Bill Brown ...
Xiamen UniversityMy reply to a query:
Thanks so much for your letter, and offer to provide a few photos. I would be very happy to use any old photos of Amoy (especially the
) , and of course would acknowledge their source, and provide you a copy of the book (hopefully out this summer).
Regarding Alvin Ostrum, I'm sorry but so far I've nothing more than the Pitcher info, and a reference to him in a book that I can't find at the moment.
I do know that Harvard University's Baker Library, Graduate School of Business, which I visited a couple years ago, has the John Howard Nichol's Collection, 1856-1905. He was a China trader in the 1960s, and his collection has correspondence with missionaries, including some letters from Alvin and Sue Ostrum. Unfortunately I did not know about those letters at the time, so did not get to see them.
Alvin Ostrum is also listed in the Historical Directory of the Reformed Church of America, 1628-2000, but it is only a brief reference, ending with his death in Kohala, Hawaii, Feb. 27, 1898.
You probably already have the New York Times June 22, 1878 announcement of the 19 June marriage of Rev. Daniel Rapalje and the Ostrum's oldest daughter, Alice, in Troy, New York. Rapalje was also a Reformed Church missionary in Amoy.
I will post Alvin Ostrum's name and this info on the blog, and if anyone replied I'll let you know (a lady asked last week about an ancestor, and within a few days we had a reply from a man in Taiwan who apparently has a good deal of information (though as far as I know has yet to divulge any!).
Best regards,
Bill
www.amoymagic.com
3 comments:
You might wish to google "egon ostrom" He was perhaps the son of Alvin and Sue Ostrom. Killed in Sumatra in 1945. His wife wrote a biography of him:
O Bok Su :
the story of Egon Ostrom, known to the Chinese as "O Bok Su," an Ambassador of the kingdom of God. /
Vera Edborg Ostrom
1949
English Book Book [14], 109 p. : port. ; 23 cm.
Minneapolis : Paul Foss Press,
There is a photograph of Kulangsu on Ebay at the moment which appears to have been addressed to him in Kulangsu.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?VISuperSize&item=280424879654
I want to learn what has happened to Egon and Vera Ostroms children:
David,Joyce and Lennie.
I have read the book "O BOK SU" and it has touched my soul.
Please help.
Dennis - My name is Timothy Egon Ostrom, and I am the grandson of Egon Ostrom, whom you speak of. My father (David) has passed away, but I would be happy to talk. I am also looking for copies of the book "O Bok Su" that I can hand down to my children and (soon to be) grandchildren. I can be reached at teostrom@gmail.com
Post a Comment