Little is known about Mary Louise Blatchley's life. In 1889 she joined the Wayne Presbyterian Church in Wayne, Pennsylvania with her parents, Charles and Mary Blatchley, and older siblings, Henry, Charles and Clara Blatchley. From 1897-1910, she served as Secretary for Young Peoples' Work for the Presbytery of Chester's branch of the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society. In that capacity, she spoke frequently before various women's and children's societies on the subject of foreign missions. In addition, until at least 1923, she was active in the Wayne Presbyterian Church, supervising several youth groups. On numerous occasions, she hosted foreign missionaries in her home and spoke on the subject of foreign missions to diverse groups within the church. Her papers reflect her interest in foreign missions. Of particular importance are the speeches she made to various Christian Endeavor societies at local Presbyterian churches throughout the Presbytery of Chester from 1902-1935. Her incoming correspondence, which dates from 1889-1907, is primarily of a personal nature but also includes letters from individuals associated with the Woman's Foreign Missionary Society of Philadelphia, the oldest and largest of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.'s women's missionary boards. View the collection guide to learn more.
Featured image: Mary Louise Blatchley personal notebook, 1890-1894.