[KS] Great Chosŏn Ramie Spinning, Ltd. (大朝鮮 苧麻 製絲 會社)

[Frank Hoffmann]

> Might "타운션 데슬나(American)" refer to Walter D. Townsend of The  
> American Trading Company?  He was one of the most prominent,  
> successful and relatively cash-rich American businessmen in Korea at  
> the time.


Yes, it does ... but that is actually not one but TWO people:
Walter D. Townsend *and* a David W. Deshler.

For the first one see e.g. the March 23, 1897, the English page of the  
_Tongnip sinmun_  
(http://gonews.kinds.or.kr/OLD_NEWS_IMG3/DLD/DLE18970323u00_03.pdf),  
middle of first column: "Mr. W.D. Townsend of Chemulpo returned to his  
home from Japan by the Genkai." W.D. Townsend did run his trading  
company there, Townsend & Co.  That company exported U.S. gunpowder to  
Korea and Japan. You may want to look for their ads in _Tongnip sinmun_.

Mr. David W. Deshler--that is the "Co." in Townsend & Co.--Townsend's  
partner since February 1897: see here the February 27 English issue  
(http://gonews.kinds.or.kr/OLD_NEWS_IMG3/DLD/DLE18970227u00_02.pdf).  
Right-hand column, about middle: "Mr. David W. Deshler has been  
admitted as a partner in the firm of Townsend and Co., of Chemulpo.  
Mr. Deschler is from Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A."

Now the British one .... that I am not at all sure about: "영국 사람 존손".
There was an American Presbyterian missionary, Fr. Woodridge O.  
Johnson (1877-1949) of the Northern Presbyerian Church, a medical  
doctor who was in Taegu from 1897-1913 and opened the "Miguk yakpang"  
(American dispensary) there, the first Westener to teach Western  
medicine in Korea. But again, he was American, not British. In general  
though, his engagement would fit the description ... but this is just  
a wild guess. Maybe someone has a list of British nationals in Korea  
at the time? (E.g. in the 1984 _Korea Journal_?)


Frank