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E. Mowbray Tate family papers, 1874-1988
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Tate, E. Mowbray, 1902-
- Title
- E. Mowbray Tate family papers
- Dates
- 1874-1988 (inclusive)18741988
- Quantity
- 3.85 cubic feet, (2 record cartons; 1 legal document case; 1 slim legal document case; 1 card file box (12x8x5); 1 flat box (16x20))
- Collection Number
- Coll 310
- Summary
- The papers of E. Mowbray Tate (1902-1988), as well as those of members of Tate's family. Tate grew up in Portland, Oregon, and during his life worked as a Presbyterian minister, a missionary to Thailand, and a counselor, dean, or professor at several colleges and universities.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Edward Mowbray Tate, who went by the name E. Mowbray Tate throughout his life, was born in 1902 in Portland, Oregon. His father, Robert H. Tate (1860-1934) operated an electrical shop, and patented an improved bicycle handlebar. His mother, Elizabeth Ruge Tate (1868-1956), was active in the Oregon Congress of Mothers, which was the precursor to the Oregon Parent Teachers Association. E. Mowbray Tate attended Portland Academy and Washington High School as a boy. He was admitted to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, but did not go because he believed he would fail the physical examination. He attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, from 1919-1923.
During the 1920s, Tate held a variety of jobs, including as a teacher and a temporary pastor, and received further education in New York and in San Anselmo, California. In 1929, he was ordained as a Presbyterian minister at the Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church in Portland, and afterward attended graduate school at Columbia University in New York. He graduated from Columbia in 1932. That same year, he married Josephine Louise Albert, and was appointed as a missionary to Thailand, where he worked for the next decade. In December 1941, Tate and his family were detained by the Japanese in Bangkok, but were exchanged in the summer of 1942. Following his missionary work, Tate embarked on a career in academics, serving as a counselor to Protestant students at Columbia University from 1942-1945; as a dean at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, from 1946-1947; as a dean at Hanover College in Hanover, Indiana, from 1948-1960; as a professor at Hanover College from 1961-1967; and as a professor at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, from 1967-1974.
Tate and Josephine had two daughters, Mary Carolyn (1935-1940) and Louise Genevieve (1940-1999). Josephine Tate died in 1973; the following year, E. Mowbray Tate married Henrietta Osterman Brotherton. E. Mowbray Tate died in Pasadena, California, in 1988.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The bulk of the collection consists of the papers of E. Mowbray Tate, a Presbyterian minister and academic originally from Portland, Oregon. The papers cover Tate's education and early career, his time as a missionary in Thailand (sometimes referred to as Siam in the collection), and his career as a professor and administrator at Columbia University, Lafayette College, Hanover College, and Wake Forest University. The collection also includes Tate's correspondence and writings from throughout his life. Other people whose papers are represented in this collection are: Tate's mother, Elizabeth R. Tate; his wife, Josephine Louise Tate; his grandmother, Margaret Tate; his daughter, Mary Carolyn Tate; and his father, Robert H. Tate.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Preferred Citation
E. Mowbray Tate family papers, Coll 310, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in two series: Series 1. E. Mowbray Tate papers; Series 2. Tate family papers.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series 1: E. Mowbray Tate papers, 1898-1988Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Subseries 1: Education and early career |
1910-1983; 1910-1932 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 1 | Diary kept as school assignment |
1910 March |
1 | 2 | Issues of Spirit Lake Boy's Camp Annual |
1914-1915 |
1 | 3 | Materials relating to Spirit Lake Boy's Camp and Mt. St. Helens |
1916-1983 |
5 | Diaries |
1916-1930 | |
Folder | |||
1 | 4 | Correspondence and records concerning Tate's acceptance to U.S. Naval Academy |
1918 |
1 | 5 | U.S. Boys' Working Reserve certificate |
1918 April 24 |
1 | 6 | Program, diploma, and ephemera relating to graduation from Washington High School |
1918 June |
1 | 7 | Ephemera and writings from Tate's voyage as ordinary seaman aboard the Fort Steward |
1919 |
1 | 8 | Letters of recommendation |
1919-1920 |
1 | 9 | Scrapbook pages with clippings and ephemera |
circa 1919-1927 |
1 | 10 | Whitman College records; clipping about Justice William Douglas discussing Whitman College |
1919-1923; 1954; undated |
1 | 11 | Whitman College: orations (speeches and debates) |
circa 1920 |
1 | 12 | Whitman College: photographs |
circa 1920 |
1 | 13 | Tate's first sermon, "Increase and Decrease" |
1921 January 10 |
1 | 14 | Notes and sermons as temporary pastor |
1921-1924 |
1 | 15 | Programs for services and events where Tate spoke |
1922-1929 |
1 | 16 | Materials relating to teaching job in Olympia, Washington |
1923-1925 |
1 | 17 | Subscription list, newsletters, and stationery, Washington State and Oregon chapters of Christian Endeavor |
1924-1925 |
1 | 18 | Materials relating to work at West End Collegiate Church, New York |
1925-1926 |
1 | 19 | Materials relating to teaching job at Longview High School, Longview, Washington |
1926-1927 |
1 | 20 | Correspondence between E. Mowbray Tate and Robert H. Tate |
1926-1932 |
1 | 21 | Materials relating to Tate's ordination at Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church, Portland, Oregon |
1929 |
1 | 22 | Memorial Day address at East Lawn Cemetery |
1929 May 30 |
1 | 23-24 | Materials relating to studies at San Francisco Seminary, San Anselmo, California |
1929 |
1 | 25 | Clippings about Tate |
1929-1932 |
1 | 26-27 | Materials relating to studies at Columbia University, New York |
1929-1933 |
1 | 28 | Writing contest submission to "Wonder Stories" magazine |
1930 |
1 | 29 | Materials relating to work as temporary ranger at Yellowstone National Park |
1930 |
1 | 30 | Articles written for contests and publication |
1930-1932 |
1 | 31 | Typed diary, "Office Meditations" |
1930-1932 |
1 | 32 | Writings |
1930 |
Subseries 2: Missionary work in Thailand, internment, and exchange
Arranged with correspondence first, followed by diaries, followed by other materials.
