Guide to the Thomas H. Roberts Circular Letters and Photograph
Open for research.
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.
Thomas H. Roberts was a native of the Vey tribe of the town of Weraw in Liberia. When Roberts was twelve, he received a scholarship to Lincoln University, a Presbyterian college in Oxford, Pennsylvania, from the Presbytery of West Africa. He and nine other scholarship students sailed for the United States in 1873.
Roberts remained at Lincoln until 1885, when he was ordained a minister of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. The Board of Foreign Missions of the PCUSA appointed him an evangelistic missionary to his native land, and he returned to Liberia in 1885. He was appointed by the Presbytery of West Africa as stated supply at Brewerville in January 1886.
In 1887 Roberts left Brewerville for the Vey country, and established the Davenport Memorial Mission near the town of Glima. He died of consumption on April 21, 1889.
This collection consists of three bound printed circular letters, 1885-1887, and a photograph, circa 1885. Roberts wrote letters from Liberia to Edward Webb, the Financial Secretary of Lincoln University (1873-1898), who printed them for circulation as fundraising publicity. The circulars primarily contain the published versions of three of Roberts' original letters describing his voyage to Liberia, his reunion with family members, his mission work, and the esteem in which he held Lincoln University. They also include Webb’s short background statements, notes, and appeals for contributions. The photograph, described in Roberts’ March 10, 1886 letter, is a portrait of Roberts with his brother Lappa taken shortly after Roberts’ return to Liberia.
To browse this collection's digitized content visit Pearl.
Materials marked "Digital" in the Collection Inventory may not have been digitized in their entirety.
See Image database for copy negative and photograph: 1607 and 1767.
Researchers should also consult Missions Correspondence and Reports Microform (MF10 F761a) and the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., Board of Foreign Missions, Secretaries’ files, 1829-1895 (RG 31).
This collection was transferred from the society's library.
Collection processed and finding aid prepared: October 1993
Stephanie Muntone, Processing Archivist
Finding aid revised: August 2008
Bill Brock, Collection Management Archivist
| Box | Folder | Description | Alternative Formats |
| 1 | 1 | Finding Aid to Record Group 377 | |
| 1 | 2 | Circular letters, 1885-1887 | |
| 1 | 3 | Photograph, circa 1885 | Digital |