Mabel Mary Graham Heath
|
 Taken in Antigua, Ludious 1914. Mabel, Cliff (baby), Barbara (young girl), and Edwin Heath Sr. |
||||||||
|
Edwin J. Heath was a Moravian Missionary in Antigua, when he married Mabel Mary Graham. |
Undated Photograph (circa 1977) |
||||||||
 Nisky Cemetery, Bethlehem, PA
|
 Marian Graham Heath - Daughter |
||||||||
 Nisky Hill Cemetery, Bethlehem, PA
|
Widow's House in Bethlehem, PA. Mabel lived in the Window's house for many years following her husband's death.
|
References
| Widow Recalls Candle Tradition - Allentown Morning Call - Many who assume that the single white light in the window is a custom as old as the Tannery, don't know about Mrs. Edwin Heath. Those who do know the 93 year old widow describe her as very precise and particular woman who still loves to cook, entertain, and travel. It was natural that in 1926 - during her first Christmas in Bethlehem, she would take stock of the appearance of the Moravian College for Women -- of which her late husband was president -- and decided something needed to be done. The school looked so dark and empty, says Mrs. Heath, with all the girls gone home for vacation. It is just across from Central (Moravian Church on Church Street) where everyone was coming for the Christmas Eve Services. She decided to put a lighted candle in each window of the big stone building which earlier was the Brethren's House. This was an ambitious project, since there are 20 windows just on the Main Street side of the two main floors. There also are the windows on the ground floor, and two sets of dormers above. Mrs. Heath thought of the box of used candles which she had saved from the many teas and special dinners during the year. She and her husband picked the longest candles, the ones sure to burn at least two hours. Then candle holders were needed. There weren't that many candles sticks at hand, so they took lids of jars and stuck the candles on with hot wax. Fortunately, the window sills are broad and offered plenty of safe place for a lighted candle. But as a precautions, the help of several fire watches was enlisted. Arthur Cooley, who taught Greek. T. Edgar Shields who taught music. The janitor, the night watchman, and the Heaths each took responsibility for an area from twilight until about nine p.m. on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. And that was at the start of a tradition that today stands as a hallmark of the celebration of Christmas in Bethlehem. The custom that she began the year the Heaths arrived in Bethlehem was continued for several years. Vernon Melhado, as head of the Chamber of Commerce, complimented the Heaths on the appearance of the Brethren's House and suggested using electric candles, and presented the school with some. Thus Moravian College for Women became the first of the old buildings on Church Street to be so decorated. People in the historic area were encouraged to put candles in their windows. In various countries it is a custom to put a candle in the window to give a welcome to the Christ child. In Bethlehem, it seemed particularly fitting since the Moravian Christmas candle has been a special part of Christmas for over two centuries. It is interesting to note that the Heaths were newcomers in town when they put the candles in the windows. They had arrived in April from Winston Salem N.C. where for 1`2 years Dr. Heath had been assistant to the president of Salem College. A graduate of Moravian College and Theological Seminary, Edwin Heath had volunteered to go to Trinidad, and there he met and married Mabel Graham, daughter of an architect who had moved from the States for his health. While serving in the Caribbean area, he showed particular capability in developing the school but suffered much from malaria. Being called to serve in Moravian school in Winston Salem was a welcome change, and it also proved to be a good training ground while his health improved. The next move was to Bethlehem, one for which Dr. Heath and his wife were well fitted. Mrs. Heath now lives in the Widows House, just up the street from the Moravian College buildings which used to be those of the College for Women and the Seminary for Girls. |
|
To my children, Barbara, Marian, and Clifford. This was the bible Daddy treasured so very much, and used every day. It was his fathers and was given to Daddy by him before he died as a keepsake, therefore was treasured by him. It was Daddy's record of the family. Keep it safely. Lovingly, Mother. |
| The following are
memories from Marian Graham Heath Hooper, daughter of Edwin Joseph
Heath, recorded October 13, 2006 : Edwin Joseph Heath was born on December 27, 1880 in St. John, US Virgin Islands, where his parents, Charlotte Reinke Heath and George Octavius Heath, were missionaries. At the time the Virgin Islands were still Danish. Charlotte Amalie (pronounced Uh-MAL-yuh) the capital of USVI, was named after the Queen of Denmark. George Octavius was so called because he was the eighth child of.....?? Whoever they were. He was one of six living children who grew to adulthood. It is said that Charlotte Heath had 12 babies, including twins, but only six survived early childhood. Edwin's five siblings were: George Reinke Heath, (oldest) Mary Heath Fraser (married James Fraser), Herbert Heath, (moved to Canada, married his cousin Blanche, had 4 children) and Harold Heath (married Janet?, became an actor, entertainer, and magician. He was a one-man band, FAR more interesting than the others. Uncle George, however, was a genius and linguist, spoke 12 languages, gave the Miskito Indians their first written grammar, also had gone to medical school in Heidelberg, Germany and knew lots of cures. Charlotte had been an American. The Reinkes came to the US from Sweden in the 17th century and she had an ancestor who had been a circuit riding preacher in Swedesboro, NJ in 1696. I'm not sure if she was a Moravian. My grandfather George O. Heath was a handsome, blue eyed, white haired guy in his photograph taken around 1920 or so. Grandma Charlotte was somewhat more severe. George's family as I understand it, were from somewhere in the midlands of England. George and Charlotte sent all their children except baby Harold to school in England, as was the custom with colonials living abroad. The missionary parents traveled around 'mishing" all over the Caribbean. My dad considered Jamaica "his" island. Some of his siblings were born there. The Heath children went to Fulneck School,, a Moravian school in Fulneck, near Leeds, in England. Judging from reports, it was a horrible place, very strict, very Dickensian. Evidently those old German Moravians had missionaried themselves over to England and converted some English families, probably in the 18th or early 19th century, so there are English Moravians, and this Heath family were some of them. After finishing Fulneck, Edwin, my dad, went to London to work for a time for the British and Foreign Bible Society. While in London he went to music halls and learned some funny patter songs, which he used to sing. He also attended the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, whenever what was, let's see, 1837 plus 60, it was in 1897. He attended it as a person standing in the street waving a flag, not at Buckingham Palace. His older brother George had gone, it is said, to Heidelberg in Germany to study medicine, but contracted tuberculosis and had to drop out, and while recovering he changed his mind and went to theological seminary in Bethlehem. Edwin followed, and graduated from Moravian College for Men in 1904. He went on to get a B.D, degree from Moravian Theological Seminary, was ordained and became a missionary, I think the boys' dad, George O, had also gone there for his degree, while there, he met this American girl he married that would be Charlotte. |
