Named Persons¶

Audio Video Dolor Documents Consectetur

[Bibliography][Table of Contents][Place Names]

Andersson, Susanna. (1892 - ). Susanna was baptized in Minneapolis 1913. Studied at Bethel Academy, St Paul Minnesota and three years at Northwestern Missionary Training School. She went to China in 1923, and later was "on leave" from the mission, living in the United States, from 1938. She was on furlough 1929 and 1937, so her active time in the mission must have been 1923-1937.

August Buerter (????), a German, was arrested by the Communist Chinese in 1951.This was just a precursor of what was to come. How long August was in prison is not known at this time. At the time of the arrest August wife was already in Hong Kong. According to his granddaughter, Vicky Morley, August has been in China since 1902. Eventuallyª August returned to Germany and lived in Ingeborg with his wife.

Axelsson , Rune and Siv. Siv, wife of Rune, died in Sweden in September, 2007.

Axelsson, Edvard and Mrs. Friends of the Oscar and Hellen Rinell and family who paid for Dollan Rinell's nurses training in Sweden.

Bloomdahl, Robert.

Bergman, Arne.

Chi, Mrs.(Qi - modern day spelling) was a teacher in the Girl's school, working closely with Hedvig Rinell. Daughter of Fan Yingtang. She and her sister Mrs. Jiang belonged to the first group of girls who attended the "higher ed" for Hedvig, and later they lived in the little area called Foyin cun (The Gospel village) in Kiaohsien, where there were five small compounds with a row house in each

Culpepper, C.L. Missionary and teacher, possibly in Hwanghsien, China. He was also a member of Chiang Kai-shek's team of Chinese-English western translators.

Dong , Pastor. Ordained pastor of the Wangtai church in 1940. 55 According to Lally Rinell. 2008.

Edén, David. Born 1874. Served as pastor in Stängnäs, Sweden. David and his wife, Maria, (born 1884) arrived in China in 1903 as missionaries for the Swedish Baptist Mission and left in 1905 because of David's health. Later they worked in Baptist churches in Sweden and Finland.

Edén, Maria. Born 1884. Missionary to China along with her husband David from 1903 to 1905.

Eklund, Ingeborg.

Engberg, Sigurd Mattias. (February, 15,1914 - December 11, 2007) and his wife were missionaries who arrived in China after World War II. They first spent a year in language study in Peking, then went down to Shantung. They never started work in the to the "mission field" because of all the political instability. Instead they worked among refugees in Tsingtao. They left China 1948. Later in life Sigurd live in Karlstad in Värmland after retiring as a district pastor for Gotland. Sigurd was born in Flistad in Östergötland, Sweden and died in Jönköping, but was then registered in Alster-Nyedsbygden in Karlstad. He was buried in Visby 2008.[They are not mentioned in the book yet].53 Info from Lally Rinell, 2008.

Errson, Jan.(1835-1894) Father of Hedvig Rinell. Jan died in Sweden during Hedvig's first year in China.

Ersson, Johanna.(1838-1907) Mother of Hedvig Rinell. Johanna's maiden name was Sjöberg. Passed away and is buried in Sweden.

Fan Yingtang. One of the first to work as an evangelist in the Mission. Father of two daughters. One of the daughters became Mrs Qi, and was a teacher in the Girl's school, working closely with Hedvig Rinell. The other was Mrs Jiang, who worked as a "Bible woman". Both belonged to the first group of girls who attended the "higher ed" for Hedvig and later they lived in the little area called Foyin cun (The Gospel village) in Kiaohsien, where there were five small compounds with a row house in each. Our pastor Han and the Principal Wang ("rektor Wang") also lived in this area. It was situated om the other side of the road from the Girl's School.

Fredriksson, Nina. Spent most of her years in China in Kiaomi, but to begin with she worked in Kiaohsien - mostly studying the language and helping out in the health clinic. In Kiaomi she was a teacher of the grade school and also worked among the women. [Contributed by Lally Rinell].

