Guide to the George W. Schwab Papers
Open for research.
George W. Schwab and his wife Jewel Huelster Schwab were appointed by the PCUSA Board of Foreign Missions to its West Africa Mission in 1905. Initially, the nature of their work was educational, industrial and evangelistic. From 1905-1920 the Board assigned them to explore the entire Basa field, and from 1921 until their retirement in 1941 they served in Sakbayeme after the Basa field was taken over by the Board. The Schwabs' extensive writings on their experiences in Africa include a monograph on the hinterland tribes of Liberia and several Bulu language texts. Mr. Schwab was a research associate in Anthropology for West Africa in the Anthropology division of Harvard University, a Fellow of the Royal Geography Society and a member of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences.
This collection consists exclusively of Mr. Schwab's papers and includes correspondence, 1916-1920; miscellaneous reports; diaries, 1906-1921; anthropological notes; Bulu language materials; and various photo albums compiled during excursions through Liberia and the Cameroons. One photo album was compiled by Harvey Firestone and depicts the rubber plantations and dignitaries of Liberia.
SERIES 1: PAPERS, 1906-1939
SERIES 2: PHOTO ALBUMS
The researcher is advised that published volumes of Mr. Schwab's field notes and other published material are cataloged separately in the library. Mrs. Schwab's papers, 1916-1954 are contained in Record Group 164.
| Box | Folder | Description | |
| 1 | 1 | Finding Aid to Record Group 57 | |
| SERIES 1: PAPERS, 1906-1939 | |||
| 1 | 2 | Correspondence (bound), 1916-20 | |
| 3 | Correspondence (bound), 1917-20 | ||
| 4 | Report on trip to Liberia, 1928 | ||
| 5 | Report on missionary work in Liberia, 1928 | ||
| 6 | Diary (typescript) Aug 1906-Apr 1909 | ||
| 7 | Diary (typescript) June 1910-May 1913 | ||
| 8 | Diary (typescript) June 1914-Oct 1915 | ||
| 9 | Article (unpublished) "Aggrey the African" by GWS, n.d. | ||
| 10 | Photos of SWS and JHS, @1939 | ||
| 11 | Notes of GWS on Livingstone the explorer, n.d. | ||
| 12 | Diaries, 1906-13 | ||
| 13 | Diaries, 1914-21 | ||
| 14 | Basa Grammar and English-Basa dictionary, n.d.; Bulu Folk Tale Book, Anthropology notebook, n.d. | ||
| SERIES 2: PHOTO ALBUMS | |||
| 2 | 1 | Harvey Firestone Album of Liberia | |
| 2 | Album, Camerouns | ||
| 3 | Album, Liberia and Cameroun |