Samuel James Whitmee, 1838-1925: Recollections of a Long Life

Typescript copy of manuscript written by Samuel J. Whitmee. Includes letter from Whitmee to Mr Chamberlain, 15 May 1922, relating to Elikana [a 'native teacher' on Samoa? 'South Sea Island']. Also includes a biography of Samuel Whitmee taken from the Bedfordshire Magazine, Vol. II, No. 85, Summer 1968.

Samuel James Whitmee was born on 26 May 1838. He was ordained in 163, and married Mary Jane Cousins in the same year. He was appointed to Samoa with the London Missionary Society, sailed 6 Mar 1863, and arrived at Samoa on 29 Nov. He was appointed to Leone, Tutuila, where he arrived 16 Dec 1863. Mrs Whitmee died at Leone in Jul 1864. In October 1864, he removed to Leulumoega, Uplou, and took charge of the Aana district. In 1865 he married Martha Crosbie Mills (nee Turner). In 1878 he resigned his connection with the Society. Mrs Whitmee died on 16 Feb 1880. In 1891, owing to special circumstances, the Directors requested Mr Whitmee to return to Samoa for a time, in order to take charge of the work among the foreign residents at Apia, and also to cooperate in a special mission among the local churches. He arrived at Apia on 26 Dec. On 28 Nov 1893 he left Apia to visit the Gilbert Islands as the deputation from the Samoan District Committee, and thence proceeded to Sydney, arriving 10 Jan 1894. From Sydney, he visited New Zealand and also Samoa en route for England. He died on 10 Dec 1925.

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Copy made from the manuscript lent by Samuel James Whitmee's [great?] grandson. Copy made by Irene Fletcher, Librarian & Archivist of the London Missionary Society, Aug 1964.