Charles R. Lord papers

Charles R. Lord (1920-2010) was born on 5 January 1920 in Grinnell, Iowa to Jesse and Elizabeth Lincoln Lord. He grew up on a farm, and graduated with a degree in agriculture from Berea College in 1942. During the World War II, Charles was a registered conscientious objector, and worked with the Civilian Public Service. He married Josephine (Joy) Swift in 1945. After the war, Charles was involved with the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). On 1 November 1946, Charles and the members of the SS Carroll Victory “Cattleboat I” left Baltimore, Maryland bound for Kavala, Greece. Known as the Heifers for Relief project, the trip was one of many to bring horses and other livestock to European farms in efforts to help them recover after World War II. The ship made stops to deliver livestock at Kavala on 14 November 1946; Haifa, Palestine, 27 November 1946; Durban, South Africa 1946 December 12 where they obtained more livestock; Piraeus, Greece, 2 January 1947; Durban then Haifa on 8 January 1947; Beira, Mozambique on 24 January 1947; Durban on 7 February 1947 to get more livestock; Piraeus on 7 March 1947 was their last delivery. The ship returned to New York on 27 March 1947. Charles, Josephine, and their three children performed missionary work in Southern Rhodesia (present-day Zimbabwe) from 1954-1965. After returning to the United States, Charles became a teacher and pastor, and continued his missionary work in Africa through 1982. The collection contains photographs and correspondence documenting Charles R. Lord’s trip aboard the SS Carroll Victory “Cattleboat I” to deliver livestock to Greece as part of a relief mission by the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) from November 1946 to March 1947. The correspondence is primarily between Charles and his wife Josephine. The photographs document the livestock delivery as well as trips to villages and cities in Greece, Palestine, and Africa. An itinerary of the SS Carroll Victory is also included.