Howard Christmas Struven (1882—1977)
The Baltimore years
On Christmas day, 1882 in Baltimore, MD, Rosa and Dietrich Struven, immigrants from Bremen, Germany, were blessed with the birth of their youngest son, Howard Christmas. Little did they know of the impact that this young boy, and his brother, were to have on the advancement of the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh in this country and the world, and specially, in the city of Worcester (1, 2).
Howard's childhood was spent in his birth city living with his parents on Thames Street in the Fells Point neighborhood of the city of Baltimore, MD). As a young man he was very skilled with his hands and learned the art of building. He later worked in home building, although he did not attend college, eventually became a successful businessman (2, 3).
He accepted the Faith in 1898 or 1899 in Baltimore (1), probably by influence from his brother, Edward, who was an engineering student at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. Here, Edward learned about the faith from Lua Getsinger of Hume, NY, and immediately considered himself a Baha’i (2).
In 1909 he was appointed to a committee in Baltimore to frame a new constitution and by-laws for the Local Spiritual Assembly showing the degree of involvement in the early Baha’i community of Baltimore (2).
Howard Struven was twenty-seven years old in 1909 when 'Abdu'l-Baha asked him to travel around the world with Mason Remey to visit Baha'i communities and teach the Faith. He left Baltimore on July 20. About this trip, Shoghi Effendi later wrote:
Mason Remey voyaged to Russia and Persia, and later, with Howard Struven, circled, for the first time in Baha'i history, the globe, visiting on his way the Hawaiian Islands, Japan, China, India and Burma." (2,3,4)
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Right after leaving Baltimore, Howard and Mason Remey’s first stop was the Seattle Exposition of 1909 and later they visited Baha’i communities in the major cities in the West of the United States. In early September, Howard Struven wrote from Denver to tell of teaching successes, and from San Francisco to say he would be sailing on November 17. From San Francisco they sailed to Honolulu, Hawaii, where several meetings were held; then to Tokyo, Japan, where a large audience was addressed at the YMCA (2, 5, 6). |
1910-Charles Mason Remey, seated second from left and Howard Struven, second from right, with some eastern believers. Image source: World Wide Community of Baha'u'llah
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They visited 4 cities In Japan and in China they visited Shanghai. They later traveled to Singapore, and Burma, where they visited 3 more cities. They later proceeded to visit multiple cities in India. During these visits, Struven later told some Baltimore Baha'is, that he had prayed while Remey lectured. From India they traveled to Palestine, and when they arrived in the Holy Land, 'Abdu'l-Baha embraced him and praised him for his efforts. From Haifa they returned to America in June 1910 (2, 5, 6).
'Abdu'l-Baha gave Struven a tablet to carry back with him to the Baltimore assembly. It reads (7):
HE IS GOD!
O ye Merciful Assembly!
……Mr. Struven became the herald of the Kingdom and traveled through the countries of China, India and Japan. The Supreme Confirmations bestowed assistance, so that he attained to this heavenly Bounty. He became the cause of the glory of the believers of Baltimore and imparted happiness and joy to the friends and maid-servants of the Merciful. He sacrificed everything in the Path of the Kingdom and imparted life to many souls. The results of this trip, ere long, will become apparent and manifest like unto the sun and moon, and the Most Great Confirmation be unveiled
In an interview given in 1966, Mr. Struven related that the trip was financed by money that had been set aside for his college education (3).
When Howard returned to Baltimore in September of 1910, he and Edwin Eardley were elected delegates to the Bahá'í Temple Unity convention held in Chicago. In August 1911, Howard was sent as a delegate to the first annual conference of the Persian-American Educational Society in Washington, and was on the Hall Committee in that year (2).
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Both Struven brothers married in 1912. Edward married Estelle Lowndes, his former coworker, and they moved to her house on North Avenue, Baltimore. He was now employed as a mechanical engineer. Howard married Ruby (Hebe) Moore, Lua Getsinger's sister and lived at 1800 Bentaloo Street, West Baltimore, a house soon to be blessed (2, 4). |
The house on the left with the red awning is the Struven residence.
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In November 1912, during the visit of `Abdu'l-Bahá to the city of Baltimore, after a presentation at the Unitarian Church of Baltimore The Master went for lunch at the home of Howard and Hebe Struven. The Baltimore believers were overjoyed to see their Master. In one of His talks to the friends He said (4):
Praise be to God! I have spent time with you in utmost happiness. I am very pleased with you and will not forget you. I pray that you may daily become more illumined and more spiritual. When I reach the Holy Land, I shall lay my head on the threshold of the Blessed Shrine and, weeping, I shall supplicate on your behalf for assistance and heavenly favors, eternal honor and everlasting joy.
The Master and the friends then left for the station in two automobiles. On the way `Abdu'l-Bahá embraced Mr. Struven as a kind father embraces a son and with the utmost kindness thanked him for his many services to the Cause in such glowing terms that the others were astonished (4).
