Tom Coleman papers, 1916-2004
Scope and Contents
Judy Coleman Peterson donated materials found interleaved in the Lewis Eric Coleman bible in 2020, including newspaper clippings and handwritten notes in Swedish.
Robert Schenck, previous medical missionary in Ethiopia, donated the second series of this collection in 2020. This includes a DVD about Tom Coleman's life, as well as three poems written by Coleman. Included is also a recording of the English translation of "On the Death Trail," currently published as "The Unrevealed Memoir-A True Story" by Harald Nystrom. The book recall's Nystrom's experiences during the Italian-Ethiopian War.
Series three was donated by Jonathan Larson in 2021. It contains several publications and pamphlets owned by the Colemans.
The Flash drive photographs came from Kent Gerber in 2023. The photographs are of Addis Ababa, Ambo Hospital, Bekogi, the BGC Field Councils, and Gendeberet. These photographs originally came from Tim Johnson, son of missionaries to Ethiopia.
The Newsletters date between 1957 to 1975, the folder containing letters to supporters to the Coleman mission.
The dated folders date between 1953 and 1979. These contain correspondence, financial information, and inventories of materials the Coleman's had in Africa. These mostly are documents from the Baptist General Conference headquarters.
The 2025 Acquisition contains materials donated by Judy Peterson. There are three binders of Ethiopia letters that date between 1959 and 1975. These folders contain mostly correspondence, but also newspaper clippings, diary excerpts, and photographs. Several letters describe the Marxist revolution in Ethiopia. The Letters binder contains courtship letters, the beginnings of their mission work, biographies, news articles, awards, and end of life information. Another Ethiopia Documents binder contains shipping lists, business documents, orthopedic credentials, letters, and BGC expectations for deputation. The Ethiopia binder titled "Kallu, Galla, Churches, Evangelism" contains information about Biblical instruction, evangelism, and the church extension committee. The Ethiopia binder folders hold information on the Ambo Hospital, the dresser school, the health program in Ethiopia, and the Gendeberet Leprosarium. Other folders in these binders include field council minutes and information, geography, BGC work in Ethiopia, and a radio log from Gendeberet. The Ethiopia and Cameroon Letters/ Documents binder has information about All Africa Leprosy and Rehabilitation Training Centre (ALERT), documents from missions in Cameroon, travel information through Kenya, and information about the death of missionary Steven Bartalsky.
The Cameroon Documents/ Letters binder includes information from 2001 to 2005, including information about the Fon who had honored Tom. Three Cameroon Letters binders date from 1987 to 2004. Many letters have typed duplicates done by the Colemans' daughter Judy in preparation to be sent out to supporters. The Cameroon Documents binder contains newspapers, financial information, market shopping information, correspondence, and information about the Banso Baptist Hospital in Kumbo and the Mbingo Baptist Hospital in Baingo. The Cameroon binder dates from 1989 until 1997, holding information from the Mbingo Baptist Hospital, the Cameroon Baptist Convention, and correspondence. The Interesting Cameroon folder contains primarily hospital and health information, as well as super market reciepts.
The BGC History Speeches were given by Tom about the Swedish Bapitst history in Isanti County, Minnesota. The Newsletter and Annual Reports date from 1958 to 1975, many duplicating newsletters already in the collection. With St. George on the Death Ride: A Memoir of the Italian-Ethiopian war of 1935-36 by Dr. Harald Nystrom was translated from Swedish to English in 2012 by Coleman. The printed English version and translation notes are included in this series. The Scrap Book dates between 1965 and 2004, containing newspaper clippings, correspondence, diary entries, and obituaries. Many poems are included in this collection, including those written by Coleman and by others. Tom Coleman did translation work of poems out of Orsamal and Swedish. The Swedish documents folder contains genealogy information, including of Olof Flack's court marshal in Falun, Sweden, for his religion in 1859. There are also writings on Eric Lund and an article by John Ahgren titled "Baptismen i Mora." One folder holds "Rev. Olof Engberg: His Life and Ministry in Sweden and the Cambridge-Isanti Area", translated by Ernest Nelson in 1985. Read and Rejoice was the title of the Baptist General Conference's annual reports of foreign missionaries. This copy dates to 1956. The 1951 Baptist General Conference Annual Meeting was held in Oakland, California, which Elaine attended, keeping programs and notes from the event. Four notebooks contain the diaries of Elain Coleman during her time in Ethiopia.
The three hats were gifted to Coleman from a Fon (chieftain) in the North West Province in Cameroon. The file contains a 2005 photograph of Coleman in one of the hats with the Fon and Coleman's grandson. There is also an email explaination from a man local to the area providing context to the hats.
Dates
- 1916 - 2004
Creator
- Coleman, Tom (Collector, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for researcher use.
Biographical Note
Thomas Paul Coleman was born April 24, 1922 in Spring Vale, Minnesota. In 1944, he joined the Navy. He graduated from Bethel College in 1948, and received an M.D. from the University of Minnesota from 1953. With his wife, Elaine Westlund, whom he married in 1954, he had three children: Judith Arlene Peterson, William James, and Eric Donald. They became a medical missionaries to Ethiopia affiliated with the Baptist General Conference throughout the 1950s to the 1970s. In 1972, he was awarded Bethel's Alumnus of the Year. Between 1987 and 2002, he volunteered in several medical missions under the Cameroon Baptist Convention. He was honored by a Cameroon Fon by being give titles of Fai and Shey. Tom died in 2020, and Elaine died in 2023.
Extent
2 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
Swedish
Arrangement
The 2025 Acquisition series is arranged in its donated order. Documents were removed from their donated binders and placed in order into archival folders.
Custodial History
Judy Coleman Peterson donated materials found interleaved in the Lewis Eric Coleman bible in 2020.
Robert Schenck, previous medical missionary in Ethiopia, donated the second series of this collection in 2020.
Series three was donated by Jonathan Larson in 2021.
The Flash drive photographs came from Kent Gerber in 2023. These photographs originally came from Tim Johnson, son of missionaries to Ethiopia.
The newsletters and dated folders were likely donated by the Baptist General Conference headquarters at an unknown date.
The 2025 Acquisition series was donated to the archives by Judy Coleman Peterson on July 8, 2025. The material came from her parents, Tom and Elaine Coleman. The Camaroon hats were gifted to Tom Coleman from a Fon in the North West Province of Cameroon.
Existence and Location of Copies
The Flash drive photographs are located on the the Archivist drive. It is unclear where the original photograph slides are.
Copyright information
Intellectual property of 2025 Acquisiton was transferred over to the archives at time of donation.
Creator
- Coleman, Tom (Collector, Person)
- Coleman, Elaine, 1928-2023 (Person)
- Title
- Tom Coleman papers, 1916-2004
- Author
- Rebekah Bain
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the The History Center: Archives of Bethel University and Converge Repository