Elizabethtown College - Anna V. Blough Missionary Letters and Diaries from China

About This Collection

The Blough missionary letters and diaries from China are an invaluable resource to those researching Church of the Brethren history, along with those scholars studying the Western missionary endeavor in China in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They enhance other collections of Western missionary documents, such as those housed at Yale Divinity School, the Union Theological Seminary, and Harvard University. In addition, the letters and diaries of Anna Blough provide information about Chinese people and events that may not be available in China, as well as offering general information about life in China at that time (1913-1922). Anna V. Blough was born in 1885 near Waterloo, Iowa. She was baptized into the Church of the Brethren in 1989, and later attended Mt. Morris Academy and Bethany Bible School. In 1913 she sailed for China, where she served as a missionary at the Pingding station until her death from typhus on May 9, 1922. Blough's service was part of the broader Church of the Brethren involvement in China, which began in 1906 when Daniel Long Miller traveled there for the General Mission Board to investigate possible sites. He stopped at Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shanghai; after returning home, he made his report to the board. In the fall of 1908, the board sent George and Blanche Hilton, Frank and Anna Crumpacker, and Anna Horning to China to begin the church's missionary work. After speaking with missionaries of other denominations, devoting themselves to prayer, and studying the Atlas of Missions by H.P. Beach, they selected Shanxi Province as their mission field. The Crumpackers opened the first mission station in Pingding on May 25th, 1910, and the Hiltons opened a second station in Zuoquan in June 1912. The Brethren missionary presence in China ended in 1951 following Mao's rise to power.
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Anna V. Blough letter to Elmer and Elizabeth, Sept. 25, 1917
Anna V. Blough letter to Elmer and Elizabeth, Sept. 25, 1917
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1917.0925
Speaks of encouraging one of her pupils to unbind her fett. Explains the music class she is teaching this year. The rainy season has begun, and many of the railroads have been flooded. Anna has control of the money at the school, yet another large responsibility.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother and all, June 20, 1917
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother and all, June 20, 1917
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1917.0620
La ti, the wife of Chao, a Chinese evangelist now accompanies Anna when she goes into the country. Anna asks if the Brethren men will have to join in the Great War. There is unrest in China, more and more troops are heading towards Peking.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, April 1, 1922
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, April 1, 1922
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1922.0401
Anna has been in bed for the past two weeks with a fever. She is feeling better, and hopes to go to a famine village this week. Mr. and Mrs. Crumpacker are going to Anhui province to help with dyke construction. There are Christian conferences occurring in Shanghai.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, April 7, 1918
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, April 7, 1918
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1918.0407
The Grippe has been circulating the mission; Anna was in bed for two days. She still taught her classes however. Two girls who had previously refused to unbind their feet returned to school.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Aug. 27, 1916
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Aug. 27, 1916
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1916.0827
Returned to Ping Ting, and is anxious to begin her work. There was a flood some days ago and flooded another missionaries house. Anna feels refreshed and assures her mother and father that her scare in the summer was nothing serious.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Aug. 7, 1921
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Aug. 7, 1921
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1921.0807
The rain has finally come, there is hope the famine will end. Anna hopes to return to her village work soon. But hopes to take a vacation soon as well. Helped a woman with a mastoid on her head; she took her to the hospital.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Aug. 9, 1920
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Aug. 9, 1920
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1920.0809
Anna has left from Honolulu to go to Japan, the sea is rough. Mr. and Mrs. Smith have the mumps.
Anna V. Blough letter to Father and Mother, date unknown
Anna V. Blough letter to Father and Mother, date unknown
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, bloughletter1913.0000
Anna expresses that Howard and Robert should pursue an education in the east rather than west. Asks her parents about fruit.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Dec. 18, 1914
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Dec. 18, 1914
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1914.1218
Thanks her parents for the adjustment of the money matter. Hopes Ray Lichty will recover from poisoning. Thanks the S.S. for the $14.00, and hopes to put it towards a furnace.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Feb. 10, 1918
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Feb. 10, 1918
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1918.0210
Thanks parents for the Christmas letter, dress, and mooney. Anna has a cold on her lungs for several days now, due to the spot on her lungs.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Feb. 11, 1917
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Feb. 11, 1917
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1917.0211
Thanks her parents for the news of their Christmas. Anna went to Hsiao Yu to do her country work. She taught the gospel to a once wealthy family that is now opium addicts. The flour and sugar were being stolen regularly, so Anna set down some rules. Spoke of the United States strained relation with Germany, and hopes that the U.S. will still avoid joining the war.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Feb. 28, 1922
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Feb. 28, 1922
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1922.0228
Mrs. Crumpacker and Anna Blough are out in a famine village once again giving women's classes. The village gave wonderful accomodations for Anna and Mrs. Crumpacker. They were teaching 17-50 women a day, and many were very enthusiastic about the Gospel. Again, Anna is happy with the progress which has been made since the famine.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, July 22, 1917
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, July 22, 1917
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1917.0722
Describes her summer months at the mission. States she is pleased there are 91 people attending church.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, July 7, 1918
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, July 7, 1918
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1918.0707
Anna is continuing her country work over the summer. Will go to another village, Li Chia Kou to work with women on reading. She will then return to the mission then leave for the mountains for furlough. Asks if there is a chance Everett will be drafted, and comments she follows the Germans advances in the papers.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, June 16, 1918
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, June 16, 1918
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1918.0616
The school will close for summer soon, and Anna expresses how much she will miss the girls. Grippe has been circulating, and Anna once again feels tired. Anna wants her cousin, Jennie Blough to visit China while on her way to pursue mission work in India. The Oberholtzer's will leave for Liao for a year soon.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother June 20, 1916
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother June 20, 1916
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1916.0620
Anna is on summer furlough with the Brubakers. She weighs 129 pounds which is unusually low for her. She informs her parents that she has a spot on her lung, and has spit some blood, but the doctors say it is nothing serious yet. She assures her parents they need not worry. Gives a lengthy explanation of the difference between Chinese grown berries and foreign grown berries, and how they must boil the Chinese berries because they are grown differently.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, June 30, 1917
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, June 30, 1917
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1917.0630
The weather has been hot, but school has ended. Anna has returned from Le Ping and will head for the hills with the Oberholtzers soon. Thanks her mother for buying her a new coat.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, May 27, 1917
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, May 27, 1917
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1917.0527
The mission schools will be holding exams soon. Next week Anna will go to Le Ping to hold a class for women. Summer is approaching and she will remain behind to do work rather than go on furlough.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Oct. 4, 1917
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Oct. 4, 1917
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1917.1004
The flooding has continued and has affected the mail and all the roads. There is a new teacher at the school that has relieved Anna from some of her many duties.
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Sept. 24, 1916
Anna V. Blough letter to father and mother, Sept. 24, 1916
Blough, Anna Viola, 1885-1922 -- Correspondence, Church of the Brethren -- Missions -- China, Missions, American -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, Missionaries -- China -- Shanxi Sheng, bloughletter1916.0924
Anna is teaching a new class of Chinese women. She teaches the gospel, songs, and how to read. She is gaining weight and assures her parents that she is healthy and ready to dive into work.