Mrs.Joanna Carlotta Mead Agur and Church Historian C. M. Agur..

INTRODUCTION:  No doubt  the history of Joanna Carlotta Mead Agur  and her beloved husband C. M Agur , the Author of the epoch making book "Church History of Travancore" [Madras , 1903 , pages 1184+] occupy a very significant place and chapter in the social, religious and church history of India and world. Johanna Carlotta Mead was one of the daughters of Rev Charles Mead ,  the Protestant Christian Apostle of South Travancore [Kanyakumari district], India. 

Joanna Carlotta Mead's Birth : Miss  Joanna Carlotta Mead was born at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala State, India  in  1863. Rev. Charles Mead christened his new born daughter as Joanna Carlotta in remembrance of  his beloved deceased wife Mrs. Johanna Celestina Horst Mead.
  

Joanna Carlotta's  famous Parents and family background : As a result of the sad and untimely death of  his first wife Ann Hunt, of  Bristol, England ,on 26 October,1817 in  Penang on his way to Mylaudy, [Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu India],  Rev. Charles Mead, married Johanna Celestina Horst , the daughter of Rev Christopher Henry Horst of Tanjore Misssion [A sister wing of Tranquebar Mission] on 13 th January , 1819 at Tanjore. And after the sad death of Mrs Johanna Celestina Horst Mead in 1848 at Neyoor, Rev Charles Mead married Miss Lois Biddulph [ the daughter of Mr, Devavaram Biddulph and Mrs Sarah Biddulph ] Here I am bound to say something about Joanna Carlotta's maternal grandfather Mr. Devavaram Biddulph of Mylaudy [This beautiful idyllic village lies at the distance of 7 miles East of Nagercoil in Kanyakumari District, India].

Joanna Carlotta's maternal grandfather Mr. Devavaram Biddulph : Mrs Joanna Carlotta Mead's  maternal grandfather and Rev. Charles Mead's third wife Mrs.Lois' father, Mr. Devavaram Biddulph was an outstanding  and multifaceted personality. Mr Devaram was born at Mylady, Kanyakumari district in the year 1802, to Mr Sivanaan or Gnanabaranam[The younger brother of Mahrasan Vethamonickam of Mylady] and Mrs Gnanayee Gnanabaranam. Mr Devavaram was the only son of his parents. Mr Devavaram was a great Scholar , Poet , Researcher, Writer, Preacher. He had written many Christian Lyrics and some of them are being sung in Tamil Worship services throughout the world in Tamil Church services even today. And also he had written some famous classical books in Tamil. He served as a Native Assistant to Rev Charles Mead .After his retirement from the Mission[Neyyoor Division of LMS], he settled at Trivandrum with Rev Charles Mead . And for many years Mr. Devaavram Biddulph was in charge of the native Tamil Congregation of Christ Church, Trivandrum and his Sunday Tamil sermons  were the attraction of many people in those days. Mr Devavaram died at Trivnadrum on the 28th of December,1874 and his body was interred in the Christ Church Cemetery, Trivandrum. 

Mrs Joanna Carlotta Mead's Siblings:  Rev Charles Mead and Mrs Lois Mead were blessed with 4 loving children namely:[1] Mary Ann Mead and she remained unmarried and died in 1931 [1854-1931],[2] Johanna Carlotta Mead Agur [b.1863-the place  and most probably she  would have died in 1914 ], [3]  John James Mead ,[4] Colestina Florence Mead and she married Mr. Charles Cornelius Kohlhoff of Tanjore  on 13th February 1893 [b.1871- d.1939 ].And Mrs Joanna Carlotta Mead had some more sisters and brothers were born  to her father  Rev Charles Mead through Mrs Johanna Celestina Horst Mead.

Joanna Carlotta Mead Worked as Music Mistress at the Govt College for Girls, Trivandrum:   Mrs Joanna Carlotta Mead Agur , had natural flair for music and she took active part in the Choir of the Christ Church, Trivandrum. She was very smart and intelligent and was  having good  taste  for micro history and Church history. Mrs.Joanna Carotta Mead Agur worked as Music Mistress in the famous Government Girls College , Trivandrum and Organist, Christ Church Trivandrum.



