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…
WECKER, Otto. Neuler/Rottenburg, near Tübingen 31.8.1882 — Göttingen 4.9.1965. German Indologist and Classical Scholar. Studies of philology at Berlin and Münster,then student of Garbe at Tübingen. Ph.D. 1905 Tübingen. Also Theologian, ordained priest in 1906. Worked as gymnasium teacher in Tübingen (1909), from 1913 in Hildesheimand later on (1923/39) in…
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…
RUTGERS, Antonie. Groningen 8.3.1805 — the Hague 18.10.1884. Dutch Oriental Scholar and Reformed Theologian interested in Sanskrit. Professor in Leiden. Son of Rev. Johannes Rutgers and Eva Justina Brugmans. School and studies at Groningen: cand.litt. 1823, cand.theol. 1825, dr.theol. 1830. Also studies under Hamaker at Leiden. From 1829 pastor in…
RUPP, Joseph. Hamberg near Priem 14.3.1822 — Freising 24.9.1894. German Roman Catholic Priest and Schoolteacher interested in Indology. Studies of theology at Freising High School and Munich University. Ordained priest in 1845. Worked several years as priest in Upper Bavaria, from 1850 taught at Gymnasium in Freising (1858 as gymnasium…
RUELL (de Ruël), Joannes. Leiden 1659/60 or 1663/64 — Colombo ?.5.1701. Dutch Priest in Ceylon, worked there as predikant in Colombo from 1692 until death, from 1698 also the first Rector of Sinhalese Seminary. He prepared a Sinhalese grammar, which was printed in Amsterdam in 1707 with help of “Sinhala…
ROUSSEL, Alfred. Saint-Méloir-des-Ondes (Ille-et-Vilaine), Brittany 17.1.1849 — Monsoult (Val d’ouse) 6.8.1921. French Indologist in Swizerland. Professor in Fribourg. Son of a butcher. After Collège de Saint-Malo studied at seminary of Rennes, ordained priest in 1873. Served as vicar, in 1887 joined Oratorians. Now studies of Indology in Paris under Bergaigne,…
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…