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318 Elmer L. Andersen Library, University of Minnesota, 222 21st Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55455

YMCA BIOGRAPHICAL FILES:
An Inventory


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Biography | Contents Summary/Organization | Administrative/Access Info | Contents Details | Related Materials | Indexed Terms/Access Points


OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Kautz Family YMCA Archives, compiler.
Title: YMCA biographical files.
Date: 1853-2004.
Collection Number: Y.USA.12
Abstract: Biographical material as well as small collections of personal papers of prominent YMCA of the USA leaders.
Quantity: Approx. 90 cu. ft. (239 boxes).
Location: See Detailed Description section for box listing.

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BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

Brief biographical sketches are included in the Detailed Description section of the finding aid for selected individuals (primarily those for whom the biographical files contain a substantial collection of personal papers). For additional biographical information, see the actual file for the individual in question.

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SCOPE AND CONTENTS OF THE COLLECTION

The biographical files contain information on prominent YMCA of the USA leaders over a wide spectrum, from lay to professional, at the local, regional and national levels, working abroad as well as in the United States. Also represented in the files are a number of non-YMCA people who were prominent in world affairs, such as Woodrow Wilson and Martin Luther King, Jr. The amount and type of material for each individual varies greatly. For some individuals, the files contain only a few basic biographical facts. Others are represented by substantial collections of personal papers or organizational records, including diaries, manuscripts, scrapbooks, office correspondence, press releases, reports, and other material. Most files contain ready reference-type material such as resumes and vitae, obituaries, news clippings, and biographical sketches. The files were originally compiled by the YMCA Historical Library as part of a biographical history project and have been augmented over the years by archives staff.

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ORGANIZATION/ARRANGEMENT OF THE RECORDS

The files are arranged alphabetically by the individual's last name.

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ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Use of Materials:
This collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright, ownership, and to obtain all the necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials.
Preferred Citation:
[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Biographical Files. Kautz Family YMCA Archives. University of Minnesota.
See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.
Processing Information:
Catalog Record ID number: 4439189
The collection was originally divided into three separate series: "Bio-A" consisted of individuals for whom the collection included more than one folder of materials, providing significant documentation of their career. "Bio-B" comprised the individuals with a single folder of material, and "Bio-C" was a separate group consisting of individuals who had been involved in foreign work. These series were later combined into one, large group arranged alphabetically. Several extensive collections of personal papers formerly included in the biographical files have been removed and separately cataloged. See the related materials list for a list of individuals represented in these biographical files for whom the Archives has separate collections of personal papers.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

The following section contains a detailed list of the materials in the collection. To request materials, please note the corresponding box number. The notation [i] after a person's name indicates that he or she was involved in international work.