                                                
                                                   CHRIST CHURH ,TRIVANRUM




Joanna Carlotta Mead's marriage with CM Agur: Mrs Lois Biddulph  Mead and C.M. Agur's father Rev C. Masillamani were cousins and they were native of Mylaudy , Kanyakumari district [South Trvancore] Tamil Nadu , India. Even before their marriage , Mr.C.M Agur and Joanna Carlotta Mead were living at Trivandrum and had been  attending the same Christ Church and  were members of the same Christ Church,Trivandrum. And also they were knowing each other since their childhood days. CM Agur had written that Joanna Carlotta Mead helped him by giving  many important  records, letters,and other papers and books of  her revered father Rev. Charles Mead ,  while Mr.Agur was writing his monumental Book "Church History of Travancore". Miss. Joanna Carlotta Mead married Mr C.M. Agur in 1900.  and became Mrs. Joanna Carlotta Mead Agur 

                                                         

                                                                 Mr. C.M. Agur, B.A.

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The sudden and unexpected death of CM Agur: C.M. Agur, B.A, published his epoch making book , Church History of Travancore in 1903 with the help his brother Geologist Mr.Ezra Masillamani.[ Mr. Ezra Masillamoni, BA., B.Sc[ Geology-London],A.R.C.S, State geologist , Southern division, Travancore]. and soon after the release of the book  Church History of Travancore, C.M.Agur died in the next year in 1904, and his body was interred in the  Christ Church  Cemetery,Trivandrum..

Conclusion :. Mrs Joanna Carlotta  Mead Agur was a remarkable lady with many talents tastes.After the death of her beloved cousin and husband CM Agur,  Mrs Joanna Carlotta  Mead Agur  became very silent and decently disappeared from public notice for her own reasons.  Her time of death and place of death is not known to us.. However in the pages of the Church History of Travancore and India ,  she will always live and thrive . Mrs.Joanna Carlotta Mead Agur's relatives are living throughout the world in a colorful  and blissful way.
By P. BABU MANOHARAN. [Rights reserved-- This Article will be altered and modified , if needed later. your comments are welcome.]

   

The outstanding Mrs. Johanna Celestina Horst Mead and Kanyakumari District. Part Final

Mrs Johanna Celestina Mead's arrival  at Nagercoil :  Rev. Charles Mead shifted his Mission Head Quarters from Mylaudy to Nagercoil in 1818, on account of his civil appointment as Judge of the Nagercoil Court .Mr Mead got Col.Munro's Traveller's Bungalow at Nagercoil, to reside at from  Col. Munro.[ the then British Resident for Travancore State].  Rev Mead formed plans for erecting houses for Christians around Home Church Nagercoil..[ CMA p.679] . The first settlers at Nagercoil Christian Quarters near Home Church were Rev Mead's Servants and a few LMS Mission Agents and some  boys from Mylaudy [CMA, P.681] After her marriage with Rev Charles Mead of LMS, Mrs.Johanna Celestina Mead arrived at Nagercoil, Kanyakumari District with her husband in 1819 . Along with her she also brought some native christian families from Tanjore to settle at Nagercoil. The Tanjore Christian poet , Mr Vedthanayagam Sastri's cousin Arulai  and her husband Arulanandam accompanied Mrs Johanna Mead [and Arulai's husband Mr.Arulanandam was appointed  as catechist of Nagercoil Church],and they were given a house at the present Mead's street.

                                              

                                                   Mrs. Johanna Mead.

In the Mead street  Arulai's younger brother Christian, Catechist Vedamonickam Pillai [He belonged to Kurup family of Payenkuzhi,near santhapuram, Kanyakumari District], were settled . Following them, Arulanandan Pillay and Christian Pillay from Tanjore, Rayen Pillay and Daivd Pillay from Tranquebar ; Nallathambi Pillay of Palaymcotta , Gnanayutham Mudaly from Vadakkankulam and Savarimuthu Pillay from Kattapuram  also migrated to Nagercoil {CMA, C. H. T. p.p 681-&682] and settled at the Christian Quarters at Nagercoil. Most probably these Christian families should have mingled  through marriage with their contemporary local Christians who settled at Nagercoil from  places like Mylaudy . Mrs Johanna Horst Mead started to plan for the women's emancipation through education in South Travancore ,She was leading a happy and content life with her husband . At this time Mr and Mrs Mault arriived at Nageroil in 1819; as LMS  missionaries to work with Rev Mead.

Female Education and Mrs Johanna Horst Mead:. Mrs. Johanna Celestina Horst  Mead, Mrs Martha Mault, Mrs Miller , Mrs. Thompson, Mrs Norton, Mrs. Bailey and Mrs Baker were the pioneers connected with the Pioneer educational enterprise among the women of Travancore.  In1819, Mr Mead and Mrs Mead planned and decided  to establish one Boys' School and one Girls' School, at Nagercoil. Accodingly a Girls School was established at Nagercoil in 1819, and with great difficulty some girls were collected and admitted in the girls School. and the School began with 18 girls[CMA, p. 766.].  Mr and Mrs Mault came from England  and stayed with Mr and Mrs Mead , the  Girls' School was greatly improved. Mrs. Mead an Mrs Mault made mutual division of their work in the Girls School.  Mrs. Mead taught the student in the Girls Boarding School, plain sewing, spinning knitting , etc, Mrs Mault taught them crochet and embroidery [in1821 inroduced the pillow lace].

