Guide to the L.E. Smith Papers

Descriptive Summary

Title

L.E. Smith Papers

Inclusive Dates

1898-1959

Call Number

RG 216

Creator(s)

Smith, L. E. (Lucius Ernest), 1878-1955.

Quantity

2.50 cubic feet (7 boxes)

Language

One series of correspondence is in Spanish

Restrictions on Access

Collection open for research.

Repository

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

Biographical Note / Administrative History

Biographical Note

Born in Maclean County, Kentucky L.E. Smith was the son of a circuit minister farmer and one of twelve children. At the age of ten he worked hauling logs between Ohio and Green River area in Kentucky. His mother's poor health caused the family to move to Asheville, NC in 1897 where she died a year later. Then followed a period of financial hardship that led them to Kentucky and parts of Oklahoma. In 1907 L.E. Smith left to go to the University of Kentucky and worked his way through until his graduation in 1911. He then went on to complete medical school at John Hopkins University, 1911-1915 with some help from the Board of Education of the PCUSA. His summers were spent as camp doctor at the Y.M.C.A. Camp Becket in Mass. During this time L.E. Smith was also heavily involved with the Seaman's Mission and the Christian Endeavor Society in Baltimore.

The September following his graduation from John Hopkins University, L.E. Smith spent his year of medical residency in Puerto Rico. He was then appointed to the West Africa Mission by the PCUSA in 1916 and left for the Benito Station in Spanish Guinea. Smith remained until 1920 when he returned to the U.S. to marry Beulah Lipps and resumed his duties at Benito the same year. They both left Africa permanently in October 1922 when Beulah became seriously ill.

On his return to the U.S., L.E. Smith continued to work for the Board of Foreign Missions until 1926 as a successful lecturer touring the country to various churches and schools talking about his mission work in Africa. After his employment with the Board was discontinued, Smith continued to tour on his own with the support of donations until 1928 when he was appointed to the Breathitt County, Kentucky Health Department. In 1930 Smith then went to work for the Kentucky Tuberculosis Association as the Executive Secretary in charge of Kentucky and pioneered significantly in Tuberculosis prevention and public education until his retirement in 1951. He died in 1955.

Collection Overview

The bulk of the manuscript material covers Smith's years at college, medical school and his years working for the Board of Foreign Missions both abroad and on his U.S. lecture tour. The college years and in Puerto Rico are letters largely written to Beulah Lipps and are descriptive and introspective accounts of his activities and work: in school; at the Seaman's Mission in Baltimore; with the Baltimore Christian Endeavor Society; and his summers as camp doctor at Y.M.C.A. Camp Becket, Mass. 1912-1916. The Africa correspondence is both personal and official. In-coming and out-going letters give graphic depictions of his work and experiences. Material before and after these periods is scanty.

The photos also strongly emphasize Smith's work in Africa and include vivid records of mission life and medical problems he experienced. They also reflect his interest in zoology and paleontology. The time he spent at Camp Becket and his work with the Christian Endeavor Society is also represented.

Organization and Arrangement

SUBGROUP I: MANUSCRIPTS

SERIES I: Correspondence, 1909-1955 (Box 1 Folders 2-30)

SERIES II: Spanish Correspondence, circa 1917-1923 (Box 1 Folders 31-33)

SERIES III: Diaries, 1915-1920 (Box 2 Folders 1-4)

SERIES IV: Camp Becket, 1912-1916 (Box 2 Folder 5)

SERIES V: Christian Endeavor Society, 1911-1918 (Box 2 Folder 6)

SERIES VI: Benito Station Reports/Accounts, 1919-1920 (Box 2 Folders 7-8)

SERIES VII: Lecture Tour, 1924-1928 (Box 2 Folders 9-15)

SERIES VIII: Poetry and Prose, circa 1915-1953 (Box 2 Folder 16)

SERIES IX: Mollie Smith Correspondence, 1898 (Box 2 Folder 17)

SERIES X: Beulah Lipps Smith Correspondence, 1915-1928, 1959 (Box 2 Folder 18)

SERIES XI: Miscellaneous/Biographical, circa 1909-1959 (Box 2 Folders 19-20)

SUBGROUP II: PHOTOGRAPHS

SERIES I: Family, circa 1910-1920 (Box 3 Folders 1-4)

SERIES II: Trips Around U.S., 1911-1915 (Box 3 Folders 5-10)

SERIES III: Medical School, circa 1911-1915 (Box 3 Folders 11)