Box
1 Aaron, Appadurai [i].
Aaron, Dolores T.
Abbott, Fred C.
Abbott, George A.
Abbott, Lyman.
Abbott, Richard L.
Abernathy, Milton Aubrey.
Abernathy, Ralph David.
Abernathy, Robert William.
Abernathy, Roy.
Abernethy, Bradford Shermon.
Abrams, Frank W.
Abrecht, Rudy.
Acheson, Barclay.
Ackley, Samuel Anson.
Adair, Waid W.
Adam, Robert.
Adams, Chauncey Allen [i].
Adams, Dolie McWhinney.
Adams, Henry P.
Adams, Sherman.
Adams, Theodore F.
Adams, Wilman E.
Adamson, Arthur Quentin [i].
Addams, Jane [i].
Addison, John Armstrong.
Adger, John Bailey.
Adrain, Henry A.
Affleck, George B.
Aguirre, Enrique Carlos [i].
Ahrnes, Virginia [i].
Ainey, W. D. B.
Ainsworth, Charles H.
Akagi, Roy Hidemichi [i].
Akinaka, Asa M.
Akyea, Ofori E.
Alcorn, Hugh Meade Jr.
Alcraz, Jose R. [i]
Aldrich, Guy Von.
Alexander, A. J. A. (Dr.).
Alexander, Archibald S.
Alexander, Chester Stephen [i].
Alexander, Claude L.
Alexander, Henry C.
Alexander, Jesse N. Jr.
Alexander, John L.
Alexander, Paul William (Judge).
Alexander, Ronni [i].
Alexander, Sadie Tanner Mossell.
Alexander, Ted M.
Alexander, Will Winton.
Ali, Muhammad.
Alivisatos, Hamilcar S.
Allen, Arthur Jones [i].
Allen, George Edward.
Allen, Glenn.
Allen, Howard Cameron.
Allen, James Egert (Dr.).
Allen, Joseph M.
Allen, Percy MacGregor.
Box
2 Allenby, Edmond Lord [i].
Alling, Joseph T.
Allyn, Stanley C.
Alton, Carol W.
Altschul, Craig.
Altschul, Frank.
Alvarez, Walter L. [i].
Ambler, E. V.
Ambrosio, D. B. [i].
Ames, C. B. (Judge).
Ames, John Quincy.
Ammerman, Helen Louise [i].
Ammon, William B. (Admiral).
Amoss, Ulius Louis [i].
Amsden, Lynford Clarence [i].
Amundson, Albert Oswald.
Anantharez, P. John [i].
Andersen, Hans Peter.
Anderson, A. E.
Anderson, A. Sherwood (Pete).
Anderson, Mrs. Arthur Forrest.
Anderson, B. Frank.
Anderson, C. O. ("Andy").
Anderson, Charles B. [i].
Anderson, Charles W.
Anderson, H. O.
Anderson, Harry Dewey [i].
Anderson, Harvey Winfred [i].
Anderson, Helen Bagley.
Anderson, Howard ("Andy").
Anderson, Howard Elmer [i].
Anderson, James.
Box
3 Anderson, Karl Brooke.
Biographical Note: Anderson (1892-1975) began his professional YMCA work in 1917 at the Army YMCA in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. In 1918 he went overseas for the USA Ambulance Service for the French Army. In 1919 he entered work for the British YMCA, serving in the Middle East in prisoner-of-war camps and at the Jerusalem YMCA. He left the Middle East and YMCA work in 1921 for health reasons.
After receiving a B. D. from Yale Divinity School, in 1924 he became executive secretary of the University of Virginia association. In 1928 he became the executive secretary of the Brown University Christian Association and remained in that position until 1957.
Anderson returned to the Middle East twice, in 1949 and 1957. In 1949 he became a refugee worker for the American Friends Service Committee in the Gaza Strip. In 1957 he returned to the Gaza Strip to work with the Near East Christian Council for Refugee Work.
Box
2 Anderson, L. L.
Anderson, Leila Warren.
Anderson, Luther A. ("Luke").
Anderson, Paul B. & Margaret:
Biographical Note: Paul Anderson's (1894-?) career as a secretary for the YMCA spanned 48 years. He began in 1913 as a private secretary to Charles W. Harvey, senior YMCA secretary in Shankai, China. In 1917 he became John R. Mott's personal secretary for a trip to Russia. Anderson remained in Russia until 1919 doing prisoner-of-war work.. From 1920 to 1924 he worked with Russian prisoners of war and refugees in Germany. While there he was also director of the Russian Correspondence School in Berlin. In 1924 he went to Paris to become the International Committee representative for France, which he held until 1937. He also founded the Russian language Chekhov Press in Paris. From 1937 to 1947 Anderson was the senior secretary in Europe for the International Committee, and from 1947 to 1961 he was the associate executive secretary for the World Service Division.
After his retirement in 1961, Anderson became a consultant on East-West relations with several organizations, including the International Committee and various church councils.
Content Note: The bulk of the papers relate to Russia, communism, and religion in Russia. The papers include his reports on such topics as "Experiences of the YMCA in Communist Dominated Countries," "Christianity and Communism," and "The YMCA as a Factor for Christian Civilization in Western Europe." Anderson did considerable traveling in Europe and Russia, and the papers contain travel itineraries and reports as well as news articles, particularly on his 1956 trip to Russia with the National Council of Churches to investigate religious conditions there. News articles also report his retirement in 1961.
Correspondence relates to his travel but also concentrates on his interest in the publishing of religious books, including some by the Association Press. There is also a 1954 book review of a novel by Anderson, God's Secret Armies. The papers also reflect Anderson's interest in Russian language publications. Other correspondence related to Anderson's day-to-day work as an administrator in the World Services Division, concentrating on meetings, the John Mott Centennial (1965), and contacts with religious leaders of various denominations.
