Sue Stanford was born on October 1, 1889 on her family’s farm eight miles southwest of Waco, McLennan County, Tx. Growing up with seven brothers and sisters, Sue Stanford spent much of her youth either assisting with farm chores or worshipping in Stanford Chapel, named for her paternal grandfather who was a pioneer Methodist preacher and a successful grandfather. Her love for education was ingrained through her family life as six of her seven siblings went to college. As her desire for education and her strong emphasis on spirituality grew throughout her childhood, her experience at a missionary meeting conducted by her mother revealed a life-changing link between learning and religion. from that point forward, missionary work deeply interested Stanford. Attending prep school at Coronal Institute, San Marcos, Tx, Stanford chose to pursue undergraduate studies at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Tx. It was in Georgetown where she was introduced to the YMCA and Student Volunteer Movement. more importantly, she studied under Dr. Herbert Lee Gray, a Bible professor and missionary to China from 1890 to 1897. Dr. Gray helped finalize her decision to dedicate her life to missionary work.

Graduating from Southwestern University in 1911, Sue Stanford entered missionary training at Scarritt Bible and Training School. In 1914, she left for China and arrived in Shanghai, a rapidly growing port city of two million. Stanford served as a teacher and principal at the Virginia School for girls in Huchow for the majority of her stay. She also taught a the McTyeire School in Shanghai when the Virginia School was temporarily shut down due to extenuating circumstances.

Stanford’s work in China ended in 1950, when anti-Christian pressure from the newly empowered Communist regime under Mao Zedong took control in 1949. Despite this sudden and forceful ouster, Sue Stanford and her fellow missionaries left behind a solid foundation of indigenous leaders who would continue to advance the spread of Christianity in China.

Box.Folder
1.1 Action Items-Aunt Sue Project; 1983, 1987, 1988- List of questions re: Sue to answer

1.2 Archives and History Center; UMC Correspondence 1986-1988

1.3 General Committee on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church Research Notes 1945

1.4 Bibliography-In Connection with Research for Sue Stanford 1988

1.5 Board of Global Ministries Correspondence 1985-1995

1.6 BOGM- China Program n.d.

1.7 BOGM- Notes for further research in NY n.d.

1.8 Drew Library-Correspondence 1987

1.9 Clayton Calhoun-Correspondence 1988

1.10 Chronological Lists-Mission School, Chinese History n.d.
Chronology of Chinese History, 1793-1949; chronology of Sue Stanford’s mission, 1914-1950

1.11 Correspondence-Stanford Colleages, 1961, 1965, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1988, 1993

1.12 Correspondence–Jean Craig 1978-1995
The Foundations of Shanghai’s Public School #3 Response, Doris Franklin

1.13 Correspondence Dr. John C. Hawk 1988

1.14 Correspondence History of Huchow 1987-1988

1.15 [Keepsakes] Stanford’s Passport [1934]

1.16 Stanford’s Life Sketch n.d.
Contains direct quotations from Stanford about her life

1.17 Correspondence L.M. McCoy 1988-1996
Dr. Fred P. Manget in the Field of Religion A Medical Missionary

1.18 Correspondence Mrs. Elizabeth Margaret Minter (Dr. Fred P. Manget) 1988-1996
The Story of Dr. Fred Prosper Manget by Mrs. Robert S. McMichael, 1963; cassette tape, Elizabeth Manget Minter

1.19 Maps of China [1988]
Various maps of China.

1.20 Notes about Sherry Messersmith n.d.

1.21 Correspondence Heidi Ross 1993

1.22 Scanning Project 1922

1.23 Correspondence Scaritt College 1988

1.24 Research Regarding Mittie Shelton 1975-1995

1.25 Hubert L. Stone 1988
Excerpt from a letter to Sarah Stanford (2-3-88)

2.1 Correspondence with Margaret Swift 1946-1995
Cassette tape, Margaret Swift tape

2.2 Correspondence with Dr. M.O. Williams, Jr. 1988-1992

2.3 Dr. M.O. Williams, Jr. (materials forwarded)
1924, 1936, 1937-1939, 1940, 1941, 1990
Various items dealing with missionary work in China

2.4 Rough Draft of Life Sketch and Miscellaneous 1985-1986
News clippings 1985-1986

2.5 Family Correspondence and Stanford’s Personal Papers 1985
Personal papers that include assignments, chronology, and medical records

2.6 Photographs
[1910-1920], [1950?], [1910-1920]
2 x 3 Sue Stanford and unidentified woman, on reverse Sue Stanford in dark dress; 4 x 7 copy of dedication in a report; 3 x 5 Sue Stanford and three other women, on reverse: 1. Miss Blackford, 2. Miss Shelton, 3. Miss McRinnan. Sue Stanford on far left. Taken in China. Virginia School, Huchow.

2.7 Extra copies of documents in notebooks. n.d.
Life sketch; correspondence from Sue; cultural history of Huchow

2.8 Research Materials [1894-1910] 
Women and Missions; Women’s Board of Foreign Missions Annual Reports [1894-1910]

2.9 Research Materials n.d.
Fairbank, John K. The Missionary Enterprise in China and America.

2.10 Heidi Ross papers regarding McTyeire school n.d.
Ross, Heidi. Cradle of Female Talent: The McTyeire Home and School for Girls, 1892-1937.

2.11 Research Materials n.d.
White, Mary Culler Just Jennie: The Life Story of Virginia M. Atkinson (1955). Wilson, Dick When Tigers Fight: The Story of the Sino-Japanese War, 1937, 1945.

2.12 Chinese Missionary History n.d., 1993
Williams, Melville O., Jr. From Mission to Annual Conference: The Work of the MECS in China, 1848-1886.

2.13 Lest We Forget by Jean F. Craig 1988, 1992
A history of missionary work in China during the period from 1914-1950. Written at the request of Ed Stanford. Contains letter from Ed Stanford to Heidi Ross.

3.1 McTyeirian History 1982, 1993
Craig, Jean F. A Brief History of McTyeire School for Girls, Shanghai, China. Telling Women’s Lives: In Search of McTyeire, 1892-1992.

3.2 McTyeirian Yearbook 1929

3.3 McTyeirian Year 1930

3.4 Research Materials n.d.
Lutz, Jessie G. (editor). Christian Missions in China: Evangelists of What? White, Theodore S. In Search of History A Personal Adventure.

3.5 Research Materials n.d.
Buck, Pearl S. Fighting Angel. Endicott, Stephen, James D. Endicott: Rebel Out of China. Lacy, Walter N., A Hundred Years of Chinese Methodism. LaTourette, Kenneth Scott, Christianity in a Revolutionary Age (Vol. III).

3.6 Newspaper Articles China n.d., 1994
Articles concerning Mao Tse Tsung and his Red Guard, The Washington Post

4.1 Binder of research materials concerning 1912-1927 [1912-1927]
Contains school records, correspondence (copies and originals), Women’s Missionary Council notes.

4.2 Binder of research materials concerning 1930-1945
[1930-1945]
Contains missionary roll lists, misc. records, correspondence, and Women’s Missionary Council notes.

4.3 Binder of research materials concerning 1946-1966
[1946-1966]
Contains correspondence; Minutes of the Fifth Session of the East China Conference, The Methodist Church, 1948;

5.1 Binder of research materials containing information about history of Virginia School; correspondence with Fang E Lan. 1993-1994
Correspondence between Ed Satnford and Fang E Lan (originals and copies); book written in Chinese.

5.2 Binder containing chronological history, bibliography, life sketch, 1992.