SERIES IV: Camp Becket, circa 1912-1916 (Box 3 Folders 12-32)

SERIES V: Christian Endeavor Society, 1911-1915 (Box 3 Folders 33-38)

SERIES VI: Missionaries/Puerto Rico, 1915-1916 (Box 3 Folder 39)

SERIES VII: Africa-General, 1916-1922 (Box 4 Folders 1-70)

SERIES VIII: Africa-Medical, 1916-1922 (Box 4 Folders 71-80)

SERIES IX: Pike Co. KY Tuberculosis Exhibit, 1951 (Box 4 Folder 81)

SUBGROUP III: GLASS SLIDES, CIRCA 1916-1922

SERIES I: Medical (Box 5 Folders 1-58)

SERIES II: Benito (Box 5 Folders 59-84; Box 6 Folders 1-72)

SERIES III: West Africa (Box 7 Folders 1-24)

SERIES IV: Board of Foreign Missions (Box 7 Folders 25-65)

Administrative Information

Processing Information

The collection has been processed in chronological order whenever possible in both the photographic and manuscript subgroups. The African photo albums contain both medical and general African pictures and occasionally a few U.S. photos that are duplicates of those in the earlier series. The photographs consist of 3x5 to 8x10 sizes and have been housed according to size. Please use care when removing photos from envelopes.

As the series listing indicates there are some correspondence files in Spanish which on the whole, had been previously separated from the English, and so was left in that order.

Collection processed and finding aid prepared: 1987
Kristin L. Gleeson, Assistant 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

Smith, L. E. (Lucius Ernest), 1878-1955.

Smith, Beulah Lipps.

Smith, Mollie.

Corporate Subject

Baltimore Christian Endeavor Society.

Camp Becket (Mass.)

Seaman's Mission (Baltimore, Md.)

Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. West Africa Mission.

Topical Subject

Missions, Medical--West Africa, West.

Missions, Medical--Puerto Rico.

Missionaries--Africa, West.

Missionaries--Puerto Rico.

Geographic Subject

Africa--Missions.

Puerto Rico--Missions.

Genre-form

Diaries. aat

Lantern slides. aat

Photographs. aat

Personal Added Name

Smith, Beulah Lipps.

Smith, Mollie.

Collection Inventory

Box	Folder	Description

1	1	Finding Aid to Record Group 216

		SUBGROUP I: MANUSCRIPTS

		SERIES I: Correspondence, 1908-1955

1	2	1908-1910
1	3	1911
1	4	1912 January-June
1	5	1912 July-December
1	6	1913
1	7	1914
1	8	1915
1	9	1916
1	10	1917
1	11	1918
1	12	1919 January-June
1	13	1919 July-August
1	14	1919 September-October
1	15	1919 November-December
1	16	1920 January-May
1	17	1920 June-July
1	18	1920 August-December
1	19	1921
1	20	1922
1	21	1923
1	22	1924
1	23	1925
1	24	1926
1	25	1927
1	26	1928
1	27	1929
1	28	1930-1938, 1948-1949
1	29	1950-1955
1	30	Letter from Ramon, Africa, undated

		SERIES II: Spanish Correspondence, circa 1917-1923

1	31	1917-1919
1	32	1920-1923
1	33	undated

		SERIES III: Diaries, 1915-1920

2	1	(with clinic records), 1915-1920
2	2	1920 February
2	3	(Cadiz-NY), 1920 May
2	4	1920 September-December

		SERIES IV: Camp Becket, 1912-1916

2	5	1912-1916

		SERIES V: Christian Endeavor Society, 1911-1918

2	6	1911-1918

		SERIES VI: Benito Station Reports/Accounts, 1919-1920

2	7	Accounts, 1920 February
2	8	Reports, 1919-1920

		SERIES VII: Lecture Tour, 1924-1928

2	9	Itinerary and Reports, 1924
2	10	Itinerary and Reports, 1925
2	11	Itinerary and Reports, 1927
2	12	Itinerary and Reports, 1928
2	13	Accounts/donor records, 1924-1925, 1928
2	14	Lecture notes, 1926, 1928
2	15	Press Promotion and Reviews, circa 1926-1928

