Wilbur, Edwin H. (1869–1914) and Susan (Haskell) (1872–1965)

Edwin Wilbur was trained as an educator, printer, nurse, and minister. Susan was a nurse, educator, and colporteur. Together the couple would go as pioneer missionaries to China serving as the denomination’s first official missionaries in mainland China.¹ Edwin’s name in Chinese was: 邬尔布 (Pinyin Wūěrbù) and Susan’s Chinese name was: 邬秀珊 (Pinyin Wūxiùshān).

Early Background

Edwin was born April 2, 1869, in Janesville, Wisconsin, to Jacob (1836-1929) and Elizabeth C. Webster Wilbur (1841-1890).² His parents were “First-day Adventists” from Gloversville, New York. While there, they were invited to have dinner with a Seventh-day Adventist family who offered to send them the Review for six months. Jacob offered to reciprocate with the World’s Crisis for six months. Afterward, Jacob attended a Seventh-day Adventist camp meeting as a guest of S. B. Whitney, who later came to his home and held evangelistic meetings.³ Edwin traced his conversion to 1879 when he was baptized by his father.⁴ In his youth, he attended public schools in New York, Michigan, and South Dakota.⁵ From 1889 to 1891, he took “preparatory” training as a teacher. From 1888 to 1900, he worked in the print trade working primarily to set type (from 1898 to 1899 he set type for the Review and Herald).

Around 1898, he developed a serious interest in going to China as a missionary.⁶ In preparation, Edwin enrolled in the nursing program on January 1, 1900, at the Adventist Sanitarium in Nevada, Iowa, which he completed after two and a half years as part of the first graduating class.⁷ Unfortunately, he failed to pass “the medical test” due to a weak heart, so the mission board declined his appointment.⁸ He continued to press his claim to the Foreign Mission Board with a Chinese Scripture text, or some fact about China, signing the note: “Yours for China.”⁹ In the meantime, Edwin worked as a compositor for publishing The Workers’ Bulletin.¹⁰ At one point, he had to return home to Stanberry, Missouri, to see his family and recover his health.¹¹ He along with his family were early members of the Enyart, Missouri, Seventh-day Adventist Church, one of the oldest congregations in the conference.¹² He developed a reputation for sharing his faith while working as a sanitarium nurse. He would use his free time to go into the nearby city to colporteur.¹³

Susan was born December 8, 1872, in Garwin, Iowa, to Lafayette (1843-1928) and Margret Stevens Haskell (1842-1922), who were active members of the Seventh Day Baptist Church. Susan attended public schools in Iowa from 1882 to 1889. Susan traced her conversion at age 18 to when a colporteur sold her father a copy of Bible Readings. She with her father and sister decided to start keeping the seventh-day Sabbath, which prompted strong opposition from her mother.¹⁴ By 1895, she left home to work as a colporteur herself.¹⁵ She matriculated to Union College (1901-1902) and then studied nursing at the Iowa Sanitarium (1902).

Preparation and Travel to China

In early 1902, A. G. Daniells and W. A. Spicer went to the Iowa Sanitarium looking for missionaries. Susan Haskell volunteered right away for mission service. Walking up behind Edwin, W. A. Spicer asked: “Still yours for China, Brother?” He shared how the Foreign Mission Board officially extended a call¹⁶ followed subsequently by missionary credentials.¹⁷ Unfortunately, there still was not enough funds to send them, so they prayed for the Lord to provide a way.¹⁸ At a meeting of the Northwestern Union Conference held April 3-13, 1902, an appeal made for funds to send missionaries. A revival took place. “With deep feeling,” Edwin shared to those present about “the burden that has long pressed upon his heart for that field, and expression his determination to lose no time in setting sail.” His testimony “melted” those present, bringing “tears” to their eyes. According to A. G. Daniells, when this need became known at the Iowa Camp Meeting, there was a call for $350 to defray expenses. “In a few minutes $1,000 was raised in cash and pledges. This was enough to pay their transportation and a year’s wages.”¹⁹ For their part, Edwin and Susan tied the knot on July 21, 1902, at the home of the bride in Garwin, Iowa.²⁰