Goforth , Jonathan (1859-1936) was a Canadian missionary to China. He and his wife, Rosalind, lead revivalist meetings in Kiaohsien in 1914.

Han, Pastor. Church pastor in Kiaohsien. Lived in the little area called Foyin cun (The Gospel village) in Kiaohsien.

Hanson, Perry Oliver and his wife Ruth were an American Methodist missionaries based in Tai'An in Shuntung province from 1903 to 1941. In 1941 they fled China before the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. When they returned in 1946 they were unable to return to Tai'An due to the chaotic political and military situation, so they worked in Jinan for a time and then in Tsingtao, where they were put under house arrest by the Chinese communists for nearly two years. Ruth died (in Tsingtao?) of natural causes. Perry made it out of China in late 1951, settled again in United States. He remarried to Irene Forsythe a former presbyterian missionary to China.

Hanson, Ruth Stevenson Ewing was a American Methodist missionary working along with her husband Perry Oliver in Tai'An, Jinan and Tsingtao in Shantung Province, China. Ruth died in China and was buried in the International Cemetery in Tsingtao.

Holmquist, Bernard (Bud). US Marine who arrived in Tsingtao in 1945 after fighting the Japanese on Okinowa. In Tsingtao he dated the student nurse, Dollan Rinell.

Holtz, Anna. Arrived in China as a Swedish Baptist missionary together with John Alfred and Hedvig Rinell on April 12, 1894. Anna Holtz, born in Stockholm on November 12, 18?? became interested in missions through a Sunday School teacher. Like Hedvig she taught school, but in the province of Dalarna. She was baptized in Stockholm September 10, 1892. Anna later married the missionary J.E. Lindberg in China.

Jansson, Martin. Arrived in China in 1932 and left in 1948. He worked for a time in the Wangtai church, and in Kaomi. Martin's daughter is Mariann. Part of the family now lives in Australia according to Lally Rinell. Martin wrote the book Kineser på himlavägen[Chinese on the celestial path] about the hearings and shootings that took place in Wangtai, focusing especially on Pastor Dong. Parts of this book have been translated into Chinese. Lally has a copy which she is trying to find.

Jansson, Anna. Wife of Martin.

Jewett, LeRoy Roberts married Margaret Ingeborg Rinell daughter of Johan Alfred and Hedvig Rinell. Roy was born in Manchester, New Hampshire on March 27, 1894.

Jiang, Mrs. worked as a "Bible woman". Daughter of Fan Yingtang. She and her sister, Mrs. Q, belonged to the first group of girls that attended the "higher ed" for Hedvig. Later they lived in the little area called Foyin cun (The Gospel village) in Kiaohsien, where there were five small compounds with a row house in each.

Johansson, Eivor. A student at the Swedish school in Kiaohsien Swedish School Eivor was an A+ student. Tragically she died on the operating table while having her tonsils removed.

Johansson, Gerd. Younger sister of Eivor who arrived in Kiaohsien with her mother after Eivor's death.

Johansson, Mrs. Mother of Eivor and Gerd. Swedish missionary in northern China.

Kuhlin, Märta(October 3, 1892 - January 16, 1987) Märta was born in Göteborg domkyrkoförsamling and died in Hovås, Askim par, not far from Göteborg, She is buried in Kvibergs kyrkogård (kg) in Göteborg. She was a widow as of May 30, 1968. [Märta is not mentioned in the book yet, as of 2013. However, she in audio records with Hellen Rinell.] Her husband was Gustav (Gösta) Samuel Kuhlin, (October 22, 1892 - May 30, 1968) who was born in Göteborg Kristine par. and died in Göteborg Vasa par. and burried Kvibergs kg. They were married May, 28, 1918. Gösta was a sheet metal worker. Their daughter was Märta Charlotta Kuhlin (August 22, 1902 - September 28, 1988). She was born in Göteborg Haga par. and died in Göteborg Högsbo par. She did not marry.

