Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Hard, Clark P.
- Abstract:
- Clark P. Hard was a Methodist Episcopal missionary in South India beginning in 1874. The collection contains correspondence, diaries, photographs, scrapbooks, and personal items relating to Hards life and missionary work.
- Extent:
- 2.25 linear feet and 2.25 linear feet; 5 boxes
- Language:
- English .
- Preferred citation:
Item description, MRL 3: Clark P. Hard Papers, series #, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.
Background
- Scope and Content:
This collection contains Hard's correspondence, including letters discussing past and current events from India the death of Hard's wife Lydia, and Hard's birthday; photographs depicting people in India as well as buildings and landmarks; addresses and essays handwritten by Hard; journals and scrapbooks that document Hard's life while in India and including letters, newspaper clippings, images and other remembrances; as well as pamphlets and other printed ephemera, personal items, and diplomas and certificates recognizing Hard's work.
- Biographical / Historical:
Clark Pettingill Hard was born August 12, 1846 in Ogden, New York to Amos and Elizabeth Hard. He graduated first from Genesee College, now Syracuse University, in 1865 and again in 1868 with a master's degree; he also studied at Garrett Biblical Institute in 1867. During this time, Clark worked as a local preacher in the United States for ten years. Hard arrived in India on December 18, 1874 becoming presiding elder of the Madras District, South India Conference, until 1878, a role he assumed when William Taylor left Madras. Hard returned to New York to serve as a pastor from 1878 – 1882. In 1882, he resumed work in India and was pastor in Allahabad from 1882-1883 and then Bombay in 1883-1884. Clark became the presiding elder of the Central District, South India Conference in 1884. He was also the first secretary of the South India Conference from 1876-1877. Clark married Lydia Emilia Van Someren, who was born August 18, 1847 in India, in December 1877. Clark and Lydia had three children together: William Amos, born September 15, 1878; John Vincent, born August 31, 1881 and Gertrude Green, born December 30, 1889. Lydia died September 3, 1922. Clark P. Hard died December 12, 1925 in Benton, Illinois at the age of 79. He is buried in the Lake Mound Cemetery in Zion, Illinois.
- Acquisition information:
- 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.
- Processing information:
Some material was cataloged by Lynn A. Grove on 1988-07-18. Metal clips and staples were removed from materials and folded items were flattened. Materials were placed in new acid-free folders and boxes. Acidic items were separated from one another by interleaving with acid-free paper as needed. Photographs were placed in Mylar envelopes and fragile books were wrapped in acid-free tissue and tied with cotton tying tape. The original numbering scheme by the Missionary Research Library is maintained and supplied by the numbers in brackets at the end of each line. The finding aid was created by Brigette C. Kamsler in 2011 with the support of the Henry Luce Foundation, and edited by Leah Edelman in 2022.
- Arrangement:
This collection is arranged in five series: Series 1: Correspondence; Series 2: Photographs; Series 3: Addresses and Essays; Series 4: Journals and Scrapbooks; and Series 5: General.
- Rules or conventions:
- appm
Access
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
This collection is open for research.
Onsite storage.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
-
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 3: Clark P. Hard Papers, series #, box #, folder #, The Burke Library at Union Theological Seminary, Columbia University in the City of New York.
- LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
- CONTACT:
-
(212) 851-5606burke@library.columbia.edu