They left with Dr. S. L. and Myrtle S. Lockwood, on October 6, sailing on “The Empress of India”²¹ from Vancouver for Yokohama, Japan, where they arrived on October 21. They had two “hard storms” making for a rather rough voyage. The Lockwoods stayed as missionaries in Japan while the Wilburs continued their journey on to Hong Kong.²² They stopped briefly in Shanghai, where they visited the Seventh Day Baptist mission. They finally arrived at Hong Kong on October 31, 1902, where they were met by J. N. Anderson. They went immediately to work learning the Chinese language. Soon after their arrival, Susan took “charge” of a meeting explaining biblical texts.²³ She also would have discovered that during the voyage she was pregnant, giving birth to a son named Robert Morrison Wilbur on July 9, 1903. The choice of a name for their firstborn was based upon the inspirational life of Robert Morrison (1782-1834) who, in 1819, translated “the entire Bible into the Chinese language,” and whose grave they also visited.²⁴

Early Missionary Efforts in Canton and Hong Kong

The Wilburs spent the month of November with J. N. & Emma Anderson and Ida Thompson in Hong Kong. “We appreciated the privilege of learning from them what they have observed of the language and customs of the people with whom we are to labor.”²⁵ By December 1, 1902, they relocated 90 miles up the Pearl (Zhujiang) River, becoming the first official Adventist missionaries to do missionary work in mainland China.

After two months, Edwin noted that the people in Canton were “very friendly” to them. Despite the fact that when they traveled they would hear children say “Bonquoy! Bonquoy!” meaning “foreign devil,” those who lived near their home would instead say “Sin Sang!” meaning “teacher.”²⁶ Soon Wilbur translated a tract on the “Law of God” into Chinese.²⁷ After the initial pamphlets made available through Abram La Rue and the Andersons, this tract was the first of its kind made available and translated by Adventist missionaries specifically for use in mainland China. The Wilburs periodically returned to Hong Kong where they continued to work on their language study and selling English publications. In March 1903, the Wilburs returned to Hong Kong once again where they intensely pursued language study and raised funds selling literature and health foods.²⁸ They discovered that four hundred dollars’ worth of Adventist literature had been ordered (presumably by La Rue) from England with the expectation that they would be sold. “As there was no one else to take up this work,” he wrote, “we stepped into the opening providence and for more than a year and a half sold books in connection with our language study.”²⁹ La Rue, the self-supporting missionary who started the Adventist work in Hong Kong, passed away due to old age on April 26, 1903.³⁰ The Wilburs arrived with enough time to help take care of La Rue for the last few weeks of his life and then take over his work.

By June 1904, J. N. Anderson made an appeal for someone to take the place of the Wilburs in Hong Kong so that someone new can begin learning the language while the Wilburs pressed back into the mainland to “take up work for the Chinese.”³¹ The next month they reported that Edwin could read the gospel of Mark and give simple Bible studies in the Cantonese dialect. He added that their “Chinese teacher seems much interested in the truth.”³²

Canton as Missionary Base

The Wilburs returned to Canton about August 1, 1904, to assist J. N. & Emma Anderson and Ida Thompson. New evangelistic initiatives would attempt to utilize their newfound knowledge of the language and culture.³³ J. N. Anderson, for example, held the first series of Adventist evangelistic meetings “in their own language” in Canton and, in this same place, Ida Thompson opened a girls’ school on April 1, 1904.³⁴ Susan worked closely helping Ida with this girls’ school. Edwin subsequently started a school for boys opened on August 11, 1904, named Yuk Chee or Yi Zhi (益智男校).³⁵ The Wilburs for their part taught school and preached in Chinese.³⁶ Later the two schools would merge to form Sam Yuk School, the forerunner of Hong Kong Adventist College.

The fall of 1904 found the Wilburs back in Hong Kong studying Chinese. By 1905, the Wilburs began to increasingly use Canton as a new base from which to do missionary exploration. That Spring, the news that Dr. Maude Thompson Miller (who was married to Dr. Harry Miller) died hit the far-flung group of early Adventist missionaries rather hard. Thanks to repeated appeals for more help, Edwin and Susan left to meet Winfred (1880-1968) and Bessie Hankins (1879-1965) who arrived on May 3, 1905, to help support these early missionary efforts.³⁷ The Wilburs and Hankins were related to one another through marriage. Susan’s sister Mary (1874-1972) was married to Clarence Rentfro (1877-1951), a brother of Bessie Hankins (these siblings, Mary and Clarence, would become pioneer Adventist missionaries to Portugal). Similarly, the Wilburs were able to welcome Law (1867-1919) and Edith (b. 1877) Keem, who came as medical missionaries to assist the Wilburs and J. N. Anderson in Canton. After about 18 months, the Keem family relocated to Fat Shan where they opened a mission station.³⁸

