PA 41/1

PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

Biography:

“Ourselves Your Servants for Jesus’ Sake” was the motto Anna S. Kugler, M.D., lived by
throughout her forty-seven years of service ministering to the spiritual and physical well-being of
the people of southern India. In addition to being only the second woman missionary to be sent
by the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States of America, she
was its first medical missionary. It was not a road easily traveled for Dr. Kugler, but one she
believed was her calling.

Anna Sarah Kugler was born in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, on April 19, 1856, to Charles and
Harriet Sheaff Kugler. Her father was a prominent Pennsylvanian and had served for a time in the
state legislature. She received her secondary education at Friends’ Central High School and
graduated from the Women’s Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1879. She began
an internship at the Norristown State Asylum in 1880. In 1882 she received a letter from the
Reverend Adam D. Rowe, a General Synod missionary serving in India, in which he conveyed to
her the urgent need for medical care for the indigenous women of the General Synod’s Guntur,
India, mission field. He encouraged her to come and provide that care.

At the April 13, 1882, meeting of the Executive Committee of the General Synod’s Woman’s
Home and Foreign Missionary Society (WHFMS) it was noted that an application to work in the
church’s mission field in India had been received from Dr. Anna S. Kugler. Correspondence
continued between the Executive Committee and Dr. Kugler through February of 1883 when she
expressed the desire to go to India as a medical missionary. The board instructed its secretary to
convey to Dr. Kugler that it would be unable to appoint her as a medical missionary, but was
willing to appoint her as a teacher. On February 16, 1883, Miss Kugler wrote to Mrs. E. S.
Prince, a member of the WHFMS Executive Committee, and told her that she would accept the
appointment as a missionary to India with two conditions. She wished to be permitted to take a
medical outfit with her, and “that I may be allowed to minister to the sick wherever opportunity
offers.” Her letter then went on to state, “Although I would prefer to go as a medical missionary I
shall if appointed earnestly endeavor to fulfill the desires of the Executive Committee. After all I
think our object is the same - [viz.] - the carrying of the Gospel to the women of India.” 1 At its
March 8 meeting the Executive Committee of the WHFMS decided, “that after duly considering
the case of Miss A. Kugler, we feel prepared to appoint her as one of our missionaries to
accompany Rev. Unangst to the Foreign field next fall, and would request the Board to confirm

1
PA 41, Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D., Correspondence.

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PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

her appointment.” 2

Dr. Kugler sailed for India from Philadelphia on August 25, 1883. Even though she was
disappointed the Church did not call her as a medical missionary, she agreed to go called as a
teacher because she wanted to be in India at the beginning of medical work among its women.
She believed she could eventually convince the Church the time had come to establish medical
work in India.

She arrived in Guntur, India, Andrah Pradesh, on November 29, 1883 and a few days after that
was taken to see a Brahmin widow in need of a cataract operation and two people with incurable
illnesses. Her medical work continued only as a secondary pursuit for her first year in India. Her
primary responsibility was to the tasks to which she had been called, that of teaching and zenana
work among the Muslim women in harems. Even so, in her first year in India Dr. Kugler treated
185 patients at their homes, and 276 at the Zenana Home where she lived. In 1884 she was put in
charge of the Hindu Girl’s School and served in that position until 1887 and again from 1894-
1895. During this time period she was also in charge of the Girl’s Boarding School.

In 1885 the mission’s General Conference passed a resolution calling for the establishment of
medical work among women and recommended that the General Synod’s Board of Foreign
Missions encourage its Executive Committee to take steps toward supplying facilities for this
work. In December 1885 Dr. Kugler was officially appointed a medical missionary, and in
August 1886 a small house was rented for the purpose of treating women patients. She began
planning for a hospital and was able to report by February 1892 that plans and cost estimates for
a hospital as well as a dispensary had been prepared and that hospital funds would be sent from
America. The dispensary was opened for business in February 1893, and later that year in July
the cornerstone for the hospital was laid.

