Guide to the Albert Irwin Good Papers

Descriptive Summary

Title

Albert Irwin Good Papers

Inclusive Dates

1882-1963

Bulk Dates

circa 1910-1963

Call Number

RG 170

Creator(s)

Good, Albert Irwin, 1884-1975.

Quantity

2.66 cubic feet (13 boxes)

Language

Some materials in Bulu language

Restrictions on Access

Collection open for research

Digital Content

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.

Repository

Presbyterian Historical Society, 425 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147-1516 USA

Biographical Note / Administrative History

Biographical Note

Albert Irwin Good, the son of Adolphus Clemens Good, was appointed to the West Africa Mission in 1909 and served there until 1949. Most of his career was spent at MacLean Station, Lolodorf, in the Cameroun. He also served at Efuland and Elat Stations. Dr. Good's service involved primarily teaching and evangelistic work. He published a number of Bulu language items, including a Book of Forms for Ministers, a Bulu Handbook Supplement, and Bulu Folktales. He also translated thirty-three books of the Old Testament into Bulu and edited various Bulu, Mabea, and Banok language hymnals.

Deeply interested in science, Dr. Good collected insect and bird specimens, many of which were donated to the Carnegie, Cleveland, and Stanford University Museums. A Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society, Dr. Good also published articles dealing with African natural history.

Albert Good married Mary Middlemiss in 1918. Mrs. Good also served as an educational and evangelistic missionary. She taught the wives of the evangelists and theological students and visited in the homes in nearby villages. In 1933 she came back to the United States with the Goods' three children.

Dr. Good served as Vice-Moderator of the 1935 Presbyterian General Assembly and as Stated Clerk for the Presbytery of Corisco from 1938 to 1949. Dr. and Mrs. Good retired from church service in 1950.

Collection Overview

Record Group 170 consists of diaries, journals, sermons, manuscripts, photographs, lantern slides, and glass plate negatives. The only materials documenting the period 1913-1949 are sermons. Each sermon is noted with the date and location of each delivery.

The photographs, lantern slides, and negatives are described vaguely because of lack of information given on original wrappers. It appears that Dr. Good collected some of his slides and photographs from other missionaries, including Silas Johnson. The lantern slides seem to have been collected for lectures.

Most of the materials in this record group deal with Dr. Good's missionary service in Cameroun.

All materials were written by Dr. Good unless otherwise noted.

Organization and Arrangement

SERIES I: DIARIES, 1910-1912, 1940

SERIES II: JOURNALS, CIRCA 1890, 1894, UNDATED

SERIES III: SERMONS, 1923-1963

SERIES IV: MANUSCRIPTS, 1924-1956, 1958?, UNDATED

SERIES V: MISCELLANY, 1915-1963

SERIES VI: PHOTOGRAPHS, 1882-1894, CIRCA 1910-1940S

SERIES VII: LANTERN SLIDES, 1910S-1920S

SERIES VIII: GLASS NEGATIVES, 1910S-1940S

Alternative Formats

To browse this collection's digitized content visit Pearl.

Materials marked "Digital" in the Collection Inventory may not have been digitized in their entirety.

Related Material

Administrative Information

Processing Information

Collection processed and finding aid prepared: 1984
Frederick J. Heuser, Archivist

Revised: 1988
Susan W. Miller, Processing Archivist

Materials added and finding aid revised: 1998
Jeffrey LaMonica, Archives Technician

8x10 glass negatives reboxed and finding aid revised: 2018
Bill Brock, Collection Management Archivist

Catalog Headings

The following headings have been used to index the description of this collection in the society’s electronic catalog.

Personal Name Subject

Good, Albert Irwin, 1884-1975.

Good, Mary Middlemiss, 1893-

Corporate Subject

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. West Africa Mission. MacLean Station (Lolodorf, Cameroon)

Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A.--Missions--Cameroon.

Topical Subject

Missionaries--Africa, West.

Sermons.

Bulu language.

Ornithology.

Entomology.

