Property Deeds 1899-1949.

ArchivalResource

United Lutheran Church in America. Board of Foreign Missions. Property Deeds 1899-1949.

Property Deeds 1899-1949.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/48017548

This set of records is concerned solely with property matters. Although the series is labeled deeds, it also includes lease agreements, blueprints and plans, certificates of examination of titles, photostatic copies of deeds, and a small amount of correspondence in regard to the properties. Properties range from hospitals, schools, and churches to vacation beach bathhouses. Documents are written in Chinese or German, rarely in English. Although the documents cover a wide span of time, there are two time periods that appear more frequently than the rest. These are the mid-1920s, when the property was transferred from Berlin ownership to ULCA, and the 1940s, when World War II caused wide displacement of personnel, both missionary and national Christians. Dating of the folder titles should not be interpreted as inclusive. When a date was recognizable, it was included with the title, but the date may not apply to everything within the folder. Frequently a deed was extended as subsequent transfers of the property were made. The designation n.d. was not used because the documents might very well be dated, but in Chinese characters, or with dates from the Chinese calendar. Place names had multiple spellings. The spelling from the original container envelope was retained, and the envelope discarded. Any envelope containing further written information beyond the place name was retained in the file, immediately in front of the documents that it contained. The documents were unfolded and placed flat in oversized flat boxes. Many of the documents are numbered. The meaning of these numbers is not clear, but they may connect to the photostatic copies, which are also numbered. One folder was simply labeled "Duplicate Deeds of little or no value." Because this would be difficult to check, the folder was retained. The documents are in fairly good condition, most having been hand-lettered on strong paper or fabric. They are in no particular order. There are a few empty envelopes. Since they note what deeds had been within, and since these may easily be among the records, though separated from their envelopes, they were left in to indicate that such property existed.

2 boxes.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Library, ELCA Library