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Blake and Goodsell Family Papers, 1883-2005 (bulk 1905-1980)
Blake and Goodsell Family Papers, 1883-2005 [Bulk: 1905-1980]
MS 4922
17 linear feet, 28 boxes
Processed by Meg Rampton, May 2009
Additional editing by John Blake, grandson of Jack and Lynda Blake, September 2010.
Copyright: requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be discussed with the archivist or librarian.
Biographical Note
Fred Field Goodsell was born to Dennis and Abby Goodsell in 1880. He graduated from UC Berkley and enrolled as a student at the Hartford Seminary in 1902. Goodsell married Lulu (Lou) Service on June 26th, 1905. Lou was born to John and Julia Service on 1881. In 1907 the couple moved to Turkey where they served as missionaries for the next 23 years. Their first years were at Central Turkey College in rural Aintab (Gaziantep). From 1914 to 1919, during World War I, the Goodsells returned to the United States, returning to Turkey shortly after the war’s end. In 1930 Fred and Lou moved to Boston, Massachusetts, when Fred became the Executive Vice President of the ABCFM. Fred retired in 1949. Lou passed away on August 10, 1971, with Fred following 5 years later on August 13, 1976.
Lynda was born to Fred and Lou Goodsell on October 22, 1906 in Berlin Germany. Growing up, Lynda traveled and served with her parents as missionaries until she left home in 1923 to attend Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Upon graduation she enrolled in a Masters degree program at Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California. Her father was on furlough teaching a class there on Islam. In this class she met Everett Blake. Everett (Jack) Blake was born to Harriet Amanda May Carll Blake and John Blake on January 3, 1901 in Faribault, Minnesota. The two were married on June 24, 1927. In 1928 they sailed to Istanbul, and in 1929 the Blakes were assigned to Erenköy, a boy’s school in Goztepe, Istanbul. In 1931 they were reassigned to the School for the girls in Merzifon. The school was dispersed in 1939 and the Blakes moved to the American Collegiate Institute (ACI).
The Blakes had three children: John, Lincoln, and Jackyln. The Blakes served on and off in Turkey until their retirement in 1971. Lynda passed away in 1989, and Everett quickly followed in 1990.
For a complete review of the Blake and Goodsell families, please refer to Way Leads on to Way; The paths our family chose by Jacklyn Blake Clayton and Paul Clark Clayton. Researchers should also note that the Congregational Library has more records by / about Fred Field Goodsell. Please refer to the online catalog or make inquiries to the staff.
Scope and Content
The bulk of the Blake-Goodsell Collection is correspondence filling 9 and a half boxes. The remainder of the collection consists of material relating to the Near Eastern Mission, sermons, newspaper clippings, photographs and scrapbooks, and other personal items. Within the correspondence it is implied that there are multiple recipients or writers when it is left as such: To / From Everett Blake.
Series 1: This series consists of letters to and from Fred Field Goodsell, who calls himself FFG. Within the Goodsell Correspondence there are two sub-series. Sub-series A is strictly correspondence between Fred and Lou Goodsell. Sub-series B is correspondence between the Fred Goodsell Family and his parents Abby and Dennis. This series also includes letters between the Goodsell relations.
Series 2: The second series is the Blake Correspondence. Everett Blake was "Jack" to most who knew him and most of his letters are signed in this manner. Sub-series A consists of letters to / from Everett and his wife Lynda.
Series 3: This series is letters writing to and from the Goodsell and Blake families. The vast majority of this series, filling 3 boxes, is correspondence back and forth from Lou and Fred Goodsell and Everett and Lynda Blake. Letters are written between each person individually and also to the families. This is Sub-series A. There is also a Sub-series B that consists of 6 unsorted envelopes of correspondence between Lynda’s Family and her grandparents, Abby and Dennis Goodsell.
Series 4: This series more specifically covers the Near East Mission. It is represented by both the Goodsell and Blake families and includes correspondence, reports, and information on the school run by the Blakes.
Series 5: This series is divided into three sub-series of Goodsell, Blake, and both. It covers ministry material and personal items. Newspaper clippings, passports, and biographies are all included here and very valuable to research.
Series 6: The Photographs are housed in Box 12 and cover the Blake and Goodsell Families. There are many duplicates in the scrapbooks that are also a part of this series.
Series 7: The Journals cover time periods relating to the ministry of the Blake and Goodsell families and also the time spent in Turkey. Everett Blake and a large collection of day planners listing his daily activities.
Box and Folder List
For a complete box/folder list, please see the attached Word document.