Andrew H. Woods papers

The Andrew Henry Woods papers house the personal and professional papers of Andrew Woods, physician and neurologist. The collection, which ranges from 1885-1956, contains journals, photographs, correspondence, publications, and papers.

The collection is organized into six series: “Series I: Journals,” “Series II: Photographs and Postcards,” “Series III: Correspondence,” “Series IV: Publications,” “Series V: Papers,” and “Series VI: Oversized Papers.”

“Series I: Journals” consists of the 25 journals that Andrew Woods wrote over his lifetime. The early journals (1885-1890) are small calendars with a few notes written almost every day. He writes less frequent, but longer entries in the journals after 1890. The journal from 1891-1904 records Woods’s life at Washington & Lee, his experiences teaching at private schools in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts, his time in medical school, his marriage to Fanny Sinclair, his journey to what he refers to as Canton—Guangzhou—and his initial experiences in China. The loose journal from 1905-1914 records his experience teaching and practicing medicine in Guangzhou, his work as an intern at the University of Pennsylvania clinic and the decision to return to Guangzhou. The next journal, from 1915-1918, describe his medical observations as an army physician. From 1918-1928 he records his experiences at the Peking Union Medical College. The 1929-1945 and 1946-1956 journals describe his personal life and psychiatric work in Iowa, as well as his retirement. Additional journals include records of payments and finances, logs of letters written, a dental record, a medical log from Guangzhou, an address book and notes on books and guests. There is also a partially filled notebook of minutes from the Peking American Girl Scouts Committee written by Fanny Sinclair Woods (1923-1926). Additionally, Thomas Sinclair wrote two stories: “Across the Continent June-September 1920” and “Sightseeing around Peking” (includes pictures).

“Series II: Photographs and Postcards” includes nine albums, many loose photos, postcards and two framed portraits of Elsie and Cortlandt Hodge. Most of the albums are photos taken in China, but a few are from family trips to Iowa and France. They include family photographs of travel and life in Guangzhou and Beijing, students and teachers from the Canton Christian College and Peking Union Medical College and other American families in China. There are also photos of the Sinclair family, including Elsie. There are four folders of blank postcards by Mei Li Photography in Peking [Beijing], specifically of the Temple of Heaven, the Western Hills of Beijing, the Summer Palace and the Winter Palace. The loose photographs include family photos of the Woods and Sinclair families, sightseeing in China and later group family photos from the 1930s or 1940s. Researchers should be aware that some albums include photographs of deceased individuals.

“Series III: Correspondence” is organized into 12 folders according to correspondent. Most of the letters were sent to and saved by Agnes Sinclair (Fanny’s Sister). A few letters were sent to Agnes from her friend Mary Hoxie Jones in the 1950s which were originally from Elsie Sinclair to Emma Cadbury (Mary’s aunt). The letters were written by Elsie while in Paotingfu. They discuss her daily life and struggles living in China as a missionary during the Boxer Rebellion, or Yihetuan Movement. Elsie also wrote a few letters to her siblings Agnes, Amy and Rob Sinclair.

The rest of the correspondence is between Agnes and her mother, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, her aunt Fanny, her cousin St. Clair Stevenson and her friends from Bryn Mawr. Agnes also saved many letters from her brother-in-law Andrew Woods while he was in China, both before and after he married her sister Fanny. She collected a few letters to her brother Rob Sinclair and his children Mary and Tom, whom she took care of after their mother’s death. Many of the letters to the Sinclair grandchildren (the nieces and nephews of Andrew and Fanny Woods—Mary, John, Tom, Carol and Elsie) were sent to them while they were all together in Iowa or on vacation in Wisconsin. The Sinclair and the Woods children spent many summers together in Iowa and their correspondence was saved by their Aunt Agnes. The letters from Agnes’s Bryn Mawr friends are all condolence letters concerning the death of her sister Elsie in 1900.

“Series IV: Publications” consists of miscellaneous publications and articles written by Woods. Woods published 45 articles between 1908 and 1948. The early articles discuss medical practice in China. After 1928, he wrote about psychiatric and neurological diseases and practice in Iowa, and occasionally China.

“Series V: Papers” was collected and organized by Woods during his time in Iowa City. Most papers are from the late 1940s and 50s after his retirement. The papers contain several boxes of folders containing letters to and from friends and family, letters and information about civic matters in Iowa City, and letters and newspaper clippings concerning the improvement of Iowa state psychiatric hospitals.

“Series VI: Oversized Papers” contains assorted clippings and notes that Woods collected about various topics (Soutter family letters, notes from books, reports on hospitals and zoning commissions) and a few letters from former friends and colleagues in China. Series VI, Oversized Papers, This box contains diplomas, medical licenses and certificates for A.H. Woods and Fanny Woods, photographs and sketches by Margaret Woods (Keith), a few loose photographs of Bryn Mawr, and Soutter family trees. Many of the photographs by Margaret Woods (Keith) are from the Exhibition in the First Annual University of Iowa Salon of Photographic Art. The others are of Bryn Mawr College, of “Natural Bridges” in Utah, and of Iowa City.

Woods was a neurologist who contributed over forty papers to the field, and who practiced across the United States, as well as in Guangzhou, China. These papers evidence his long career in medicine and his interest in cross-cultural relations. The collection would be of value to those interested in Woods, 20th century neurology and psychiatry practices, and Western medicine in China during the early twentieth century. Researchers interested in this material should note that there are further Andrew Woods materials in the Katherine Woods Papers.