Guide to the Zoeckler Family Papers

George Frederick Zoeckler (1884-1948) was born in Baltimore, Maryland. He graduated from Carroll College Academy in 1903 and Carroll College in 1906, both in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and from Auburn Theological Seminary in 1909. Zoeckler applied to the Board of Foreign Missions of PCUSA and was assigned to the East Persia Mission. Most of his service was at Hamadan and Daulatabad-Malayir, an outstation of Hamadan Station. He was principal of the American Boys' Schools, at Hamadan and at Malayir from 1909-1929. After responsibility for education was taken over by the Iranian government, Zoeckler did rural and city evangelistic work at Malayir and Hamadan, and at Kermanshah where he oversaw the construction of the hospital, 1936-1937. He served as architect and supervised the construction of other mission buildings and, being interested in rural agricultural development, Zoeckler introduced to Iran American varieties of apples and other agricultural products. He also served on several mission committees.

Mary Dayton Allen Zoeckler (1884-1954) graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1905 and received in 1910 an M.D. degree from Johns Hopkins University Medical School. In the same year she was appointed and assigned to the East Persia Mission of the PCUSA, arriving in Iran in 1911. In 1914 she married the Rev. George F. Zoeckler. Most of their service was at Daulatabad-Malayir, an outstation of Hamadan Station, where she carried on medical work in the city and country dispensaries. She and her husband went to Kermanshah during the construction of the hospital there.

Frances Louisa Zoeckler, the only child of George and Mary Zoeckler, was born in 1919 at Hamadan, Iran. She graduated from the College of Wooster in 1941 and the Johns Hopkins University Medical School in 1945. Her internship was at the Women's Hospital in Philadelphia. She was appointed to overseas service and assigned to the Iran Mission in 1947, serving at Kermanshah, 1947-1952 and 1955-1958, when the hospital closed. After a brief service at Resht, 1958-1959, she went to the Christian Hospital at Meshed, 1959-1970, until that hospital was closed. The hospital at Tabriz closed at the same time, ending Presbyterian medical work in Iran. Frances returned to the United States and never went back to Iran. In 1972, she was granted a Master of Public Health by the University of Michigan.