By Tricia McEldowney
Title: Ruth Mather Papers, 1904-1981
ID: UA/RG-PP/ARCH-016
Primary Creator: Mather, Ruth (1890-1986)
Extent: 1.03 Cubic Feet. More info below.
Arrangement: The Ruth Mather Papers are arranged chronologically.
Subjects: Baptist missionaries--China--20th century, Baptists--Missions--China--20th century, Denison University--Undergraduates, Mather, Ruth, 1890-1986, Missions, American--20th century, Women in missionary work--20th century, Women missionaries--China--20th century, Young Women's Christian Association
Forms of Material: Black-and-white photographs, Booklets, Correspondence, Greeting cards, Newsletters, Scrapbooks
Ruth Elizabeth Mather was born on August 25, 1890, in Charlevoix, Michigan. In 1893, she moved with her family to Chicago, Illinois. Mather graduated from South Chicago High School in 1908. That fall she entered Denison University. During her time at Denison, she participated in the Philomathean Literary Society and the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). Mather graduated in 1912 with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree.
Mather taught at several schools in the United States after graduating from Denison University. She taught math in Bacone, Oregon (1912-1913); English, math, and history in Fayetteville, Arkansas (1913-1915); and English history in Duluth, Minnesota (1915-1918).
During the summer of 1917, Mather trained in New York City for YWCA work overseas. In 1920, she sailed to China for the first time as a Baptist missionary and lived there until 1924 when she contracted tuberculosis and returned to the United States. After recovering, Mather began work at the Ohio Baptist Convention Office as a secretory in the Department of Christian Education.
In 1939, Mather returned to China as a Baptist missionary. She taught at the Mothercraft School until it closed in 1941 due to the Japanese invasion of China. Though Mather had to move several times in the next several years, she remained in the country until 1945. Mather spent two years in the United States working with the International Missionary Conference before again returning to China in 1947.
Mather returned to the United States in 1950 and worked with the Women’s Association of American Baptist Foreign Mission Society. No longer able to return to China, she moved to Burma (renamed Myanmar in 1989) to teach English. Mather lived there from 1952 until she retired in 1957.
Ruth Mather died on March 28, 1986.
Baptist missionaries--China--20th century
Baptists--Missions--China--20th century
Denison University--Undergraduates
Mather, Ruth, 1890-1986
Missions, American--20th century
Women in missionary work--20th century
Women missionaries--China--20th century
Young Women's Christian Association
Repository: Denison University Archives
Alternate Extent Statement: (1) 5” letter document box; (1) 2.5” legal document box; (1) oversize flat box
Access Restrictions: This collection is available for research but may be used only in the Denison University Archives & Special Collections research room.
Use Restrictions: Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright and are made available for research and educational purposes. While Denison University holds the physical rights for this collection, we may not hold the copyright or reproduction rights. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Denison University Archives & Special Collections is not held liable.
Preferred Citation: Ruth Mather Papers, University Archives & Special Collections, Denison University (Granville, Ohio)
Processing Information: Processed by: Tricia McEldowney (2025 November); Finding aid written by: Tricia McEldowney (2025 November)