It was not until 1895 that Dr. Kugler was released from her non-medical mission duties and able
to devote herself full-time to medical work. Her dream of a hospital for women was realized
when American Evangelical Lutheran Mission Hospital, Guntur, India, opened on June 22, 1897,
and began admitting patients the next year. The delay in the admittance of patients was due in
part to the poor health of Dr. Kugler. She had initially suffered a bout of malaria in December
1886. By August 1897 her poor health necessitated her going on furlough. She returned in
October 1899.

2
GS 16/4/1, Executive Committee Minutes.

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PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

In addition to her duties at the dispensary and hospital, Dr. Kugler also worked for the opening of
additional dispensaries in other villages in the Telugu country, and raised funds for a children’s
ward, maternity ward and operating room in the hospital, and medical work in Rentichintala,
India. While on furlough, she spent time visiting Women’s Missionary Societies’ meetings and
conventions, conducted postgraduate work, and devoted time to study of the Bible. While Dr.
Kugler continued her work, in 1927 the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized and
signified the beginning of the work of the ULCA mission field in India being transferred to the
indigenous people of the Andhra region.

For recognition of her exceptional work as a medical missionary, Dr. Kugler was awarded the
British Government's Kaiser-i-Hind medal in 1904. The Indian government added a second bar
to the medal several years later. Dr. Kugler died in Guntur on July 26, 1930, at the age of 74. She
had served forty-seven years in India, and in that time had been the head of the largest mission
hospital in southern India, worked as the mission treasurer for fifteen years, conducted medical
work in Chirala and Tenali in addition to her service in Guntur, and authored the book Guntur
Mission Hospital. At her death Hindus and Christians helped carry her to her place of rest in
Guntur. Shortly after her death the hospital she envisioned and had helped make a reality was
renamed Kugler Hospital.

Compiled by: Catherine Lundeen, Project Archivist, May 2002.

Sources:

Augustus, R.D.Ph. and M.L. Dolbeer. Biographical Record of the Pastors, Missionaries and
Prominent Laymen of the United Lutheran Church Mission and the Andhra Evangelical
Lutheran Church. N.p.: Silver Jubilee Committee of the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran
Church, 1955.

Burger, Magdalen Keith. Our India Story. N.p.: General Literature Committee, Woman’s Home
and Foreign Missionary Society of the Lutheran Church (General Synod), n.d.

Burgess, Andrew S. Winning the Nations. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1945, 1955.

DeRemer, Dr. Barbara E. “The Medical Work of the Mission,” in One Hundred Years in the
Andhra Country: A History of the India Mission of the United Lutheran Church in
America, 1842-1942. Madras, South India: Diocesan Press, 1942.

Diehl, Nona M. Serving Around the World. Philadelphia: Women’s Missionary Society, United

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PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

Lutheran Church in America, 1931.

Kugler, Dr. Anna S. Guntur Mission Hospital. N.p.: Women’s Missionary Society, United
Lutheran Church in America, 1928.

Seebach, Margaret R. A Century in India, 1842-1942. Philadelphia: Women’s Missionary

Society, United Lutheran Church in America, n.d.

Swavely, Clarence, ed. One Hundred Years in the Andhra Country: A History of the India
Mission of the United Lutheran Church in America, 1842-1942. Madras, South India:
Diocesan Press, 1942.

Description:

Boxes 1-9, Diaries, 1877, 1883-1930

These boxes contain diaries of Dr. Anna S. Kugler. They are handwritten, bound books from
1877 and 1883-1930. Diaries are not available in the collection for 1878-1882, 1885, 1895, 1910,
1915, and 1925. Dr. Kugler kept the majority of the diaries during her time working in the
mission field in India, her time spent traveling either to and from the mission field while on
furlough, and any time spent touring the various districts in the mission field. There is one diary
from 1877 while she was a medical student in Philadelphia. Subjects written about in these
diaries include her reflections during her initial trip to India and when she first arrived at the
Guntur Mission field. The majority of the diaries contain very brief entries relating the weather,
the day’s activities, expense listings, visits conducted, and visitors received. In addition to
diaries, there are additional notebooks detailing travel conducted, specific medical work, and
inventories of items in the mission home in which Dr. Kugler lived. Care should be taken when
handling the diaries. The paper is deteriorating and is quite fragile. Records are arranged
chronologically.