Edwin reported that the most important missionary trait for working in China is patience. He reported that on Friday evenings, they had from 15-20 people in attendance, with 40-60 present on Sabbath morning. “We have been badly handicapped,” he noted, “because of our limited knowledge of the language and customs of the people. There is not one of our company here but has lost time because we had no one to tell us some of the things it was necessary to know. Now, if new workers are sent to Canton, they can learn as much in one year as we did in two.”³⁹ They hoped to expand their missionary footprint with a small Chinese monthly paper once J. N. Anderson returned from America. “I know of no better means,” acknowledged Edwin, who was trained as a printer, “of giving them a knowledge of the fundamental truths of the message than by the printed page.”⁴⁰

Susan conducted “Bible work with women in their homes.”⁴¹ She was meeting with 15 women, giving them daily Bible studies and teaching them how to sing. “These women cannot read, so they are taught to read and commit to memory portions of Scripture.” They did not have any biblical literacy and were devoted to their idols.⁴² Early missionary work for women would become characteristic of early Adventist missions overall in China. On a personal note, the Wilburs adopted a young Chinese girl, Oilene, born July 14, 1905.

Kongmoon and Canton (1907-1910)

In June 1907, the Wilburs relocated to Kongmoon, about 45 miles from Canton and one ride by steamer from Hong Kong. “We are the only Europeans living in the town,” wrote Edwin, “though there are a few missionaries and others at the customs station about three miles away.”⁴³ They brought with them literature to distribute and a young man, Brother Cheung (b. ca. 1878), from their Canton Bible school. “A Chinese Christian dentist enlarged his house, that we might have a place in which to live. A Christian widow, a shopkeeper, who was one of the first women to accept the gospel, is also the first to accept the Sabbath. Soon after our arrival, she consented to our using one room of her house for meetings.”⁴⁴ These weekly Sabbath meetings began on July 13, 1907, with an attendance of 20-30 people.⁴⁵ They did, however, return to Canton for the first ever Adventist teachers’ convention (August 11-16, 1907). Approximately 14 educators took part discussing pedagogical topics, designing a new six-year program in learning Chinese, and discussion about how to bring Bible instruction to “every branch of knowledge.”⁴⁶

If they had doubts about the sincerity of other converts, they felt reassured about the genuineness of two Cantonese young men, brothers Kwog and Cheung.⁴⁷ Brother Kwok (b. ca. 1867) was a catechist and teacher with the Church of England who began studying with J. N. Anderson in Hong Kong in 1905. On January 1, 1907, he began working as a teacher at the Adventist school in Canton. Brother Cheung was a “heathen” convert who accepted the Adventist message from Dr. Law Keem also two years before. About March 1, 1907, he accepted the Sabbath and began Bible studies with G. Doane Wong and came with the Wilburs to Kongmoon. The two young men were baptized on October 6, 1907. “These two are the first native Cantonese men baptized in China by our mission.”⁴⁸

Another major concern that the Wilburs faced while in Kongmoon was the arrival of Pentecostal missionaries. Edwin noted that some of these potential missionaries had waited for the gift of tongues rather than to actually learn the Chinese language and therefore became discouraged and returned home. Although initial dramatic reports, the “latest advice from Canton” from “intelligent native Christians” was that this was merely “a fraud, and the work of hypnotism.”⁴⁹ The Wilburs were undeterred, believing that by staying true to their Adventist convictions, their missionary work would continue to advance.

About 1908, Edwin was ordained to the gospel ministry.⁵⁰ Then in January 1909 when Elder J. N. and Emma Anderson, along with Ida Thompson, left China to attend the upcoming General Conference session, the Wilburs were asked to return to take charge of the work in south China back in Canton.⁵¹ The growing work required a strategic decision to divide personnel resources between work for the Hakkas and Cantonese. Five recent Hakka converts were baptized (June 16, 1906) and by now were recruiting new believers.⁵² For some time most of “The result is that the work among the Hakkas is flourishing, but that among the Cantonese is not in such a prosperous condition, as the Cantonese do not wish to mingle with the Hakkas; so it is thought best, as far as practicable, to conduct the work for these peoples separately.”⁵³

