road | ||
20 | Village | ||
21 | Beach | ||
22 | Lighthouse | ||
23 | Mountains | ||
24 | "Boy Climbing Tree" | ||
25 | River | ||
26 | Trail | ||
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| WILDLIFE | ||
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8 | 27 | Two Gorillas | |
28 | "Leopard of Gabon" | ||
29 | Leopard | ||
30 | Two Monkeys | ||
| 30B | Two Monkeys | |
31 | Boar | ||
| 31B | Boar | |
32 | Leopard | ||
33 | Fruit Tree | ||
34 | Plant | ||
35 | Fruit? | ||
36 | Fruit Tree? | ||
37 | Monkeys | ||
38 | Monkeys | ||
39 | Fruit Tree | ||
40 | Yams? | ||
41 | Goat | ||
42 | Fruit Trees | ||
43 | Fruit Tree | ||
| 44 | Boar | |
45 | Nests | ||
46 | "Animal Transporter" | ||
47 | "Man-Eating Gorilla" | ||
48 | "Missionaries at Foot of Big Tree" | ||
49 | Anthill? | ||
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| PEOPLE | ||
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8 | 50 | Wrestling | |
51 | Playing a Game | ||
52 | Playing a Game | ||
53 | Man with a Pole | ||
54 | Women Making Food | ||
55 | Playing Drums | ||
56 | Playing Music | ||
57 | Men Playing Music | ||
58 | Men Playing Music | ||
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9 | 1 | Boy | |
| 2 | Baby | |
3 | Baby | ||
4 | School Girls | ||
5 | Two Boys | ||
6 | Two Boys | ||
7 | Boy with a Stick | ||
8 | "Melbate Outcast" | ||
9 | Two Boys | ||
10 | Children | ||
11 | Boys | ||
12 | Boys | ||
13 | Boys | ||
14 | Boys | ||
15 | Boys | ||
16 | Man, Woman, Child | ||
17 | Man and Woman | ||
18 | Women and Children | ||
19 | "Dowry" | ||
20 | "Evangelist's Child" | ||
21 | People Carrying Crops | ||
| 21B | People Carrying Crops | |
22 | "Bulu Charter Members" | ||
23 | Two Boys | ||
24 | Boy with Basket | ||
25 | "African Women Preparing Kank-a Bread from the..." | ||
| 26 | Large Group | |
27 | Large Group | ||
28 | Group | ||
| 28B | Group | |
29 | Working on a Roof | ||
30 | Village Scene | ||
31 | Carrying Baskets | ||
32 | "Carrying Mud" | ||
33 | Woman and Five Girls | ||
| 34 | Girls | |
| 34B | Girls | |
35 | Sick Boy | ||
36 | "Elat-...to the Evangelist Conference" | ||
37 | Women with Pot on Her Head | ||
38 | Two Girls | ||
39 | Girls in School | ||
40 | Large group | ||
41 | Two Boys | ||
42 | Men with Backpacks | ||
43 | "Carrying Loads" | ||
44 | "Bible Institute" | ||
45 | Large Group of Girls | ||
46 | "School Boy" | ||
47 | "Carriers with..." | ||
48 | "Woman Carrier with Baby" | ||
49 | "School Girls Batanga" | ||
50 | Men | ||
51 | Man with Boat | ||
52 | Men | ||
53 | Children in Class | ||
54 | Parents with Children | ||
55 | Men Working | ||
56 | "Efulan..." | ||
57 | Men on a Ship | ||
58 | Man | ||
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10 | 1 | Men in Boat | |
2 | Two Men One Woman | ||
3 | Woman | ||
4 | Two Men | ||
5 | Men in Boat | ||
6 | Three Men | ||
7 | Man with Pipe | ||
8 | "Canoe on Kamerun River" | ||
9 | Group of Women | ||
10 | Group | ||
11 | Man in Boat | ||
12 | "Laffin's Canoe" | ||
13 | Seven Men | ||
14 | Man and Woman | ||
15 | Child | ||
16 | Two Men with Motorcycle | ||
17 | Two Men with Truck | ||
18 | Group of Men | ||
| 18B | Group of Men | |
19 | Women with Child | ||
20 | Women with Child | ||
21 | Village Scene | ||
22 | Women on Bikes | ||
23 | Men and Boys | ||
24 | Men Carrying Woman | ||
25 | "Kunuwe-Batanga" | ||
| 26 | Two Men | |
27 | "Old Ervine and One of His 178" | ||
28 | Men Carrying Boy | ||
29 | Men and Boys | ||
30 | Sick Man | ||
31 | Women and Children | ||
32 | Group | ||
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| MISCELLANEOUS SUBJECTS | ||
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10 | 33 | Tools Etc. | |
34 | Furniture | ||
35 | Tools Etc. | ||
36 | Cars | ||
37 | Pulling a Boat | ||
38 | Cargo | ||
39 | " " | ||
| 40 | Life Boats | |
41 | Dock | ||
42 | Crossing a River | ||
43 | Doctors | ||
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| SERIES 8: MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS, 1920-1959 | ||
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6 | 1 | Clippings, 1930‑1950s | |
| 2 | Marie Gocker, miscellaneous manuscripts, n.d. | |
| 3 | E.T. Johnston, miscellaneous items, n.d. | |
| 4 | Miscellaneous items, n.d. | |
| 5 | manuscripts, n.d. | |
| 6 | W.C. Johnston, sermons, n.d. |