Marvin and Carolyn Piburn papers

Biographical Information

Dr. Marvin F. and Carolyn Ann Piburn were medical missionaries, supported in part by the Maine Conference Council on Ministries. Their overseas mission work covers 1953 to 1983, starting with five years in Southern Rhodesia, then three years (1958-1961) in Iowa (where Marvin did surgical residency), then another five years in Southern Rhodesia (1961-1966). Returning to the United States, Carolyn studied to be an R.N., and Marvin became a Board certified general surgeon. In 1968, they undertook a three year service in Vietnam at the request of the Mission Board, after which they took another furlough (1970-1974) during which Carolyn became a Certified Registered Nurse Anethetist. In 1974, they returned to Africa, first at the Guniter Memorial Hospital (Jos, Nigeria), and in 1975 at Nyadiri Hospital (Mutoko, Rhodesia), where they served until 1983, when they returned to Kansas and Urban Ministry clinic work, even then receiving some support from the Maine Conference.

Scope and Content

This collection contains approx. 80 letters sent by the Piburns to members of the Maine Annual Conference or churches in either Baltimore or Wichita which distributed their newsletter. Letters cover primarily 1974-1983, concentrating on their work at Nyadiri Hospital in Zimbabwe during revolutionary times. Included is an approx. 300p. memoir they wrote, with some pictures, covering all of their mission work from 1953 to their retirement in 1990.

Extent

.2 lin. ft. (approx. 80 items)

Call number: CAH D – 99
Access:  No access restrictions.
Limitations: Copyright held by the Piburn family.
Provenance: Received in 2000 from the Conference Council on Ministries, found in files from the Maine Annual Conference; memoir directly from the Piburns.
Cite as: Piburn Letters, New England Annual Conference Commission on Archives and History.

Processing

Stephen P. Pentek, February 2002.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged chronologically.

1969

  • January 1969. “Giving Sight to Others.” Typescript description of slide show from Evangelical Hospital, Nhatrang, Vietnam. Slides not present.

1974

  • The United Methodist Church in Rhodesia. Four page bulletin produced by the Board of Global Ministries, 1974.
  • January 17, 1974. Paper listing count of Piburn mailing list, 50 in Maine and 75 out of state, followed by 5 p. of mailing addresses.
  • November 29, 1974. Manuscript letter from Piburns to Rev. Edward F. Allen, Maine Conference Council on Ministries.
  • December 3, 1974. Typescript letter from Piburns to Rev. S. Clifton Ives, at Maine United Methodist, addressed to both Allen and Ives.

1975

  • February 1975. Newsletter from Piburns, then at Guinter Memorial Hospital, Jos, Nigeria.
  • February 6, 1975. Typescript letter from Piburns to Rev S. Clifton Ives, Maine Conference.
  • February 20, 1975. Typescript letter from Piburns to Rev. S. Clifton Ives, Listing names for the newsletter mailing list. Included is a carbon copy of “Thoughts on Lent in Nigeria.”
  • March 30, 1975. Typescript letter from Piburns to S. Clifton Ives, Maine Conference.
  • May 1975. Newsletter from the Piburns to Rev. S. Clifton Ives, with manuscript note, dated May 27.
  • June 3, 1975. Carbon copy of letter from S. Clifton Ives to Rev. Willis Elliot, in Kansas, announcing a list of names (missing) to receive Dr. Piburn newsletters.
  • August 1975. Newsletter from teh Piburns, including a picture letter.
  • September 1975. Newsletter from the Piburns at Guinter Memorial Hospital, Bambur, Nigeria, with manuscript note to Rev. S. Clifton Ives.
  • September 1975. Carbon copy of typescript describing slide presentation, slides not included.
  • October 21, 1975. Typescript letter from the Piburns to Rev. S. Clifton Ives.
  • October 26, 1975. Carbon copy of typescript, with manuscript note, from Piburns concerning the Fellowship of Christian Nurses.
  • October 27, 1975. Manuscript postcard from the Piburns to Rev. S. Clifton Ives.
  • December 1975. Newsletter from Piburns at Nyadiri Methodist Hospital, Salisbury, Rhodesia, with picture letter.
  • December 12, 1975. Manuscript letter from Carol Piburn, Wichita, KS, to Rev. S. Clifton Ives, with three slides of her mother, Carolyn Piburn, doing hospital work, apparently in Nigeria.

1976

  • January 5, 1976. Typed postcard from Piburns at Nyadiri Hospital, Salisbury, Rhodesia, to Rev. S. Clifton Ives.
  • January 13, 1976. Typescript letter from the Piburns to the Maine United Methodist, with manuscript notes.
  • June 7, 1976. Typed letter from the Piburns to Rev. S. Clifton Ives.
  • July 17, 1976. Typed letter from the Piburns to Rev. S. Clifton Ives, with personal message at bottom.
  • August 29, 1976. Typed picture letter with manuscript note from the Piburns to Rev. S. Clifton Ives.
  • September 2, 1976. Typed letter from Bobbye Weaver, Orono, Maine, to Rev. S. Clifton Ives, with schedule for the Piburns’ visit, October 9.
  • September 14, 1976. Typed schedule from the Maine Annual Conference of Piburns’ visit October 8-12.
  • October 1976. Type list from Bobbye Weaver, “Facts Gleaned from a Tape Made During the Piburn Visit to Orono, October 1976.”
  • December 1976. Carbon copy of slide set inventory and accompanying script. Only sixteen slides accompany.

