Erastus Wentworth (;

Pinyin Hanyu Pinyin, or simply pinyin, officially the Chinese Phonetic Alphabet, is the most common romanization system for Standard Chinese. ''Hanyu'' () literally means 'Han Chinese, Han language'—that is, the Chinese language—while ''pinyin' ...

: ''Wànwéi'';

Foochow Romanized Fuzhou is the capital of Fujian, China. The city lies between the Min River estuary to the south and the city of Ningde to the north. Together, Fuzhou and Ningde make up the Mindong linguistic and cultural region. Fuzhou's population was 8 ...

: ''Uâng-ùi''; August 5, 1813 – May 26, 1886) was an educator, a

Methodist Episcopal The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...

minister, and a

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

Fuzhou Fuzhou is the capital of Fujian, China. The city lies between the Min River (Fujian), Min River estuary to the south and the city of Ningde to the north. Together, Fuzhou and Ningde make up the Eastern Min, Mindong linguistic and cultural regi ...

, China.

Life

Dr. Wentworth was born in

Stonington, Connecticut Stonington is a town located on Long Island Sound in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The municipal limits of the town include the borough of Stonington (borough), Connecticut, Stonington, the villages of Pawcatuck, Connecticut, Pa ...

. He converted to

Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...

in 1831. Later he studied at the Cazenovia Seminary and earned a bachelor's degree at

Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a Private university, private liberal arts college, liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut, United States. It was founded in 1831 as a Men's colleges in the United States, men's college under the Methodi ...

in 1837. Wentworth began teaching after leaving college. From 1838 to 1846, he taught natural science in the Gouverneur Wesleyan Seminary; from 1841 to 1846, in the Troy Conference Academy; and in 1846, he became president of the McKendree College, remaining there until 1850, when he took the chair of natural philosophy and chemistry in

Dickinson College Dickinson College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1773 as Carlisle Grammar School, Dickinson was chartered on September 9, 1783, ...

. In 1850, he received the degree of D.D. from

Allegheny College Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college in Meadville, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1815, Allegheny is the oldest college in continuous existence under the same name west of the Allegheny Mountains. It is a member of the G ...

. In 1854, Dr. Wentworth left his position to spearhead a

Methodist Mission The Methodist Mission was the Methodist Episcopal Church's 19th-century conversion efforts in the Pacific Northwest. Local Indigenous cultures were introduced to western culture and Christianity. Superintendent Jason Lee (missionary), Jason Lee was ...

, China, along with some students who were just graduating from Dickinson, including Otis T. Gibson. In 1862, his wife's poor health forced him to return to the United States, where he then worked as a pastor to the Troy Conference Academy. Wentworth edited the '' Ladies' Repository'' from 1872–76, after which he semi-retired, writing and serving on committees for the Methodist Church. On May 26, 1886, he died at his home in Sandy Hill, New York, aged 73.

Family

The son of Erastus and Esther (States) Wentworth, and seventh generation descendant of

William Wentworth (elder) William Wentworth (1616–1696/7) was a follower of John Wheelwright, and an early settler of New Hampshire. Coming from Alford in Lincolnshire, he likely came to New England with Wheelwright in 1636, but no records are found of him in Boston. ...

, Erastus married three times, was widowed twice, and had twelve children, one in China.John Wentworth
''Wentworth Genealogy: English and American''
p.656.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wentworth, Erastus American Methodist missionaries Methodist missionaries in China Christian missionaries in Fujian Cazenovia College alumni Methodist writers Wesleyan University alumni Allegheny College alumni 1813 births 1886 deaths American expatriates in China