CAREY, Felix. 1786 (acc. to geni.com Moulton 20.10.1785) — Serampur 10.11.1822. British Missionary. Eldest son of —> W. Carey and Dorothy Plackett. Came to India with his parents in 1794. With his missionary zeal father neglected him and he was rather brought up by W. Ward. In 1808-14 he worked as missionary in Burma (Rangoon). He was more a linguist than a missionary and had difficulties to find his place in life. On way from Rangoon to Ava he lost his wife and two children in a shipwreck. Now came to Calcutta on a diplomatic mission for the king of Ava, but his credentials were defective and the negotiations did not proceed and late in 1815 he returned to Burma, but being afraid of the tyrannical king did not proceed to the court. Some three years he wandered in the frontier region of Burma and Assam. Late in 1818 Ward met him in Chittagong and persuaded him to return to Serampore, where he became his father’s assistant. Twice a widower (Margaret Kincy d. 1808, N. Blackwell d. 1814), two further marriages (L. Ruomboa, Amelia Pope).
Among his unfinished works were a Pāli grammar and a Burmese dictionary. He introduced smallpox vaccination in Burma and assisted his father in literary work in Bengali. Also knew Sanskrit. Early death impended many plans.
Publications: Published many translations in Bengali.
– Grammar of the Burman Language. 351 p. Serampore 1814.
Sources: Buckland, Dictionary; *S.K. Chatterji, FC: A Tiger Tamed. 1991; D.G.E. Hall, “F.C.”, Journal of Religion 12, 1932, 473-492; *M. Laird, Oxford D.N.B. 2004; *M. Siddiq Khan, “F.C. A Prisoner of Hope”, Libri 16, 1966, 237-268; a few lines in D.N.B. 9, 1887, 65; geni.com.
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