Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary
 

Joseph Kingsbury Greene papers, 1857 -- 1917

Summary Information

Abstract

Joseph Kingsbury Greene was an American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions Congregational missionary in Turkey for fifty-one years, stationed in Nicodemia, Bursa, and Manisa. He was fluent in Armenian and Turkish languages. The collection contains Greene's diaries from 1859 through 1917, Greene's correspondence with members of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and others, and Greene's handwritten English and Armenian dictionaries.

At a Glance

Bib ID 4492539 View CLIO record
Creator(s) Greene, Joseph Kingsbury, 1834-1917
Title Joseph Kingsbury Greene papers, 1857 -- 1917
Physical Description 5 linear feet (5 linear feet; 10 boxes)
Language(s) English , Armenian .
Access

This collection is open for research.

Onsite storage.

Arrangement

Arrangement

This collection is organized in three chronological series: Diaries, Correspondence, and Dictionary and sermons.

Description

Scope and Contents

This collection contains Greene's diaries from 1859 through 1917, which include day-to-day entries as well as sermons; Greene's correspondence with members of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and others, as well as newspaper articles which Greene copied into the book in Armenian; and Greene's handwritten English and Armenian dictionaries.

  • Diaries, 1859 -- 1917

    This series contains Greene's original handwritten diaries, including day-to-day entries as well as sermons. While in Turkey, Greene commuted hundreds of miles from his home base to meet with teachers and other Christians in the area; these visits are recorded. Greene and his first wife experienced frequent sicknesses of malaria, and were granted leaves of absence in order to recover in Europe. Greene also traveled for conferences and to address other missionary aid societies. Each entry includes the location and date, and often the weather. Greene also comments on events happening throughout the world, including Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860.

  • Correspondence, 1859 -- 1872

    This series contains handwritten copies of correspondence sent to various people, including other members of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. It also includes newspaper articles which Greene copied into the book and which are written in Armenian.

  • Dictionary and sermons, 1857 -- 1909

    This series contains Greene's original handwritten English and Armenian dictionaries. He started the dictionary in 1859 in Nicomedia, Turkey, when he started his missionary work. Greene also kept a separate book of Armenian words which he prepared as he began to learn the language.

Burke Library record group:

Missionary Research Library Archives: MRL2, Near/Middle East

Using the Collection

Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Onsite storage.

Conditions Governing Use

Some material in this collection may be protected by copyright and other rights. Information concerning copyright, fair use, and reproduction requests can be consulted at Columbia's Copyright Advisory Office.

Preferred Citation

Item description, MRL 2: Joseph Kingsbury Greene papers, 1857-1917, series #, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.

Related Materials

MRL 12: American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions records, 1878-1958, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Formerly part of the independent Missionary Research Library (MRL), these records were accessioned by the Burke Library at the time of the MRL's closure in 1976.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary

Processing Information

Diaries, letters, sermons, and dictionary were cataloged Lynn A. Grove on 1988-07-18. Metal staples were removed from materials and folded items were flattened. Materials were placed in new acid-free folders and boxes. Books were wrapped in acid-free unbuffered tissue and tied with cotton tying tape. The finding aid was created by Brigette Kamsler in 2011 with the support of the Henry Luce Foundation, and edited by Leah Edelman in 2021.

Revision Description

2013-06-25 XML instance document created by Brigette C. Kamsler.

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

2021-02-09 EAD spot checked and corrected and description updated by Leah Edelman.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Genre/Form

Heading "CUL Archives:"
"Portal"
"CUL Collections:"
"CLIO"
"Nat'l / Int'l Archives:"
"ArchivedGRID"
Diaries Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Sermons Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID

Subject

Heading "CUL Archives:"
"Portal"
"CUL Collections:"
"CLIO"
"Nat'l / Int'l Archives:"
"ArchivedGRID"
Armenian language -- Dictionaries -- English Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Congregational churches -- Missions Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Missionaries Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID
Missions -- Turkey -- İzmit Portal CLIO ArchiveGRID

