WILKINS, Gordon Smedley. Derby 2.3.1869 — Bromley, Kent 5.1.1957. Rev. British Baptist Missionary in India. Son of George Wilkins (1830–1886) and Mary Stevenson. Worked in Sambalpur 1892-95, Berhampur 1895-1907, Cuttack 1907-09, Russekonda 1909-11, Berhampur 1911-13, Padampur 1913-16 and Cuttack 1916-27. In retirement living in London. Married Ellen Lucy Pike (1872–1958),…
WHITLEY, Jabez Cornelius. London (or Shoreditch, Middlesex) 20.1.1837 — Darjeeling 13/18.10.1904. Right Rev. British Missionary in India. Son of Rev. Edward Whitley and Ann Hunt, educated at the Mercer’s School, Holborn, and Queen’s College, Cambridge (B.A. 1859), ordained deacon 1860, priest 1861. “Went to India in 1862 as a Missionary…
WHITEHEAD, George. 1862 — Halton West, North Yorkshire 3.4.1935. Rev. British Anglican Missionary. From Yorkshire, of an old yeoman family. B.A. 1884 University of London, then curacy at Barnsley. Ordained deacon 1886 and priest 1887 in Mandalay. From 1886 worked in various positions in Upper Burma, in 1895-97 officiating Principal…
WENGER, John (Johann). Schwarzeneck near Bern 31.8.1811 — Calcutta 20.8.1880. Rev. Swiss Missionary in India. Son of Christian Wenger (d. 1816) and his wife, née Fischer. From 1824 gymnasium and 1827 studies of classics and theology at Bern. Adopted Baptism in 1832. In 1833-38 in Greece as tutor in an English…
WEIGLE, Gottfried Hartmann. Esslingen-Zell am Neckar 1.6.1816 — Mangalore 7.1.1855. German Missionary in India, member of Basel Mission. Characterized as a linguist. Son of a minister, Karl Christian Hartmann Weigle (1787–1834) and Johanna Rosina Werner (1793–1826), school in Stuttgart. Studied at Urach Seminary 1830-34, then theology (but also Sanskrit, Arabic…
WARD, William. Derby 20.10.1769 — Serampur 7.3.1823. Rev. British Baptist Missionary in India and Precursor of Indology. Son of John Ward, carpenter and builder. Apprenticed to a printer, worked as printer and editor (of the Derby Mercury, Stafford Advertiser, and Hull Advertiser). Baptized in 1796, preached in villages and in…
WALTHER, Christoph Theodosius (Ñānavālutār). Schildberg in Neumark, Pomerania (now Golenice in Poland) 20.12.1699 — Dresden 29.4.1741. German Missionary and Precursor of Indology in India. Son of a minister, lost early his father and was educated by his maternal grandfather, Rev. David Torfstecher. After gymnasium in Stargard worked as teacher and…
ROTTLER, Johann Peter. Strassburg (Strasbourg) ?.6.1749 — Madras 24/27.1.1836. German Lutheran Missionary and Tamil Scholar in India. Educated at gymnasium and university in Strasbourg, ordained priest 1775 Copenhagen. Arrived at Tranquebar in 1776. Studied Tamil and botany, sent botanical specimens to Erlangen, Paris and especially London (Kew) and became superintendent…
ROTH, Heinrich (Henricus Rodius, Roa). Dillingen 18.12.1610 — Agra 20.6.1668. S.J. German Missionary and Precursor of Indology. Son of Johann Konrad Roth (d. 1637), a lawyer, and his wife Maria Susanna, grew up in Augsburg. Studies at Dillingen University and, after having fled the attacking Swedish, at Innsbruck Jesuit College. Joined…
RICE, Edward Peter. Bangalore 1849 — 11.12.1936. Rev. British Missionary and Scholar of Kannaḍa, in India. The youngest son of Rev. —> Benjamin H. Rice and Jane Peach Singer. B.A. Joined London Missionary Society and worked 43 years in India, first in Bangalore from 1873 (when his father was still…