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Cope Family Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MP-091

Scope and Contents

Approximately half of this collection comprises artifacts from Burma, brought or sent to the United States by various members of the Cope family. The various textiles and cloth artifacts are of particular note.

Most of the remaining half of the collection comprises correspondence between the Copes, their exended family, and/or people they knew in Burma.

The remainder of the collection is various papers related to Burma, the Copes' educational achievements, and extensive photographs of the Cope family, Burma, and Utah.

Dates

  • Creation: 1904 - 1999

Language of Materials

Materials in the collection are in English, Chin, and Burmese.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research. Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and copyright holder. Staff may refuse copying of fragile or at-risk materials.

Materials may be accessed by request at the American Baptist Historical Society. For more information on accessing collections or obtaining copies, visit http://abhsarchives.org.

Biographical / Historical

J. Herbert Cope was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1882. His mother was born in Assam, being the daughter of Rev. A.H. Danforth, a missionary in India. Elizabeth was also born in Germantown and was baptized in 1906. She graduated from Philadelphia Normal School in 1904, and she taught school for three years before marrying. Between 1904 and 1905, Mr. Cope served as a missionary to Utah. Mr. Cope graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and from Rochester Theological Seminary in 1908. The Copes were married in September 1908 and sailed for the Chin Hills, Haka, Burma that same year.

By 1909, the Copes’ work was centered at Tiddim in the North and Dr. Hjalmar East was based in Haka in the South. The mission station was officially opened November 1, 1910.

Rev. Cope’s work was mainly in evangelism and education. In 1911, he visited 60 villages and traveled over 1000 miles. He was also honorary inspector of schools and had a mastery of three of the main Chin dialects. He worked to translate and provide books for students in the village and station schools. Mrs. Cope was primarily in the U.S. raising the children, as the Copes had lost a son while in Burma. Mr. Cope died in Haka in 1938. Elizabeth went to Burma in 1941 to serve as housemother in the school for missionaries’ children at Taunggyi, but when the school closed due to World War 2, she returned home for good. Elizabeth passed away in 1968.

J. Herbert and Elizabeth had three children: Joseph Howard "Joe" Cope, born 1910; Harry "Babe", born 1911; and Appleton Danforth "Dan", born 1917. Joseph Howard and Harry were born in Burma, while Appleton Danforth was born in Pennsylvania. Harry died in 1915, just days before the Copes returned to the United States on furlough.

Extent

11 Linear Feet (20 boxes, one oversize folder.)

Related Materials

International Ministries – Missionary Correspondence 12 folders dates 1908 to 1939 2 folders from Elizabeth Cope to the ABFMS in the 1940s

International Ministries - Bio file Folder with application for missionary service, a biography and correspondence file, including photographs

International Ministries – Overseas Missionary Program Folder titled Translations: the work of Dr. J.H. Cope

International Ministries – Post War files Box 2, folder 4 on Cope Jubilee Church, Tiddim, 1960 Box 2, folder 5 on 2nd Baptist Germantown, PA response to dedication of Cope Jubilee Church

Lai Siangtho Thak – New Testament in Chin, 1948, acknowledged as utilizing Cope’s translation

Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board - JH Cope Data sheet

Watchman Examiner, obituaries

Congregational Files - records from Germantown Second Baptist Church

Separated Materials

Centennial history and centennial year book of Second Baptist Church of Germantown has been moved to the Congregational Files (RG-1701). Page 9 of the centennial history has a note from Appleton Danforth Cope "Jane & I were married in this hall." Also separated to the Congregational Files is a pamphlet on the 100th anniversary of the Second Baptist Church School of Germantown.

Processing Information

For simplicity, J. Herbert Cope may be abbreviated JHC. Elizabeth Cope may be abbreviated ESC.

All the Copes had nicknames, and may be found described as follows, if captions were transcribed:

Joseph Herbert Cope: J. Herbert, Herb Elizabeth Smith Cope: Bess, Bossie Joseph Howard Cope: Joe, Joe Boy, Buster Harry Cope: Babe [Note that Elizabeth's brother was also named Harry] Appleton Danforth Cope: Danny, Dan

Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the American Baptist Historical Society Repository

Contact:
3001 Mercer University Drive
Atlanta GA 30341-4115 USA
678.547.6680
678.547.6682 (Fax)