THE 
MORTALITY EXPERIENCE 
OF 
AMERICAN MISSIONARIES 
BY 
NATHAN WILLEY. 
BEING A COMPLETE RECORD OF THE MORTALITY EXPERIENCE OF 
THE FOREIGN MISSIONARIES OF THE A. B. C. F. M., FROM 
ITS ORGANIZATION TO JULY 1, 1873, AS COMPARED 
WITH THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE” 
TABLE OF MORTALITY. 
PRICE, 50 CENTS. 
UNPUBLISHED FROM THE 
INSURANCE MONITOR, NOVEMBER, 1873, 
176 Broadway. Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1873, by C. C. Hine, in the Office of the Libra- 
rian of Congress at Washington, I). C. the ]£ diktat J'rHtermtg. 
Tf this pamphlet is noticed or criti- 
cized by yon, please send a copy of 
yonr paper to this office. 
C. C. Httstr. 
1711 BROADWAY, V. Y. MORTALITY EXPERIENCE OF AMERICAN MISSIONARIES. 
NATHAN WILLEY. 
The following tables comprise a record of the mortality expe- 
rience of over 1,000 missionaries of the A. B. C. F. M., including 
more than 13,000 years’ service, mostly in foreign lands. The 
original data from which these tables were compiled were pre- 
pared by Bev. John A. Vinton, of Winchester, Massachusetts. 
Mr. Vinton has spent several years in preparing statistical infor- 
mation of this kind for the Board, and but few men ever lived 
more competent to execute such a task. 
These tables embrace all the missions established by the Board 
since its organization. In some cases, missions have been trans- 
ferred to other Boards, as the Presbyterian and Beformed Dutch, 
and from that time the A. B. C. F. M. lias had no further control 
over them. Missions have also been discontinued, as in the Sand- 
wich Islands and Borneo. In these cases the data furnished do 
not generally extend beyond the period of transfer or discontin- 
uance. 
In preparing these tables, the compiler was furnished with 
cards containing the name, place and date of birth, date of em- 
barkation, of death, release, or return to this country, and the field 
of labor of each missionary. In a very few instances the date of 
birth was not given, but the number of years of exposure was al- 
ways ascertained. In such cases the average expected mortality 
of the known ages exposed in each locality was found, and the ad- 
ditional mortality from the unknown ages, found by a simple pro- 
portion, was added to it. 
It will be noticed that there is a great difference in the mortal- 
ity in different parts of the globe. In Western Africa, Southern 
India, Southern China, and the Indian Archipelago, the mortality 
has been from three to nearly seven times as great as the Ameri- 
can Experience Tables indicate, while in the Sandwich Islands and 
in Southern Africa the aggregate mortality has been less. In the 
Sandwich Islands, though lying within the tropics, the mountain- 
ous nature of the country enables foreigners to select places of res- 
idence where the air is as mild as in the mountains of Tennessee; 
and in South Africa, the mission stations are on an elevated pla- teau, where the climate is as healthy and salubrious as in West 
Virginia. 
But in all that belt of country commencing with Turkey, and 
extending eastward and southward through Syria, Persia, India, 
and Southern China, and especially in the Indian ocean, the mor- 
tality of American missionaries has been excessive, as a glance at 
the Recapitulation Table will show. In these countries, fevers 
and the cholera have caused a large ratio of the deaths, while only 
a very small number have died by violence. 
One important and instructive feature in these tables is the 
comparative mortality of males and females. In all the unhealthy 
countries, with the singular exception of Persia, the mortality 
among women is much greater than among men. This may be 
partly accounted for by the younger age of embarkation and the 
less previous exposure to hardship. Among the missionaries to 
Turkey, the mortality among females who embarked under the age 
of twenty-five has been about two-aml-a-half times as great as 
among those who were older at the time of leaving home. Among 
the female lives in the Sandwich Islands, we find eleven deaths 
between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-nine inclusive, while 
the tabular mortality calls tor a fraction over six. 
We find also a good illustration of the influence of climatic dif- 
ferences upon northern men and women living in the Southern 
States. In the missions among the Cherokee and Choctaw Indians, 
in the States of Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas, and the Indian Ter- 
ritory, the mortality of males is about 44 per cent., and of females 
4G per cent, greater than the tabular rate. 
Another circumstance which will make these tables of great 
practical value to our life insurance companies, is the fact that 
nearly all these lives are from the Northern States, not more than 
one or two per cent, being from the south or foreign countries. 