Kung Enyung [Current spelling" Gong Enyung]. Pastor of the church Wangtai. Shot in late 1947. Lally and Oscar Rinell met Mrs Gong many years later in China and she has since passed away. In April 2004 Lally met three of their four children. One is a doctor at a local hospital in Jiaozhou, built on the property where the Mission had a Bible School, one is in Qingdao and one lives far away in Xinjiang Province. They are all active Christians. Lally sent them photographs of their father and family pictures, which she found in her father's photo albums. They had no pictures left from those early days. Lally even got a couple of pictures from one of the missionaries, Sigurd Engberg, of the Hung family taken when they were refugees in Qingdao. The Hung family is eager to build up the Church in Wangtai. It was torn down, but the property is still vacant. – Lally Rinell was actually successful in finding the deeds of the property at the archives at Bethel Seminary in Stockholm, and copies were sent to the Hung's. One day they may be able to build their church again.48 Quoted in part in a one or two page document by Lally Rinell entitled 'Some facts about the Communist take-over of Kiaohsien (Jiaoxien ê now again called Jiaozhou) and Tsingtao (Qingdao)'. Document file name is 'Communist-Takeover'.

Landin, Greta.

Leander, Anna-Stina. Daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Leander. Anna-Stina married a Dane from Peking. Their wedding was a big event at Iltis Huk. Anna-Stina and her husband eventually divorced. Years later she married a baptist by the name of Bentling. See Fru Anna-Stina Leander- Rasmussen.

Leander, Rev. Ando Arrived in China in 1907. He and his wife, who arrived in China in 1908) worked for a time in the Wangtai church, and successfully in Kaomi. In 1938 they left the Swedish Baptist Mission to join the pentecostal movement. They moved to Peking and eventually passed away and were buried in that city.

Leander, Mrs. Arrived in China in 1908. She and her husband had two children (both born in China?), Anna-Stina and Ungve (Yngve?). They had another one or two children who died at an early age in China.

Leander, Yngve. Son of Rev. and Mrs. Leander. Yngve died at an early age in Sweden from a brain tumor.

Lidqvist. Worked for a time in the Wangtai church, and . . .

Lindberg, Anna Petronella.(November 12, 1869 - November 27, 1952) Married missionary Johan Edvard. Lindberg in China. Johan had been in China for eight years. Anna left China on August 3, 1900 and returned to China in 1902. Anna's maiden name was Håll or Holtz. Anna died in in Sofia par. in Stockholm and was buried in Stockholm December 4, 1952.

Lindberg, Johan Edvard (August 24, 1865 (?) - May 5, 1961) Swedish Baptist missionary who arrived in China about 1892 following Karl Vingren who arrived in 1891. J.E. later married Anna Holtz on February 4, 1895. He died in Sofia par. in Stockholm and was buried May 13, 1961 in Stockholm.

Lindberg, Sigbert Roland. Youngest child of Anna and J.E. Lindberg. After China he lived the rest of his life in the United States, running a convalescent home.

Lindberg, Signe Cecilia (June 22, 1896 - June 11, 1986) Daughter of Anna and J.E. Lindberg. Remained unmarried. Signe died in Skärholmen par. Stockholm.

Lindberg, Sten Fritiof (August 12, 1899 - ????). Son of Anna and J.E. Lindberg. As a child he went to the British school in Chefoo, China. Later he attended Bethel Seminary in Stockholm, Sweden [possibly at the same time as Hellen Rinell?.] Like his father and mother Sten was a missionary in China working in Zhucheng being responsible for the work in Rhizjao. He had some medical training and so saw patients. Since he had American citizenship, he left China before World War II. If he had remained he would very probably have been put into an internment camp by the Japanese military. It may have been at this time that he entered an American school to further his education. He then worked with a mission ambulance in Ethiopia for the Baptist General Conference, and had personal contact with Emperor Hail Se lassie. Sten returned to China after the war for the Baptist General Conference working in Tsingtao. He was forced to leave like most Westerners when China the Chinese communists took over the country. He retired in the USA. At 91 years of age Sten spoke before a committee hearing of Appropriation on March 6, 1991 for the budget not to be cut for the Elim Park Baptist Home, Cheshire, Connecticut in which he was a resident. See Committee Hearing Transcript (APP) 03/06/91 2.