Mrs Johanna Mead moved to  Neyyoor in 1828:  The mission field in  South Travancore was divided into Two divisions namely: East Division [Nagercoil HQ] and West Division {Neyyoor, HQ}.Rev Charles Mault remained at Nagercoil  and he was in charge of the Eastern Division . Rev Charles Mead moved with his family and his Native Assistant Mr. Devavaram Biddolph of Mylaudy and family  to Neyyoor in1828 and Rev Mead was in charge of  the Western Division which extended from Colachel in the South to Kotticode in the North and from Ammandivillai in the East to Trivandrum in the West.   [It is appropriate here to mention and remember that Rev. Charles Mead married the daughter of Mr. Devavaram Buddulphis daughter Ms.Lois Davavaram Buddulph, as his third wife after the death of Mrs Johanna Celestina Horst Mead].

Mrs Johanna Celestina Mead opened a Girls School at Neyyoor: After having moved to Neyyoor, Mrs Johanna Mead established a Girls Boarding School at Neyyoor in 1828 and this Girls Boarding School flourished for many years in many ways under the ardent and zealous care and supervision of Mrs Johanna Mead.. The Girls Boarding School at Neyyoor played a crucial and significant  role to spread education  and self dignity among the women in and around Neyyoor and in the whole of South Travancore. The Girls Boarding School  at Neyyoor and other Boarding Schools established by the Missionaries during that period of time were the means of training many girls and women in the habits of order, cleanliness, industry and useful leaning .Besides Scripture the  girls students in Girls Boarding Schools were taught a fair knowledge of History , Geography, Arithmetic and elements of natural Philosophy was imparted in vernacular.In 1837 in South Travncore there were 15 Girls Schools containing 361 girls and in 1840 in the two districts of Neyyoor and Nagercoil out of 7540  school children 998 were girls..

Home schools at Neyyor : Mrs Johanna Mead was a great strength and force to Rev Mead 's endeavors for the cause of education. In the Home Schools established by Mr and Mrs Mead at Neyyoor there were 86 girls and 84 boys and all of  them were clothed and fed. Mrs Mead with the help of Mr Mead established CALTON SCHOOL the first Girls School at Neyyoor and in this School under Mrs  Johanna Mead's direct supervision and management, the older girls , generally under English supporters' names, were taught sewing , knitting, spinning and other general domestic duties besides their regular studies.[CMA 881] This normal School  supplied Female Teachers and wives to catechists..

Establishment of The 'Letitia-Bona-Julia Knill Schools: Under Mrs Johanna Mead's initiative with the support of Mr Charles Mead, many Letitia-Bona- Jilia Knill Schools were started in and around Neyyoor. In these schools  so many girls were educated and sent out to Villages to commence separate Girls Schools.[CMA p. 882].Mr.Charles Mead and Mrs. Johanna  Mead also started Village Day School for Girls and  Hoxton Orphan School for orphans and infants in Neyyoor district. 

Education ignited fight for dignity in South Travancore: The once denied education was given to the women specially to the poor and neglected sections of the women population of Kanyakumari district by Mrs Johanna Mead and Mrs Martha Mault and others, and  education  brought conspicuous changes in the dressing style , behaving pattern and living standard  of the poor and underprivileged women of South Travancore  And also education equipped such educated poor women to move in public places in decent dress like the Christian women in Western countries.  There were great social disturbances in South Travancore on account of the Christian women  appearing in decent dress , during the year 1822, and from 1828 to 1830. However after long fight for the basic right , the educated poor  and underprivileged women of the neglected sections of the society got the privilege to dress in decent manner. The women specially the Christian women and  the other poor neglected women of South Travancore are bound to remember and thank Mrs . Johanna Mead and other Christian women missionaries, for the great valuable and remarkable services they had done for the cause of women's education  and dignity,  in South Travancore.

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Death of Mrs Johanna Mead : Mrs Johanna Celestina Mead worked with her husband Rev Charles Mead as a wise counselor , helper, companion and supporter in all his benevolent endeavors and services in South Travancore, continuously with sense and spirit of great commitment and devotion nearly for 30 years Burt unfortunately she was affected by liver complaint and she died on the 6th February , 1848 at the age of 45 years and 44 days. Mrs Johanna Celestina Horst Mead was the first Misssionary Lady in South Travancore. The great Church historian C.M. Agur writes about Mrs Johanna Celetina Horst Mead, " She played a very important part in the early Missionary establishments for boys and girls at Nagercoil and Neyyoor. She was a mother to orphans and a supporter to the poor and helpless. The Christian villages of Nagercoil and Neyyoor  owe much to her liberality" [ CMA, Church History of Travancore , p. 899].
These words had been written on her Cemetery at the L M S Cemetery at Neyoor,"Here are deposited the remains of Johanna Celestina wife of Revd.C. Mead and daughter of Revd.C.H.Horst . She departed to enter into the rest which remaineth for the people of God, on the 6th February 1848, after 29 years of missionary labour, aged 45 and 14 days"

Conclusion: No doubt Mrs Johanna Celestina Horst Mead was one of the greatest lady missionaries ever lived in the world..Yes,  she was a visionary and selfless missionary and social thinker and worker.After 5 years from her death Rev Charles Mead married  Miss Lois Biddulph, in September, 1852, the daughter of Mr. Charles Mead's native Assistant Devavaram Bidddulph,  against great social opposition. Rev Charles Mead and Mrs Lois Devavaram Biddulph Mead were blessed with four children including Miss Johanna Carlotta Mead, and  this Johanna Carlotta Mead married Mr. C.M. Agur, B. A, the Author of the monumental book "The Church History of Travancore"[Madras, 1903, p.1188+ ] . Definitely Mrs Johanna Celestina Horst Mead was an outstanding  women .Really she was a mother to orphans, poor , helpless women and helpless men.

P. BABU MANOHARAN. {Rights reserved][This article will be altered and modified if needed later ]

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]. 

                                                      Mrs. Johanna Celestina Horst Mead 

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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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Mrs Martha Mault, The Mother of Female education and liberation in South India[1794-1870]

Introduction: No doubt the educational, intellectual, political and social history of Kanyakumari District had been  emotionally and historically connected with some great English men  and women  who came and lived in Kanyakumari district.,to a great extent.  Rev. Charles Mault  and his beloved wife Mrs Martha Mault were two of the outstanding English citizens, who came and lived in Kanyakumari district. Mrs Martha Charles Mault  had done great, outstanding and  indelible service to the cause of education, female education, social justice , and women's liberation in South Travancore [Kanyakumari Dist]. during the early part of the 19th century. 

                                                                Mrs. Martha Mault 

Birth and place of Birth  Of Mrs. Martha Mault :Ms. Martha nee Mead [ this was her full name , and she was not related ev, Charles Mead] was born in St. Neots  in Huntingdonshire , England in 1794.  St, Neots is a beautiful town in the non-metropolitan county of Cambridgeshire , within the historic county of Huntingdonshire , in England ,and also it was the birthplace of the outstanding  Oliver Cromwell of England. 

Mrs Martha Mault was a direct Descendant the famous Oliver Cromwell :    It is pertinent  to say something about the famous  Oliver Cromwell of England , here, to understand the crucial significance of the family background of Mrs. Martha Mault.  . Mr Oliver Cromwell was born in Huntingdonshire in England on 25th April, 1599 and died on 3rd September, 1658.  Oliver Cromwell is considered as the father of British Democracy and deemed as one of the most controversial and powerful figures  in British history. Mr. Oliver Cromwell was made the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of Britain,  under the terms of the instrument of Government of  Britain and in that capacity he ruled England, Ireland and Scotland.  According to the BBC opinion poll conducted in 2002  , Oliver Cromwell was selected as one of the most famous 10 British men ever lived. Mrs Martha was reputed to be descendant of one of the four daughters of Oliver Cromwel

                                                                   Rev, Charles Mault, 

Mrs . Martha's marriage with Rev Charles Mault and  their travel to India: In the year 1818,  at the age of 24,  the charming Martha  married Rev .Charles Mault of Shropshire . Charles Mault had been trained for Priesthood at the Missionary Academy, Gosport  near Portsmouth, England under the auspices of the London Missionary Society and also had been ordained as a LMS Pastor, before a week of  their marriage . The review of the East India Company's Charter of 1813 had fully opened the closed door for missionary work India .After their happy marriage,as decided before Mrs, Mault along with her missionary husband Rev, Charles Mault, sailed towards the shore of India for missionary work in South Travancore , India

Mrs Martha Mault's family Life and Children : Mrs Martha and Rev. Charles Mault reached Nagercoil in Kanyakumari district  [South Travancore ] in December , 1819. Mrs. Martha Mault  with great tolerance and missionary magnanimity and mentality adjusted herself to the  new Indian climate and temperature and started to like the flora , fauna and the people of South Travancore and India  with great missionary zeal and motherly love. Mrs Martha Mault and Rev. Charles Mault were blessed with three smart  sons and two lovely daughters. Out of the three sons, two became qualified Medical Doctors in England and third son became a talented Artist. Mr and Mrs. Mault's younger daughter Sarah Mault,  married J.O.Whitehouse in 1849, and the eldest daughter Eliza Mault married the famous Missionary, Linguist , Tamil Scholar, Writer, Historian and Bishop Dr. Robert. Caldwell. in 1844, at the Home Church, Nagercoil.

                                             Ms. Eliza Mault [ W /o  Dr. Robert Caldwell ]

Mrs Mault and women's education and women's liberation : Mrs. Matha Mault  was really a remarkable missionary lady with the unquenchable spark of service to the cause of female education and female liberation. As wise and shrewd lady she understood the pathetic plight of female population in south Travancore and  aptly decided to empower and strengthen the  long neglected women by  giving education ,training and courage. So with the financial help from her friends from England , Mrs Martha Mault established the first Girls' Boarding School at Nagercoil in 1820, that was the first Girl's Boarding School in the whole of South India. [ This  Girls School progressed stage by stage and now it is called as the Duthie Girls Higher Secondary School, Nagercoil ]. Out of the Girls admitted in the Girls' Boarding School  many were poor, orphan and slave girls. Mrs Mault  took great pity and sympathy towards the long  neglected poor girls of  South Travancore. In  her Girls' Boarding School the teachers mainly taught Reading and Writing plus some basic Arithmetic  and Geography . Mrs Mault   firmly believed, Education will empower and equip women  to fight for their own emancipation, enlightenment and liberation in course of time. Yes in course of time, education has liberated the women of South Trvancore.

Mrs. Martha Extended female education to other parts of Kanyakumaari district [South Travancore}: Mrs Martha Mault was a real  born educationist . Female education and their welfare and liberation were her primary concern.  She not only taught the lace making to the students of Girls Boarding at Nagercoil , but also to other interested  and needy women of the District. So even during her active service period , lace making had become a major cottage industry in South Travancore and improved the financial status of hundreds of poor women of the District.   More over with help of her husband Rev. Charles Mault, Mrs Martha Mault  established  26 Village Schools for Girls in  Kanyakumari District for the cause of spreading education both among the Christian women and non-Christian women of the District.  As her daughters  Eliza Mault and Sarah Maul were very good in local colloquial Tamil , she used their services also for the cause of female education in South Travancore[Kanyakumari district].

Mrs Matha Mault empowered and equipped the Girls to make money through lace making:  Mrs Mault understood the deplorable dependence of  the girls on the male members of the family and society.So she decided to give financial  independence to the girls. So she decided  teach lace making technique to the the poor girls at appropriate time in the School with the help of the equipment and the special thread needed for lace making that she brought from her motherland England for lace making .She selected poor and slave girls and taught them lace making and equipped them to make money by making lace. Many slave girls used their saving made through lace making to purchase their liberty . Hundreds of slave girls liberated themselves by making enough money through lace making. Later through education, such liberated girls attained good positions and status in life and  the credit should go to Mrs.Martha Mault.  More over when the girls started to earn money through their lace making skill, the family and society started to respect those girls. 

Mrs. Mault returned to England: Rev Charles Mault and Mrs Martha Mault had been working in Kanyakumari district [the erstwhile South Travancore ] nearly for 35 long years. After these 35 fruitful years Rev  Charles Mault  retired from the LMS Missionary service and  Mrs. Martha Mault also retired from South Travancore LMS Missionary Service and went back to their home country, England  and settled in Stoke, Coventry, England.. Rev . Charles Mault, died in England in 1858 and Mrs. Martha Mault died in London in 1870.  Mrs , Martha  will be remembered in the Indian history as one of the Pioneers for the causes of female education ,liberation ,dignity and equality.. She was born great and achieved greatness.. Mrs Martha was really a remarkable milestone in Female Educational history of Kanyakumari district and India.  I salute her for her remarkable and relentless service for the cause of Female Education and Liberation  and stop my ink flow here.
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BY. P. BABU MANOHARAN..{Rights reserved] {This article will be changed, altered and modified later if needed. Comments are welcome].

Kumari Thanthai[Father of Kanyakumari Dist]Marshal. A. Nesamony, B.A, B.L, Ex.M.P,...Part Final.

Marshal. A. Nesamony's  Restless Life Came to a Rest:   As a relentless fighter Marshal. A. Nesamony fought many social and political battles and won many battles and lost some battles but he won his war. During his life time he was privileged to see  the merger of Kanyakumari District with the then Madras State [Tamil Nadu] in 1956. But because of his christian background and some other political reasons like political jealousy, he was  not rewarded with deserving ministerial berth either in the Tamilnadu Government or in the Indian Government. .Due to tireless and restless work, age and also due to some family  related worries  he became very tired and exhausted and as a corollary Marshal.A. Nesamony died on the 1st June 1968 , while he was sitting Lok Sabha member.

                                        

Nesamony's death and Mr K Kamaraj   political recovery: : Following the untimely death of Marshal. A Nesamony, a  By-election was held in the Nagercoil Parliament Constituency, to fill the vacancy. And  in the by-election Mr. K. Kamaraj contested as a Congress  candidate and won the election with a remarkable margin by defeating his powerful  political opponent Dr.M. Mathias who contested in the election as a Swatantra Party candidate. . Even by his death Marshal. A Nesamony helped his  Congress Party  colleague and friend  Mr. k. Kamaraj to recoup and recover  his lost political glory , grip, and place in the Indian politics.

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Memorials For Marshal  Nesamony:

Marshal Nesamony Manimandapam:   Marshal A Nesamony did not get the deserving recognition from the Congress party due to many sharp political reasons. But the Dravidian Parties availed the opportunity to respect and recognize Marshal Nesamony.. In 2011 DMK  Minister Mr. Parithi Ellamvazuthi laid the foundation for the construction of the Nesamony Manimandapam[Memorial ]at Nagercoil.  And the Nesamony Manimandpm was declared open, by the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Miss Jeyalalitha in February, 2014.

Nesamony Memorial Christian College ;  The Kanyakumaari CSI Dicese , in recognition of Marshal Nesamony's  outstanding and remarkable service to the Kanyakumari CSI Diocese, renamed the Christian College , at Marthandam as Nesamony Memorial Christian College in June 1984..

Conclusion; Marshal Nesamony was a man of the masses or the people, so the people called and calling him as Appachi or Father  with love and respect. . He is today called as Kumari Thanthai or the Father of Kanyakumari District. The Central Government in 1995, published  commemorative Postal Envelopes in recognition of the Centenary of Marshal Nesamony's  birth[ born in 1895]. Marshal. A Nesamony was so closely  and emotionally connected with the people and land of Kanyakumari district. Marshal Nesamony liberated  his  people  from the clutches  and dominance of the dominant caste of people of erstwhile Travancore kingdom.   Even though there are so many memorials  in  Kanyakumri  District , the existence of Kanyakumari  District as a part of Tamil Nadu is the best memorial for Marshal. A. Nesamony   Really he was a towering personality and man of great vision and mission.

P.BABU MANOHARAN. [Rights reserved].  [This Post will be modified or altered if needed later . Your comments are welcome].

Kumari Thanthai [Father of Kanyakumari Dist] Marshal .A. Nesamony, B.A, B.L, Ex. M.P, .--Part IV

Mr.A. Nesamony was nominated to Travancore [Thirumoolam ] Assembly:[1945-1947]                As President  of the Nagercoil Bar Association and Chairman of Nagercoil Municipality, Mr. A. Nesamony earned great name and fame and  as a corollary ,he was nominated  as a Member to the Travancore {Thirumoolam ] Assembly and also nominated to the prestigious Senate of Travancore University.

                                 

Mr. A. Nesamony and Travancore Legislative Assembly Election[1948]:     The Reforms Committee

headed by Pattam Thanu Pillai submitted its report to the Travancore Government on 20th November 1947; and on the basis of the Reform  Committee's Report , General Election was conducted, to elect Legislators to the Travancore Legislative Assembly in 1948. In this historical and landmark Election, the Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress[TTNC],  under the leadership of Marshal A. Nesamony contested the Assembly Election, against the Travancore State Congress. The Reform Committee recommended 120 Assembly seats on the basis of one seat for  every 50000 voters. [Open category  80 seats and Reserved category 40 seats] In the legislative Assembly  Election   Mr. A. Nesamony, fielded 18  Candidates including himself  on TTNC tickets.. Marshal Nesamony went village to village and propagated for the TTNC and TTNC won  14 seats out of the 18 seats it contested. This historical victory of the TTNC made great political impact in the political scenario of Travancre and Tamil Nadu. Moreover the  landslide victory of the TTNC in the Election, made Marshal A. Nesamony as the undisputed Leader of the TTNC and Tamils of South Travancore.

The State Reorganization Committe and  Travancore Tamils:  In tune with announcement made by the then Prme Minister Mr. Jewaharlal  Nehru in the Indian Parliament , on 29th December ,1953, the Govt of India formed the State Reorganization Commission consisting of 3 eminent persons and one among them was Sardar.K.M. Panickar from Kerala, and he was very particular to safeguard the interests of Kerala. But unfortunately there was no  Tamil Member in this Commission to voice for the cause of Tamils of Travancore State. That made the task very difficult for Marshal.A. Nesamony.

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Mr.A.Nesamony was imprisoned : Mr. A. Nesamony's indomitable will  power to fight for the cause  of the  Tamil people of Travancore ,  made him a Marshal  or People's Leader. . In  July ,1954 Mr. Nesamony protested and agitated in Devikulam and Moonaar areas  against the oppression of Tamils by  Travancore Government.and Mr. A.. Nesamony  was arrested and imprisoned on 6-7-1954 in Trivandrum Central jail. but  he was released on account of the intensity of the political agitation  and demonstration by the  TTNC for the immediate release of  Mr.A. Nesamony and others . Again on 11th August , 1954, the TTNC celebrated the Independence Day  in Travancore  and as a corollary of this celebration by the TTNC, Tamils lived in Travancore  State were seriously  attacked by the Travancore Government.   Many died due to bullet attacks of the Travancore Police and  also many false charges were filed  against the TTNC memebers and leaders. In this  grave situation Marshal Nesamony stood with affected people and  TNC  as pillar  and Lion.  Mr. A. Nesamony even went to the Supreme Court of India and fought   for the cause of affected Tamil people and their families and did justice to the affected people and TTNC.  On 7th march, 1955 Mr.A Nesamony, was elected unanimously as the President of the Travancore Tamilnadu Congress[TTNC]

Merger of Kanyakumari Dist with Madras State: Due to consistent and relentless sacrifices and struggles and agitations  , the four Southernn Districts of Travancore  State, namely Vilavancode, Kalkulam Agasteeswaram and Thovali taluks were merged with the then Madras State on !st November 1956. Unfortunately the demand for the merger of Devikulam and Peermedu  districts  by Marsal A. Nesamony were  not  considered, due to some political influence of some tall Political Thinkers and  Statesman from Kerala, who wielded great influence on the then Indian Prime Minister  Mr Jewaharlal Nehru.   Following the historical merger of Kanyakumari district with  the then Madras State, the Travancore Tamilndu Congress[TTNC] was  also merged with the All India National Congress.

 Mr. Nesamony was elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly :  In the general Election held in 1957 for the Madras Legislative Assembly , Marshal A.  Nesamony contested in  All India National Congress ticket  from Killiyoor Constituency , Kanyakumari and easily  won the election with notable majority and entered the prestigious precinct of the Madras Legislative assembly. However due to some political moves and calculation Marshal A. Nesamony was not  made a Minister in the the Government of Madras State.

Marshal A. Nesamony was elected to the Indian Parliament in 1962 & 1967:  As a great  shrewd political Thinker Marshal A. Nesamony understood the political  tricks of the Tamil Nadu and Indian Politics. In this context the Indian Parliamentary Lok Sabha Election was announced in 1962, but Neasamony wanted to stay away from the Congress Party and Politics for some time for some reasons. But Mr. K. Kamaraj contacted Marshal Nesamony, for his own political reasons and requested Marshal A. Nesamony to contest in the MP election in Congress Party Ticket, from Nagercoil  Parliamentary Constituency.  . Mr. A. Nesamony accordingly contested in the election as a Congress candidate,  but he did not do any political canvassing for his victory but when the Election results were declared,  out of the  three people who contested against Marshal A. Nesamony  except Mr P. Vivekanandan, the other two lost their deposits and Mr.A Nesamony won the MP election in a outstanding  way as usual.  In the 1967 Indian  Parliamentary Election also Marshal A Nesamony contested the MP election  in Indian National Congress ticket and won the Election with thumping majority. Marshal A.Nesamony served as a great Parliamentarian   and able Congress MP  in the Indian Parliament, but due to cut throat political competition and inner party rivalry the ruling Congress leaders, failed  to give Marshal. A. Nesamony, at least a Minister of State post  in the Central Government.

