The First Protestant Missionary to Korea

Robert Jermain Thomas was born in Rhayadar South Wales (UK) in 1839. His dad was a minister in Hanover Church in Llanover near Abergervenny from 1848-1884. At 15 Thomas was made a member of the church and soon began to preach. On June 4th 1863, he was ordained at Hanover Church to be a missionary with the London Missionary Society. By this time Thomas had mastered nearly all the European languages and had studied medicine for 18 months with a Dr Waterman and spent five years at London University. Four weeks later Thomas and his young bride Caroline embarked for China at Gravesend and during the first week of December they arrived at Shanghai.