For more on this colorful fellow see: Sten Lindberg.

Also, Foreign Missionary Advance

Lindberg, Svea Alexandra (August 24, 1903 - ). Daughter of Anna and J.E. Lindberg. Studied nursing at the Peking Union Medical College in Peking, but shortly after graduation had a brain tumor and died.

Lindberg, Sven Edvard (July 24, 1897 - February 11, 1975). was born in China. Son of Anna and J.E. Lindberg. Became an engineer in Stockholm, Sweden. He married Ruth Sofia (May 7, 1900 - October 7, 1988) on December 12, 1929. Sven died in Johannes par. in Stockholm. Ruth was born in Amnehärad in Skaraborgs län ad died in Johannes par. in Stockholm and is buried with Sven.

Matzat, Dorothea ( - March 1946) wife of Willy Matzat. Fatally struck by a car in Tsingtao.

Matzat, Hellmut (1927 - September 2010) became missionary in Malaysia from 1955 until 1961. His wife had difficult with the tropical climate, and so they returned to Germany. Hellmut became pastor of a congregation in the town of Hamm.

Matzat, Johannes (1922 - 1942) Son of Dorothea and Willy born at Faber Krankenhaus in Tsingtao, died of tuberculosis in Berlin.

Matzat, Traugott (1924 - 1943) served as German soldier in World War II and fell in the Soviet Union.

Matzat, Wilhelm (1930 - ) left China in 1946 and became professor of geography at the University of Bonn from 1969 till 1995.

Matzat, Willy (1893 - 1930). German missionary of the Berlin Missionary Society.

See http://www.tsingtau.org/matzat-willy-1893-1930/

Persson ,Matilda ,1 Midwife and missionary trained in Sweden, joined the staff in Chucheng. In 1910 or 1911 she was involved [founded? member of staff?] of the first clinic in Kiaochow. Besides her skills as a midwife she also took care of many other medical problems being often the most experienced medical person for many miles. Often Chinese would come to her home and ask her to come with them to some distant village to heal someone.

Polle, possible name of the horse Oscar rode to visit the outlaying mission stations in other towns and villages

Reinbrecht, Charles and his wife Macy arrived in China in 1928 or 1929 and left China January of 1949. The day Pearl Harbor was bombed the Reinbrechts were put under house arrest. In 1943 the family were interned at the Weihsien camp by the Japanese and released in 1945. Children of the Reinbrechts were Janet, Charles and Georgianna.

*** Reinbrecht ,Charles.** Son of American Lutheran missionaries Charles and Macy. Mission station in Kiaohsien, China.

*** Reinbrecht, Georgeanna**. 'Georgie' born at Faber Krankenhaus in Tsingtao, Georgie was the daughter of American lutheran missionaries. She left China in January 1949 for Hong Kong, and later that year returned to the United States. Many years later in 2008, Georgie received a phone call from one of the fellows she dated. He had been wondering all those years if she had made it safely out of China after the communists took over. He had gotten her phone number via a reunion of the Tsingtao American School held in the state of Virginia.

*** Reinbrecht** , Janet. Daughter of American Lutheran missionaries Charles and Macy. Mission station in Kiaohsien, China. Janet returned to the United States in June 1948 to attend college and did not return to China.

*** Rinell, Alice Gerda.** 'Lally' daughter of Egron and Gerda Rinell and is known by the name "Lally" to her family. Lally married Åke Hermansson, a lecturer at the University of Stockholm, Sweden.

