Detweiler, Charles Samuel, 1878-

Charles Detweiler was born in Illinois on February 15, 1878 to John Samuel and Sarah Ella German. The family settled in Omaha, Nebraska. Detweiler received his A.B. from Midland College in Kansas in 1897. He later received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Denison University in 1930. In 1898, he went to Ecuador as a missionary for the Gospel Missionary Union. He served the natives of the Napo River region at the headwaters of the Amazon and then preached and sold bibles in Quito and Ambato. In 1903, Detweiler became an independent missionary. On October 5th, 1904, he married Margaret Evans, with whom he had four children. In 1907, Detweiler returned to the United States to become a Baptist and obtained a position as a preacher in Minnesota. In 1909, he served the American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS) in Puerto Rico. In 1919, he became its Superintendent of the Department for Latin American Missions. During his 30 years in that role, he contributed to Baptist publications many writings on religious and Latin American topics. In 1938, he was a delegate to the Baptist World Missions Conference in Madras, India. He was a Secretary to the Department of Education of the Home Mission Society, which oversaw the administration of Bacone College, a college for Native Americans in Oklahoma, and Spanish-American Baptist Theological Seminary in Los Angeles. From 1947 to 1948, he served as president of Bacone. Retiring from the ABHMS in 1948, Detweiler and his wife moved to Denver, Colorado. There he functioned as an interim preacher for Baptist churches. He died September 22, 1962.

From the description of Charles Detweiler papers, 1898-1963. (University of Oregon Libraries). WorldCat record id: 54069205

Charles Detweiler was born in Polo, Illinois on February 15, 1878 to John Samuel and Sarah Ella German. John was a Lutheran clergyman; he later became a Baptist. John's struggles with religious affiliation influenced Charles's own spiritual path. In a letter of 1955, Detweiler notes that his family was "deeply committed to the cause of foreign missions." The family moved to Louisville, Kentucky, ultimately settling in Omaha, Nebraska.

Detweiler received his A.B. from Midland College in Atchison, Kansas in 1897. He later received an honorary Doctorate of Divinity from Denison University in 1930. In 1898, he went to Ecuador as a missionary for the Gospel Missionary Union. His first year in Ecuador was spent in the tropical jungle east of the Andes, residing in Archidona, serving the natives of the Napo River region at the headwaters of the Amazon. His letters present difficulty in relating to these people due to language barriers and general disinterest. His next three years were spent in western Ecuador, preaching and selling bibles out of Guayaquil, Quinto, and Ambato. All of these efforts were difficult, as he faced disinterest from most people and genuine displeasure from the Catholic community. In 1903, Detweiler separated with his organization, citing poor management, and became an independent missionary. Later that year, he returned to the United States for a respite. On October 5, 1904, he married Margaret Evans; together they would have four children, Dorothy, Helen, Charles, Jr. and Ruth. Margaret and Charles returned to Quinto in 1905.

In 1907, Detweiler decided that the Baptist faith was the best path to follow so he set out to become a member. He returned to the United States, was accepted by the Baptist community, and obtained a position as a preacher in Lake Crystal, Minnesota. In 1909, he returned to the mission front with the American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS) in Puerto Rico. In 1919, he became Superintendant of the Department for Latin American Missionaries of the ABHMS, overseeing development and administration in Mexico, Nicaragua, Cuba, El Salvador, Haiti and Puerto Rico.

During his thirty years in that role, Detweiler contributed to Baptist publications many writings on religions and Latin American topics. He was also a member of the Inter-denominational Committee on Cooperation in Latin America, and contributed to their journal "La Nueve Democracia." In 1938, he was the delegate to the Baptist World Missions Conference in Madras, India, and traveled to missions in India and Burma on his visit. He was a Secretary to the Department of Education of the Home Mission Society, which oversaw the administration of Bacone College, a college for Native Americans in Oklahoma, and Spanish-American Baptist Theological Seminary in Los Angeles. From 1947 to 1948, he was the acting president of Bacone.

After retiring from the ABHMS in 1948, Detweiler and his wife moved to Denver, Colorado. There he functioned as an interim preacher for Baptist churches. He continued with his missionary services, lecturing and preaching to Spanish speakers throughout the Mountain West. He continued to write and was a regular contributor to the "Pastor's Roundtable." He died September 22, 1962.

From the guide to the Charles Detweiler papers, 1898-1963, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries)