The Outstanding Mrs. Johanna Horst Mead and Kanyakumari District.- Part I

Introduction: Definitely Mrs . Johanna Celestina Horst Mead, the beloved wife of the great Rev Charles Mead was one of the outstanding European women who ever came to Nagercoil from Europe. Johanna Horst married Rev Charles Mead on 13th January, 1819 at Tanjore  and immediately after the marriage  she came to Kanyakumari district and worked with her illustrious husband Rev. Charles Mead, tirelessly and devotedly for nearly 30 years, for the cause of women's education, social uplift and women's liberation; as a contemporary of Mrs, Martha Mault and had become a glowing milestone in the social and educational history of Kanyakumari district [ South Travancore]. . 

Johanna Horst 's  date of birth and place of Birth: Mrs. Johanna Celestina Hortst was born  at Tanjore on 27 December , 1802 to Rev. Christopher Henry Horst  and Mrs. Maria Magadalena Vincent  Horst , at   Tanjore .

Johanna's Parents and Background : Rev Christopher Henry Horst [Father of Mrs Johanna Celestina Horst Mead ] of  Tanjore, was at first a Military Surgeon and came to Madras with his regiment in 1787. He was a native of Schwerin,  the city of seven lakes, and spent his childhood in Witteburg in Germany . He studied medicine at Gottingom,' He arrived India at the end of May , 1787. He  was ordained on 30 November 1806 at Tanjore and he worked with John Casper Kohlhoof until his death in 1810.Mr. Christopher Horst was the translator of Father Beschi's "Kodum Tamil Grammar" from the original Latin . Rev.Christopher Henry Horst's book was used as the Text book for the early Madras Civilians for a long time. Unfortunately Rev. Christopher died at Tanjore in 1810.   

Johanna Mead's siblings: Rev. Christopher Henry Horst and Mrs Christopher Horst were blessed 7 lovely and smart children, namely [1]Anna Sophia Horst, [2] Christina Magadeline Horst , and she married Rev John Caspar Kohlhoff ,Tanjore], [3] Beta Theodre Horst and she married Rev. William Greenwood , [4] Sophia Eusebia Horst and she married Rev . William Miller ,[5]  Johanna Celestina Horst and she married Rev Charles Mead  LMS , missionary , [6] Hedwig Dorothea Horst  , [7] Christian Daniel Horst. 

Johanna Celestina's marriage ;  It is really pertinent here to say a few words about  Rev Charles Mead. and his first marriage with Mrs Ann Hunt Mead . Rev. Charles Mead was born at Bristol,Gloucestershire in England on the 1st October,1792.. He was ordained as a Pastor on the 6th March,1816 at the chapel at Chichester.  After becoming an ordained Pastor Mr. Mead married his cousin Ann Hunt,daugher of Rev Hunt and the wedding took place at Islington., England.   As  already planned , Mr Charles Mead started his voyage to India to serve as an LMS missionary with his newly wedded wife Mrs. Ann Hunt Mead; from England  to India and arrived Madras, India , on the 28th of august 1816 . At Madras, Mrs.Ann Hunt Mead became very sick   However  Mr Charles Mead started his travel to Tavancore in Septemser ,1817 with his family and reached Pnang. And at Penang Mrs Ann Hunt Mead died on the 26th October ,1817, leaving their young boy child [John Hunt Mead ] in the hands of Rev Mead., After this intolerable tragedy Mr . Charles Mead with his boy child reached Mylaudy via Colachel in 1818 and started his evangelical, educational ,social and missionary work in South Travancore with the help of Maharasan Vethamnickam of Mylaudy near Nagercoil..

As Mr. Charles Mead needed of a Life Partner to support him in his missionary and worldly life , Rev Charles Mead, married Ms Johanna Celestina Horst ,the daughter of Rev. Christopher Henry Horst of Tanjore at Tanjore.[ Johanna Celestine Horst was the sister-in-law of the famous  Christian missionary  J.C. Kohlhoff  of Tanjore ]. on the 13th of January , 1819.  And Johanna Celestina Horst's married life with Rev Charles Mead lasted for 30 long  with happiness, blessings and  epoch making accomplishments. Mrs Johanna Celestina Horst Mead had privilege to work as the First Missionary lady in South Travancore with great dedication ,devotion and distinction.[January1819 to February 1848].

Johanna Celestine Horst Mead's family Life and Children : The conjugal life of .Mr. Charles Mead and and Mrs. Johanna Celestina Mead lasted for 30  long years till her demise in 1848,  from  January 1819 to February 1848 And this lovely missionary couple was blessed with  16 lovely children, and out the 16 children, 3 children died at Coombaconam and some others died  immediately after their birth so only the available names of the children are given here:  [1]Rachel Mead [ born in 1820 and died 15th,1821,buried at LMS Cemetery , Nagercoil], [2] Ann Mead[ b.1821 d -], [3] Dr. Christopher Cornelius Mead [,b.1822, d..1862,; he was a general Military Doctor in Bombay and Professor in the Government Medical College, Bombay,. Though he was a Govt servant he was more than a missionary in Bombay and he was a great comfort and help to his father Rev. Charles Mead; but owing to a disease he died at the age of 41 when he was doing  the post- mortem examination of two bodies, Dr. C.C.Mead's death was a severe blow to Rev Charles Mead at his old age., [4]Nathaniel Mead  ,.[5]Eusebus Mead [b.1828  d.1863;  he was a Planter at Cochin, died at Trichoor, kerala], [6]Theodre Mead born in 1829 died July 16th aged 11 months, buried LMS Cemetry at Neyyoor[7]  Joseph Mead,died July 30th 1831 ,buried LMS Cemetery at Neyyoor], [8] James Mead ;[ b.1830 d. 1855;  he died at Brixton, England].[9] Charles Caemmeror Mead, died march 1844 aged 3 years and 3 months ,  buried at the LMS Cemetery at Neyyoor.

By . P. BABU MANOHARAN, [ Rights reserved]. [This  Article will be altered , modified if needed later. Your Comments are welcome.]
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