Rest of the Story

On February 4, 1910, the Wilbur family left on the ship “Minnesota” from Hong Kong, leaving for Seattle.⁵⁴ They stopped over to visit fellow missionaries in Japan.⁵⁵ They visited friends in Nevada, Iowa, followed by time with Susan’s family in Garwin, Iowa.⁵⁶ They also used the time to promote missionary work at camp meetings.⁵⁷ While on furlough to the United States, the Wilburs made a point to visit Susan’s alma mater, Union College. The family promoted missions, giving a talk to students and faculty about mission work in China and leaving the school with a number of gifts from the mission field including a large Chinese flag and clothes.⁵⁸ A significant motivation for returning to the United States was for Susan to have another son named Frederick Daniel “Fred,” who was born June 21, 1910, in her parent’s home in Garwin, Iowa.⁵⁹

A newspaper noted that the Wilburs arrived in Valentine, Nebraska, on Tuesday, February 6, 1911, beginning their trek to China. Robert and Oilene sang “Precious Jewels” in Chinese.⁶⁰ They also stopped to promote missions at the Loma Linda Sanitarium and the College of Medical Evangelists.⁶¹ The Wilburs returned from San Francisco on February 21, 1911, for China. They returned with O. J. Gibson and his wife as new recruits from the China Adventist mission.⁶² They arrived back at Canton on March 22, 1911.⁶³

Despite their being gone for a year, the work in south China expanded from one to four congregations with a membership of 114. Upon their return, they also held a baptism on May 14, 1911, which included the wife of the evangelist, Brother Cheung.⁶⁴

In the fall of 1913, a delegation of believers from Kwangsi gained a knowledge of the message through the reading of Adventist literature.⁶⁵ They came to Fatshan and were baptized with an earnest appeal for someone to come and pioneer work in that region. In early 1914, the Wilburs went with a delegation of church leaders to look for a new mission station. They chose a site in Pakhoi, a city in the southern part of Kwang-tung, but instability at Pakhoi necessitated that the Wilbur family remain there until Dr. Law Keem went in his place.⁶⁶ From November 18-23, 1913, Wilbur organized a “general meeting for the Cantonese division” in Fatshan. They held a daily prayer service, Bible studies, reports, and preaching. Elder R. C. Porter from the General Conference arrived Saturday evening. On Sunday they had more preaching and, at noon, Dr. Law Keem was ordained to the gospel ministry. Afterwards, Edwin and Dr. Keem baptized 22 persons.⁶⁷

Edwin died on May 1, 1914, in Pakhoi (Beihai), China, from malaria and heart failure.⁶⁸ He was known to have had a weak heart for several years previously.⁶⁹ A funeral was conducted by the Rev. W. E. Hipwell from the English Episcopal Church assisted by Mr. Pun, the Chinese Adventist evangelist.⁷⁰ The official announcement of his death in the Review and Herald described him as “a faithful and devoted missionary, and loved the people among whom he labored.”⁷¹ The news of Edwin’s death hit friends and family hard at home. His brother expressed the desire to take his place in China.⁷² Ultimately the Iowa Conference voted to send Professor & Mrs. Paul V. Thomas “to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Elder E. H. Wilbur.”⁷³

After Edwin’s death, Susan determined to stay as a missionary in China. She was encouraged to “work in Hong Kong, doing Bible work among the Chinese women.”⁷⁴ She stayed there for a little over two years, where she supervised the Bethel Girls’ School.⁷⁵ On September 23, 1916, Susan with Robert and Fred, left Shanghai on “The Empress Japan” on their way home to return to America.⁷⁶ Unfortunately, Oilene was not able to go with them, but did join them a few years later.⁷⁷ Initially, the family relocated to Iowa to be near family. In 1917, the General Conference voted an appropriation since Susan was diagnosed with tuberculosis.⁷⁸ Soon one of her sons also contracted the disease, necessitating a change of climate.⁷⁹ For a time, the family lived in Battle Creek until about 1925, when the family sold their farm.⁸⁰ Now Susan relocated to San Francisco and Oakland where she taught in a Chinese school and helped raise up an Adventist congregation in Chinatown.⁸¹ In one instance, she met a woman she had to turn away as part of a group of girls to the Bethel School due to lack of room. She prayed for another opportunity to lead her to “the truth.”⁸² In 1935, Susan moved to Oregon.⁸³ She lived with her oldest son, Robert, located in Beaver Creek, but was also close to her other son, Fred. In 1958, Ivy Doherty, a teacher at Rogue River Academy, conducted a series of interviews to write a biography about her life titled Susan Haskell, Missionary. It became the “Missionary Volunteer” featured reading book for 1959.⁸⁴ Susan died in Canby, Oregon, in 1965, where she was buried in Rock Creek Cemetery.⁸⁵

Sources

Anderson, Emma T. With Our Missionaries in China. Mountain View, Pacific Press, 1920.