*** Rinell, Doris Hellen.** 'Dollan' daughter of Oscar and Hellen Rinell. Her Chinese name was "Swa-mei" or "Snow Flower". And Dollan was known as "Yin Earl Mu-she dee da-go niang" (Rinell Second Pastor Oldest Daughter)

Rinell, Edith. Daughter of Johan Alfred and Hedvig.

Rinell, Egron. Also known as "Yin Da MU SHE" or "Rinell Large Pastor". Son of Oscar and Hellen Rinell.

Rinell, Erik. Son of Johan Alfred and Hedvig.

Rinell, Gerda. Wife of Egron Rinell.

Rinell, Hedvig. (October 12, 1867 - August 14, 1962). Wife of Johan Alfred Rinell. Arrived in China as missionary in 1894. Left China for Sweden as a result of war between the Chinese nationalist and communists. She passed away in Sweden.

*** Rinell, Johnny (Yua-Han).** Son of Egron and Gerda Rinell.

Rinell, Johan Alfred. Also, known eventually as "LAO YIN MU-SHE" or "old Rinell pastor". Husband of Hedvig Rinell. Arrived in China as missionary in 1894. Johan Alfred died and was buried in the international cemetery in Tsingtao. During the Chinese cultural revolution the international cemetery was destroyed including Johan Alfred's grave. The graveyard was made into a park. At this time it is not know if the remains of those interned in the cemetery were exhumed or remain where they are.

Rinell ,Margaret Ingeborg. Daughter of Johan Alfred and Hedvig Rinell, married LeRoy Roberts Jewett in Tokyo, Japan in 1927. Margaret and Roy experienced the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1942. In their later years they settled in the desert of California at Yucca Valley.

*** Rinell, Margareta**. Daughter of Egron and Gerda. In 2009 Margareta (Margie) traveled to Shantung and in 2010 lived in Kioahsien and taught English for a number of weeks at the school founded by her grandmother, Hedvig Rinell. See Trip to Shandong Province 2009.

Rinell, Oscar Henry (August 31, 1925 - May 28,1989) Also known as "Yin earl MU SHE" "Rinell 2nd Pastor". Born in China. Son of Johan Alfred and Hedvig. Oscar and his wife, Hellen, along with his brother Egron and his wife, Gerda, were missionaries to China. Oscar was forced out of China by the communist Chinese government about the year 1951. He lived with his wife in Sweden for a time, and then both moved to Japan and later Korea as missionaries.

Rinell, Roy. Son of Oscar and Hellen. As a boy Roy left of China for Sweden to attend boarding school. As a result of the wars in China he was cut off from his parents for several years. After graduating from school he became a kondeterei (sp?), a baker of pastries, which is a specialized skill.

Schlyter, Titti. Born 1892. Titti was a nurse. She came to China in 1921, but had to return to Sweden for health reasons in 1923.

Schmidt, Dr. Hans. German doctor at Faber Krankenhaus, Tsingtao, China. Delivered Doris (Dollan) Hellen Rinell on July 10, 1928. After 1949 Dr. Schmidt was a doctor in California where he died, but he was buried in Hamburg.

Sears, [son] Oldest child of Rev. and Mrs. Sears.The Sears children attended the boarding school in Chefoo and sometimes made the journey with the Rinell children.

Sears, Effie(August 27, 1887 - 1903 or 1904) Wife of William Henry Sears. Southern Baptist missionary in Pingtu [Pingdu], China, beginning in 1891. Born in Thomas Hill, Missouri, USA.

Sears, Mary Daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Sears. Married Frank Connelly. They were appointed as missionaries in July, 1916 engaged in evangelistic work in Tsingchow, China. Their daughter, Julia, was born in Pingtu in 1917.

