Mary Celia E. Stillman taught English in the Brookfield Union School and Academy. She and Reverend William H. Cossum were missionaries to China in the time of the Boxer Rebellion. They escaped by camel train across the Gobi Desert to Shanghai in late 1900 and then to Japan.

The following are two articles from a series run in the "Brookfield Courier" (NY) when at the time, Barton Gardiner Stillman, Jr., older brother of Mary Celia E. Stillman, was its Editor.

THE COSSUMS RETURN TO THE MISSION FIELD
The Journey Well Begun - -
Stops at Buffalo, Chicago and Denver - Life on the Ocean Steamer - Bewildering expanse of the Pacific

Rev. W. H. Cossum and family left DeRuyter the morning of Dec. 26, on the return trip to the mission field in China. They have already spent five years in that remote part of tbe world and return after a vacation of two years at home. Mr. and Mrs. Cossum are well known to our readers, many of whom are more or. less interested in the work for which they have sacrificed so much. Following are copious extracts from a family letter by Mrs. Cossum posted at Honolulu, not written expressly for publication, though under the circumstances we make bold to include the whole COURIER family in the favored circle believing that no exception will be taken to this exercise of editorial discretion.
S. S. Gaelic
January 10th, 1900

THE COSSUMS IN CHINA
They are at Dong-si and as yet are not within the zone of Boxer Outbreaks.

The latest news from China is of such alarming proportions that friends and relatives of missionaries on that field are apprehensive for their safety. Press dispatches announce that aome who were in the much troubled districts have reached a place of safety, while others have not been heard from and their friends are anxious as to their fate. Among those who are well I known In, the COURIER parish are Rev.& Mrs. William H. Cossum. They went as missionaries to China in November, 1891, and were stationed at Ningpo. Mr. Cossum's home is in Poughkeepsie, where his father, Charles Cossum, is one of of the oldest and most valued men in the employ of the New York Central railroad. Mr. Cossum received his preparatory collegiate and theological training at the Colgate university and went to China as the college representative, under the direction of the Baptist Missionary union. Mrs Cossum, whose home was formerly in DeRuyter, taught several yeaars in the Brookfield High School and it was here that she first met Mr. Cossum who came over from Hamilton to coach the graduates in elocution. Her letters to the stay-st-homes have been a noticeable feature in the Courier ever since their first trip to, the far-east in '91. Mrs. Cossum with her two children, Marie and Wilford, returned to this country in the spring of 1896 on account of ill health and to enjoy a much needed rest. Mr. Cossum followed her the next winter. He was employed in mission work in Denver, Col. and Brooklyn until January when they returned to China as the representatives of Grace Gospel church of Brooklyn, with whose pastor, the Rev. J. M. Mosier, Mr. Cossum had been working for nearly a year. Mr. and Mrs. Cossum are stationed at Dong-si, between Shanghai and Hankow. Dong-si is abour 24 hours by steamer from Shanghai. The last news received from them was a letter under date of June 6th (1900), which reported them in usual health aiid says nothing in regard to the Boxer troubles. They are living in a Chinese house and are glad to count among their friends some of the influential officers of the place. As they are probably some 800 miles from the reported scene of trouble, it is thought they are not in immediate danger.

Caroline Marie Cossum
Born: 26 Dec 1890
Place: Chicago, IL
Died: 15 Nov 1974
Place: Rochester, NY - buried in Sterling, IL
Married: Herbert Arthur Wildman
Born: 5 Aug 1896
Place: San Antonio, TX
Died: 22 Sep 1935
Place: Sterling, IL - buried in: Sterling, IL
Date Married: 7 Aug 1922 in Chicago, IL

Wilford Wells Cossum
Born: 15 Dec 1893
Place: Ningpo, China
Died:
Place: Worthington, OH - buried in Waynesville, OH
Married: Anne McCune Doster
Born: circa 1895
Place:
Died:
Place: Worthington, OH - buried in Waynesville, OH
Date Married: circa 1917

Wilford Wells Cossum and Anne McCune Doster Cossum served as missionaries in remote western China from 1920 to 1927

Robert Wilder Cossum
Born: 16 Jul 1899
Place: De Ruyter, NY
Died:
Place:
Married: Margaret Duthie
Born: 26 Feb 1901
Place:
Died:
Place:
Date Married: 16 May 1924

Robert Wilder Cossum was much admired by Ruth Alberta Stillman while both attended Alfred University

Elizabeth E. Cossum
Born: 18 Mar 1902
Place:
Died:
Place:
Married: Reverend Herbert A. Grant
Born: 18 Nov 1899
Place:
Died:
Place:
Date Married: 29 Jul 1924

Catherine Stillman Cossum
Born: 28 April 1908
Place:
Lived:
Place: Stanford, CA
Died: Dec 1999
Place: Las Cruces, NM
Married: Dr. Edward J. Brown
Born: 7 Aug 1912
Place:
Died:
Place:
Date Married:

Information on this page has been provided by Irving Leon Stillman