Horace Grant Underwood

Horace Grant Underwood (19 July 1859 – 12 October 1916) was a Presbyterian missionary, educator, and translator who dedicated his life to developing Christianity in Korea.[1]

Not to be confused with Grant Underwood or Horace Grant.
Horace Grant Underwood
Hangul
호레스 그랜트 언더우드
Revised RomanizationHoraeseu Geuraeteu Eondeoudeu
McCune–ReischauerHoresŭ Kŭraent'ŭ Ŏndŏudŭ
Won Du-u
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationWon Du-u
McCune–ReischauerWon Tu-u

Early life

Underwood was born in London and immigrated to the United States at age 12. He graduated from New York University in 1881 and New Brunswick Theological Seminary in 1884.

Work in Korea

Underwood served as a Northern Presbyterian Church missionary in Korea, teaching physics and chemistry at Gwanghyewon (광혜원) in Seoul, the first modern hospital of Korea.[2] Underwood arrived in Korea on the same boat as Henry G. Appenzeller on Easter Sunday (5 April) 1885, and he also worked with Henry Appenzeller, William B. Scranton, James Scarth Gale, and William D. Reynolds to translate the Bible into Korean. The New Testament was completed in 1900 and the Old Testament in 1910. Underwood also worked with Horace N. Allen, an American missionary doctor attached to the royal court. In 1900, Underwood and James Scarth Gale established the Seoul YMCA, and in 1912 Underwood became the president of the Pyeongtaek University established by Arthur Tappan Pierson (평택대학교, 구 피어선기념성경학교). The same year Underwood became the president of the Joseon Christian College (경신학교 儆新學校), the predecessor of Yonsei University. Underwood wrote several books on Korea, including The Call of Korea.[3]

Personal life
Lillias Horton Underwood

Underwood's older brother, John T. Underwood, a typewriter entrepreneur based in New York, helped finance Horace Grant's missionary endeavours. In 1889, Underwood married Lillias Horton (1851–1921), a doctor. In 1916, Underwood returned to the US due to failing health, but he died shortly thereafter in Atlantic City. He was originally buried at Grove Church Cemetery[4] in North Bergen, New Jersey, his body was transferred from New Jersey to Yanghwajin Foreigners' Cemetery, Seoul, South Korea in 1999.

Underwood family legacy
Statue in Yonsei University

Underwood's legacy is visible at various Christian educational institutes in Seoul. There is a statue of Underwood in the centre of the Yonsei University campus, and the Underwood Activity Center of Seoul Foreign School is dedicated to his grandson, Richard F. Underwood. Underwood's descendants continued to develop Korean society, religion, politics and education for over one hundred years.[1] His son Horace Horton Underwood (1890–1951) continued the tradition of education and worked at Yonhi University, another predecessor of Yonsei University. Horace Horton and his wife Ethel named their son Horace Grant Underwood II (1917–2004) who, among other notable achievements,[5] served as an interpreter in the Korean War armistice talks.[6] The Underwood family is no longer involved with mission work but continues to serve in Korea at the US Embassy and in business.[7]

The New Brunswick Theological Seminary has an endowed chair in honour of Underwood for a professor specialising in Global Christianity and missions.[8]

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gollark: I can't practically port everything to OC, it leans a ton on CC/CraftOS libraries.
gollark: When I say "most", I mean "about 10% at most", but you know.
gollark: It's not THAT bad. I documented most of how it works and it's not even directly installed from pastebin now.
gollark: It makes more sense, yes, thus I will not implement it.

See also
  • Christianity in South Korea

References
  1. "언더우드 Horace Grant Underwood". Dusan Encyclopedia. Doosan Corporation. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
  2. Kim, Young-sik (5 August 2003). "Americans in Korea in the late 1800s". Association for Asia Research. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
  3. "10 Most Remembered". The Korea Times. 17 October 2007. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  4. http://www.grovereformedchurch.org/page/glimpses_of_grove
  5. The Korea Society Archived 5 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine 2002 VAN FLEET AWARD
  6. U.S. Embassy Eulogy Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine TRIBUTE TO DR. HORACE GRANT UNDERWOOD
  7. Korea Times Archived 24 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine Underwood Family Bids Farewell to Korea after 119 Years of Service
  8. Reformed Church in America. "RCA Report of the New Brunswick Theological Seminary: Building a New Future for the Oldest Protestant Seminary in North America." Archived 27 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine (2013). Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  • Underwood, Horace G. (1908). The Call of Korea. Fleming H. Revell Co. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
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