The files contain a number of biographical sketches and articles as well as a retirement tribute by Eugene Barnett. There is also a copy of his memoirs, No East or West, edited by Donald Davis and published in 1985.
Box
4 Biographical.
Memoirs.
Papers, 1934-1956.
Box
2 Anderson, Peyton F. (Dr.).
Box
5 Andre, F. J.
Andresen, Paul Douglass [i].
Andrews, Alan (Col.) [i].
Andrews, F. Raymond.
Andrews, Frank Emerson.
Andrews, John Bartlett [i].
Andrews, Robert.
Andreychuk, Raynell (Judge).
Angiel, Max Jean.
Angle, Wesley M.
Anspach, Charles L. (Dr.).
Anthony, Julian Danford.
Antrim, Harry Carlton.
Apgar, Robert H.
Aplin, Lawrence Edgar Denison [i].
Appadurai, Aaron.
Appell, Mrs. Frederick W.
Appleton, John G.
Appley, Lawrence A.
Archibald, Gerry.
Archibald, L. W.
Areson, Clinton Webber [i].
Argetsinger, J. C.
Armor, Cheva.
Armstrong, Charles Jr.
Armstrong, Earl P.
Armstrong, J. Bruce [i].
Armstrong, James Claude.
Armstrong, Robert D.
Arndt, Ernst Moritz.
Arnold, Albert S.
Arnold, Lloyd (Dr.).
Arnold, Raymond L.
Arnold, Roger David & Eleanor [i].
Arnold, Theodore Wayne [i].
Arnold, Thomas.
Arnold, Walter.
Arroll, James O.
Arsenian, Seth.
Arthur, George R.
Artis, Lionel F.
Ascham, John Bayne [i].
Ashton, Dudley.
Aso, Tetsuo (Dr.).
Astor, Helen.
Athenagoras (Archbishop and Patriarch).
Atherton, Frank Cooke:
Biographical Note: Atherton (1877-1945) was a prominent lay leader of the International Committee and the Honolulu association. In 1904 he started serving on the Board of Directors of the Honolulu association, and in 1916 he was elected to the International Committee; he served on both until his death. He fostered association work in Hawaii through his involvement with the Territorial Committee, often financing new associations until they became self-sustaining. In addition to his YMCA work he served on a number of other religious and charitable organizations.
Atherton's professional life was spent in Hawaiian business. He became chairman of the board of Castle and Cooke, Ltd., which had been founded by his family.
Content Note: Atherton's papers consist of correspondence relating to the YMCA National Council, USO work in World War II, and the American Community War Services. Also, much of the material pertains to philanthropic trusts which he administered.
There are several tributes and memorials following his death in 1945, including a U. S. Army commendation for his USO work. There are numerous obituary articles. Also included are reminiscences by former secretaries collected for a biography of Atherton by Ethan T. Colton and correspondence regarding the biography.
Box
6 Provenance.
Biographical.
Papers, 1928-1967.
Papers regarding Atherton's death1962.
Papers regarding biography by Ethan Colton, 1965-1967.
Atkinson, James E.
Atkinson, Robert H.
Atwell, Donald Bliss [i].
Aubrey, Edwin E. (Dr.).
Aubrey, Gwilym O.
Auburn, Frederick W. [i].
Auchincloss, Douglas.
Ault, John W.
Aurobindo, Sr.
Austin, O. David.
Austin, William B.
Aveling, Wilhelmina.
Avison, Gordon Wilberforce [i].
Avison, Lawrence B.
Azariah (Bishop) [i].
Ayers, William H. M.
Ayer, Francis Wayland:
Biographical Note: Francis Wayland (1848-1923) began his lay activities for the YMCA in New Jersey, and by 1893 he was vice chairman of the New Jersey State Committee. He was its chairman from 1913 until his death. A member of the International Committee, he became president of the 39th International Convention in 1916. He was active in the Boys Work Committee of the International Committee and in establishing the Retirement Fund in 1923.
Ayer's lay activities included both local and national service to his church. He was superintendent of Sunday school for the North Baptist Church in Camden, New Jersey. He was also president of the New Jersey Baptist Convention.
Ayer founded N. W. Ayer and Son, a national advertising agency, in 1869. He also operated a dairy farm.
Content Note: Ayer's records include a biographical sketch from the National Cyclopedia of American Biography and a 15 page biographical sketch by Ethan Colton; both of these concentrate on Ayer's advertising career but also mention his YMCA activities.
Memorial materials include an article, "Francis Wayland Ayer: An Appreciation" by YMCA associate Clarence A. Barbour; a printed collection of memorial essays including a contribution by John R. Mott, "F. Wayland Ayer, the Christian Statesman"; an excerpt containing a memorial from the 1925 Biennial Report of the State Executive Committee of the YMCA of New Jersey; and a 1927 dedication program of the North Baptist Church in Camden, New Jersey.
Other records include a 1923 report of the Board of Trustees of the YMCA Retirement Fund; a 1949 history of N. W. Ayer and Son by Ralph Hower; 1949-1959 correspondence relating to Colton's biographical sketch; and a 1959 report by Raymond P. Kaighn relating to Ayer's term as first chairman of the YMCA Retirement Fund.
Box
7 Biographical.
Papers, 1907-1927, 1949-1959.