		SERIES VIII: Poetry and Prose, circa 1915-1953

2	16	circa 1915-1953

		SERIES IX: Mollie Smith Correspondence, 1898

2	17	1898

		SERIES X: Beulah Lipps Smith Correspondence, 1915-1928, 1955

2	18	1915-1928, 1955

		SERIES XI: Miscellaneous/Biographical, circa 1909-1959

2	19	Miscellaneous, circa 1909-1922
2	20	Biographical, circa 1930-1959

		SUBGROUP II: PHOTOGRAPHS

		SERIES I: Family, circa 1910-1920

3	1	circa 1910-1918
3	2	undated
3	3	(Lipps), circa 1908-1918
3	4	Beulah Lipps Smith/L.E. Smith, 1913-1920

		SERIES II: Trips Around U.S., 1911-1915

3	5	West, 1911-1915
3	6	West? undated (n.p.)
3	7	Early Life?/Trip West, undated (n.p.)
3	8	Washington, D.C., 1912, 1913 (album pt. 1)
3	9	Washington, D.C., 1912, 1913 (album pt. 2)
3	10	Massachusetts, 1913 May

		SERIES III: Medical School, 1911-1915

3	11	1911-1915

		SERIES IV: Camp Becket, 1912-1916

3	12	1912
3	13	1912-1914 (Album 1, pp. 1-6)
3	14	1912-1914 (Album 1, pp. 7-12)
3	15	1912-1914 (Album 1, pp. 13-18)
3	16	1912-1914 (Album 1, pp. 19-24)
3	17	1912-1914 (Album 1, pp. 25-30)
3	18	1912-1914 (Album 1, pp. 31-36)
3	19	1912-1914 (Album 1, pp. 37-42)
3	20	1912-1914 (Album 1, pp. 43-48)
3	21	1912-1914 (Album 1, pp. 49-52)
3	22	1914 (Album 2, pp. 1-6)
3	23	1914 (Album 2, pp. 7-12)
3	24	1914 (Album 2, pp. 13-18)
3	25	1914 (Album 2, pp. 19-24)
3	26	1914 (Album 2, pp. 25-30)
3	27	1914 (Album 2, pp. 31-36)
3	28	1914 (Album 2, pp. 37-42)
3	29	1914 (Album 2, pp. 42-47)
3	30	circa 1912-1916

		SERIES V: Christian Endeavor Society, 1911-1915

3	31	1911-1915

		SERIES VI: Missionaries/Puerto Rico, 1915-1916

3	39	1915-1916

		SERIES VII: Africa-General, 1916-1922

4	1	Trip, 1916
4	2	circa 1916
4	3	circa 1916
4	4	circa 1916
4	5	circa 1916
4	6	circa 1916
4	7	1917-1920
4	8	1917-1920
4	9	1917-1920
4	10	1917-1920
4	11	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 1-3)
4	12	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 4-6)
4	13	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 7-9)
4	14	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 10-12)
4	15	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 13-15)
4	16	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 16-18)
4	17	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 19-21)
4	18	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 22-24)
4	19	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 25-27)
4	20	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 28-30)
4	21	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 31-33)
4	22	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 34-36)
4	23	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 37-39)
4	24	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 40-42)
4	25	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 43-45)
4	26	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 46-48)
4	27	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 49-51)
4	28	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 52-54)
4	29	1917-1920 (Album 1, pp. 55-56)
4	30	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 1-3)
4	31	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 4-6)
4	32	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 7-9)
4	33	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 10-12)
4	34	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 13-15)
4	35	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 16-18)
4	36	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 19-21)
4	37	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 22-24)
4	38	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 25-27)
4	39	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 28-30)
4	40	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 31-33)
4	41	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 34-36)
4	42	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 37-39)
4	43	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 40-42)
4	44	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 43-45)
4	45	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 46-48)
4	46	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 49-51)
4	47	1917-1920 (Album 2, pp. 52-55)
4	48	1920-1922
4	49	1920-1922
4	50	1920-1922
4	51	1920-1922
4	52	1920-1922
4	53	L.E. Smith & boat, undated
4	54	"Ibanda," undated
4	55	"Mentaga," undated
4	56	Group of Women, undated
4	57	Group of Women, undated
4	58	Woman, undated
4	59	Group, undated
4	60	Group of Men, undated
4	61	"Style in Africa," undated
4	62	"Mrs. Smith Convalescing...," 1922 September
4	63	"Mrs. Smith Eating First Meal"
4	64	"Mrs. Smith Feeding Chickens," 1920-1922
4	65	Mrs. Smith Feeding Fowls, 1920-1922
4	66	Mrs. Smith with Monkey, 1920-1922
4	67	1920-1922
4	68	1920-1922
4	69	"Making Chair To Carry Mrs. Smith Home"
4	70	Smiths outside Clinic, 1920

