John M. B. Sill
John M. B. Sill | |
|---|---|
 | |
| United States Consul General to Korea[1] | |
| In office April 30, 1894 – September 13, 1898 | |
| President | Grover Cleveland William McKinley |
| Preceded by | Augustine Heard |
| Succeeded by | Horace Newton Allen |
| President of the Michigan State Normal College | |
| In office 1886–1893 | |
| Preceded by | Daniel Putnam |
| Succeeded by | Richard Gause Boone |
| Superintendent of Detroit Public Schools | |
| In office 1875–1886 | |
| Preceded by | Duane Doty |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 23, 1831 |
| Died | 1901 (aged 69–70) |
| Spouse | Sally Sill |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan |
John Malhelm Berry Sill (November 23, 1831[2]-1901) was American diplomat and educator who served as the United States Consul General to Korea, president of Michigan State Normal College (which is today known as "Eastern Michigan University"), and superintendent of Detroit Public Schools. He also served as a regent of the University of Michigan.
Educational career[edit]
Sill began a career as a teacher when he was 18. When he was 22, he began studying at the State Normal School at Ypsilanti, graduating in 1854, the first man to have done so. In 1867, he was appointed a regent of the University of Michigan.[2] He held this position through 1869.[citation needed]
In February 1875, after the retirement of Duane Doty, Sill was elected by the Detroit Board of Education to be the superintendent of Detroit Public Schools.[3] On July 28, 1881, the Detroit Board of Education approved Sill's plan to establish a normal school in Detroit, something that his predecessor had pushed unsuccessfully for throughout his tenure. That September, the Detroit Normal Training School for Teachers began offering classes at the city's only high school (located in the state's original capitol building). The school later became part of what is today Wayne State University.[4]
Sill served as Detroit superintendent until becoming president of Michigan State Normal College, a position he was elected to on July 22, 1886.[5] He held the college's presidency until 1893.[6][7]
Consul General to Korea[edit]
Sill served as United States Consul General (ambassador) to Korea from 1894 to 1897, during a time that has been described as “one of the most turbulent periods of Korean history. Graduating from University of Michigan helped him to acquire the position as many of the members of the Department of State were alumni of the university.[8] In particular was efforts of his friend, Donald M. Dickinson, a lawyer from Detroit, former U.S. Postmaster General, and confidant of President Grover Cleveland, who appointed Sill as Consul General.[9]
During his tenure as Counsel-General, Korea went through the Sino-Japanese War, the Gabo Reform, the murder of Queen Myeongseong, and King Gojong's refuge in the Russian legation.[10][11] He sought to maintain the independence of Korea and check the increasing Japanese influence by consistently asking America to enforce Japanese to withdraw from Korea. When the Japanese became the victor of the war against China, Sill provided the American legation as a refuge for anti-Japanese officials.[8]
Personal life[edit]
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Sill was married to Sally Sill. Upon leaving the U.S. with her husband, Sally fell into a state of depression and suffered from asthma and rheumatism while in Korea, which prevented her from meeting King Gojong and Queen Myeongseong upon their arrival.
They had two children: Joseph Sill and Alice Cram. Joseph, who was a teenager at the time, joined his parents in Korea while Alice, who was married, stayed in the U.S. Sally died in Detroit, Michigan in 1903 at the age of 69 from Bright's disease.[10]
Legacy[edit]
Sill Hall at Eastern Michigan University, as Michigan State Normal is now known, is named for Sill.[7]
References[edit]
- ^ Korean Mission p. 32., p. 32, at Google Books
- ^ a b "Moderator topics". Google Books. 1900. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ^ "Michigan News". Newspapers.com. he Times Herald (Port Huron, Michigan). 27 Feb 1875.
- ^ "History". College of Education. 10 May 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
- ^ "PROF. SILL'S NEW FIELD". Newspapers.com. Detroit Free Press. 23 Jul 1886. Retrieved 15 August 2021.
- ^ "EMU Presidents". emu. Archived from the original on 19 August 2012. Retrieved 5 July 2012.
- ^ a b Virtual Tour: Sill Hall, Eastern Michigan University, archived from the original on 2013-01-04, retrieved 2012-07-11
- ^ a b 해외사료총서. "6. 씨일(John M. B. Sill, 재임기간：1894. 2～1897. 7)".
- ^ Neff, Robert (2013). Letters from Joseon: 19th Century Korea through the Eyes of an American Ambassador's Wife. Seoul Selection USA. p. 7. ISBN 978-89-97639-09-0.
- ^ a b Lee, Claire (January 3, 2013). "19th century Korea seen through eyes of foreign women". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
- ^ Dorwart, Jeffrey M. (November 1975). "The Independent Minister: John M. B. Sill and the Struggle against Japanese Expansion in Korea, 1894-1897". Pacific Historical Review. 44 (4): 485–502. doi:10.2307/3638067. JSTOR 3638067.
Further reading[edit]
- Neff, Robert (2013). Letters from Joseon: 19th Century Korea through the Eyes of an American Ambassador's Wife. Seoul Selection USA. ISBN 978-89-97639-09-0
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