Relatives and Friends (Condolences), Hudson Relatives, "Miscellaneous Friends", 1899-1901

Contains correspondence received by Lydia and Francis Davis in China (1889-1900) and by Lydia after Francis' death (1900-13, undated). Located here are letters (1889-96) from Lydia's parents, Eleazer and Mary Lord, which often include as enclosures letters sent to Mrs. Lord by Lydia's Ohio friends. Letters (1889-99) received are mainly from Lydia's "Shansi sisters," (identified as "Missionary Colleagues" in the inventory) who included Susan Rowena Bird (d. 1900), Jennie Pond Atwater (d. 1900), Mrs. D. H. Clapp (d.1900), Mrs. James Goldsbury, Eva Price (d. 1900), D'Etta Hewett Thompson, and Alice Moon Williams (1860-1952). The post-1900 correspondence includes letters of condolence to Lydia from family, friends, and from the clergy and parishioners of Leavitt Street Congregational Church, Chicago (1900-04). Official correspondence (1900) from the U.S. State Department (ten letters) notifies Lydia of Francis' murder at Taigu. These letters are filed with five printed petitions (1909), which were submitted to the U.S. Court of Claims by Lydia Lord Davis. Additional correspondents include Judson Smith (1837-1906) of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (1888-89, 1899-1903) and Dr. Henry S. Upson (1859-1913), Lydia's Cleveland physician from 1898 to 1905.

Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by the correspondents designated by Lydia Lord Davis and chronologically thereunder. Notes in Davis' hand, accompanying the correspondence, identify her relation to the letter-writer. The category of "Missionary Colleagues" supersedes that of "Letters sent by others" in the original box listing.