Americans in Jerusalem

American Colony, a Christian community in Jerusalem, was founded by immigrants from the United States and Sweden. This collection includes photographs of American Colony leader Anna Spafford, her husband Horatio, their daughters Bertha (Spafford) Vester and Grace (Spafford) Whiting, John D. Whiting (husband of Grace), Ruth Whiting (sister of John), and grandsons David, Spafford, and Edmund Whiting. Also includes photographs of various American Colony members and the sitting room at the "Baby Home" (Old House).

Album 1: Portraits of the Whiting and Spafford families

Album page image number 3-15 (p. 3-15) Photographs include: Portraits of Anna Spafford, Horatio Spafford, Grace Whiting and Bertha Vester as young girls, group portrait (Bertha, Flora (Naseef ) Page, Ellen Anderson, John D. Whiting, Ruth Whiting); William Rudy, Ruth Whiting and Grace Whiting as young girls, Bertha Spafford, and Anna Spafford (print). Portraits of American Colony members include: Amelia Elizabeth Gould, Mrs. Yantis, William Rudy, Joanna Brooks, Mirriam Adams, Edward Baldwin, Enor Shelberg, Otis Page, Olaf Lind, Jacob Spafford, Hanna and Nellie Olson, Nanny and Tilly Holstrom, Henwood (three American sisters), Carry and Tilly Holstrom with two little boys, Ava Anderson (hand-colored photograph), and Swedish group from Dalarna remaining in American Colony, May 10, 1946 (see similar image: LC-M33-13543-A).
Album page image number 16-23 (p. 19-26) Photographs include: Levy family portrait (Mrs., Nils, and Clarence), Dinsmore family portrait (Rachel, John, and Mary), Elias and Emelia Habbib, Yantis family portrait (Jesse, Annita, "Dorethy" and two babies), group portrait (Edward Baldwin, Norman, Furman, and two unidentified individuals), Goldenthal family portrait (Ruth Whiting, Morris, and son), Ruth Whiting, and Mrs. Strand.
Album page image number 24-28 (p. 38-45) Photographs include: Sitting room in "Baby House" of American Colony with Bertha Vester seated at the table, Anna Spafford with David, Spafford, and Edmund Whiting (baby); portrait of John D. Whiting, and four unidentified young women.

Album 2: Portraits of the Vester and Whiting families

Album page image number 1-12 (inside front cover-p. 11) Photographs include: a family portrait of Whiting and Vester families: Standing left to right: Jacob Spafford, Grace and John Whiting, Frederick and Anna Grace Vester; seated: Anna Spafford holding John (Jock) Vester?, Horatio Vester, Bertha Vester holding unidentified baby; floor: Tenetta Vester, Spafford and David Whiting. Grace Whiting holding Spafford, Anna Spafford holding David?; Jock and David in baby carriage, baby and toddler portraits, child playing outside with nurse, Spafford? celebrating first birthday, July 22, 1911; donkey ride, tea time, July 22, 1912; Spafford playing in leaves, feeding a horse and playing with water faucet, July 1911; family outing, portrait of Vester children, bath time for Spafford, and Vester children playing at the beach.
Album page image number 13-26 (p. 12-25) Photographs include: Whiting family portrait (Grace, Spafford, John D.) 1911, Vester family portrait (Frederick, Anna Grace, Bertha), Bertha with Anna Grace on her back, Vester children playing in the garden and playing musical instruments with friends, Jock Vester and David Whiting feeding a turkey, Spafford Whiting in a baby carriage, Vester children pose with friends, Yates family, great grandmother Mary Whiting holding Spafford, children playing in the snow, Jacob Spafford? with child, Granny Hornstein, Selim Barakat, Vester children with Spafford, children with umbrellas, children on sled, woman and little girl standing outside, Anna Grace sitting with Tanetta and Horatio?, girls playing with dog, July 4th pageant (little boys lined up holding toy rifles), American Colony store with Frederick Vester standing out front, unidentified child with Spafford? and David? sitting in the grass, unidentified woman in Arab dress holding a child, Grace Whiting having tea with women, John D. Whiting and child riding on a donkey, David playing with plants, Whiting and Vester families at Ein Karem, David Whiting, and Spafford Whiting playing with hammer and wooden crates.