		SERIES VIII: Africa-Medical, 1916-1922

4	71	Elephantiasis, 1916-1922
4	72	1916-1922
4	73	Group Carrying Patient, undated
4	74	Group Carrying Patient, undated
4	75	Group Carrying Patient, undated
4	76	"Holding Clinic on Porch...," circa 1922
4	77	"One Day's Clinic," undated
4	78	"Tropical Yaws," undated
4	79	Medical Operation, circa 1920-1922
4	80	Medical Operation, circa 1920-1922

		SERIES IX: Pike County Tuberculosis Exhibit, 1951

4	81	1951

		SUBGROUP III: GLASS SLIDES

		SERIES I: Medical, circa 1917-1922

5	1	Inguinal hernia
5	2	Inguinal hernia
5	3	Inguinal hernia
5	4	Inguinal hernia
5	5	Inguinal hernia
5	6	Inguinal hernia?
5	7	Inguinal hernia? post op.
5	8	Inguinal hernia?
5	9	scrotal elephantiasis?
5	10	scrotal elephantiasis?
5	11	scrotal elephantiasis?
5	12	scrotal elephantiasis?
5	13	scrotal elephantiasis?
5	14	scrotal elephantiasis?
5	15	scrotal elephantiasis?
5	16	medical (general)
5	17	medical (general)
5	18	scrotal tumor?
5	19	medical (general)
5	20	medical (general)
5	21	medical (general)
5	22	medical (general)
5	23	woman with tumor
5	24	"a real hernia"
5	25	tropical yaws
5	26	"ulcer due to rings on foot"
5	27	yaws
5	28	skin problems-mother & baby
5	29	medical (general)
5	30	medical (general)
5	31	medical (general)
5	32	medical (general)
5	33	medical (general)
5	34	medical (general)
5	35	medical (general)
5	36	medical (general)
5	37	medical (general)
5	38	medical (general)
5	39	medical (general)
5	40	elephantiasis
5	41	leg ulcer
5	42	"sun treatment for leg ulcers"
5	43	hernia surgery
5	44	surgery
5	45	emergency surgery
5	46	medical (general)
5	47	emergency hospitals
5	48	emergency hospitals
5	49	"dead by the wayside"

		Medical
5	50	ambulance carrying
5	51	"Benito ambulance"
5	52	clinic-waiting line
5	53	eye clinic
5	54	clinic
5	55	clinic
5	56	clinic
5	57	clinic
5	58	"clinic, June 11, 1922"

		SERIES II: Benito

5	59	Benito compound?
5	60	Benito compound?
5	61	Benito compound?
5	62	Benito compound?
5	63	Benito compound?
5	64	"Rio Benito Girls School, June 12, 1922"
5	65	"Rio Benito Boys School, June 12, 1922"
5	66	"The singing class"
5	67	"School children leaving for home"
5	68	"School children going to church"
5	69	"Benito industrial class"
5	70	industrial class-weaving (Benito?)
5	71	industrial class (Benito?)
5	72	"the Pest House"
5	73	L.E. Smith & monkey
5	74	L.E. Smith & monkey
5	75	L.E. Smith & monkey
5	76	L.E. Smith & monkeys
5	77	L.E. Smith ("African headhunter")
5	78	L.E. Smith & pet bird & monkey
5	79	L.E. Smith & snake
5	80	Beulah Smith & parrots
5	81	L.E. Smith & tortoises
5	82	L.E. Smith & horse
5	83	L.E. Smith & horse
5	84	L.E. & Beulah Smith

6	1	Beulah L. Smith
6	2	"coming home" - Beulah on way home to U.S
6	3	"storm at sea" - Beulah & Ernest on way home to U.S
6	4	"Alone in Africa" L.E.S. & residence
6	5	Smith & ivory tusks
6	6	"ivory squad"
6	7	Smith with boat "Unalida"
6	8	"On the Pike"- Smith on horse
6	9	Smith & native bearers
6	10	"3 native Christ. & missionary (Beulah)
6	11	Beulah & native bearers