The Worcester years
The Struven family, and their young son, Howard Douglas, moved to Worcester, MA during the “war years” (9). The 1920 census records their residence at 166 Heard Street (10). It also records Howard Douglas to be 6 years old and born in Baltimore; therefore they must have moved on or after 1914.
House at 166 Heard St, Worcester, MA built by Howard C. Struven and his brother in law, Howard Blakely. Source: Worcester LSA
| A draft record from 1918 already lists Howard living in 22 Heard St. Worcester (11). (click image for a larger view) |
The first record of membership in the membership records of the National Spiritual Assembly in Worcester, MA occurred in 1920. The first members were Mr. and Mrs. Howard C. Struven, and Arthur Hathaway. The following Bahá’ís are listed in Worcester in the 1922 membership list: Arthur A. Hathaway, Mr. and Mrs. Howard C. Struven, Mr. and Mrs. Henry L. Green, Ellen M. Burt." (12). Years later, Howard recalled that he officially enrolled in the Faith early 1922 (1) (ed. comment: it's not clear what he meant by this, given the record at NSA in 1920).
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Company employees and officers gathered in grassy area in front of Royal Worcester Corset factory building ~1910. Image source: Digital Treasures: a digital library project
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In Worcester, Howard C. worked as Foreman at the Royal Worcester Corset Company between Grand and Wyman Streets (in present time, Worcester Royal Apartments) (7).
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The Struven family shared the house at 166 Heard St. in Worcester with Howard Blakely (who was married to Hebe's sister) and his two sons (Walter H, 20 & Dudley M, 17), all from Tennessee, and Dorothy Hathaway (8yo) listed as “boarder” (10). Walter and Dudley Blakely were nephews of Hebe Struven and while Walter stayed in Worcester until, at least, early 1940's when he was the chair of the LSA, Dudley M. left to study art and later became a famous painter, illustrator, and sculptor, and a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh, and pioneer, along with his wife Elsa, to the island of Tonga (13).
The Struven brought the Faith to Worcester. They initially “interested a few of their friends in the movement explaining its principles and providing them with the literature of Bahá'í. Gradually, form small gatherings at the Struven home, the group has increased until now they meet every Thursday night in the Bahá'í assembly rooms at 293 Main street. Brief talks are given on Bahá'í principles by members of the assembly and occasionally by visitors from other assemblies” (9).
By 1924, the Struven had already connected with Florence Morton, and together they brought the Bahá'í National Congress (16th annual convention for the Bahá'í Temple Unity) which was held April 26-29, 1924 at the Hotel Bancroft in downtown Worcester. This activity attracted public interest to the Bahá'í movement itself, and its activity in Worcester (9).
The latter years
In the late 1930's, Howard C. worked for Roy C. Wilhem at Roy's property in Stoneham, Maine and in Teaneck, New Jersey (15, 16). Around 1953 he left Maine, spending some time in Florida, then moved back to Baltimore (15). In 1960, the first functioning Baha'i group was formed in Baltimore County and two years later, an Assembly was elected in the county, with Howard Struven as one of its members (2).
Howard C. died on February 01, 1977 at the age of 94. His last place of residence was in Owings Mills, Maryland in Baltimore County (14).
Back to Worcester History Page
Data sources
- Bahá'í Historical Record of Worcester LSA. circa 1940.
- Clark, Deborah. 1992.The Bahá'ís of Baltimore, 1898-1990' in R. Hollinger (ed.). Community Histories (Studies in Babi and Bahá'í Religions; Volume 6). Kalimat Press, Los Angeles
- 'Abdu’l-Bahá in Baltimore by Allison Vaccaro and Edward E. Bartlett published in Bahá'í News 1982-02
- The Diary of Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání Chronicling `Abdu'l-Bahá's Journey to America. translated by Mohi Sobhani. 1997.
- Arbutus Times. 100 Years Ago. Explorebaltimorecounty.com. Accessed February 2013.
- Star of the West. Vol. 2, No. 4, p. 3.
- Star of the West Vol. 1:9, Aug. 20, p.1, 1910
- Shoghi Effendi. God Passes By.
- Worcester Sunday Telegram. April 27, 1924
- "United States Census, 1920," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MFS7-73T : accessed 18 Mar 2013), Howard C Struven, Precint 4, Worcester, Massachusetts; citing enumeration district (ED) , sheet 7B, family 138, NARA microfilm publication T625, FHL microfilm 1820752.
- "United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KZNC-LL3 : accessed 01 Mar 2013), Howard Christmas Struvin
- Roger M. Dahl, Archivist, National Baha'i Archives, United States. Personal Communication. January 2012.
- Dudley Moore Blakely. In Memoriam. Bahá'í World, Vol. 18 (1979-1983), pages 610-825
- Death-Record. Howard C Struven. Accessed March 2013.
- Esta Struven. Personal communication. May 21, 2013.
- Roy C. Wilhelm. The Bahá'í World Vol. 12. In Memoriam. Page 662
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Last update: 6/17/2014