Anderson, J. N. “Another Year in China.” ARH, February 23, 1905.

Anderson, J. N. “Two Years in China.” ARH, June 9, 1904.

Anderson, Jean M. From Farm Girl to Missionary: The Life of Mary Haskell Rentfro. Brushton, NY: Teach Services, 2019.

Crisler, Clarence C. China’s Borderlands and Beyond. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald, 1937.

Doherty, Ivy R. Susan Haskell, Missionary. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald, 1958.

Hankins, W. C. “Kwang-tung Province, China.” ARH, July 8, 1909.

James, Donald Chester. “Edwin Hymes Wilbur: First Missionary to Mainland China.” Term Paper, Andrews University, 1976.

Lee, Ana. “To the Dragon Gate: Adventist Schools in South China and Hong Kong (1903-1941).” Adventist Heritage, 8, no. 1 (Spring 1983).

Obituary. ARH, July 9, 1914.

Obituary. ARH, October 7, 1965.

Obituary. Asiatic Division Mission News, June 1, 1914.

Obituary. North Pacific Union Gleaner, September 17, 1965.

Obituary. The Capital Journal, August 2, 1965.

Rhoads, Bert. “The Man Behind You.” The Youth’s Instructor, April 6, 1915.

Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia. Second revised edition. Hagerstown, MD: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1996. S.v. “Edwin Hymes Wilbur.”

Spicer, W. A. “He Fell at His Post.” ARH, August 13, 1914.

Wilbur, E. H. “A Short Visit to Japan.” ARH, April 14, 1910.

Wilbur, E. H. “Annual Meeting at Canton.” ARH, February 3, 1910.

Wilbur, E. H. “China.” ARH, March 17, 1903.

Wilbur, E. H. “China.” ARH, July 14, 1904.

Wilbur, E. H. “China.” ARH, July 27, 1905.

Wilbur, E. H. “China.” ARH, August 9, 1906.

Wilbur, E. H. “China.” ARH, January 2, 1908.

Wilbur, E. H. “China.” ARH, May 28, 1908.

Wilbur, E. H. “China.” ARH, August 5, 1909.

Wilbur, E. H. “China.” ARH, November 11, 1909.

Wilbur, E. H. “Chinese Bible Institute.” April 12, 1906.

Wilbur, E. H. “Fruits of School Work in China.” The Present Truth, August 22, 1907.

Wilbur, E. H. “Great Changes in China.” ST, March 7, 1906.

Wilbur, E. H. “Inland Trip in South China.” ARH, August 31, 1905.

Wilbur, E. H. “Mission Work in China.” The Present Truth, May 13, 1909.

Wilbur, E. H. “Old Men for the Mission Fields.” ARH, April 23, 1908.

Wilbur, E. H. “Preparation for China.” ARH, January 9, 1908.

Wilbur, E. H. “South China.” ARH, March 26, 1914.

Wilbur, E. H. “Teachers’ Convention at Canton.” ARH, December 12, 1907.

Wilbur, E. H. “The Gift of Tongues.” ARH, January 30, 1908.

Wilbur, E. H. “The Way to the Hakkas Opened.” ARH, November 1, 1906.

Wilbur, Edwin Himes. “Amoy, China.” The Signs of the Times, February 1, 1905.

Zaugg, Sandy. Lotus Blossom Returns: The Remarkable Life of Florence Nagel-Longway-Howelett. Nampa, ID: Pacific Press, 2005.