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

Reverend Joseph Kingsbury Greene was born to David and Lyntha (Miller) Green on April 10, 1834 in Auburn, Maine. He attended and graduated from Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine in 1855. Greene became engaged to Elizabeth Augusta Davis, whom he wed in 1857 once she graduated from Mount Holyoke Seminary. Greene attended Union Theological Seminary and after graduation in 1858, was accepted by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and ordained in November. He was stationed for three years in Nicomedia, Turkey, arriving in March 1859. Greene quickly learned the Armenian alphabet and created a dictionary of English, Armenian, Turkish and Greek words. Greene was also stationed in Bursa in 1862 for six years, and after a furlough in 1868 in Minnesota, went to Manisa in June 1871. Greene was invited to Constantinople in 1862 to edit the ABCFM-published weekly religious paper, Avedaper, written in Armenian, Armeno-Turkish, and Greco-Turkish, and three illustrated monthly papers for children. The newspapers were strictly controlled by the Turkish government. Greene edited the papers for twelve years. He took a second furlough to Illinois in 1884, and received the Doctor of Divinity from Bowdoin at this time. Greene began his third missionary trip to Constantinople in 1886, and was stationed there for seven years. Elizabeth died in 1894, after which he took a third furlough the same year. Joseph married his second wife, missionary Mathilde Hermine Meyer, in September 1895, and they returned to Constantinople in November. Greene served until 1910, when he retired and returned to America. Joseph Kingsbury Greene died in Oberlin, Ohio on February 10, 1917.

All external visitors, including alumni, must meet the University's primary COVID-19 vaccination series mandate and are required to adhere to the University's COVID-19 policies . After clicking 'Submit Request', users will login with their UNI and password (Columbia affiliates) or their special collections account (external users). Appointments are required and will be arranged according to each individual repository's policy.


Diaries, 1859 -- 1917

This series is open for research.

4 linear feet; 4 linear feet; 8 boxes

This series contains Greene's original handwritten diaries, including day-to-day entries as well as sermons. While in Turkey, Greene commuted hundreds of miles from his home base to meet with teachers and other Christians in the area; these visits are recorded. Greene and his first wife experienced frequent sicknesses of malaria, and were granted leaves of absence in order to recover in Europe. Greene also traveled for conferences and to address other missionary aid societies. Each entry includes the location and date, and often the weather. Greene also comments on events happening throughout the world, including Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860.

This series is arranged in chronological order.



