Lillian Resler Keister Harford

Lillian Resler Keister Harford[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2] (May 15, 1851 – 1935) was an American church organizer, editor, and author. She was active worker in the Woman's Missionary Association of her church, the United Brethren in Christ, and delivered lectures for the Women's Missionary Society. In 1880, she was one of the two delegates sent by the Association to the World's Missionary Conference in London, UK.[3] She became the longest-serving president of the Association.[4][5]

Lillian Resler Keister Harford
A woman of the century
BornLillian Resler
May 15, 1851
Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died1935
Occupationchurch organizer, editor, author
NationalityAmerican
Alma materOtterbein University
Genrereligious
Notable worksHistory of the Women's Missionary Association of the United Brethren in Christ
Spouse
George Keister
​
​
(m. 1875; died 1880)​

William P. Harford
​
​
(m. 1893; died 1910)​

Early years and education

Lillian ("Lillie"[lower-alpha 3]) A. Resler was born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, May 15, 1851. She was the first of seven children born to Rev. and Mrs. Jacob B. Resler. A brother was named John I.L. Ressler.[1] Rev. Resler (d. 1891) was minister of the United Brethren in Christ church of that city.[7] He, with only a small salary, moved to Westerville, Ohio, to give his children the benefit of Otterbein University, as soon as Keister was ready to enter, which was in 1866. She was graduated with the class of 1872.[8][9]

Career

After completing her education, she became a school teacher.[8]

On August 19, 1875, at Westerville,[6] she married Rev. George Keister (b. 1847), professor of Hebrew and Church History in United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio, from 1875. They had no children. The early death, in August 1880,[10] of her husband opened the way to her broader usefulness in church work. The church of her choice, the United Brethren in Christ, organized the Woman's Missionary Association in 1875, of which she was corresponding secretary for the first year. The work of the society grew and, in 1881, it called for the full-time of one woman as its corresponding secretary and to establish and edit its organ, the Woman's Evangel. Keister was the available woman well-qualified for the responsible position. She was unanimously elected, holding the position in 1875-76 and 1881–1893.[11] Besides the work on the paper, much of her time was spent giving public addresses.[8]

Keister traveled a lot. One year, she traveled in association work over 12,000 miles (19,000 km) in the United States. Twice, she went on short trips abroad, first in 1884, when the illness of her sister studying in Germany called her there, and again in 1888, when she was one of two delegates sent by the Woman's Missionary Association to the World's Missionary Conference in London.[12]

Later years
William Harford
Lillian Harford

On June 14, 1893, she married William P. Harford (1834-1910).[2]

Keister served as President of the Omaha Woman's Club, Omaha, Nebraska.[13] Between 1905 and 1927, she was president of the Woman's Missionary Association. From 1927 till her death, she served as the Association's honorary president.[11] In 1921, with Alice Estella Bell, she published History of the Women's Missionary Association of the United Brethren in Christ.[14]

Death and legacy

Keister died in 1935.[11] The dedication and renaming of the First United Brethren Church of Omaha, Nebraska, at Nineteenth and Lothrop Streets, occurred December 5, 1909, the new name being "The Lillian Resler Harford Memorial United Brethren Church of Omaha".[15] The Harford School for Girls in Moyamba, Sierra Leone is named in her honor.[5]

Selected works
  • History of the Women's Missionary Association of the United Brethren in Christ, 1921

Notes
  1. Archives of the Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church spells her maiden name as "Ressler".[1]
  2. Fire Underwriters' Association of the Northwest (1911) spells her married name as "Kiester".[2]
  3. Princeton Theological Seminary gives her nickname as "Lizzie".[6]

References
  1. "Pennsylvania Conference UB Pastors". Lycoming College. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  2. Fire Underwriters' Association of the Northwest 1911, p. 184.
  3. Logan 1912, p. 521.
  4. Harford & Bell 1921, p. 23.
  5. Kajue, Hannah. "Brief History of Harford". www.harfordexpupils.co.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  6. Princeton Theological Seminary (1891). "Necrological reports and annual proceedings of the Alumni Association ... : 1875-1932" (Public domain ed.). Princeton, New Jersey: C.S. Robinson. pp. 101–02. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  7. Rankin & Good 1858, p. 4.
  8. Willard & Livermore 1893, p. 430.
  9. Otterbein College 1892, p. 89.
  10. Bonebrake Theological Seminary 1913, p. 44.
  11. Frey 2007, p. 74.
  12. Willard & Livermore 1893, p. 431.
  13. Rhinehart 1909, p. 27.
  14. Harford & Bell 1921, p. 1.
  15. Rhinehart 1909, p. 18.

Attribution

Bibliography
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