Edward Franklin Bosworth Papers, 1895-c. 1997
| Oberlin College Archives
Administrative/Biographical History
Edward Franklin Bosworth was born 25 June 1894 in Oberlin, Ohio, to Bertha Bell McClure (OC ‘1889) and Edward Increase Bosworth (OC ‘1886, Dean, Graduate School of Theology, 1903-1910 and 1921-1923, and Oberlin Professor, 1883-1927). After graduating from Oberlin High School, Edward Franklin entered Oberlin College in 1912, later graduating in 1916 with a Political Science major. Bosworth excelled as a student, being granted 8 semester hours of credit for German because he studied successfully abroad in Germany. Bosworth participated in athletics heavily, and was chosen class president in his senior year at Oberlin.
Upon graduation, Bosworth pursued employment as a grain buyer for the Andrews Grain Company of Minneapolis, MN, from 1916-1917. When the United States entered World War I, Bosworth was drafted. He served at Camp Sherman, Ohio, for the remainder of 1917 through 1918, as 2nd Lieutenant, Infantry. Upon his discharge from the service, Bosworth secured a position as a grain salesman on the Grain Exchange, and labored in this position from 1919-1920.
Following his father’s example, Bosworth pursued the study of Theology at Oberlin from 1920-1923, graduating with a Bachelor of Divinity in 1923. Upon graduation, the Bosworths moved to Grand Forks, ND, and later to Grinnell, Iowa, where Edward completed the bulk of the sermons comprising this collection.
In 1926, while serving as minister of the First Congregational Church in Grinnell, Edward, known affectionately since childhood days as “Ned,” was approached by Oberlin for the first full time Dean of Men position. Bosworth accepted, and served as Oberlin’s Dean of Men from 1927-1955. As Dean of Men, Edward’s duties included creating rooming place regulations/dormitories for men, providing “correction” for wayward men, insuring class and chapel attendance among the college’s men, creating a “more unified men’s life in the College,” and most Importantly, acting as a career and life counselor for nearly three decades of Oberlin men. “Dean Ned” is also credited with creating one of the first student dorm counselor programs, creating the Chance Creek Project which provided Oberlin men with outdoor recreation activities, and being one of the first deans to provide a cumulative record of personnel data.
On 3 September 1919, Edward married the former Imogene Rose, born 7 October 1890, of Cleveland. The marriage of Imogene and Edward produced two sons who also became Oberlin alums: Edward Increase, born 21 August 1924 (OC 1949), and Thomas Laurence, born 15 June 1930 (OC 1952).
After taking a year long leave of absence due to the effects of pleurisy and phlebitis in 1956, Edward Franklin Bosworth died in Hillsboro, NH on 7 August 1957. His friends and colleagues remembered him warmly as a person who preferred kindness and gentleness over harsh discipline.
A photograph and biographical information about Edward F. Bosworth are included in the digital collection “Oberlin College and Military Service in World War I,” presented by the Oberlin College Archives at http://cdm15963.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/landingpage/collection/ww1.
Sources Consulted
Faculty File of Edward Franklin Bosworth, Alumni Records (RG 28).
Author: Julie A. Petersen Forms of Material (links to similar genres) Administrative Information
The papers of Edward Franklin Bosworth, Oberlin College Class of 1916, document primarily Bosworth's professional life as a Congregational Minister, with the bulk of this collection being comprised of sermons and related eulogies, chapel talks, communion services, and prayer meeting outlines. The collection has an inclusive date range of 1895-1971, with the majority of papers (the sermons) having been created in the 1920's.
Bosworth’s time at Officer training School at Camp Sherman, Chillicothe, Ohio – 1917-18 – is represented by a photograph of Bosworth in uniform (Series II) and a ‘yearbook’ from his time at Camp Sherman (Series III).
While Bosworth served as Dean of Men for Oberlin from 1927-1955, this collection lacks any professional documentation of Bosworth's contributions to or activities in the College, leaving a significant gap in this collection. However, a small number of the Chapel Talks mentioned above were given to the student body at Oberlin.
A photograph of the Class of '16 "Lake Boys" may be of interest to those studying past Oberlin College student activities. Also, a great number of interesting photographs of both the city of Oberlin and Oberlin College events can be found in the scrapbook.
The collection is divided into the following series: I. Biographical Files; II. Photographs; III. Scrapbook/Yearbook/Reunions; and IV. Sermons and Talks.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series I. Biographical Files, 1955-c.1997 (3 folders)
The biographical files contain clippings, general correspondence, retirement memorials, information on Bosworth's funeral, and four color photographs of Bosworth family headstones in the Westwood Cemetery. The three folders are arranged chronologically.
Series II. Photographs, 1895, 1916, 1918, 1925, 1954-1955, c.1997 (1 folder)
This series contains 17 photographs, 4 of which are chromogenic (color). They are primarily family photographs, and include a baby picture and college portrait of Bosworth, as well as a Camp Sherman portrait. The photographs are arranged chronologically.
Series III. Scrapbook/Yearbook/Reunions, 1912-1916, 1918, 1966, 1971, and n.d. (2 folders)
This series contains a scrapbook documenting some of Bosworth's college memories between 1912-16, a 1918 yearbook/training manual from Camp Sherman, and Oberlin College Class of '16 reunion programs for both 1966 and 1971. The yearbook is placed before the reunion programs in chronological order, while the scrapbook is housed separately with the Archives' scrapbook collection.
Series IV. Sermons and Talks, 1916, 1921-1928 (bulk), 1930, 1932-1933, 1937-1942, 1946-1953, and n.d. (18 folders)
Forming the vast majority of this collection, the sermons, chapel talks, eulogies, and communion services are arranged primarily in a relaxed chronological order following the original arrangement set forth by Bosworth. Special groupings of sermons, such as those falling under eulogies, are kept together as a subject and then arranged chronologically.
INVENTORY
Series I. Biographical Files
Box 1
Biographical Information: Edward Franklin
Bosworth, 1955-c1997 (3f)
Series II. Photographs (1 folder)
Box 1 (cont.)
Edward Franklin Bosworth at ten months, 1895
Edward Franklin Bosworth, College portrait, 1916
Oberlin Class of 1916, "The Lake Boys," 1916
Camp Sherman portrait of Edward Franklin
Bosworth, 1918
Edward Franklin, Imogene Rose, and baby
Edward Increase Bosworth, 1925
Baby Edward Increase Bosworth, 1925
Imogene Rose and baby Edward Increase
Bosworth, 1925
Thomas L. Bosworth's MA Graduation at
Oberlin, 1954
Wedding portrait of Richard Seaman and Susan
Curtis - the last wedding performed by
Edward Franklin Bosworth, 1955
Series III. Scrapbook/Yearbook/Reunions
Box 1 (cont.)
"Three Months of It": Camp Sherman
Yearbook/Training Manual, 1918
Oberlin College Class of 1916 50th Reunion
program, 1966
Oberlin College Class of 1916 55th Reunion
program, 1971
Box 2
Scrapbook containing photographs, miscellaneous
Oberlin College momentos, etc., 1912-1916
Series IV. Sermons and Talks
Box 3
Talk to Sunday School Workers, 1916
Sermons, 1921-1947 (10f)
Box 4
Sermons, 1925-1952 (5f)
Communion Services, Grand Forks, ND,
1923-1926
Communion Services, Grinnell, IA, 1923-1942
Prayer Meetings, Grinnell, IA, 1926
Talks to Church School Workers, n.d.
Chapel Talks/Lecture Notes, 1923-1926, 1930,
1932, 1946-1947
Funeral Services, 1925-1953, n.d.