Carte de Visite Photograph of Frances E. Harshberger and E. Ellen Allison

This photograph is of Frances E. Harshberger and E. Ellen Allison. Both from Pennsylvania, these women were students at Elmira College in New York, a woman’s college in the late 1800s. While part of The Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society collection, only Harshberger’s missionary endeavors are known. Harshberger traveled to Ningbo, China, and eventually married another missionary, Rev. John Butler. Throughout their years, The Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society sent women missionaries to Africa, South America, and various other countries, including India, China, Japan, Korea, Italy, Mexico, Bulgaria, and the Philippines.

Created around 1870 by John H. Whitley (1830–1896), photographer, Elmira, New York.[1] Acquired by 2010 by Gene Albert (Christian Heritage Museum), Hagerstown, Maryland; Privately purchased in 2010 by Green Collection, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Donated in 2017 to National Christian Foundation (later The Signatry), under the curatorial care of Museum of the Bible, Washington, DC.

Notes: [1] John H. Whitley was a photographer in Elmira, New York, from 1861 until his death in 1896. His studio moved to multiple locations in the city over his 35 years in business. At the time of this photograph, his studio was at the corner of Baldwin and Carroll streets, as noted by the photographer’s stamp on the back of the card. Multiple inscriptions appear on the back of the card in different hands. One inscription records the photographed women’s names, “Frances E. Harshberger, Milroy, PA.” and “Potter’s Mills, PA, E. Ellen Allison.” Another inscription grouped together with Harshberger’s name states, “Missionary in Ningpo [Ningbo], China, Mrs. John Butler.” At the bottom of the card, written in pencil, is “Students, Elmira College, Early 1870s.” E. Ellen Allison might be Esther E. Allison (b. 1852) of the Allison family near Potters Mills, PA, who owned the Potter-Allison Farm in Potter Township, PA.

Missionaries