Boxes 10-11, Notes, 1890-1928 [1907-1909]

These boxes consist of notebooks and looseleaf pages of handwritten notes taken by Dr. Kugler.
Box 10 consists of notes taken during Bible study classes in 1890-1891, 1905, 1907-1909. The
majority of the notes are from classes taken by Dr. Kugler at the Bible Teacher’s Training School
(BTTS) in New York while on furlough from 1907-1909. The BTTS trained teachers,
missionaries, pastors, and directors of Christian Education for service in the church. The Bible
studies notes from 1890-1891 appear to also be from furlough period. Box 11 contains notes
taken in 1893, 1899, 1907-1908, 1917, 1919, and 1927-1928. These include notes taken during
Bible study classes, as well as notes taken at seminars and classes given at various locations and

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PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

attended by Dr. Kugler while on furlough. There are also notes taken pertaining to Greek
vocabulary, two occasions of postgraduate work, and a yearly summary of mission work for
1909-1917. Records are arranged chronologically and alphabetically.

Box 12, Correspondence, 1882-1931 [1922-1931]

The records in this box comprise handwritten and typewritten correspondence to and from Dr.
Anna S. Kugler from 1882-1931 with the majority of the correspondence written between 1922-
1931. Letters sent by Dr. Kugler consist primarily of those sent to her brother, sisters, and niece.
She received correspondence from family members as well as colleagues, church officials, and
members of the WHFMS. Subject matter includes the recounting of her work in India, questions
about articles she was writing for church publications, and inquiries about her health. Items of
particular interest include initial correspondence in 1882 from Dr. Kugler to the WHFMS while
she is still working in Philadelphia and wishes to become a GS missionary, and a 1930 letter
from Dr. Mary Moses to Dr. Kugler’s niece, Harriet Franzen, in which Dr. Moses recounts Dr.
Kugler’s last days as her health failed. Authors of correspondence include, the Rev. John Aberly,
Dr. Mary Baer, Mrs. Katharine Scherer Cronk, the Rev. George Drach, Mrs. Laura Fry, Mrs.
Amelia Kemp, the Rev. Frederick Knubel, Dr. Anna S. Kugler, Rajah M. Bhujanga Rao Bahadur
of Ellore, Dr. Mary Moses, Dr. Betty Nilsson, Dr. P. Paru, Miss Agnes Schade, Miss Ida
Scudder, the Rev. Lemon L. Uhl, and Dr. Lydia Woerner. Records are arranged chronologically.

Boxes 13-14, Subject Files, c. 1883-1983 [1883-1930]

These two boxes contain items pertaining to particular subjects involving Dr. Kugler’s work in
the Guntur, India mission field. The records are from approximately 1883-1930 and consist of
typewritten and handwritten papers, reports, printed promotional and informational publications,
programs and invitations, medical records, and a handwritten manuscript of Dr. Kugler’s book,
Guntur Mission Hospital. Particular subjects include the opening of the American Evangelical
Lutheran Mission Hospital, Guntur, India in 1887, the raising of funds for a maternity ward and
operating room for the hospital, and Dr. Kugler’s medical problems and treatment of them while
on furlough. A series of handwritten reports on various mission projects is also present. It is
unclear as to who authored the majority of them or in what context they were written. Some
appear to be in Dr. Kugler’s handwriting, but it cannot be ascertained if she indeed wrote them.
There is also a folder of photocopies of material written by Dr. Kugler that appeared in various
publications. Records are arranged alphabetically. Duplicates were removed.

Box 15, Photographs, c. 1868-1930

This box contains 190 black-and-white and sepia-toned photographs from approximately 1868-
1930. There are images captured during Dr. Kugler’s time in India, in particular photographs
taken during the India mission field’s Silver Jubilee in 1917, photographs of the mission hospital

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PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

in Guntur, patients at the hospital, coworkers of Dr. Kugler’s, and students. In addition to the
India photographs there are also photographs taken of Dr. Kugler and her family and friends. In
particular, there is a photograph of Dr. Kugler when she was twelve years old. Approximately
fifty photographs are neither identified nor dated.