		Benito
6	12	Beulah Smith & native women
6	13	native woman carrying hurt child
6	14	Beulah & native woman "Sambe"
6	15	Smith & natives in boat
6	16	"missionary just landing" (Beulah)
6	17	"crossing a river"
6	18	Smith & natives just landed
6	19	Smiths "on 4 day cruise"
6	20	Smiths & natives in boat
6	21	Smith & group on beach with boat
6	22	Smiths & natives at boat
6	23	natives on beach with boat
6	24	Smiths & natives in boat
6	25	"Station meeting" (Smith), 1919
6	26	Smith & others by stream
6	27	"John Baptist walked 28 miles to bring gift" (native man & goat)
6	28	natives constructing building
6	29	Smith & natives - construction work?
6	30	natives & lumber
6	31	natives building
6	32	Beulah & natives sawing wood
6	33	Smiths & natives cutting wood
6	34	natives running for hunt?
6	35	Beulah & natives & dead wild hog
6	36	natives curing animal skins
6	37	Beulah, native & dead monkey
6	38	Beulah & lizard
6	39	"a pilgrim"- Beulah on tortoise & natives
6	40	"visiting day" Beulah & guests
6	41	Benito area view from river
6	42	Spanish Guinea-white man in native village
6	43	Spanish Guinea?-3 native workers
6	44	Spanish Guinea-2 natives in western dress
6	45	Spanish Guinea-a compound
6	46	Spanish Guinea-native family in western dress
6	47	Spanish Guinea-2 natives & Spaniard
6	48	Spanish Guinea-?
6	49	Spanish Guinea- native prisoners?
6	50	line of natives-coming in?
6	51	line of natives-coming in?
6	52	"Coming in"
6	53	native patients coming in
6	54	native patients coming in
6	55	native patients coming in
6	56	native family (native pastor?)
6	57	native family (native pastor?)
6	58	"a happy family" (native)
6	59	native family?
6	60	"Sapa & family"

		Benito
6	61	3 native men
6	62	group of native boys with books
6	63	group of native boys (with pink eye?)
6	64	native man & woman
6	64a	native girl & child
6	65	group of native men (former patients?)
6	66	native children (?Benito)
6	67	native woman
6	68	native woman
6	69	2 native women
6	70	3 native women
6	71	local village?
6	72	natives & shaman? (Benito?)

		SERIES III: West Africa

7	1	Cameroon-Efulan & Metet
7	2	Cameroon-Efulan & Metet
7	3	Cameroon-Efulan & Metet
7	4	Cameroon-Efulan & Metet
7	5	Cameroon-Efulan & Metet
7	6	Cameroon-Metet "school boys ready for hunt"
7	7	Elat- Fred Hope
7	8	Elat- Fred Hope
7	9	Elat- Fred Hope
7	11	Elat- Fred Hope
7	12	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.
7	13	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.?
7	14	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.
7	15	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.
7	16	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.
7	17	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.
7	18	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.
7	19	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.
7	20	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.
7	21	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.
7	22	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.
7	23	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.
7	24	En route to Benito-Smiths, etc.

		SERIES IV: Board of Foreign Missions

7	25	Woman nursing monkey & baby (Col. Jewel)
7	26	David Livingstone
7	27	Camp Stosenberg-snake killed by J. Feaster
7	28	carrying dead wild hog (Board?)
7	29	group of native children
7	30	view from river of W. Africa river station?
7	31	W. Africa mission station?
7	32	Spanish Guinea?

		Board of Foreign Missions

7	33	"goods given in payment for wife"
7	34	group of natives
7	35	native boys
7	36	W. Africa mission station
7	37	natives working lumber mill
7	38	hunters & dead elephant
7	39	hunter & 2 dead gorillas
7	40	natives & dead gorilla
7	41	hunt
7	42	"boys at play"
7	43	native woman (Board?)
7	44	"native village" (Board?)
7	45	"call drum" (Board?)
7	46	"dugout canoe" (Board?)
7	47	"making food"(Board?)
7	48	"the food gang"(Board?)
7	49	headdress (Board?)
7	50	headdress (Board?)
7	51	Spanish Guinea? (Board?)
7	52	woman
7	53	"African woman & baby" (Board?)
7	54	native man (Board?)
7	55	man with decoration (Board?)
7	56	steamer off coast (Board?)
7	57	native children bearers
7	58	"style in Africa"
7	59	women of the Ntu[m] tribe
7	60	Ntu[m] tribe
7	61	native group
7	62	"women carriers"
7	63	"boy climbing tree"
7	64	woman working with child
7	65	"showing the path to a young bride"

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Guide to the L.E. Smith Papers

Creator(s)