P. BABU MANOHARAN. [ This Post will be modified or altered if needed later. Part Final will follow soon. Your Comments are welcome ]

Kumari Thanthai [ Father of Kanyakumari Dist] Marshal A. Nesamony,B.A, B.L, Ex. M. P., Part III

 Rev Charles Mead , Neyyoor District  [LMS] and Marshall A. Nesmony :

Rev Charles Mead's move to Neyyoor was really a milestone in the political, social and church history of Travancore.   Charles Mead wanted to extend and expand  the missionary work of the LMS to the western part of South Travancore  and in tune with his plan in January 1828 Charles Mead received a suitable land near Thiruvithancode[Ancient Capital of Travancore Kingdom] ,  from  Mr. Ramen Thumby  for a nominal price. After having completed all the requirement Charles Mead shifted his official residence  to Neyyoor from Nagercoil . Within a short span of time the Neyyoor Division of the Travancore LMS Misssion ,  was intensively and extensively spread and established. Neyyoor LMS Division under the leadership of Charles Mead changed the social, religious and political map of the then Travancore Kingdom.

                                        

In the same way Neyyoor District of the LMS[CSI]  played  vital historical role under the leadership of Marhsal A, Nesamony to change the social and political map of South Travancore after nearly one hundred years. This was a historical coincidence .Since childhood days Mr. A. Nesamony  took an active interest both in the secular and religious activities with keen interest and concern.. He was  not only a great political leader but also he was a great Church leader .At the age of just 44 Marshal A. Nesamony  was elected as the Secretary of the LMS Neyyoor District.     Incidently Mr. A Nesamony's  social movement for social liberation of his people and other oppressed people , started from Neyyoor only[Travancore Tamilnadu Congress was started as a social movement  at the Edwin Memorial Building  at Neyyoor, in1945] like Charles Mead's Liberation movement  .This was a historical coincidence of great importance.

Marsal Nesamony and South Travancore Church Council  In 1874 the South Travancore Church Council was formed . When the Congregational and Presbyterian Missions united in 1908 it became a part of the South India United Church with a new name South Travancore Diocese..And as a result of his dynamic qualities, efficiency and commitment in Church activities in the year 1933 Mr A. Nesamony was elevated to the Travancore Mision Council

The  South Travancore Church Council was founded in 1874..Mr A. Nesamony,  in 1933  was elevated to the Travancore Mission Council and the Travancore Mission Council elected him as its Secretary when the question of union was on its agenda. In 1908, the Congregational and Presbyterian missions united under a new Name South Travancore Diocese. In1939 Nesamony became the Vice President of the South Travancore Diocese. In 1939 Mr Nesamony wrote the Constitution and Rules of the Travancore Church Council .

Marshal A. Nesamony and Kanyakumari CSI Diocese ;.The Church Union Movement in South India was responsible for  the birth of  the Church of South India on 27th September , 1947..After 28 years of relentless joint consultation,  the negotiating churches entered into an organic Union called Church of South India.

The South Travancore Church Council of SIUC  joined the Church of South India [CSI] at the time of its inauguration on the 27th September 1947. South Travancore became a Diocese of CSI..  Trivandrum was the H.Q of the South Travancore Diocese and it extended from Quilon in the North to Kanyakumari in the South .

Following the merger of Kanyakumari district with Tamil Nadu [Madras state] on linguistic basis ,  South Travancore Diocese was bifurcated into South Kerala CSI Diocese and Kanyakumari  CSI Diocese, in June 1959 and Nagercoil became the Head Quarters of the Kanyakumari CSI Diocese..Marshal A. Nesamony was elected unanimously as the Vice President of the newly formed Kanyakumari CSI Diocese   With great dynamism, dedication and vision he  discharged his official duty as the Vice President of the Kanyakumari CSI Diocese  till his death. Mr. A. Nesamony also  served as the Chairman of the Properties Board of the Kanyakumari CSI Diocese  and  took remarkable and  sincere  efforts  to expand the coconut plantation

at North  Thamarakulam CSI Mission Paddy Fields &Coconut Topes.  Advocate Mr .D Packiaraj, B.A, B.L , succeeded Mr .A Nesamony as the Chairman of the Properties Board of the Kanyakumari CSI Diocese.[ Mr. D. Packiaraj's  son  Mr, Rodney Daniel, B.Sc[Agri] has  married  Marshal Nesamony's second daughter Mrs. N. Daisy W Jacob's  daughter Mrs Annie Daniel..  A Post will be written later about Mr.D.Packiaraj and his  historical family .].

P. BABU MANOHARAN. [ This  Post will be modified , altered if needed later. Your valuable comments are welcome.. Part  Final follow soon. ][Rights reserved]