ZIEGENBALG, Bartholomäus. Pulsnitz, Saxony 14.6.1683 (or 10.6.1682?) — Tranquebar, India 23.2.1719. German Missionary and Precursor of Indology (Tamil Scholar). In South India 1706-19. Son of the elder B. Ziegenbalg (1640–1694), a modest grain merchant, and Maria Brückner (1646–1692). After gymnasium in Görlitz and Berlin, studied one year under A. H.…
YATES, William. Loughborough, Leicestershire 15.12.1792 — on sea 3.7.1845. Rev. British Missionary and Indologist in India. Son of elder William Yates, a Baptist shoemaker, and his wife Ann, went to school in Leicestershire. He intended to follow in his father’s profession, but became engaged in religion and started in the…
XAVIER, Jerónimo (J. Javier, Hieronymus Xaverius, Jerónimo de Ezpeleta y Goñi). Buro, Diocese of Pamplona, Navarra 1549 — Goa 27.6.1617. Father. S.J. Spanish Missionary in India. Grand-nephew of —> Francisco Xavier (1506–1552), son of Miguel de Ezpeleta y Azpilcueta and Leonor Goñiy de la Torre. Born in his father’s castle.…
XAVIER, Francisco (Franciscus Xaverius, Francis Xavier, Francisco Javier). Javier, Navarra 7.4.1506 — Shangchuan Island, China 3.12.1552 (exact date uncertain). Father. S.J. Spanish (Basque?) Missionary in India. Member of Navarran nobility, son of Don Juan de Jason y Atondo (d. 1515) and Doña Maria de Azpilcueta y Aznárez. From 1525 studied…
ORVILLE, Albert d’ (Le Comte d’Orville, Dorville). Brussels 12.8.1621 — Agra 8.4.1662. Father. S.J. Belgian Missionary. Son of a nobleman, Louis Le Comte, seigneur d’Orville, and Anna Hellincx. Joined Jesuits in 1646 and studied at Ingolstadt and Louvain. He volunteered to China Mission and was ordained priest in 1654, then…
ONDAATJE, Matthew Jurgen. 1??? — 1???. Rev. Dutch Priest in Ceylon and Batavia in the 18th century. Proponent of Colombo, alter clergyman in Batavia. Published Christian works in Sinhalese in the 1780s. There was another, Rev. W. J. Ondaatje, V.D.M., who was Rector of Government Seminary in Colombo around 1770.…
OLIVEIRA, João de. Daman 1595 — after 1641. Father. S.J. Portuguese (or Indian?) Priest and Missionary in Ladakh and India. Born in the Portuguese base of Damão in India. Joined Jesuits when 17 and from 1626 in Mughal Mission. Until 1831 stayed in Tsaparang, then went with Azevedo to Leh…
OLBERS, Ernst Gustaf Ferdinand. Skara 8.11.1837 — Stockholm 25.10.1919. Swedish Priest interested in Sanskrit. Son of the District Judge Jan Nikolaus Olbers (1798–1859) and Marianne Ahlberg, nephew of the Theologian Carl Olbers (1819–1882). After school in Skara and Gothenburg studies of philology at Lund from 1856. M.A. and Ph.D. 1862.…
NAU, Heinrich (Henry). Beltershausen, Marburg 21.9.1881 — Greensboro, NC 17.5.1956. German Lutheran Missionary and Student of Indology (Tamil). Son of a farmer, Peter Nau, and Anna Katherine Hofmeister. Studied at Marburg. Emigrated to the U.S.A. in 1902. Now turned to religion and studied at Concordia Seminary in St.Louis. Missionary in South…
MURRAY, Alexander. Dunkitterick, Kirkcudbrightshire 22.10.1775 — Edinburgh 15.4.1813. Rev. British (Scottish) Philologist and Oriental Scholar. Son of Robert Murray, an elderly shepherd and farm labourer. Of modest origin, but talented, he was admitted to Edinburgh University, although he had hardly any formal education, and thus became a priest. Assistant, then…