Annie Romer
Annie Romer (January 24, 1876 - March 6, 1955) was an American Bahá’í who pioneered to England where she served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles. She returned to the United States in later life and helped establish and develop Bahá’í communities in the United States and Canada throughout the 1940's and early 1950's.
Biography[edit]
Romer was born Annie Brown to John B. Brown and Isabel Seymour in South Windsor, Connecticut, in 1876.[1] She had two brothers and a sister.[2] In her youth she married journalist Harry H. Romer, becoming step mother to his son,[2] in the United States and they moved to London in 1926.[3]
Romer became an active member of the London Bahá’í community and served on the Local Spiritual Assembly during the 1920's and 1930's and she was also elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the British Isles. She corresponded with Shoghi Effendi and under his direct instructions proclaimed the Bahá’í Faith to several prominent scientific and religious figures. She also organized several public meetings at the London Bahá’í Center inviting prominent dignitaries to speak at them alongside Bahá’í speakers including Lady Blomfield.[4]
In 1935 Romer's husband Harry passed away and she returned to the United States and had little money. She wrote to Shoghi Effendi requesting guidance in 1936 and he suggested she return to England or pioneer to Central or South America. She returned to London that year but due to having little financial resources she returned to America settling New York in October 1937. After returning to America she began studying contemporary Bahá’í teaching methods at Green Acre and wrote to Shoghi Effendi again in 1938 and he thanked her for her service in England and encouraged her to concentrate on teaching in the United States.[4]
Romer assisted the efforts of the North American Bahá’í community by actively teaching throughout the 1940'sand she pioneered to Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada, to help establish a Local Spiritual Assembly in 1944. She pioneered again to the southern United States in 1946 settling in Greenville, South Carolina, for several months and then New Orleans, Louisana.[4] In 1951 she pioneered to Louisville, Kentucky, remaining until 1953 when she pioneered to Knoxville, Tennessee.[4]
Romer began to suffer health problems after a few months in Knoxville and was diagnosed with cancer receiving surgery. She was given a terminal diagnosis and moved to Manchester, Connecticut, to live with her brother who cared for her up until her passing in 1955.[2] Shoghi Effendi conveyed the following message after her passing:
GRIEVED PASSING ANNIE ROMER DEVOTED ABLE PROMOTER PIONEER FAITH STOP SERVICES HIGHLY MERITORIOUS STOP PRAYING PROGRESS SOUL KINGDOM[1]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1974). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 14 (1963-1968), Pg(s) 375. View as PDF.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1974). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 14 (1963-1968), Pg(s) 377. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1937). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States and Canada. New York City, NY. Volume 6 (1934-1936), Pg(s) 490. View as PDF.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1974). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 14 (1963-1968), Pg(s) 376. View as PDF.