Notes

1. J. N. Anderson, “A Report of the China Mission Field,” ARH, May 25, 1905, 21-22.↩

2. Obituary, Asiatic Division Mission News, June 1, 1914, 7.↩

3. C. S. Wilbur, “An Exchange of Church Papers the Entering Wedge,” ARH, September 25, 1924, 20.↩

4. Biographical Information Blank, General Conference Archives, August 4, 1912.↩

5. Ibid.↩

6. E. H. Wilbur, “Preparation for China,” ARH, January 9, 1908, 24.↩

7. See note in The Workers’ Bulletin, January 9, 1900, 108.↩

8. W. A. Spicer, “He Fell at His Post,” ARH, August 13, 1914, 8.↩

9. Ibid.↩

10. See note in The Workers’ Bulletin, March 20, 2900, 148.↩

11. See “Sanitarium Notes,” The Workers’ Bulletin, Aug. 28, 1900, 32; “Notes,” The Workers’ Bulletin, October 8, 1901, 55.↩

12. This association between E. H. Wilbur as a pioneer Adventist missionary and later church anniversary celebrations at Enyart can be traced afterward. See “Enyart Anniversary,” Central Union Reaper, June 26, 1938, 5.↩

13. “The Man Behind You,” Field Tidings, April 7, 1915, 3.↩

14. Susan Haskell Wilbur, “Two Who Have Been Over the Way,” ARH, May 28, 1925, 18-19.↩

15. Obituary, North Pacific Union Gleaner, September 17, 1965, 11.↩

16. See note on “Distribution of Labor,” ARH, May 20, 1902, 14.↩

17. General Conference Committee Minutes, September 18, 1902, 114.↩

18. Florence Nagel, “Edwin Hymes Wilbur (1869-1914),” https://www.chinesesdahistory.org/edwin-hymes-wilbur 12/12/21.↩

19. A. G. Daniells, “Appeals and Responses,” ARH, November 11, 1902, 6.↩

20. See note “Married,” The Workers’ Bulletin, July 29, 1902, 20; Iowa Department of Public Health; Des Moines, Iowa; Series Title: Iowa Marriage Records, 1880–1922; Record Type: Marriage, accessed from Ancestry.com 11/27/21.↩

21. Edwin H. Wilbur and Susan Haskell-Wilbur, “En Route to China,” The Workers’ Bulletin, November 11, 1902, 73.↩

22. See note on ARH, September 23, 1902, 24; F. W. Field, “Japan,” ARH, December 9, 1902, 18; ARH, November 18, 1902, 24.↩

23. E. H. Wilbur, “In China,” The Workers’ Bulletin, December 9, 1902, 90.↩

24. E. H. Wilbur, “Memories of Robert Morrison,” ARH, April 21, 1904, 14-15.↩

25. Edwin H. Wilbur, “China,” ARH, Jan. 27, 1903, 12.↩

26. E. H. Wilbur, “China,” ARH, March 17, 1903, 16.↩

27. See note in The Workers’ Bulletin, April 28, 1903, 172.↩

28. J. O. Corliss, “The Experiences of Former Days—No. 19: Opening of the Chin Field,” ARH, December 8, 1904, 13.↩

29. E. H. Wilbur, “Canton, China,” The Workers’ Bulletin, January 31, 1905, 122-123.↩

30. See Michael W. Campbell, “Abram La Rue,” in the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventism, https://encyclopedia.adventist.org/article?id=7CJP, accessed 4/27/21.↩

31. J. N. Anderson, “Two Years in China,” ARH, June 9, 1904, 13-15.↩

32. Edwin H. Wilbur, “China,” ARH, July 7, 1904, 15-16.↩

33. The dating is based upon J. N. Anderson, “Another Year in China,” ARH, February 23, 1905, 15.↩

34. E. H. Wilbur, “Hong Kong, China,” The Workers’ Bulletin, April 5, 1904, 54.↩

35. J. N. Anderson, “Another Year in China,” ARH, Feb. 23, 1905, 15. The name “Yuk Chee” is noted as the correct name from the erroneous name “Yuk Choi” in The Story of the Advent Message. See article by H. S. Leung, “The South China Training Institute,” The China Division Reporter, September 1, 1940, 3.↩

36. E. H. Wilbur, “Canton, China,” The Workers’ Bulletin, January 31, 1905, 122-123.↩

37. Mrs. J. N. [Emma] Anderson, “Letter from Canton, China,” The Signs of the Times, June 28, 1905, 12; W. C. & B. L. Hankins, “In China,” The Workers’ Bulletin, August 1, 1905, 20.↩

