William C. and Alice Price Gaventa papers, 1921-2022
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Summary
- Creator:
- Gaventa, Alice Price, 1921-2014 and Gaventa, William C., 1921-2002
- Abstract:
- William Carter Gaventa (1921-2002) and Alice Price Gaventa (1921-2014) were medical missionaries who served in Eku and Ogbomosho, Nigeria, between 1949 and 1984. The William C. and Alice Price Gaventa papers collection comprises materials related to their missionary work. The collection also includes materials documenting the life of the Gaventa family, from 1921 to 2022. The collection contains photographs and slides, correspondence, devotional materials, genealogical materials, academic records, writings, postcards, clippings, passports, religious cards, and certificates, among other materials.
- Extent:
- 12.5 Linear Feet (9 boxes, 1 poster tube)
- Language:
- Materials in English.
- Collection ID:
- RL.13039
Background
- Scope and content:
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The William C. and Alice Price Gaventa papers collection comprises materials related to the missionary work of William and Alice Gaventa in Nigeria, from 1949 to 1984. The collection also includes materials documenting the life of the Gaventa family, from 1921 to 2022. The collection contains photographs and slides, correspondence, devotional materials, genealogical materials, academic records, writings, postcards, clippings, passports, religious cards, and certificates, among other materials. Most of the printed materials consist of correspondence, writings, and devotional materials.
Correspondence comprises letters from William and Alice Gaventa to family and friends about their missionary work at Eku, Nigeria. The letters describe medical tasks conducted at the Baptist Hospital, and provide information about its facilities, staffing, and the number of patients treated per day. The correspondence also discusses the impact of Christianity on the customs and habits of the community, and on the acceptance of preventive medicine. It also includes information on the impact of Christianity on African religiosity. The correspondence in general reiterates the Gaventa's altruistic sense of the Christian medical mission in Africa. The letters also describe domestic life in Eku. Most of the letters are handwritten.
Writing materials in the collection include mostly personal reflections by Alice Gaventa addressing topics such as her family, anecdotes about the childhood of her sons, the life of William C. Gaventa, and family life in Nigeria. Alice Gaventa's personal reflections also address life at Brandermill Woods, the senior living community where she moved with William in 2002. The written materials in the collection also include talks, prayers, diaries, poems written by Alice, and travel diaries about trips to Europe and the United States.
Devotional materials include commentaries on Bible verses, transcripts of religious talks, Christian lesson plans, sermons, prayers, Bible excerpts, and praise transcripts. Devotional materials also include William Gaventa's correspondence with Seymour Leshin on religious topics, with special emphasis on the differences between Judaism and Christianity.
- Biographical / historical:
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William Carter Gaventa (1921-2002) and Alice Price Gaventa (1921-2014) were missionaries who served in Eku and Ogbomosho, Nigeria, between 1949 and 1984. They served through the International Mission Board based in Richmond, VA, (formerly Foreign Mission Board). Alice Gaventa worked for the education of women through Baptist Women's Groups and the Ogbomosho Baptist Seminary. William Gaventa worked as a medical doctor. After returning from their mission in Nigeria in 1984, Alice and William settled in Richmond, Virginia. Alice Gaventa was born in Orlando, Florida, and graduated from Florida State University. She also attended one year at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. William Gaventa was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and graduated from the University of Tampa and the Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia. He also earned a Master's Degree in Public Health from Tulane University. In Nigeria, he founded the Baptist Hospital at Eku. He also was Chief of Medical Staff at the Baptist Medical Center at Ogbomosho. In the United States, he served at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, and at the Mission Board's Medical Services Department. He retired in 1989.
Bio source:
https://www.chbc-lky.org/oldsite/notes2.htm https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/midlothian-va/alice-gaventa-5887205 https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/alice-gaventa-obituary?id=28634301
- Acquisition information:
- The William C. and Alice Price Gaventa papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 2021.
- Processing information:
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Processed by Ofelia Lopez, November, 2023
Accessions described in this collection guide: 2022-03-25
- Arrangement:
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Collection is arranged into the following series: Photoalbums and Personal Materials.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Subjects
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- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of item], William C. and Alice Price Gaventa papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.
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