We cannot assert that these tables give the total mortality of 
the American missionaries arising from their foreign residence. 
In many cases, finding that health and usefulness were ruined, the 
missionary bade farewell to his chosen field and returned to die in 
his native land. If his recovery was deemed impossible, he sev- 
ered his connection from the Board, and his subsequent record 
does not appear in this table. Neither have we any account of 
those whose health, though permanently injured, was just sufficient 
to enable them to linger for a few years till prematurely cut off by 
death, after they had left the Board and engaged in other pursuits. 
To obtain the total mortality which has resulted, directly and indi- 
rectly, from missionary life, would require more elaborate data. 5 
H 
Total yrs. 
Add ages 
unknown. 
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Expected Mor- 
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it 
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Actual Mortal- 
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Expected Mor- 
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► 
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Actual Mortal- 
ity. 6 
Total.. | 
Total yra.| 
Add ages! 
unknown 
AGE. 
j 1351 
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Years. 
Years of 
Expos- 
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Months. 
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Expected Mor- 
tality. 
rt 
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Actual Moital- 
ity. 
d 
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| 
d 
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: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : • l-‘l-‘»ONl»S»OC0 6545.*.*.OiO«OlO>C:-aOlCw®S»SgSS““ofegSS£-S3oS£Sfe»Sg^CTi-‘: 
Years. 
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Months. 
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Expected Mor- 
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► 
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Actual Mortal- 
ity. 
1 368 
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Months. 
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g 
3.7327 
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1 
ax 
: : : i i i § 
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Expected Mor- 
tality. 
w 
CO 
-3 
-3 
i M M M M M M H H M M M M M: H N M M M M M H i M ~M M M M M H 
Actual Mortal- 
ity- 
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Years. 
2 H g 
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Months. 
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Expected Mor- 
tality. 
► 
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CO 
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Actual Mortal- 
ity. 7 
Total.. 
Total yrs. 
Add ages 
unknown 
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Years. 
isf 
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• * '* I • * : • 1 S • • ’ • • • • • • • • • • ; • • • • • CO j CC; CO :© • GO O • GoSoSjOJOCOOrfk.00; • • •* 
Months. 
11 
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to 
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Expected Mor- 
tality. 
ft 
B 
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Actual Mortal- 
ity. 
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M 
5 
S 1 
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• : • : : ' • • • • * : • : : • • • ! • • ’ ! • : • 
Years. 
SB’S 
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Expected Mor- 
tality. 
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: : : i •;:: : : i i i i = : ; : : i-I —: i ;:: 
Actual Mortal- 
ity- 
>— 
1 
— 
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; 
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Years. 
Years ot 
Expos- 
ure. 
B 
X CO 
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Months. 
f 
i 
<0 
8 
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1 
M M 8: M 
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Expected Mor- 
tality. 
£ 
- B 
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Actual Mortal- 
ity. 
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— 
ft 
a 1 
Years. 
s 
= P- 
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00 05 
• • • • • 
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Months. 
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o» 
:::::: a: 
:::::: s: 
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Expected Mor- 
tality. 
1 
£g 
s 
5 & 
j : j j i m! : 
T 
Actual Mortal- 
ity- 8 
Total..! 
Total yrs. 
Add ages 
unknown. 
GO X or GO -q -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 05 CT OT OT OT CT CT or CT CT CT -u cc CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CO CC M) JO iO tc to ro tc 
C0t0»-iO«00«4l05 0i^C0tC( 0f4lC0i0H-.O^G0 
AGE. 
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Years. 
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Months. 
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1 I® 
CO 
Ot 
g 
iC 
1 CO 
tO 
tu 
1 or 
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• * §3 * * * * * 
: : : |! : 
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Expected Mor- 
tality. 
► 
r1 
rt 
QD 
XU 
O 
CO 
1 | 
1 “1 
:::::::::: : • : |-t: j 
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Actual Mortal- 
ity. 
a 
s 
§ Of 
• ’• • . t£*-£‘-4^£*.£‘-£k-05-QGCO^l-fctStSi-‘';0-3-3Ce05£»-t5»-ii-». • • 
Years. 
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3 Mg 
o 
tq 
l-H 
00 
j j j | oo J : j : 
• -3 CO -3 5C • COtsj • O5C0O5*-k‘ GO 50 ©t • • • • 
Months. 
|o 
M 
Si 
> 
05 
50 
to 
►u. 
05 
• *•••-• .... 
; j ; ; ! ; ; I g; 
. • • CO • • • 
• • • lO • • • 
• CO • • • i O • • S • • • • • 
Expected Mor- 
tality. 