Genre-form

Correspondence. aat

Photographs. aat

Diaries. aat

Journals (accounts) aat

Sermons. aat

Maps (documents) aat

Lantern slides. aat

Glass plate negatives. aat

Manuscripts (documents) aat

Personal Added Name

Good, Mary Middlemiss, 1893-

Collection Inventory

Box	Folder	Description	Alternative Formats

1	1	Finding Aid to Record Group 170

		SERIES I: DIARIES, 1910-1912, 1940

1	2	1910
1	3	1911
1	4	1912
1	5	1940

		SERIES II: JOURNALS, CIRCA 1890, 1894, UNDATED

9	1	circa 1890
9	2	1894
9	3	undated

		SERIES III: SERMONS, 1923-1963

1	6	"Studies About Jesus," #1-30, 1923-1963
1	7	"Studies About Jesus," #31-53; unnumbered, 1923-1963
1	8	Mary Good's sermon and lecture notes

		SERIES IV: MANUSCRIPTS, 1924-1956, 1958?, UNDATED

1	9	“Five Full Years,” 1955
1	9a	"African Diary," 1958?
1	10	"The Church in Cameroun," undated
1	11	"Bulu Proverbs" (written in Bulu and English), undated
1	12	"Bulu Proverbs" (written in English), undated

2A	1	"Bulu Folk Tales" (written in English), undated
2A	2	"Bulu Folk Tales" (written in Bulu), undated
2A	3	"Bulu Grammar" (written in English), undated
2A	4	"Bulu Grammar" (written in Bulu), 1940
2A	5	Miscellaneous Bulu language items, undated
2A	6	Gospel of John (written in Mabea), undated
2A	7	"Mabea Grammar," (written in English), undated
2A	8	"Banok Grammar" (written in English), undated
2A	9	Miscellaneous published materials, 1924-1956 (including magazine and newspaper articles)

		SERIES V: MISCELLANY, 1915-1963

2A	10	Includes passports and autobiographical notes, 1915-1963

		SERIES VI: PHOTOGRAPHS, 1882-1894, CIRCA 1910-1940S

2B	1	Photograph album, 1882-1894	Digital

2C	1	Disassembled photograph album, seascapes and ships, circa 1910	Digital
2C	2	Disassembled photograph album, anthropology/wildlife and landscapes, circa 1910	Digital
2C	3	Disassembled photograph album, Good family, missionaries, and buildings, circa 1910	Digital
2C	4	Disassembled photograph album, Africans, Part 1, circa 1910	Digital
2C	5	Disassembled photograph album, Africans, Part 2, circa 1910	Digital
2C	6	Miscellaneous photographs, Good family and other missionaries, 1910s-1940s	Digital
2C	7	Miscellaneous photographs, buildings, Part 1, 1910s-1940s
2C	8	Miscellaneous photographs, buildings, Part 2, 1910s-1940s
2C	9	Miscellaneous photographs, anthropology/wildlife, Part 1, 1910s-1940s	Digital
2C	10	Miscellaneous photographs, anthropology/wildlife, Part 2, 1910s-1940s
2C	11	Miscellaneous photographs, landscapes, 1910s-1940s
2C	12	Miscellaneous photographs, Africans, Part 1, 1910s-1940s	Digital
2C	13	Miscellaneous photographs, Africans, Part 2, 1910s-1940s
2C	14	Miscellaneous photographs, Africans, Part 3, 1910s-1940s
2C	15	Miscellaneous photographs, Education, 1910s-1940s
2C	16	Miscellaneous medical photographs, circa 1910s-1940s

		SERIES VII: LANTERN SLIDES, CIRCA 1910S-1920S
		Titles in quotations indicate caption on original wrapper.
		* indicates the slide was colored.

