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of Japan
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David Thompson was the son of David Thompson Jr. and Sarah Rea. David Thompson was born in or near Cadiz, Harrison Co., Oh. on 21 Sep 1835, and graduated from Franklin College near New Athens, Harrison Co., Oh. on September 8, 1859. He then proceeded to the Western Theological Seminary in Pittsburgh, where he graduated 3 years later. On November 30, 1862 he was already on a ship heading for the Orient trying to get to Japan. When he arrived in Japan he was the first Presbyterian Minister to serve in that position. An online quote I found for Rev. Thompson was a page dedicated to the Tokyo Union Church. "2/1874 - Reverend David Thompson "married two native couples in the Christian way" and unwittingly helped launch what would become a new Japanese industry: marriages in Christian chapels." In 1873 Miss Mary Parke came to Japan as a female missionary. On May 7, 1874 they were married in the church where he worked. Of this union there were 3 daughters born, Ruth Rea Thompson, b. 2 November 1876, Grace Calhoun Thompson b. 1 January 1880 and Mary Calhoun Thompson, date of birth unknown, but the death notice said she was the middle child, so that would place it about 1879. The child died of diptheria. Ruth Rea Thompson never married and died in Los Angeles, Ca. in 1957. Grace Calhoun Thompson married John Kenneth Caldwell in 1908. Mr. Caldwell was working with the American Foreign Service in Japan at the time of the wedding. Rev. David Thompson died in Tokyo on 29 October, 1915, after 53 years of missionary work. To give an idea of the regard to which Dr. Thompson was held by the Japanese I've included a short news clipping: | ||
"An English paper in Tokyo printed the account of the Emperor's birthday with a small caption and immediately under it with bolder capitals and in longer space an account of the death of Dr. Thompson, one of the older missionaries. A few years ago it would not have been thought appropriate to overshadow with any other news a reference to the Emperor's birthday ceremonies, least of all with an account of a missionary."
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In addition to his missionary work Dr. Thompson also became a noted Japanese and Chinese scholar. He worked as the Japanese interpreter for the American Embassy in Japan at times, and even spent a couple of years in Europe as an interpreter for a Japanese Embassy. Dr. Thompson's death was followed by his wife on 17 May 1927. |
Union Church at Yokohama
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