Historical Committee

Hist. Mss. 1-945
Elaine Sommers Rich
Papers, 1945-2005
7 Boxes (3 Large, 3 Gray,1 Oversize)

 Administrative Information                                               Page  1
 Inventory Listing                                                             Pages 1-5
 Appendix: Research on Mennonite Women, 1683-1983     Page 6

    These papers were deposited into the archives by Elaine Sommers Rich, Bluffton, Ohio, from 2002-07 (Accession #7303, 7 Boxes - 3 Large, 3 Gray, 1 Oversize - November 8, 2007 / des).

Box 1 (Large)

1/1    Introduction to Collection, Author Elaine Sommers Rich

1/2    Poems, by Goshen College Poetry Group, 1945-46 (typed, placed in manila folder with clips, then distributed)  First page includes Jacob Sudermann "Aspiration" and Marie Yoder, "I Will Be Glad."

1/3    Rejoice, June, July, August 2002 - articles written by Elaine Sommers Rich, July 29-Augu 4

1/4    Children's poems and stories, 1950-72.  For example, Youth's Christian Companion, Story Friends, Christian Living, On the Line, Words of Cheer, and Beams of Light

1/5    John Howard Yoder, 1947-1985

1/6    Correspondence, 1990-93

1/7    Magazines 1979-1980's.  For example, The Mennonite, Purpose, Mennonite Historical Bulletin, Christian Living, Gospel Herald, Sent and Christian Living

1/8    Magazines, 1950's - 1980's.  Story Friends, The Youth Christian Companion, Stories about God's Friends, Summer Bible School Material

1/9    Mennonite Publications:  Our Family Worships, 1963, The Mennonite, Mennonite Life, Sunday School materials etc., 1970's

1/10    Writings by Elaine Sommers Rich
1/11    Writings and Correspondence, 1950-60's

1/12    Goshen College Student Poetry Group 1945-46 Sponsored by Jacob Suderman
1/13    Writings of Elaine Sommers Rich
1/14    Writings including Innenland, A Three-Part Reading by Elaine Sommers Rich
1/15    "The Christian Writer" with article Pilgrimage To Concord, Massachusetts by Elaine Sommers Rich.

1/16    Unsorted Letters
1/17    Correspondence, 1970's - 1990's, unsorted.
1/18    Unsorted Letters
1/19    Correspondence with Maury, Jesuit priest in Japan.
1/20    Adolfo Comba, Class of '48, died 1996

1/21    Goshen College Archive Material
1/22    Berkshire, Norman
1/23    Harder, Naomi
1/24    Hershberger, Guy F.
1/25    Liechty, Sandra, Japan 1978

1/26    Patillo
1/27    Political
1/28    Smith, C. Henry
1/29    Archives Materials related to Prayers for Everyday
1/30    Large packet of mostly Christian Living, mostly 1960's

Box 2 (Gray)

Privately Published Books by Mennonite Women

2/1    Oh Come Let Us Adore Him by Joanna Sudermann Andres
2/2    All In A Row:  The Klassens of Homewood by Katherine Martens
2/3    Prairie Praises by Ursula Miller
2/4    The Day I Ran Over Ruby & Frank by Inez Unruh
2/5    Dear Aggie  Letters From Prison by Agatha Hiebert Klassen

2/6    Our Friends in the Animal Kingdom by O. Regier-Rempel
2/7    Fun To Do All Year Through by Ruth Eitzen
2/8    Katie by Katie Hershberger Troyer Hostetler
2/9    The Footsteps of God In My Life, Part One 1923-1969 by Ruth Bauman
2/10    Fabric & Patterns:  Portraits of Some rural Kansas Mennonite Women by Esther Deckert Sayler
2/11    Dew Drops by Nellie B. Weber

Box 3 (Gray)

3/1    Vignettes & Collages by Miriam S. Lind
3/2    Hey! You! Swing in the branches of your imagination by Lois Rich Smucker, 1995
3/3    Out of My Attic - Stories of Missionary Life by Aganetha Fast

Writings in various publications

3/4    Rejoice (2 copies) and Builder (2 copies)
3/5    Youth Program Ideas - Volume One & Youth Bible Study Guide
3/6    Adult Bible Study Guide, July, August 1971,  The Church Women, Nov. 1974,  The Mennonite WM Edition, August - September 1988

Box 4 (Large)

Papers, etc.

4/1    Correspondence from Dorothy McCammon and Mary Royer
4/2    Photos "  Edith Herr and Ruth C. Roth
4/3    Correspondence, 1990's
4/4    Correspondence
4/5    Correspondence, 1990's

4/6    Christmas Correspondence, 1975
4/7    Correspondence,  1971-1976
4/8    Christmas, 1978
4/9    Notes on Discussion Class taught by Roy Umble in 1946
4/10    Notebook of Elaine Sommers Rich's writing for Thinking With…

4/11    Misc. Correspondence and Other Things
4/12    Correspondence, most of it related to column, 1988-1990
4/13    Correspondence 1980's
4/14    Correspondence, 1980-'81
4/15    Awad, Mubarak

4/16    Sakakibara
4/17    Bagwell, Paul
4/18    Beechy, Atlee
4/19    Lillian Rich, M.D.
4/20    Burch, Blanche
4/21    Beechy, Atlee

44/22    Troyer, Maurice and Billie (Sprunger)
4/23    Goshen College, 1940/s
4/24    "The Morning Watch" written by Nelson P. Springer
4/25    Prayer

4/26    Three articles by Elaine, from Youth's Christian Companion, "So You Read a Newspaper", from Mennonite Life, "Of Christianity and Art", and "Joy of Man's Desiring" written for The New Yorker

4/27    Winey, Lois

Box 5 (Large)

5/1    Oil Painting from Mrs. Unruh.   Simon and Orpha Unruh were independent missionaries to Japan from Freeman, S.Dakota.  They lived in Mitaka, Tokyo, for a while.  She became a member of my Bible class for a time.  Then she sold her jewelry, and they went to Jersualenm to await the return of Christ, which they believed was imminent.  If there are archives at Freeman, perhaps this should go there,  signed, Elaine Sommers Rich, 7-9-04

5/2    Miscellaneous correspondence.
5/3    Programs Given 1980/s
5/4    Painting with poem written for Elaine, note on back "Given me by the missionary women of Japan who helped me plan Feb., 1976 Women's Conference held at Amagi-sanso.

