Thurston, John Lawrence, 1874-1904.

Organized tour of the Yale Missionary Band, 1898-1899; active in the formation of the Yale Foreign Missionary Society; went to China in 1903 to establish Christian higher education in Changsha, Hunan.

From the description of John Lawrence Thurston papers, 1894-1956 (inclusive). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 702167113

Organized tour of the Yale Missionary Band, 1898-1899; active in the formation of the Yale Foreign Missionary Society; went to China in 1903 to establish Christian higher education in Changsha, Hunan.

John Lawrence Thurston 1874-1904

John Lawrence Thurston, the son of John Rogers and Caroline Storey Thurston, was born in Whitinsville, Massachusetts, on August 4, 1874. After attending Worcester Academy, Thurston entered Yale College as a member of the class of 1898. While an undergraduate he served as Chairman of the Foreign Missions Committee and after graduation helped organize the Yale Missionary Band's 1898-1899 tour of the eastern United States. From 1899 to 1902 Thurston was a student at the Hartford Theological Seminary. He received his B.D. degree in 1902 and during the same year married Matilda Smyrell Calder of Hartford.

While in divinity school Thurston played an active role in the formation of the Yale Foreign Missionary Society and upon completion of his studies was sent to China to select a site for the establishment of the Yale Mission. His efforts resulted in the Hunan Missionary Conference's invitation to the Yale Mission to locate in Changsha, Hunan, and to assume responsibility for Christian higher education in the province.

While in China Thurston contracted tuberculosis and was ordered to return to the United States to convalesce. He established residence in Claremont, California, and died there on May 11, 1904.

For further information see Henry P. Wright's biography of Thurston, Life With A Purpose (New York, 1908).

From the guide to the John Lawrence Thurston papers, 1894-1956, (Manuscripts and Archives)