Rev FRANK HUTCHENS CONNELLY & Mrs. MARY SEARS CONNELLY in Ancestry.com

Sears, William Henry (January 5, 1865 - ) Southern Baptist missionary in Pingtu [Pingdu], China , beginning in 1891. Born, Prairie Hill, MO. USA.

Suen Woe-uh. Lindberg's cook, and fellow Christian and baptist, Suen Woe-uh helped Lindberg in his mission work. Earlier Suen Woe-uh had worked many years for Dr. Hartwell, and had accompanied him to and from America.

Strecker, Frieda. German Lutheran missionary who lived at the Lutheran compound in Kiaohsien. She continued to live there after the American Lutheran family, Reinbrecht, were taken to an internment camp. Later she took care of the Matzat boys in Tsingtao after their mother was killed in an accident. Their father had died years before. Eventually Frieda moved to Badenweiker, Germany where she passed away.

Strutz , Erik and Doris. Worked for a time in the Wangtai church, and . . . Children are Bertil, and Barbro. Erik and Doris also had another daughter who died in China at about two years of age of dysentery

Svensson, Sonja.

Swordson

Ulla. The name of Dollan's doll that she received when she was one year old.

Vingren, Karl. First Swedish Baptist Missionary to China arriving in Shanghai on March 21, 1891. Remaining briefly in Shanghai he choose Kiaochow, later named Kiaohsien, as the home base of the Swedish Baptists' mission field.

Wahlin, Esther. Missionary with the Swedish Baptist Mission. Raised bees which provided honey to the missionaries, and chickens. She lived in Nanguan (West Garden) in Kiaohsien. She was unmarried.

Wang, Principle. Principle of the Swedish Baptist Mission school(s). Lived in the little area called Foyin cun (The Gospel village) in Kiaohsien.

Weischer, Dr. Doctor at Faber Krankenhaus. Left Tsingtao around 1934 and died in Germany. Delivered Roy Rinell on August 21, 1925.

Wiborg, Erik. Teacher at the Swedish school in Kiaohsien.

Wiborg, Iris. Iris was in charge of the dorm for the Swedish-speaking students who came from other parts of China and lived at the Kiaohsien Swedish school. Iris was the wife of Erik Wiborg.

Friedel Worthmann. Head nurse at Faber Krankenhaus. Left Tsingtao in 1950 and died in Germany. left Tsingtao in 1950 and died in Germany.

Yang Shefo. Cook for Martin Janson, and later the family of Egron and Gerda Rinell. Lived in Johan Alfred's house in Tsingtao for a time, and with Oscar at the Iltis Huk house at a time when it may not have been very advantageous for him to do so, considering what was happening in China.

Not buried there were Dr. Hans Schmidt (he was after 1949 doctor in California, where he died, but he was buried in Hamburg), Dr. Weischer (he left Tsingtao around 1934 and died in Germany), sister Friedel Worthmann left Tsingtao in 1950 and died in Germany.

Names of Chinese who may or may not be in book yet. Provide by Doris Brown 03/16

I'll start by saying "SHE FU " means sort of cook ! That will be my cook is Wang she fu.Ergon. cook was "YANG she fu ". The first name is their last name Principle WANG is WANG Shia Chang !!!!is principle ! My Nanny was. Chang da Sao .The da Sao is sort of Nanny I was able to lead her to the LORD before she died of throat cancer Lee da Sao . Was our Nanny in Taiwan. [Lady in her 40s - LJH)

To contact.
Email from Lally Rinell to LJH, September 28, 2007.

[Bibliography][Table of Contents][Place Names]

Footnotes

Thanks goes to Bo Svartholm for details regarding several of the individuals above.

CHAPTER

Foreign Devils: A Swedish Family in China 1894 to 1951
© 2012-14 Lennart Holmquist
Lorum • Ipsum• Dolor • Sic Amet • Consectetur

Updated: 10-Feb-2017

Share this website and spread privacy knowledge

Copy this text to easily share Privacy Guides with your friends and family on any social network!