[KS] Koreanstudies Digest Request: US Missionaries in the early 1900s

[Roland Wilson]

Dear Colleagues,

I would like to ask for assistance.

 A colleague and I are doing some research on missionaries during the Japanese Occupation period and trying desperately to find some specific information on two of them.

The primary missionary I am looking for information on is Franklin E. C. Williams 1883-1962 (한국이름- 우리암 선교사). What I know about him is that he was born on 4 Aug 1883 and was part of the U.S. Northern Methodist Church. He also came to Korea from 1906-1940 and was in Kongju (공주) as principal of 영명학교.  What is key about this missionary and his wife is that evidently both supported/helped the Korean Independence Movement.

There are a few brief articles that mention once he was evicted by the Japanese and fled Korea, he went to an area near Dehli India and created another school for farming, and most importantly, he met with Koreans from the Great Korea Provisional Government there and assisted them (perhaps taught them English).  On a side note, I did read from a British SOF Book that Koreans were in India helping the British troops fight in Burma by working as Japanese translators and military assistants.

However, I can't find any specific documented information on when he went to India, where he set-up the school or any documents that show he met with Koreans from the provisional government while in India (along with the purpose of the meetings--teaching English?).   By the way, I did read that some say he was also taken prisoner to Japan for a while first and tortured, but no documeted information on that as well.

How could I find information about his work helping the Independence Movement in Korea in Kongju and his travel to Indian and meetings with Koreans? This is the key part I can't find.

Also, it is reported that his son joined the U.S. Army and worked in Korea as a translator. However, I can't find any details of this as I have no military identification number.  Any ideas?

I would be in your debt for any assistance.

Best Regards,

Dr. Roland Wilson

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