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Beatrice Farnsworth Powers was born May 22,1880 in Lincoln, Mass., daughter of Charles Perkins and Mary Jane (Murray) Farnsworth. She was graduated from the Lincoln School and attended Abbott Academy and Chauncy Hall. She taught for several years in the South School in Lincoln and served as superintendent of the Sunday school at St. Anne's Church (1904-09). After graduating from Johns Hopkins School of Nursing in 1912, she volunteered at the Dr. Wilfred Grenfell's Mission in Labrador. In 1913 Powers traveled to Changsha, China, where she spent two and a half years on the staff of the Yale-in-China Hospital as principal of the nursing school and superintendent of nurses. She returned to the U.S. in 1915 and in 1916 married Dr. Grover Francis Powers (1887-1968). The Powers lived in Baltimore and then New Haven where Grover F. Powers was Professor of Pediatrics at Yale University School of Medicine. They had one son, Ross Farnsworth Powers. In 1957 Beatrice Powers and her niece, Olive Floyd, published Early American Decorated Tinware which became "a classic on the subject." Beatrice Powers died September 4, 1967.
The Beatrice Farnsworth Powers Papers include correspondence, photographs, memorabilia, and writings documenting her nursing work in the Grenfell Mission in Labrador (1912); life in Changsha, China (1913-1915) where she was nursing superintendent at the Yale-in-China Hospital; and travels in Europe (1907). Of special interest are Powers' views on the status of Chinese women, the impact of missionaries on China, and reflections on Chinese society. Photographs capture daily scenes in Saint Anthony (Newfoundland), Battle Harbor (Labrador), and Changsha (China). There are also biographical articles and writings about Beatrice and Grover Powers, and their niece Olive Floyd.
The papers are open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection without any additional restrictions.
Copyright ownership to unpublished materials is unknown. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights. Permission must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use."
Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:
Beatrice Farnsworth Powers Papers, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.
The Beatrice Farnsworth Powers were donated to the Sophia Smith Collection from 1971 to 1992 by her niece Olive Floyd.
Processed by Jennifer Smar, SSC intern, 2006.
The following terms represent persons, organizations, and topics documented in this collection. To find additional materials use these headings to search this web site, the Five College Library Catalog, or other library catalogs and databases.