Shapleigh, Katherine, 1875-1942.

Shapleigh was a missionary to China (1896-1926), initially under the American Board, and later with the China Inland mission. She remained in China for several years after the tragic death of her husband and their two children from smallpox in 1905. Shapleigh later served as Dean of Women at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois.

From the description of Katherine Shapleigh papers, 1887-1946 (inclusive). (Yale University). WorldCat record id: 702164936

• 1875 Dec 29: Born in Worcester, MA
• 1892 - 1893 : Attended St. Agnes School, Albany, NY
• 1895: Met Alfred Shapleigh in Princeton, MA where their families had summer homes
• 1896Jun 2: Married Alfred Shapleigh; they had three children: Samuel Brooks (1897-1905), Gordon (1899-1900), Stephen (1903-1905).
• 1896 - 1897 : Served in Tientsin, China under the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
• 1897: Family returned to Worcester, MA, where Alfred took over practice of physician who was on leave
• 1898 - 1899 : Moved to Boston, where Alfred was assistant to his father, who was president of the Shapleigh Coffee Co., and engaged in Bible study
• 1900: Alfred took Bible training courses at Nyack College in New York and Moody Bible Institute in Chicago
• 1901: Engaged in evangelistic home missionary work in California
• 1901 - 1902 : Returned to Boston; worked with Salvation Army
• 1902 - 1903 : Home missionary work in Colorado and California
• 1904: Returned to China under China Inland Mission;
• 1905: Alfred and two surviving sons died of smallpox shortly after the family's arrival in China. Alfred and the sons had not been vaccinated against smallpox, so did not survive the disease; Katherine suffered a mild case of smallpox but recovered.
• 1905 - 1908 : Katherine remained in China, engaging in language study and serving at missionary training school in Yangchow
• 1908: KS returned to U.S. where she cared for her father and spoke in churches
• 1915 - 1916 : In Yangchow, followed by return to U.S.
• 1918 - 1920 : Working with women Russian refugees at Foreign Women's Home, Shanghai, followed by return to U.S.
• 1926 - 1927 : Working at Foreign Women's Home, Shanghai
• ca. 1934: Appointed Dean of Women at Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL
• 1935: Received B.A.
• 1937: Following a severe heart attack, KS retired from Wheaton position and moved to North Carolina
• 1942: Died in NC

From the guide to the Katherine Shapleigh Papers, 1887-1976, (Yale University Divinity School Library)