|
1926-1966; 1932-1947 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
1 | 33 | Correspondence, including Christmas letters |
1934-1938; 1941 |
1 | 34-44 | Letters sent to family in Portland |
1932-1942 |
1 | 45 | Letters sent from on board the ship Gripsholm |
1942 July 26-August 12 |
1 | 46 | Correspondence |
1942-1944 |
1 | 47-50 | Transcript of diary |
1932 August-1934 |
1 | 51 | Publication about coronation of King Prajadhipok of Thailand |
1926 |
1 | 52 | Materials relating to Tate's appointment as missionary to Thailand |
1932 |
1 | 53 | Copy of Tate's birth certificate; Thai visa for Tate |
1932 |
1 | 54 | Articles by Tate published in "Christian Century" |
1933; 1941 |
1 | 55 | Ephemera |
circa 1932-1935 |
1 | 56 | Sermons |
1934-1939 |
1 | 57 | Event programs and publications |
1935-1937 |
2 | 1 | Correspondence, records, and clippings relating to furlough |
1937-1938 |
2 | 2 | Materials relating to internment by Japanese and subsequent exchange, including reminiscences |
1942-1950 |
2 | 3 | Reports for Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions |
1942 |
2 | 4 | Articles about Thailand |
circa 1942-1946 |
2 | 5 | Program and remarks from Thailand Consultative Conference |
1944 October 18-20 |
2 | 6 | Claims for losses suffered during World War II |
1946; 1964-1966 |
2 | 7 | Lecture by Prince Waithayakon, "Presenting Siam" |
1947 June 17 |
Subseries 3: Academic career |
1942-1969 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 8 | Writings on and schedule for tours |
1942-1943 |
2 | 9 | Materials relating to work as counselor for Protestant students at Columbia University |
1943-1945 |
2 | 10 | Notebook of chapel talks at Columbia |
1943-1946 |
2 | 11 | Notes and outlines for talks and courses |
1943-1949 |
2 | 12 | Issues of Columbia Alumni News |
1944; 1954 |
2 | 13 | Columbia University directories |
1944 |
2 | 14 | Newspaper articles about Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania |
1946-1947 |
2 | 15 | Materials relating to work as dean at Lafayette College |
1947-1948 |
2 | 16 | Materials relating to work as dean at Hanover College, Hanover, Indiana |
1948-1961 |
2 | 17 | Hanover College: materials relating to Indiana Intercollegiate Study Group, including 25th anniversary celebration |
1955-1957; 1980 |
2 | 18 | Maps and charts of Asia |
circa 1961-1968 |
2 | 19-20 | Materials relating to time visiting Sophia University, Tokyo, Japan |
1963 June-August |
2 | 21 | Receipts for travel expenses |
1964-1965 |
2 | 22-24 | Teaching materials on history of China |
circa 1965-1966 |
2 | 25 | Talk on Communist China and related clipping |
1966 |
2 | 26 | Newspaper clippings about Hanover College's China Institute |
1966 |
2 | 27 | Materials concerning Tate's retirement from Hanover College |
1967 |
2 | 28 | Applications for fellowships |
1967-1968 |
2 | 29 | Correspondence and records relating to offer from Ford Foundation |
1968 June-July |
2 | 30 | Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina: teaching materials about Japan |
1968-1969 |
Subseries 4: Correspondence and diaries following retirement from Hanover College
Arranged by format.
|
1967-1988 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 31 | Christmas letters |
1967-1987 |
2 | 32 | Correspondence |
1968-1973 |
2 | 33-34 | Correspondence |
1979-1988 |
2 | 35 | Travel diary; documents relating to Tate's marriage to Henrietta Osterman Brotherton |
1974 May-June |
2 | 36 | Diaries |
1974-1975; 1977-1978 |
2 | 37 | Diaries |
1981; 1984 |
2 | 38 | Notebook and schedule, trip to United Kingdom |
1969 |
2 | 39 | Notebook kept during "Northern Trip" |
1978 August-September |
Subseries 5: Other papers and ephemera |
1898-1983 | ||
Box | Folder | ||
2 | 40 | Publication, notes, and photographs relating to U.S. naval vessels |
1898-1913 |
2 | 41 | Benjamin Gifford photo set, "Columbia River Views" |
1901-1908 |
2 | 42 | Materials about First Presbyterian Church, Portland, Oregon |
1905 March; 1973 November 17 |
2 | 43 | Newspaper clippings about E. Mowbray Tate and Elizabeth R. Tate, compiled by Elizabeth R. Tate |
1915-1937 |
6 | 1 | Newspaper article about Portland Academy |
circa 1926 |
2 | 44 | Appointment and finance notebooks |
1930-1931; 1949-1970 |
3 | 1 | Records concerning Tate copied from Department of History, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) |
circa 1932-1970 |
3 | 2 | Guestbook |
1943-1967 |
3 | 3 | Sermons |
1946-1958 |
3 | 4 | Ministry licenses/permits for Jefferson County, Kentucky, and North Carolina |
1957; 1967 |
3 | 5 | Sermons |
1960-1966; undated |
3 | 6 | Letter to the editor in response to review of book about the Opium War |
1969 September |
3 | 7 | Certificate for Golden Legion of Phi Delta Theta |
1970 |
3 | 8 | Notebook about family history |
circa 1972 |
3 | 9 | YMCA of southwest Washington publication, "A Half Century of Service" |
1973 |
3 | 10 | Historical essay by Tate, "Around the World Cruises between the Great Wars" |
1977 |
3 | 11 | Notes about life events and family |
circa 1980 |
3 | 12 | Historical essay by Tate, "Early Navy Contacts with Down Under" |
1983 |
3 | 13 | "Portland Daze" by Buzz Thomas, with inscription to Tate |
undated |
3 | 14 | Recollections of Tate family history |
undated |
Series 2: Tate family papers, 1874-1971Return to Top
Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
---|---|---|---|
Box | Folder | ||
3 | 15 | Elizabeth R. Tate: biographical information and ephemera |
1917-1968 |
3 | 16 | Elizabeth R. Tate: newspaper articles and biographical materials |
1905-1956 |
3 | 17 | Elizabeth R. Tate: personal papers |
circa 1955 |
6 | 2 | Elizabeth R. Tate: photograph, Oregon Congress of Mothers |
circa 1916 |
3 | 18 | Reproduced photographs of Elizabeth R. and Robert H. Tate |
1895-circa 1950 |
3 | 19 | Josephine Louise Tate: photographs, clipping, and marriage license |
circa 1930-1932 |
3 | 1 | Records concerning Josephine Louise Tate copied from Department of History, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) |
circa 1932-1970 |
4 | 1 | Josephine Louise Tate: publications and articles |
1932; 1939; 1944 |
4 | 2 | Josephine Louise Tate: reminiscence about departure from Bangkok, Thailand, in 1942 |
1947 |
4 | 3 | Transcript of Margaret J. Tate's diary |
1874 |
4 | 4 | Papers concerning Mary Carolyn Tate |
1935-1940 |
4 | 5 | Robert H. Tate: correspondence with Admiral George Dewey; autographed photograph of Dewey |
1913 |
6 | 4 | Robert H. Tate: letterpress copybook |
1894-1896 |
6 | 3 | Robert H. Tate: map of Woodland Heights and Highland Park, split into sections |
undated |
4 | 6 | Robert H. Tate: personal papers, including papers relating to bicycle handlebar patent |
1896-1933 |
4 | 7 | Robert H. Tate: poems; letter sent with poems to E. Mowbray Tate by his brother Roy Tate |
1892-1933; 1971 June 21 |
4 | 8 | Robert H. Tate: poems |
undated |
4 | 9 | Robert H. Tate: prose |
circa 1918-1923 |
4 | 10 | Robert H. Tate: resignation from clerk of session position at Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church |
1933 January-May |
4 | 11 | Robert H. Tate: writings on life, death, and Christ's resurrection |
undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Church officers--Presbyterian Church
- College administrators
- College teachers
- Missionaries--Thailand--20th century
Personal Names
- Tate, E. Mowbray, 1902-
Family Names
- Tate family
Form or Genre Terms
- Correspondence
- Diaries
Other Creators
-
Family Names
- Tate family (creator)