		Good Family
3	1	"One Fine Motorcycle"--A.I. Good also pictured
3	2	"The Wonderful Car"*--A.I. Good also pictured
3	3	"Ferry"*
3	4	A.I. Good with Rifle
3	5	"Dr. A.I. Good with Carriers"*
3	6	Lydia Good and Carriers*
3	7	"Temper on Board"*--Baby Chimp on ship with boy (A.I. Good's son?)
3	8	"Baby Gorilla Eating"--same ship as #7

		Education
3	9	"Teacher's Class"
3	10	"Girls' School"
3	11	"Native Teacher and Wife"
3	12	"Girls' Sewing Class-Elat"
3	13	"School"
3	14	"Elat-Frank James Industrial School-Chair Class"
3	15	"Elat-Fred Hope-Director of Frank James Industrial School"
3	16	"Elat-School Building Built by Members of Class. Frank James Industrial School"
3	17	"Elat Frank James Industrial School"*--Women
3	18	"Fred Hope-Chair Class-Frank James Industrial School-Elat"
3	19	"Fred Hope-Chair Class-Frank James Industrial School-Elat"*
3	20	"Fred Hope-Chair Class-Frank James Industrial School-Elat"*
3	21	"Fred Hope-Chair Class-Frank James Industrial School-Elat"*
3	22	"Elat-Print Shop"*

		Buildings
3	23	"Missionary Home?"
3	24	"Early Mission Home"
3	25	"Mission Home"*
3	26	"Later Mission Home"*
3	27	"Building Completed"--Row of people with one arm lifted
3	28	"Modern Home!"
3	29	"Gout [?] Housing-Kribi"
3	30	"Early Home"
3	31	Hut
3	32	"Dr.'s House at Efulan"
3	33	Hut
3	34	Mission Building
3	35	Hut
3	36	"House Frame"
3	37	Village House
3	38	Mission Building
3	39	Hut
3	40	Mission Building
3	41	Mission Building
3	42	Market
3	43	Building
3	44	Village
3	45	House
3	46	Mission Building
3	47	"Pastor's House at Efulan"
3	48	Village
3	49	"Bulutown"
3	50	"Service in Bulutown"
3	51	Hut
3	52	Building Under Construction
3	53	Hut
3	54	Mission Building
3	55	Hut
3	56	Hut

		Anthropology/Wildlife
3	57	"Iguana"
3	58	"Gorilla"*--Dead Gorilla with native
3	59	"Young Gorilla with Friend-Bushman? Sold by WC Johnston to Chicago Zoo"*
3	60	Men with Antelope
3	60B	Men with Antelope
3	60C	Man with Antelope
3	61	Snake
3	62	"Inner Schlunge, Python"
3	63	"Zip Shot by a Native"
3	64	Chameleon
3	65	Chameleon
3	66	Snake
3	67	Snake
3	68	Anteater
3	69	Anteater curled up
3	70	Turtle? Tortoise?
3	71	Rhinoceros beetle
3	72A	Insect walking stick
3	72B	Insect walking stick

4	1	Gorilla
4	2	Anteater
4	3	Antelope
4	4	Gorilla
4	5	Chimpanzee
4	6	Leopard
4	7	Chimpanzee
4	8	Tusks
4	9	Bird

		Church
4	10	"Before Services"--People outside Mission Building
4	11	"Church and School"
4	12	"Church at Efulen"
4	13	"Church?"
4	14	"Church is Out-Efulan?"
4	15	"Third Church at Elat"
4	16	"Church is about finished"*
4	17	"Gathering for services--Efulan"
4	18	"Returning from Church"
4	19	"After Church"
4	20	"New Church-Efulan"
4	21	"Elat Church-3rd Building"
4	22	"Church Group"*
4	23	"Church at Efulan"
4	24	"Church Service at Efulan"
4	25	"9 Church Congregation"
4	25A	Church
4	25B	Church
4	25C	Church Service
4	25D	Metet religious service at an outpost

