Background
Talmage, John Van Nest was born on August 18, 1819 in Somerville, New York, United States. Son of David and Catharine (Van Nest) Talmage.
Talmage, John Van Nest was born on August 18, 1819 in Somerville, New York, United States. Son of David and Catharine (Van Nest) Talmage.
Graduate Rutgers University, 1842, honorary Doctor of Divinity, 1867. Graduate New Brunswick Theological Seminary, 1845.
Ordained to ministry Dutch Reformed Church, 1846, sailed for Amoy (China) as missionary, 1847. Contributed to growth of Chinese church. Developed Romanized form of writing vernacular to enable illiterate Christians to read Bible and other religious literature quickly, including primer, 1852, reader, 1853, portions of New Testament.
Finished dictionary in Amoy dialect, circa 1890.
Author: History and Ecclesiastical Relations of the Churches of the Presbyterian Order at Amoy, China, 1863.
Married Abby F. Woodruff, January 15, 1850. Married second, Mary Van Deventer, November 1864.