Guide to the Peter Menkel Papers
Open for research.
Peter Menkel was born probably in 1851 in New York of German immigrant parents and was one of several children. He apparently started working for the mission stations in West Africa in 1873 as a boat captain carrying freight and passengers along the coast and upriver to the various mission stations. Most of Menkel's time seems to have been spent at Gaboon, Corisco, Benito and, after it was opened, Batanga.
Menkel was married to Charity Sneed by 1875, Charity Sneed was a black missionary, the daughter of James and Lousia Sneed, who also worked in West Africa (but were probably from Philadelphia). Peter and Charity Menkel had at least two daughters before she died in 1882 while he was on furlough in New York. During the next furlough in 1889-90 Menkel married Mary B. Smith who then entered the mission service. She died in West Africa in 1893. Later Menkel married Louise A. Babe who survived his death in the field in 1905.
The collection consists of two diaries which cover the years 1875; 1878-1879; 1881-1883; and 1888-1897. The entries range from brief descriptions of boat operations and log notations to longer personal narratives of experiences and feelings. Also included at the end of the first volume are addresses and boat manifests.
SERIES I: DIARIES, 1875-1897
Researchers should consult the card catalog for related materials on the missions and the missionaries.
This collection was formerly housed as part of the library collection.
Collection and finding aid prepared: 1987
Gretchen Mertz, Archives Intern
| Box | Folder | Description | |
| 1 | 1 | Finding Aid to Record Group 217 | |
| SERIES I: DIARIES, 1875-1897 | |||
| 1 | 2 | 1875-1889 | |
| 1 | 3 | 1889-1897 |