► 
t-* 
rt 
cc 
GO 
►-1 -1 
j j j : | m! j ; i 
• • to ; ts • »- 
*; ; j j j -j i ; j j • : j j ; 
Actual Mortal- 
ity. 
05 
05 j 
• • • • • • ; • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • j • 
Years. 
Years of 
Expos- 
ure. 
CO 
-1 
: : : : CT: :::: : 
• • M O O • 
05 05 O ►—1 • -*3 5© CO —3 05 
Months. 
05 
05 
*05 
f 
05 
1 :.::::: 1 : : |:. : : '. 
• : i : |: 
i 11 gi! j 
i |M ; i sj: i: h i; j 
Expected Mor- 
tality. 
| 
Si 
o 
CO 
CO | 
= 1 ! E = = = = = = !! = : f = = : = = ::«! *: 1 : ! 1 M 1 
i : : M i : -j : j -j : i ; : i : j i : i | 
Actual Mortal- 
ity. 
w 
H 
K 
C5 £l 
• • | • • • • • • • • •• • • • • • • • • • 
Years. 
H1 
g 
o 
50 | 
CO 
i h = M i i : ! ! i i : : i : i : i • i i i i : i 
j j j S£: ! 
*-‘-3* Ot • 05 • O CO CO j GO GO • • j | 
Months. 
• T3 cc 
O 
05 O 
tel 
« 
w 
ro 
5 
> 
05 
II 
b» 
to 
i;::: i::: i: i i i i i; M ; |M M |M M I- 
: : : g: : : : S: 
• • : a • • 
Expected Mor- 
tality. 
- 
1 
i: | i M: U M! M M: 1H H • M N N M 
h jMu 1 jMHM j | 
Actual Mortal- 
ity. 9 
82 
83 
Total yrs. 
Add ages 
unknown 
Total..! 
2S333a3£3d23£S33SSS3283S3£SZSS2S£&5£&*S&££33g3S£3£S3£ggtt!S£8£8B!2SSS 
> 
S3 
M 
1 
* im 
: M»»»ai^^^eSSSS:ssSSSSxS»S8SaaeaSSSSSSSSSSSa£aSSSSSS88d6SSaSS£e>Wi : 
Years. 
m 
?s. 
CO 
o» • : o: : ;' -a *-‘ • £ o* • ®~• eo • ®0»• £ c« .&. co -j co j or .u co 1 eo ►- © j -q j cci-*j 
Months. 
2 
CO 
$ 
o 
gM 
13 
c 
S 
i 
III; 
• • • *-»■.' . • • is • . • to • • • jo • • • • to • • • • 65 • • • • >-*■ • • • * h* i l • . I ‘ l . #o • • • • H-i! 1 l I ! i i ! 
mmmmm mmmmmmm^in 
Expected Mor- 
tality. 
► 
! 
GO 
s| I j 
-j = i i -I ii i i; M i i i : — ; • i —i i i - J■ -j :: -j j j ; ;; j j 
Actual Mortal- 
ity. 
£ 
all! 
_i_ii-ijOMCoi£>..fe.CTO"CiOT;n-q;c©>-!u©©©ocxooaox3*Soi©lqiqi3,£oc©(Scoac:c?©oc©ii©2g:22SSS©2joiq©©.&.*i>»«! 
Years. 
o 
co -a : : 
3? ’ ’. | j j •' j • ’• j • • ►-* -3 • -3 *-*; • C7T • ’• * • C5 35 -3 CC • • Cl' • • 
Months. 
n 
IS 
i 
JS : : : 
§ H; 
1 n 11H i in NII n in H in H in n in H in HII n in n in U in i i 
Expectec 
tality. 
Mor- 
; 
1 
0 
5 
i;;; 1 i; i:! i; i11 i • i i i; i;1 i i1! i;;; 
Actual Mortal- 
ity. 
1 
i ■~ 
• • 
Years. 
tU 
-3 • • 
' ‘ ’ ’ • '. • | | • • • • »t*. JO CT • —3; • • • • *• O j tO • Or • ’ 
Months. 
:n 
o 
la. 6954 
(C • • 
i m 
n! im i i in n in n in n an M im i im; in n sm i; im i in i im n 
Expected Mor- 
tality. 
J 1 
gra 
to> 
t-i'. ! 
: i ;■ i i i i i°* i i : i i ’ ‘ : i : 
Actual Mortal- 
ity. 