		Africans
4	26	"Village Women"*
4	27	"Village Girls"
4	28	"Native Women in Beads, etc."
4	29	"Corisco Group"--Africans in Western clothing
4	30	"Two Warriors"--Africans with spears and body paints
4	31	"Two Hunters"--Young African men
4	32	"Headman"
4	33	"Mother and Child"
4	34	"Nomere? with Leany? necklaces-brass"
4	35	Africans with body ornaments
4	36	"Father and son-unhappy"
4	37	"Dance"
4	38	"Villagers with Musical Drums"*
4	39	"Proud Owner"--African in Western clothing with bicycle
4	40	"Christian Man and Wife"*
4	41	"Before and After"--Four Africans-two in Western clothing
4	42	"Bulu Carriers"
4	43	"Transportation for a child-protected from the sun-4 carriers-2 each"
4	44	"Cameroon Village"
4	45	"Village Stores"*
4	46	"Village Scene"
4	47	"Village Scene"
4	48	"Village Scene"*
4	49	"Moslem Traders from the North"
4	50	"One of the First Christians at Efulan"
4	51	One African Man
4	52	African Man
4	53	Two African Men
4	54	African Man with Drum
4	55	Three African Boys
4	56	Men in a Boat
4	57	Two African Men Playing a Game
4	58	Two African Women
4	59	People in Boats
4	60	African Man Dancing
4	61	African Man
4	62	People with a Boat
4	63	People in Boats
4	64	Men Fishing
4	65	Baptism?
4	66	Children
4	67	"Nbenji Dorfschule"
4	68	Man with Truck
4	69	Man with Truck
4	70	"Carry Wood"
4	71	Group of African Men
4	72	"Ebunja Fishers"
4	73	"Mabea Mabale"

5	1	"Bongahele River + Boys Boat- riding"
5	2	Two African Men and One Woman
5	3	One African Man
5	4	Three African Men
5	5	People in a Boat
5	6	People on a Raft
5	7	Woman
5	8	African Man with Drum
5	9	An African Woman and Two Boys

		Landscapes
5	10	Rain Forest
5	11	Beach
5	12	Trees
5	13	"Chimpanzi Hill Near Efulan"
5	14	Road
5	15	Ocean
5	16	Beach
5	17	Beach
5	18	Rain Forest
5	19	"Interior, Bird's Eye"
5	20	Waterfall
5	21	Road
5	22	Big Tree
5	23	Bridge
5	24	A Field
5	25	A Lake
5	26	Village Scene
5	27	Village Scene
5	27B	River Scene

		Miscellany
5	28	"German Trained Army?"
5	29	"Nuts out to Dry"
5	30	Cattle en route to Market-attendant carries his tea kettle-mat"
5	31	"Waterfall of Lobe. The only falls in the world that empty directly into the ocean- Not so in 1969! EJA"
5	32	"Up the Efulan Hill"*
5	33	"Clinic Time"
5	34	"Tug of War-Gourt[?] Station-Kribi"
5	35	Map
5	36	Map
5	37	"Map of Africa"

		SERIES VIII: GLASS NEGATIVES, CIRCA 1910S-1940S

		[8X10 Glass Negatives]

		Good Family
6A	1	Man-A.I. Good?
6A	2	Lydia Good
6A	3	Lydia Good and Mary(?) Good
6A	4	Man and Woman-Missionaries?
6A	5	Mother and Child-Mary Good?

		Missionaries
6A	6	Group of Missionaries
6A	7	Mission Group Meeting

		Buildings
6A	8	Mission Building?
6A	9	Mission Building?
6A	10	Mission Building?
6A	11	Mission Building?
6A	12	Mission Building?
6A	13	Mission Building?
6A	14	Mission Building?
6A	15	Mission Building?

6B	1	Mission Building?
6B	2	Mission Building?
6B	3	Mission Building?
6B	4	Mission Building?
6B	5	Mission Building?
6B	6	Mission Building?
6B	7	Mission Station? with bridge and man on motorcycle in the foreground
6B	8	Mission Scene with Bridge
6B	9	Mission Building? with people in foreground
6B	10	Africans on way to Mission Building?
6B	11	Industrial Shop?
6B	12	Industrial Shop?

