GIORGI, Antonio Agostino (Augustinus Antonius Georgius; baptized Francesco Maria Giorgi). Santo Mauro di Romagna (near Rimini) 10.5.1711 — Rome 4.5.1797. Italian Monk, Theologian, and Orientalist, a Coptic Scholar and Pioneer of Tibetan Studies. Son of Antonio Giorgi (1685–1723) and Antonia Semprini (1687–1767). Augustinian monk since 1726, studied philosophy, science, theology…
FRANCKE, August Hermann. Ober-Peilau, Schlesien (then Gnadenfrei, now Piława Górna in Poland) 5.11.1870 — Berlin 16.2.1930. German Missionary (in Ladakh) and Tibetologist. Professor in Berlin. Son of the elder A. H. Francke (1838–1898), a merchant and dyehouse owner, and Charlotte Susanne Beyer (1842–1890). After school in Gnadenfrei studied for the…
FOUCAUX, Philippe-Édouard. Angers (Maine-et-Loire) 15.9.1811 — Paris 19.5.1894. French Indologist and Tibetan scholar. Professor in Paris. Son of a wealthy merchant from Angers, came to Paris in 1828 to study Oriental languages. He was a student of Burnouf and prompted by him started on his own to learn Tibetan from…
FINCK, Felix (lay Henricus Finck). Antwerpen 1868 — Maryabad, Punjab (Pakistan) 29.3.1932. Father. Belgian Capuchin (OFM) Missionary, Historian and Tibetan Scholar in India. From Antwerpen, worked in Maryabad in Western Punjab. In 1912 living in Calcutta, then 191?-21 in Bettiah. Publications: Wrote on the old Mughal mission of Jesuits. –…
FILLIOZAT, Jean Lucien Antoine. Paris 4.11.1906 — Paris 27.10.1982. French Indologist. Professor in Paris. Son of a physician, educated in Paris (Lycée Henri IV and Louis le Grand). After studies of medicine in Paris (Dr. med. 1930) he practised as ophthalmologist until 1947. But he became early interested in India…
FÉER, Henri Léon. Rouen 22.11.1830 — Paris 10.3.1902. French Indologist and Buddhist Scholar. Librarian in Paris. Probably son of Paul Féer (1792–1847) and Jeanne Marie Labauche (Wikitree on Isabelle Féer mentions him as her uncle, but the same on Paul Féer does not list him among their children). Educated in…
FAZY, Robert. Foëcy, Cher (France) 28.6.1872 — Lausanne 2.3.1956. Swiss Judge interested in Oriental Studies. Son of William Fazy, an engineer and economist, of ancient Genevan family, and Adèle Morel-Fatio. During his childhood he lived in France, Silesia, and Bern. After studies of science and law at Geneva he worked…
EVANS-WENTZ, Walter Yeeling (born Wentz, added his mother’s surname c. 1910). Trento, N.J. 2.2.1878 — Encinitas, Calif. 17.7.1966. U.S. Traveller, Anthropologist and Tibetologist. Son of Christopher Wentz (1836–1921), a wealthy estate owner from New Jersey, of German origin, and Mary Evans Cook (d. 1898), of Irish descent. Originally Baptist, but…
EKVALL, Robert Brainerd. Minion (Min), Kansu 18.2.1898 — King county, Wash. ?.5.1978. U.S. Missionary and Tibetan Scholar. Born in China as a son of a Scottish missionary family, David Paul Ekvall and Helen Galbraith. After his father’s death in 1912 came with his mother to the U.S.A. and graduated from…
DUTREUIL DE RHINS, Jules-Léon. Saint-Étienne (Loire) 2.1.1846 — Tong-mbon-ndo in Kham 5.6.1894. French Marine Officer, Cartographer, Traveller and Explorer. Son of Jean-Denis Dutreuil de Rhins (1816–1872) and Jeanne Félicité Blondart. Born in the Loire area, educated at École navale. Joined first the merchant navy, soon moved to military navy. In…