Charlotte Day CHAPMAN (née GOWER) [1902-1982]

Submitted by moddsey on Wed, 07/03/2024 - 09:44
Names
Given
Charlotte Day
Family
Chapman
Maiden
Gower
Sex
Female
Status
Deceased
Born
Date
Birthplace (town, state)
Kankakee, Illinois
Birthplace (country)
United States
Died
Date
(Day is approximate.)
Died in (town, state)
Washington, District of Columbia
Died in (country)
United States

Charlotte Day Gower or Charlotte Day Chapman was also known as Charlotte Gower Chapman. She was a noted academic and ethnologist. In 1938, she headed the Anthropology Department of Lingnan University in Canton (Guangzhou) and also served as Dean of Women.

During the siege of Canton, Gower served as a volunteer at the refugee hospital that was set up on the university campus. She later assisted the Red Cross in distributing medicine, food supplies and clothing. Gower moved to Hong Kong in 1939 when Lingnan University relocated to the University of Hong Kong.

Gower was serving as a ward nurse in a hospital on Christmas Day when Hong Kong surrendered. She was interned at Stanley Camp and later taught Chinese to fellow captives until repatriated on the Gripsholm in 1942. Charlotte Day Gower would go on to serve the OSS after her repatriation. Her career in the OSS/CIA can be read here

Obituary/Memorial: https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/L8XY-F2D/charlotte-day-gower-1902-1982

Source

1. The Shanghai Evening Post and Mercury

2. Living Memory: http://www.messana.org/MILOCCA/living-memory.htm

3. Life as a Japanese Captive, The Sunday Star, Washington, D. C., 28 February 1943. See here

4. The Evening Star dated 19 March 1943. See here

 

 

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