		Africans
6B	13	Man-African Chief?
6B	14	Man-African
6B	15	Man-African

6C	1	Two photos-men
6C	2	Two photos-men
6C	3	Three Africans in western clothing
6C	4	Three men-car in background
6C	5	Seven African men
6C	6	Group of Africans in Western clothing
6C	7	Large group of Africans-Portrait
6C	8	Group portrait-Africans in western clothing
6C	9	Group portrait-Africans in western clothing

		Anthropology/Wildlife
6C	10	Jungle scene?
6C	11	Jungle scene with path
6C	12	Aerial view of jungle
6C	13	Africans gardening
6C	14	African with dead leopard
6C	15	Dead leopard
6C	16	"Scaly Ant-Eater Curled Up"

		[4X5 Glass Negatives]

		Good Family
7	1	"Good on Motorcycle"	Digital
7	2	"New Motorbike"	Digital
7	3	Lydia Good	Digital
7	4	"A.I. Good"	Digital
7	5	"A.I. Good's son"	Digital
7	6	"Mary and Albert Good's Family"	Digital
7	7	"A.I. Good-Graduation?"
7	8	"A.I. Good"	Digital
7	9	"Albert and Mary Good"
7	10	"A.I. Good children"
7	11	"A.I. Good wife and son"
7	12	Child sitting in life preserver on ship	Digital
7	13	"Woman's Group-Mrs. A. Good"
7	14	Woman and child on ship-Mary Good?
7	15	Boy holding chimp on ship	Digital
7	16	Boy holding chimp on ship	Digital
7	17	Baby girl-Good's?
7	18	Mary Good? with baby
7	19	Mary Good? with baby
7	20	Two children-Good's?
7	21	Two children playing with toy car	Digital
7	22	Mary Good? with two children
7	23	"A.I. Good with family"	Digital
7	24	"A car"	Digital
7	25	"Car trouble"	Digital
7	26	Good

		Missionaries
7	27	"Group of missionaries-identity elsewhere"
7	28	"Missionaries leaving Liverpool"
7	29	"Missionaries"

		Buildings
7	30	"Mission Home"
7	31	"Mission Home"
7	32	"Mission Home"
7	33	"Mission Home"
7	34	"Mission Home"
7	35	"Mission Home"
7	36	"Mission Home"
7	37	"Mission Home"
7	38	"Mission Home-Elat"
7	39	"Mission Home"
7	40	"Mission Home"
7	41	"Missionary Group"
7	42	"Mission Home and Car"	Digital
7	43	"Mission Home"
7	44	"New Home"	Digital
7	45	"Framework of House"

		Church
7	46	Church? Mission Building?
7	47	"Church dedication"
7	48	Church? Mission Building?
7	49	"Church at Lolodorf"
7	50	"Outside unfinished church"
7	51	"Full church"
7	52	"Church"
7	53	"In church"
7	54	"Palaver[?] House"
7	55	"Partially finished church"
7	56	"Church service McDean"
7	57	"Church-Where?"
7	58	"Church"
7	59	"Mission Meeting"
7	60	"Kribi?" Mission Building?

		Anthropology/Wildlife
7	61	"Hiliseus[?] Flower"
7	62	"Ants"
7	63	"Successful Hunter"--with bird
7	64	"A Long snake"--African holding it up
7	65	"Nature"--African standing in field
7	66	"Turtle? Tortoise?"
7	67	"Ant Eater"
7	68	"Beetle?"
7	69	"Insect-Walking Stick"
7	70	"Scorpion"
7	71	"Trees, Cones, Furs"
7	72	"Foliage"

		Education
7	73	"School Girls"
7	74	"Theological Class"
7	75	"School Children"
7	76	"School Class"
7	77	"School Girls"
7	78	Teachers? Natives
7	79	"Teacher"
7	80	"School Boys"
7	81	"Christian Teachers and Wife"
7	82	"School Boys"
7	83	"3 School Teachers"
7	84	"School Children"
7	85	"School Boys and Girls"
7	86	"Village Teachers"
7	87	"Teachers"
7	88	"Teachers/Evangelists"
7	89	"Teachers/Evangelists"
7	90	"3 Teachers"
7	91	"8 Black Evangelists?/Teachers?"
7	92	"8 Black Evangelists?/Teachers?"
7	93	"8 Black Evangelists?/Teachers?"
7	94	"8 Black Evangelists?/Teachers?"
7	95	"8 Black Men-Perhaps a Graduating Class- Teachers or Evangelists"