Box 1 Folder 1 Volume 2, October 1859 -- August 1861


Box 1 Folder 2 Volume 3, August 1861 -- September 1862


Box 1 Folder 3 Volume 4, September 1862 -- July 1864


Box 1 Folder 4 Volume 5, July 1864 -- June 1866



Box 2 Folder 1 Volume 6, June 1866 -- December 1867


Box 2 Folder 2 Volume 7, December 1867 -- January 1869


Box 2 Folder 3 Volume 8, January 1869 -- April 1870


Box 2 Folder 4 Volume 9, April 1870 -- February 1873



Box 3 Folder 1 Volume 10, March 1873 -- September 1877


Box 3 Folder 2 Volume 11, September 1879 -- November 1882


Box 3 Folder 3 Volume 13, July 1883 -- April 1884


Box 3 Folder 3 Volume 19, December 1886 -- September 1888


Box 3 Folder 4 Volume 15, July 1884 -- March 1885


Box 3 Folder 5 Volume 16, March 1885 -- December 1885


Box 3 Folder 6 Volume 17, December 1885 -- July 1886



Box 4 Folder 1 Volume 18, July 1886 -- December 1886


Box 4 Folder 2 Volume 20, September 1888 -- June 1889


Box 4 Folder 3 Volume 21, June 1889 -- November 1889


Box 4 Folder 4 Volume 22, November 1889 -- April 1890


Box 4 Folder 5 Volume 23, April 1890 -- July 1890


Box 4 Folder 6 Volume 24, August 1890 -- January 1891


Box 4 Folder 7 Volume 25, January 1891 -- July 1891


Box 4 Folder 8 Volume 26, July 1891 -- April 1892



Box 5 Folder 1 Volume 28, September 1892 -- April 1893


Box 5 Folder 2 Volume 29, April 1893 -- December 1893


Box 5 Folder 3 Volume 30, December 1893 -- May 1894


Box 5 Folder 4 Volume 31, May 1894 -- November 1894


Box 5 Folder 5 Volume 32, November 1894 -- May 1895


Box 5 Folder 6 Volume 33, May 1895 -- September 1895


Box 5 Folder 7 Volume 34, September 1895 -- May 1896


Box 5 Folder 8 Volume 35, May 1896 -- May 1897


Box 5 Folder 9 Volume 36, May 1897 -- February 1899



Box 6 Folder 1 Volume 37, February 1899 -- November 1899


Box 6 Folder 2 Volume 38, November 1899 -- December 1900


Box 6 Folder 3 Volume 39, January 1901 -- May 1902


Box 6 Folder 4 Volume 40, May 1902 -- July 1903


Box 6 Folder 5 Volume 41, July 1903 -- June 1904


Box 6 Folder 6 Volume 42, June 1904 -- May 1905


Box 6 Folder 7 Volume 43, May 1905 -- April 1906



Box 7 Folder 1 Volume 44, April 1906 -- August 1907


Box 7 Folder 2 Volume 45, September 1907 -- September 1909


Box 7 Folder 3 Volume 46, September 1909 -- October 1910


Box 7 Folder 4 Volume 47, October 1910 -- November 1910


Box 7 Folder 5 Volume 48, November 1910 -- May 1911


Box 7 Folder 6 Volume 49, May 1911 -- October 1911


Box 7 Folder 7 Volume 50, October 1911 -- February 1912


Box 7 Folder 8 Volume 51, February 1912 -- July 1912


Box 7 Folder 9 Volume 52, July 1912 -- October 1912



Box 8 Folder 1 Volume 53, October 1912 -- March1913


Box 8 Folder 2 Volume 54, March 1913 -- August 1913


Box 8 Folder 3 Volume 55, August 1913 -- February 1914


Box 8 Folder 4 Volume 56, February 1914 -- August 1914


Box 8 Folder 5 Volume 57, August 1914 -- August 1915


Box 8 Folder 6 Volume 58, August 1915 -- May 1916


Box 8 Folder 7 Volume 59, May 1916 -- January 1917

Correspondence, 1859 -- 1872

This series is open for research.

0.5 linear feet; 0.5 linear feet; 1 box

This series contains handwritten copies of correspondence sent to various people, including other members of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. It also includes newspaper articles which Greene copied into the book and which are written in Armenian.

This series is arranged in chronological order.



Box 9 Folder 1 Correspondence, May 1859 -- November 1862


Box 9 Folder 2 Correspondence, October 1862 -- June 1866


Box 9 Folder 3 Correspondence, July 1866 -- March 1869


Box 9 Folder 4 Correspondence, April 1869 -- June 1872

Dictionary and sermons, 1857 -- 1909

This series is open for research.

0.5 linear feet; 0.5 linear feet; 1 box

This series contains Greene's original handwritten English and Armenian dictionaries. He started the dictionary in 1859 in Nicomedia, Turkey, when he started his missionary work. Greene also kept a separate book of Armenian words which he prepared as he began to learn the language.

This series is arranged in rough chronological order.



Box 10 Folder 1 English/Armenian Dictionary, Vol.1: A-Haz, 1859


Box 10 Folder 2 Armenian words, 1859


Box 10 Folder 3 Prayer meeting book, circa 1850 -- 1859


Box 10 Folder 4 Sermon, The Love of Christ, 1857


Box 10 Folder 5 Sermon, The Sinner Unwilling to Come to Christ, 1857


Box 10 Folder 6 Sermon, An Enlightened Conscience -- Our Rule of Life, 1865


Box 10 Folder 7 Sermon, The Brazen Serpent and Christ, 1870


Box 10 Folder 8 Sermon, Zaccheus -- Repentance, 1871


Box 10 Folder 9 Sermon, The Kingdom of God, 1909

Pamphlet published by H. Matteosian, Constantinople. Preached in 1909.


Box 10 Folder 10 Sermon, Religious Awakening