1 
2 1|;[: 
: 1 : ; : MW^MMMMMhiHUBoicioiSTa-jooc3!CcSooH“j45!sMM»»M2!fc5xS£®-;co^(4(o»«c»woca;is; 
Y ears. 
i*i 
?°o 
a 
00 011 : : : 
I . * '. CO* • • • • • • • * • CCOO- • • iO *X> • • • ; • • to* 50* • • • «oj C:-3* • 
Months. 
-n 
? 
00 
g 
o> 
-J I : ; ; 
1 Mi 
H n H H in H sH!! gu:! in M iH N si! H sM!! in H ill N iH!! in 11 
Expected Mor- 
tality. 
1 
t> 
3 
si; n 
;;;1; M M ;; i I i: —; i 1 i 1 i i i i 11 i‘~;; i;:;;; i ; ~S: II —-1;:;;:;; 
Actual Mortal- 
ity. 10 
Males. 
Females. 
Number 
oflives. 
Years of 
exposure. 
Expected 
mortality. 
Actual 
mortality. 
Ratio of 
actual to 
expected 
mortality. 
Number 
of lives. 
Years of 
exposure. 
Expected 
mortality. 
Actual 
mortality. 
Ratio of 
actual to 
expected 
mortality. 
Western Africa, River Gaboon, and Cape Palmas 
19 
151.2 
1.5747 
8 
5.0803 
20 
136.6 
1.1897 
8 
6.7244 
South Africa 
21 
303.3 
4.4272 
5 
1.1294 
21 
357. 
3.6267 
3 
.8272 
Turkey and Greece 
104 
1351.2 
15.6112 
24 
1.5344 
126 
1201.7 
11.2359 
28 
2.4920 
Syria 
27 
308.10 
3.7327 
7 
1.8753 
40 
351.4 
3.2994 
9 
2.7278 
Persia 
23 
255.3 
2.6772 
11 
4.1088 
24 
247.1 
2.2268 
5 
2.2454 
India, Ceylon, Madura, Madras, Siam, and Indian Archipelago 
127 
1636.11 
19.6963 
42 
2.1324 
147 
1478.2 
16.7741 
55 
3.2789 
South China 
22 
308.4 
3 5027 
8 
2.2840 
17 
191.8 
1.6932 
8 
4.7248 
North China 
14 
161.9 
1.6346 
3 
1.8353 
13 
141.9 
1.6156 
1 
.6190 
Sandwich Islands and Micronesia 
78 
1537.3 
22.9690 
18 
.7837 
76 
1491.10 
21.6992 
17 
.7871 
Cherokee and Choctaw Indians 
01 
823.4 
9 6954 
14 
1.4133 
39 
663.1 
8.2018 
12 
1.4631 
Total 
496 
6957.3 
85.5510 
140 
1.6365 
| 523 
6260. 
71.4624 
146 
2.0488 
RECAPITULATION. 
MORTALITY STATISTICS—MISSIONARIES A. B. C. F. M. 11 
In preparing the foregoing tables, it has occurred to the writer 
that it might lie of great importance to the cause of Foreign Mis- 
sions, as well as for the information of the public at large, that 
careful and accurate statistics of the health, exposure, and mortal- 
ity of the foreign missionaries should be prepared. When we take 
into consideration the years of constant study and the initial ex- 
pense of fitting one for this field of labor; the difficulty in finding 
the right class of men, who are willing to peril their lives and 
health in this cause, at a time when wealthy congregations are 
willing to pay liberally for their services at home; and especially 
the fact that the majority of them return with impaired health after 
a few years’ exposure—the value of a single life rises to an impor- 
tance which it is impossible for us to estimate in money, and the 
subject of knowing their sanitary and mortality experience, and of 
discovering such methods as will enable them to prolong their lives 
and usefulness, becomes a matter which ought to concern all who 
take an interest in the cause. 
These tables also suggest the question whether some investiga- 
tions should not be made, or statistical information obtained, to 
lessen the great excess of mortality among the female lives, lu 
nearly all the mission fields the female mortality is from thirty to 
fifty per cent, greater than among males, which is far greater than 
the corresponding mortality among the sexes in the United States. 
It seems as if it would be but an act of justice towards that sex 
which makes the greatest sacrifices, who lead silent and uncom- 
plaining lives among so much that is repugnant and disgusting to 
their finer sensibilities, that the causes which have produced this 
excess of mortality should be thoroughly investigated, and, if pos- 
sible, measures taken to avoid it in the future.