OCLC Number: 49886650; Microfilm 49886461

Separations: None

Restrictions: None

Provenance: The bulk of the papers were part of the LCA Archives prior to 1987. Accession
number 1984-0199 was transferred to the LCA Archives in November 1984 by
Tina MacDonald, Administrative Assistant, Lutheran Church Women,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Processor: Catherine Lundeen, Project Archivist, May 2002.

Container List:

Box Folder Contents

Diaries
1 1 Diary, 1877
2 Diary, 1883
3 Travel Diary, 1883
4 “District Note Book,” 1884
5 Travel Expense Record Book, 1883, 1884, 1889
6 Diary, December 1883 - November 1886
7 Diary, 1887
8 Diary, 1888 (mislabeled on cover page)

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PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

Box Folder Contents

2 1 Diary, 1889
3 1 Diary, 1890
2 Diary, 1891
3 Travel notes, 1891
4 Diary, 1892
5 Diary, 1893
6 “Accounts in America,” 1893-1984
7 Diary, 1894
8 Diary, 1896
4 1 Diary, 1897
2 Diary, 1898
3 Diary, 1899
4 Diary, 1900
5 Diary, 1901
6 Diary, 1902
5 1 Travel notes, 1902
2 Diary, 1903
3 Diary, 1904
4 Diary, 1905
5 Diary, 1906
6 1 Diary, 1907

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PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

Box Folder Contents

2 General Conference notes, 1907
3 Diary, 1908
4 Diary, 1909
5 “Hospital and Personal Records of Articles in Bungalow,” 1909
6 Travel notes, 1909
7 Diary, 1911
7 1 Diary, 1912
2 Notebook, 1912
3 Diary, 1913
4 Notebook, 1913
5 Diary, 1914
6 Notebook, 1914
7 Diary, 1916
8 1 Medical Notes, 1916
2 Diary, 1917
3 Jubilee Tour notes, 1917
4 Diary, 1918
5 Travel notes, 1918
6 Diary, 1919
7 Diary, 1920-1924
9 1 Diary, 1924

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PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

Box Folder Contents

2 “Medical Home, Guntur, India,” 1924
3 “Medical Home, Miss Fahs, Dr. Kugler,” 1924
4 Expenses Notebook, 1925
5 Travel notes, 1925-1926
6 Travel notes, 1927
7 Diary, 1926-1929
8 Diary, 1930
9 Book list, n.d.

Notes
10 1 Bible Studies notes, 1890
2 Bible Studies notes, 1891
3 Bible Studies notes, 1905
4 Bible Studies notes, “Notes on Acts,” Guntur, India, 1909
5 Bible Teacher’s Training School (BTTS) notes, “Chapel Notes,” 1907
6 Bible Teacher’s Training School (BTTS) notes, “Church History,”
November 6, 1907-December 4, 1907
7 BTTS notes, “How We Got Our Bible,” November 2, 1907-January 11, 1908
8 BTTS notes, “John and Problems,” November 7, 1907-December 12, 1907
9 BTTS notes, “Matthew,” c. November 5, 1907-December 17, 1907
10 BTTS notes, “Normal Hour for Teachers of Dining Room Classes,”
November 4, 1907-December 9, 1907

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PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

Box Folder Contents

11 BTTS notes, “Old Testament and Oriental Research,” November 8, 1907-
January 31, 1908
12 BTTS notes, “The Parable of Our Lord,” November 18, 1907-December 16,
1907
13 BTTS notes, “Psalms,” c. November 5, 1907-December 17, 1907
14 BTTS notes, November 7, 1907-January 26, 1908
1. Outline of Book Studies; 2. Lecture on Missions; 3. How to Study the
Bible
15 BTTS notes, December 2, 1907-February 7, 1908
Lesson Construction, Sermon Construction, Prophets as Preachers, Chapel, I
John notes, Miscellaneous
11 1 BTTS notes, November 10, 1907-April 24, 1908
1. Old Testament Wisdom Literature; 2. How to Study the Bible; 3. Outline
of Bible Study
2 Bible Studies notes, March 18, 1927-May 16, 1927
3 Bible Studies notes, July 1927
4 Bible Studies notes, May-June 1928
5 Chautauqua, New York, 1890
6 Greek Vocabulary, 1908
7 Northfield, 1919
8 Postgraduate work, Vienna, Austria, 1893
9 Postgraduate work, 1899
10 Summer School of Missions, Northfield, 1907
11 Yearly Summary of Mission Work, 1909-1917