38. See Obituary, Asiatic Division Outlook, June 15 and July 1, 1919, 10.↩

39. E. H. Wilbur, “China,” ARH, July 27, 1905, 14.↩

40. Ibid., 15.↩

41. Ibid., 14-15.↩

42. Ibid., 15.↩

43. E. H. Wilbur, “China,” ARH, January 2, 1908, 15.↩

44. E. H. Wilbur, “China,” ARH, May 28, 1908, 17.↩

45. E. H. Wilbur, “China,” ARH, January 2, 1908, 15.↩

46. E. H. Wilbur, “Teachers’ Convention at Canton,” ARH, December 12, 1907, 23.↩

47. E. H. Wilbur, “China,” ARH, January 2, 1908, 15.↩

48. E. H. Wilbur, “A Word from E. H. Wilbur,” The Workers’ Bulletin, Nov. 26, 1907, 2.↩

49. E. H. Wilbur, “The Gift of Tongues,” ARH, January 30, 1908, 11.↩

50. Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia [1996], s.v. “Edwin Hymes Wilbur.”↩

51. “Province of Kwang-tung (Canton),” ARH, June 16, 1910, 19.↩

52. E. H. Wilbur, “The Way to the Hakkas Opened,” ARH, November 1, 1906, 13.↩

53. W. C. Hankins, “Kwang-tung Province, China,” ARH, July 8, 1909, 14.↩

54. See note The Workers’ Bulletin, March 1, 1910, 4.↩

55. E. H. Wilbur, “A Short Visit to Japan,” ARH, April 14, 1910, 11.↩

56. See notes in The Workers’ Bulletin, March 29, 1910, 4.↩

57. Cf. report in O. A. Olsen, “Missouri Camp-Meetings,” ARH, September 8, 1910, 17.↩

58. See note in Educational Messenger, February 23, 1911, 2.↩

59. For a detailed genealogical tree, see: http://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/tools/tree/179301119/invitees/accept?inviteId=7427c4a9-4c3f-413c-bfa1-eb38bf56b889, accessed 12/12/21.↩

60. See reference under “Arabia Gleanings,” Valentine Newspaper, February 10, 1911, 4, accessed from Newspapers.com 12/12/21.↩

61. E. H. Wilbur, “Canton, China,” ARH, July 27, 1911, 13.↩

62. See note, ARH, February 23, 1911, 24.↩

63. E. H. Wilbur, “Canton, China,” ARH, July 27, 1911, 13.↩

64. Ibid.↩

65. Mrs. J. N. [Emma] Anderson, “Canton (China) Workers’ Meeting,” The Present Truth, July 16, 1908, 462-463.↩

66. A. L. Ham, “Pioneer Mission Sketches: Early Days in Kwangsi,” The China Division Reporter, November 1940, 5.↩

67. E. H. Wilbur, “South China,” ARH, March 26, 1914, 11.↩

68. U. S. Reports of Deaths of American Citizens Abroad, 1835-1974, accessed from Ancestry.com 11/25/21. See cable from W. A. Spicer in The Eastern Tidings, June 1914, 4.↩

69. Obituary, Asiatic Division Mission News, June 1, 1914, 7.↩

70. Ibid.↩

71. See note, ARH, May 14, 1914, 24.↩

72. See announcement in response to letter by W. A. Spicer in: B. L. House, “District Meeting,” Central Union Outlook, June 2, 1914, 7.↩

73. Asa Smith, “News Notes,” Central Union Outlook, August 11, 1914, 7; note minutes of General Conference Executive Committee, July 5, 1914, 165.↩

74. See excerpt of letter from Susan Wilbur, Asiatic Division Mission News, June 1, 1914, 8.↩

75. A. L. Ham, “South China,” ARH, May 4, 1916, 10.↩

76. “Notes,” Asiatic Division Mission News, Oct. 1, 1916, 6.↩

77. E-mail communication, Donald James to Michael W. Campbell, December 22, 2021.↩

78. General Conference Executive Committee Minutes, July 29, 1917, 633.↩

79. Flora V. Dorcas, “Iowans at the General Conference,” Northern Union Reaper, July 1, 1930, 4-5.↩

80. See advertisement in Lake Union Herald, April 22, 1925, 15; April 29, 1925, 15.↩

81. See notes in Northern Union Reaper, Jan. 11, 1927, 7; “News Notes,” Pacific Union Recorder, May 30, 1929, 2.↩

82. See note under “California,” Pacific Union Gleaner, May 27, 1926, 4.↩

83. Obituary, The Capital Journal, August 2, 1965, 11.↩

84. “Mother of Academy Principal is Adventist Course Book Subject,” Medford Mail Tribune, May 29, 1959, 12 [accessed from Newspapers.com 12/12/21].↩

85. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/52770501/susan-wilbur, accessed 12/11/21.↩