1977

  • 1977. Mission Interpreters. A list prepared by the Office of Field Itineration, Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church.
  • February 4, 1977. Typed letter from Jeannine Wells, United Methodist Women (East Corinth) to S. Clifton Ives, concerning supplies they wish to send to the Piburns, and carbon copy of Ives’ reply, dated February 11.
  • February 19, 1977. Typed carbon copy letter sent by the Piburns to “friends” with manuscript additions to Ives and Maine friends.
  • March 14, 1977. Typed carbon letter from the Piburns (signed only by Carolyn) to Larry Schourup, Department of Itineration, BGM-UMC. Regarding expenses for trip to the US and lost luggage.
  • March 31, 1977. Typed letter from M. Derene Frazier, Office of Field Itineration to S. Clifton Ives, regarding trip reimbursement for the Piburns.
  • April 22, 1977. Typed carbon picture letter from the Piburns to S. Clifton Ives, with manuscript notes.
  • September 17, 1977. Typed letter from the Piburns to friends in Maine, sent to Rev. Ralph L. Miller, with manuscript notes added.
  • December 8, 1977. Typed carbon letter from the Piburns to friends, telling of current happenings in Rhodesia.
  • December 8, 1977. Typed letter from the Piburns to Ralph Miller and Maine Conference Friends, enclosing photographs. Six photographs included.

1978

  • January 29, 1978. Manuscript picture letter from the Piburns to Ralph Miller.
  • January 30, 1978. Manuscript letter from the Piburns to Ralph Miller with updated descriptions to the slide set (see December 1976).
  • March 27, 1978. Typed carbon letter from Charles Miller, Salisbury, Rhodesia, to Rev. Miller, concerning nursing school graduation.
  • May 18, 1978. Typed letter from the Piburns to Ralph Miller.
  • June 1978. Word and pictorial report from the Piburns, published and distributed by the United Methodist Parish, Wichita, Kansas.
  • December 1978. Word and pictorial report from the Piburns, published and distributed by the United Methodist Parish, Wichita, Kansas.

1979

  • February 5, 1979. Manuscript picture letter from the Piburns to Green Street UMC, Augusta, Maine.
  • April 30, 1979. Typed letter from Charles M. Miller, Director of Publicity and Promotion, Rhodesia Annual Conference. Sent to friends, with missionary news being sent through Grace UMC in Baltimore, MD. May 1979. Word and pictorial report from the Piburns, published and distributed by the United Methodist Parish, Wichita, Kansas.
  • May 4, 1979. “Zimbabwe Future Tense.” Article by Bud Herron, in United Methodist Reporter.
  • August 1977. Leadership Letter, article about the Piburns, and an attack by Freedom Band Guerillas on the Nyadiri Methodist Hospital.
  • September 28, 1979. “Veteran Missionary Couple Leaving Zimbabwe.” Typed article from news service (United Methodist Newscope?).
  • December 4, 1979. Mimeographed letter from the Piburns (in Wichita, Kansas) to friends.

1980

  • January 1980. The Maine United Methodist. “Piburns Answer Your Questions.”
  • February 3, 1980. Mimeographed letter from the Piburns, from First United Methodist Church, El Dorado, Kansas.
  • February 8, 1980. Mimeographed letter from the Piburns, then at Red Bird Hospital, Beverly, Kentucky, to Ralph Miller, with manuscript note.
  • May 5, 1980. Photocopied letter, “Piburns Return to Nyadiri.”
  • August 11, 1980. Picture letter from the Piburns, mailed by the First United Methodist Church, El Dorado, Kansas.
  • September 12, 1980. Typed letter from the Piburns to John Gleanson (Maine Conference), with manuscript notes.
  • December 12, 1980. Mimeographed letter from the Piburns, mailed by the First United Methodist Church, El Dorado, Kansas.

1981

  • March 12, 1981. Photocopy of letter from Maine Annual Conference to Dr. Piburn offering equipment and supplies from a hospital in Machias, Maine.
  • April 2, 1981. Photocopy picture letter from the Piburns to friends.
  • May 1981. The Maine United Methodist. “Keep the Door Open! Piburns–and Packages.”
  • December 1, 1981. Photocopied news from “The Producers of the Piburn Newsletter.” About the death of the Piburns’ daughter, Susan, and the arrest of her husband, Kenneth Graham.

1982

  • January 12, 1982. Typed letter from the Piburns, to Maine Conference, with manuscript thanks for hospital supplies.
  • March 9, 1982. Mimeographed letter from the Piburns, sent by the First United Methodist Church, El Dorado, Kansas. About taking early furlough, and upcoming trial of their son-in-law.
  • May 20, 1982. Photocopied picture letter from the Piburns, in Wichita, Kansas.
  • June 1, 1982. Photocopied picture letter from the Piburns, in Wichita, Kansas.
  • June 23, 1982. Photocopied picture letter from the Piburns, in Wichita, Kansas.
  • December 3, 1982. Photoocpied letter from the Piburns at Nyadiri Hospital.

1983

  • January 3, 1983. Photocopied letter from the Piburns, distributed by the First United Methodist Church, El Dorado, Kansas. Announces Dr. Piburn joining the staff of United Methodist Urban Ministry of Wichita, Kansas.

1988-89

  • September 19, 1988. Photocopied letter from the Piburns.
  • December 2, 1988. Photocopied letter from the Piburns.
  • Three photographs from 1989.
  • March 8, 1989. Photocopied letter from the Piburns, including information on son in Peace Corps service in Paraguay.

199?

  • Bush Medicine: Memoirs of a Missionary Surgeon and his Anesthetist, by Marvin F. Piburn, MD, FACS, and Carolyn A Piburn, RN, CRNA. Privately printed in the 1990s. Title page has the following handwritten dedication: “1-3-02 To the New England Conference (UMC) Commission on Archives and History. With appreciation for our help and support from Maine 1952-1968 and even later. Marvin F. Piburn and Carolyn A. Piburn.”