		Africans
8	1	"Village Group"
8	2	"Sunday Group"
8	3	"Village Headman"
8	4	"Two Couples-One full Western dress"
8	5	"Mother and Child"--Africans
8	6	"Family-Three persons"--Africans in Western clothing
8	7	"Early Christian Women-Efulan"
8	8	"Christians"--Group of Africans
8	9	"Xmas Church Decorated-MacLean Memorial-Efulan"	Digital
8	10	"From Efulen Hill"
8	11	"Elat"--Road and Trees-one person standing in the road
8	12	"Botanga Cottage"
8	13	"Path-Road back of Houses-Botanga"
8	14	"Patient at roadside"
8	15	"Clinic Day"
8	16	"Children's Clinic"
8	17	"Native village"
8	18	"Pygmy home"	Digital
8	19	"Hunter"--with monkeys
8	20	"Lucky hunter"
8	21	"Successful Hunter"
8	22	"Meat"--Two Africans with dead Antelope?

		Coastline and River Scenes
8	23	"River boat"
8	24	"Boat-Powered by motor"
8	25	"Small boat-moving supplies"
8	26	"Coming down to dock"
8	27	"Canoe races"
8	28	"Coastline Steamer near dock at Kribi"
8	29	"Canaries?"
8	30	"Canaries?"
8	31	"Beach"

		Miscellany
8	32	"Market"
8	33	"Wash Day"
8	34	"Moving a rock"
8	35	"Drummer and drum"
8	36	"Game"
8	37	"Carriers"
8	37A	Ship
8	37B	"Dividing up the Meat"
8	37C	"Dividing up the Meat"
8	37D	Two Africans Carrying a White Lady	Digital

		[2 3/4 x 3 3/4 Glass Negatives]

8	38	A.I. Good?	Digital
8	39	Mary Good? on ship with child	Digital
8	40	"Large Building"
8	41	"Clinic Day"
8	42	"Off on a Journey"
8	43	"Planting"
8	44	"Logs to Mill"
8	45	"Young trees in Forest?"
8	46	"River Scene"
8	47	Street Scene?	Digital
8	48	"Hunters with Leopard"
8	49	"Turtles"

		[3 1/4 x 4 1/4 Glass Negatives]

8	50	"A.I. Good"	Digital
8	51	"Three men beside car"--Missionaries?	Digital
8	52	"Mission Home?"
8	53	"Village-Palover-House at end of Path"
8	54	"Native Home"
8	55	Church?
8	56	After Church?
8	57	After Church?	Digital
8	58	After Church?
8	59	Church Group
8	60	"Large Group"--After Church?
8	61	"Evangelist"
8	62	"Early convert"
8	63	"Chief"--2 men and a boy
8	64	"Old Man"
8	65	"3 Boys"
8	66	"Moslem Traders from the North"
8	67	"Elat-Fred Hope-Making Chairs-Industrial School Frank James"
8	68	"Beach at Batanga"
8	69	"Beach"
8	70	"River Scene"
8	71	"River Scene"
8	72	"Wood Scene"
8	73	"Wood Scene"
8	74	"Shore Scene"
8	75	"Shore Scene"
8	76	"Cape Coast"
8	77	"Belou Falls of Leolo-Man and Boat"	Digital
8	78	"Lagos-Cattle to Market"
8	79	"Lagos-Railroad"
8	80	"Lagos-House on Shore"
8	81	"Nigeria-Street Scene"
8	82	"Nigeria-Street Scene"
8	83	"Nigeria-Street Scene"
8	84	"Nigeria-River Scene"
8	85	"Nigeria-Lagos-River Scene"
8	86	"Nigeria-River Scene"
8	87	"Coastline-Tenenfe"
8	88	"Shoreline-Freetown"
8	89	"Logs to Sawmill"
8	90	"Sequence from some play"
8	91	"Birds"
8	92	Insect
8	93	"Fish"

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Guide to the Albert Irwin Good Papers

Creator(s)