Page xxi →Chronology
Year | Frey’s Life | Historical Background |
1868 | March 9 Born in Sidney, Ohio, USA, third child of John Frey (1831–1900) and Emma Kelsey Frey (1839–1913). | n/a |
1892 | June Graduates from Ohio Wesleyan University. | n/a |
1893 | Completes missionary training at Chicago Training Institute and Moody Bible Institute; September Boards steamer China in San Francisco to go to Korea; October Arrives at Ewha Haktang in Seoul; November Witnesses procession of king. | n/a |
1894 | June Leaves to recuperate in Japan with Josephine O. Paine on summer break; July Frey and Paine unable to return to Korea because of the outbreak of Sino-Japanese War; September Return to Korea; November Attends memorial service for Dr. William James Hall (1860–94). | February Donghak Peasant Revolution begins; June Qing forces land in Asan Bay, Japanese troops deployed to Korea; July Japanese troops occupy Gyeongbokgung Palace, pro-Japanese cabinet led by Kim Hong-jip installed by the Japanese; July Outbreak of Sino-Japanese War (July 25, 1894–April 17, 1895); December Donghak Army suppressed. |
Page xxii →1895 | Helps design Scranton House next to Dongdaemun (East Gate) Church and Baldwin Dispensary; July Death of older sister Nettie M. Dickinson (1862–95); August Helps lay cornerstone for Chung-dong First Memorial Church; October Death of grandmother Mary Abbot Kelsey (1819–95). | April Treaty of Shimonoseki whereby Qing recognizes Korea as a fully independent state and end of Sino-Japanese War; October Murder of Queen Min (Eulmi Incident); December Kim Hongjip cabinet issues the ordinance for cutting off topknots. |
1896 | Construction of Scranton House at Dongadaemun (East Gate) begins; November 21 Attends the cornerstone ceremony for Dongnimmun Arch (Independence Gate). | February King Gojong goes into internal exile at Russian legation; April First issue of Tongnip Sinmun (The Independent); May Coronation of Nicholas II of Russia attended by Min Younghwan and Yun Chi-ho as Korean envoys; July Independence Club established. |
1897 | Construction of Main Hall at Ewha Haktang begins; completion of Chungdong First Methodist Church. | February King Gojong returns from the Russian legation to Gyeongun Palace; October Empire of Korea proclaimed by Gojong who assumes title of emperor; November Dongnimmun Arch completed. |
1898 | November Witnesses the Manmin Gongdonghoe (People’s Assembly) protest held in front of Gyeongun Palace. | February 22 Death of Heungseon Daewongun (father of emperor); October Gojong decrees the dissolution of the Independence Club; November-December Manmin Gongdonghoe (People’s Assembly) protests organized by the Independence Club. |
Page xxiii →1899 | January Death of brother Grant Frey (1864–99) in New York; February Returns for first furlough to the United States. | July Korea’s first railway, the Gyeongin Line, completed between Noryangjin and Jemulpo. |
1900 | March Returns from furlough; August Death of Father John Frey (1831–1913); October Return of Esther Pak, MD. | n/a |
1901 | June Main Hall completed. | n/a |
1904 | March Witnesses the funeral procession of Queen Hyojeong (1831–1903), widow of King Heonjong (1827–49). | February Japanese forces launch a surprise attack on the Russian fleet at Port Arthur, Japan declares war on Russia; February 23 Japan-Korea Treaty of 1904 coerced by Japan to begin process of annexing Korea. |
1905 | Leaves for second furlough (1905–06); July 12 Sister Georgia (1882–54) marries Homer Williamson LeSourd (1875–1948). | January Russian naval base at Port Arthur surrenders to Japanese forces; July Taft-Katsura Agreement signed between Japan and the United States; September Treaty of Portsmouth signed ending Russo-Japanese War; November Eulsa Treaty signed making Korea Japanese Protectorate; December Hulbert delivers Gojong’s message to the US State Department asserting invalidity of the Eulsa Treaty. |
1906 | n/a | February Japanese Residency-General of Korea established. |
Page xxiv →1907 | Pyeongyang Great Revival; July Appointed Fourth Principal of Ewha Haktang. | June Hague Secret Emissary Affair; July 20 Gojong forced to abdicate; August Japanese forces disband the Korean Imperial Army; August Emperor Sunjong ascends the throne. |
1908 | May 31 First Founder’s Day celebration; first middle school graduation ceremony. | n/a |
1909 | n/a | May 1 Death of Ernest Bethell, founder of Daehan Maeil Sinbo. |
1910 | Establishes College Department at Ewha Haktang. | August Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty signed. |
1912 | Leaves for third furlough (1912–13). | n/a |
1913 | December Death of mother, Emily Kelsey Frey (1839–1913). | n/a |
1914 | First graduation ceremony of the college; kindergarten established at Ewha Haktang. | n/a |
1915 | Simpson Memorial Hall completed; April Kindergarten Teacher Training Department established at Ewha Haktang. | n/a |
1917 | Evangelical trip to the Chungju region. | n/a |
1918 | March 9 50th birthday celebration and 25th anniversary of arrival in Korea. | n/a |
Page xxv →1919 | Former student and Ewha teacher Pahk Induk and students arrested due to participation in the March First Independence Movement; August Returns to America for fourth furlough. | January 21 Gojong passes away at Deoksugung Palace; March March First Independence Movement; April State funeral for Emperor Gojong held by Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea established in Shanghai. April Jeamri Massacre. |
1920 | August Undergoes breast cancer surgery. | September 28 Ewha student Yu Gwan-sun dies in Seodaemun Prison. |
1921 | March 18 Death in Boston; March 21 Buried in Bellefontaine Cemetery. | n/a |
1923 | October Dedication ceremony for Frey Hall, new building for the College Department at Ewha Haktang. | n/a |