5/5    Bulletin of Goshen College, May 1912

5/6    Diary of our USA Safari, July 1986 - September 1987
5/7    Miscellaneous notes, bookmarks, programs etc.
5/8    Paper:  Howard-Miami Amish and Mennonites
5/9    Mary Oyer originals given to Ronald and Elaine Rich as a wedding present in 1953

5/10    Jonathan Zug, April 3, 1879, a single sheet of yellowed paper on which are written a message and poems in beautiful German script.

5/11    Ohio House of Representatives Correspondence, 1999
5/12    Morning Jogging Song, July 19, 1983
5/13    Foundation Studies 150, Bethel College Course (see pg. 3)
5/14    Gratz, Delbert
5/15    Clemens Correspondence

5/16    Gunden, Lois
5/17    Wyse, Olive
5/18    Unpublished excellent research by John A. Hostetler critiquing practices of Rifton, NY, Society of Brothers.  Comparison with Hutterites.

5/19    Melcher, Mary Ann Hostetler (daughter of S. J. and Ida Miller Hostetler).  Collected materials from Elaine Sommers Rich

5/20    Writings by Elaine S. Rich

5/21    Gently Blows the Wind, Essays by Ann Jennings Brunk, March 2005

5/22    Recording tape from MBM, made in Japan and Elaine wrote the narration.

5/23    Lecture Notebook 1977-1981
5/24    Lecture Notebook  1979-1980
5/25    Lecture Notebook  1982-1984

5/26    Lecture Notebook  1984-1986
5/27    Lecture Notebook  1986-1988

Box 6 (Gray)

6/1    Lecture Notebook  1988-1992
6/2    Lecture Notebook  1992-1997
6/3    Lecture Notebook  1997-2001
6/4    Lecture Notebook  2002-2005

Box 7 (Oversize) (Row 46, C3, S2)

7/1    Scrapbook, April 13, 1953, "A Goodly Fellowship, Fliederhof:" pages from friends given to Emma Sommers at bridal shower

7/2    Pencil drawing of Elaine Sommers [Rich] entitled "outside class," by Esther Bohn Groves, 1945

November 8, 2007 / Files listed and numbered by Nelda Nussbaum
File: "HM1-945 Sommers Rich, Elaine.doc"
Mennonite Church USA Archives-Goshen, 1700 S. Main St., Goshen, Indiana 46526

Background research materials for
Mennonite Women, A Story of God’s Faithfulness, 1683-1983 
by Elaine Sommers Rich

as found in

IV-20-3  Women’s Missionary and Service Commission  (WMSC)
Publications, 1921-1995
Mennonite Church USA Archives-Goshen, Indiana 

Research materials for Mennonite Women, A Story of God’s Faithfulness, 1683-1983
by Elaine Sommers Rich

3/28    Chapters 1 & 2 – In the New World
3/29    Chapter 3 – Wives
3/30    Chapter 4 – Mothers
3/31    Chapter 5 – Aunts
3/32    Chapter 6 -  Local Congregations
3/33    Chapter 7 – Education

3/34    Chapter 8 – Overseas Missionaries
3/35    Chapter 9 – Home Missions
3/36    Chapter 10 – Medical
3/37    Chapter 11 – WMSC
3/38    Chapter 12 – Since World War II
3/39    Chapter 13 – Toward the Future
3/40    Correspondence

3/41    Alberta – background materials
3/42    Arizona – background materials
3/43    Colorado – background materials
3/44    Florida – background materials
3/45    Franconia – background materials

3/46    Illinois – background materials
3/47    Indiana – background materials 
3/48    Iowa – background materials
3/49    Kansas – background materials
3/50    Michigan – background materials

3/51    Nebraska – background materials
3/52    Ohio – background materials
3/53    Oklahoma – background materials
3/54    Ontario – background materials
3/55    Oregon – background materials

3/56    Pennsylvania – background materials
3/57    Scottdale – background materials
3/58    South Carolina – background materials
3/59    South & North Dakota – background materials
3/60    Virginia – background materials

3/61    Ella Sharp Bauman
3/62    Mary Yoder Burkhard
3/63    Lois Gunden Clemmens
3/64    Clara Hooley Hershberger
3/65    Margaret Horst
3/66    Susan Ressler Good Hostetler
3/67    Emily Shank Kauffman
3/68    Rowena Lark
3/69    Bertha Leaman
3/70    Mary Mensch Lederach

3/71    Anna Margie Lehman
3/72    Lina Zook Ressler
3/73    Crissie Yoder Shank
3/74    Elizabeth Showalter
3/75    Clara Eby Steiner

3/76    Ruth Brunk Stoltzfus
3/77    Bibliographical Notes
3/78    Clippings
3/79    Miscellaneous
3/80    Letters from Mary by Crissie Y. Shank

3/81    Photographs
3/82    Mountains and Prairies and a Girl Named Mary by Mary Swartzendruber


November 8, 2007 / Dennis Stoesz
File: "HM1-945 Sommers Rich, Elaine.doc"
Mennonite Church USA Archives-Goshen, 1700 S. Main St., Goshen, Indiana 46526

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