Paul and Laura Edwards papers, 1947-1974

Collection

Identifier: MSS-Miss-8

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Paul and Laura Edwards papers date between 1947 to 1974 and spans two boxes.

The Newsletters folder dates between 1951 to 1963 and were sent to donors and supporters.

The dated folders contain mostly correspondence, but also include some financial information.

Dates

1947 - 1974

Creator

Edwards, Paul, Rev. (1921-1982) (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for researcher use.

Biographical Note

Paul Edwards was born in 1921. He graduated from Wheaton College in 1943, from Bethel Seminary in 1949, and from George Washington University in 1959. He was ordained at Payne Avenue Baptist Church in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1950.

Laura Selander was born in 1922 in Calcutta, India, where her parents were missionaries. In 1943, she graduated from Wheaton College, then in 1949 from the University of Minnesota Medical School. Paul and Laura married in 1943 and had three children: Patricia (Tatsak), Constance (Vitaliti), and John.

In 1950, they became missionaries in Assam, India. Paul did evangelism work, and Laura founded two hospitals for women in Tezpur and Harisinga and conducted clinics in remote villages. They left India in 1968 for Minnesota, where Laura worked at St. Paul-Ramsey Medical Center. Paul died in 1982. From 1985 to her death, Laura split her time between Minnesota and Cameroon, where she did missionary medical work. She was named Minnesota's female physician of the year in 1989. Laura was killed in a car accident in Cameroon in 2000.

Extent

1 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

This collection is arranged chronologically, reflecting donated order.

Custodial History

It is unclear when this collection was donated to the History Center. It was likely donated by the Baptist General Conference Foreign Missions office.