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PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

Box Folder Contents

Correspondence
12 1 Correspondence from Rajah M. Bhujanga Rao Bahadur, 1924-1927
2 Correspondence, 1927-1931
3 Correspondence, 1926
4 Correspondence, 1925
5 Correspondence, 1922-1924
6 Correspondence, 1882, 1883, 1892, 1900-1921

Subject Files
13 1 American Evangelical Lutheran Mission Hospital (AEL), Guntur, India -
Programs and invitations from opening ceremonies, dedications,
commencements, and anniversary celebrations, 1897, 1909, 1917-1923
2 AEL Mission Hospital, Guntur, India, Maternity Ward - Operating Room
Project, 1911-1912
3 Clippings and News Items, 1922-1983 [1922-1926]
4 Guntur Mission Hospital - handwritten manuscript by Dr. Anna S. Kugler,
written in Manchester, Connecticut, Winter 1927-1928
5 Guntur Mission Hospital - drafts of title page, forward, appendices, and
tables, by Dr. Anna S. Kugler, c. 1927-1928
6 Medical Records, 1925-1926
7 Missionary Medical College for Women, Vellore, India, n.d., 1920, 1922,
1927
8 Publications - various letters and addresses collected from publications
written by Dr. Anna S. Kugler, 1883-1895
9 Publications written about Dr. Anna S. Kugler, n.d., 1901, 1907, 1909

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PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

Box Folder Contents

10 Publications written by Rajah M. Bhujanga Rao of Ellore, 1921-1930
14 1 Publications, 1907, 1910, 1915, 1918-1929, 1933, 1942 (1 of 2)
2 Publications, 1907, 1910, 1915, 1918-1929, 1933, 1942 (2 of 2)
3 “The Development of Medical Mission Work in India,” n.d.
4 “The Early Mission History of Guntur,” by Louisa A. Miller, n.d.
5 Financial Records, 1921
6 “The Maiden Trip,” n.d.
7 “The Medical Policy of the Mission,” n.d.
8 “The Place of the Bhagavadgita in Ancient Indian Literature at the Present
Time,” 1915
9 Report of the A.E.L. Mission Hospital, Guntur, India, 1917
10 “School Hygiene,” 1911
11 “Some Problems in Medical Mission Work,” n.d.
12 “The Story of the Medical Mission in Guntur, 1883-1923,” n.d. (2 copies)
13 Untitled, undated reports and papers
14 Special Address by Dr. Kugler on the occasion of the visit of Lady
Willingdon to A.E.L. Hospital, Guntur, India, 1922
15 Text of explanation for photographs of mission’s work in India, 1921

Photographs
15 1 India, 1888-1930
2 India, undated
3 India, unidentified, undated

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PERSONAL PAPERS
Anna Sarah Kugler, M.D. (1856-1930)
Anna S. Kugler Papers, 1868-1983 [1883-1930]
15 boxes; 8 microfilm reels

Box Folder Contents

4 Non-India, 1868-1930
5 Non-India, undated
6 Non-India, unidentified, undated

Related Collections: For related information pertaining to the Andhra Evangelical Lutheran
Church see FELC1, LCA 16/6/2/1, 16/6/2/2, 28/6/3/2/1, 28/10/4, 28/10/5,
and ULCA 19/7/2/1, 19/7/2/2.

MARC headings:

General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States of

America - Missions
General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the United States of
America - Missions - India
Kugler, Anna S. - Career in medicine
Kugler, Anna S. - Correspondence
Kugler, Anna S. - Diaries
Kugler, Anna S. - Health
Kugler, Anna S. - Notebooks, sketchbooks, etc.
Lutheran Church - Missions
Lutheran Church - Missions - India
Missions, medical - India
Photographs
Photographs - missions
United Lutheran Church in America - Missions
United Lutheran Church in America - Missions - India
Women missionaries - India

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