William Elliot Griffis
Encyclopedia
William Elliot Griffis (September 17, 1843 – February 5, 1928) was an American orientalist
, Congregational
minister, lecturer, and prolific author.
Griffis was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, the son of a sea captain and later a coal trader. During the American Civil War
, he served three months in the 44th Pennsylvania Volunteers Regiment after Robert E. Lee
invaded Pennsylvania in 1863. After the war, he attended Rutgers University
at New Brunswick, New Jersey
, graduating in 1869. At Rutgers, Griffis was an English
and Latin language tutor for Tarō Kusakabe , a young samurai
from the province of Echizen
(part of modern Fukui
).
After a year of travel in Europe, he studied at the seminary of the Dutch Reformed Church
in New Brunswick (known today as the New Brunswick Theological Seminary
).
by Matsudaira Shungaku
, for the purpose of organizing schools along modern lines. In 1871, he was Superintendent of Education in the province of Echizen. In recompense, he was provided with a salary of $2,400, a house in Fukui
and a horse.
In 1872-74, Griffis taught chemistry and physics at Kaisei Gakkō (the forerunner of Tokyo Imperial University). He prepared the New Japan Series of Reading and Spelling Books, 5 vols. (1872). He also published primers for Japanese students of the English language
; and he and contributed to the Japanese press and to newspapers and magazines in the United States numerous papers of importance on Japanese affairs.
Griffis was joined by his sister, Margaret Clark Griffis, who became a teacher at the Tokyo Government Girls' School (later to become the Peeresses' School
). By the time they left Japan in 1874, Griffis had befriended many of Japan's future leaders.
Griffis was a member of the Asiatic Society of Japan
, the Asiatic Society of Korea, the Historical Society of the Imperial University of Tokyo, and the Meirokusha
.
; and after finishing his studies in 1877, he was called to the ministry in a series of churches—at the First Reformed Church, Schenectady
, New York
(1877–1886); at the Shawmut Congregational Church, Boston, Massachusetts
(1886–1893); and at the First Congregational Church, Ithaca
, New York (1893–1903). Concurrently, at Union College
in 1884, he earned a higher degree, Doctor of Divinity
(D.D.
). Rutgers awarded him an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters
(L.H.D.
) in 1899.
in crafting what became his most well-known book, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.
In 1907, the Japanese government conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette
, which represents the fourth highest of eight classes associated with the award.
The prolific writer was also a prolific traveller, making eleven trips to Europe—primarily to visit the Netherlands
. In 1898, he was present at the enthronement of Queen Wilhelmina
; and he attended the Congress of Diplomatic History. He was among the group of Bostonians who wanted to commemorate the Pilgrims' roots in Holland; and the work was rewarded with the dedication of a memorial at Delfshaven
and the placement of five other bronze historical tablets in 1909. He was one of four Americans elected to the Netherlands Society of Letters in Leiden.
In 1926, Griffis was invited to return to Japan; and on this trip, the Japanese government conferred a second decoration. He was presented with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon
, which represents the third highest of eight classes. A private rail car was provided by the Japanese government, and he visited several cities in the course of this return trip.
Griffis was a founding member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters (later to become the American Academy of Arts and Letters), the American Historical Association
, and the U.S. Naval Institute. He died at his winter home in Florida in 1928.
. Stanton Griffis was ambassador to Argentina while Juan
and Eva Peron
were in power and wrote of his experiences in a book titled Lying In State. The other son, John
, became a composer.
's flagship on the 1853-1854 Naval Expedition to Japan.
Orientalism
Orientalism is a term used for the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists, as well as having other meanings...
, Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
minister, lecturer, and prolific author.
Griffis was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, the son of a sea captain and later a coal trader. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he served three months in the 44th Pennsylvania Volunteers Regiment after Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
invaded Pennsylvania in 1863. After the war, he attended Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
at New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
, graduating in 1869. At Rutgers, Griffis was an English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Latin language tutor for Tarō Kusakabe , a young samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
from the province of Echizen
Echizen Province
was an old province of Japan, which is today the northern part of Fukui Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Etchū and Echigo Provinces.Echizen is famous for washi . A text dated AD 774 mentions the washi made in this area. Echizen-produced Washi is still the most commonly sold traditional...
(part of modern Fukui
Fukui Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Fukui.- Prehistory :The Kitadani Dinosaur Quarry, on the Sugiyama River within the city limits of Katsuyama, has yielded the Fukuiraptor kitadaniensis and Fukuisaurus tetoriensis as well as an unnamed...
).
After a year of travel in Europe, he studied at the seminary of the Dutch Reformed Church
Dutch Reformed Church
The Dutch Reformed Church was a Reformed Christian denomination in the Netherlands. It existed from the 1570s to 2004, the year it merged with the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Kingdom of the Netherlands to form the Protestant Church in the...
in New Brunswick (known today as the New Brunswick Theological Seminary
New Brunswick Theological Seminary
New Brunswick Theological Seminary is a professional and graduate school founded in 1784, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to educate ministers for the congregations of the Reformed Church in America...
).
Modernizer in Japan
In September 1870 Griffis was invited to JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by Matsudaira Shungaku
Matsudaira Yoshinaga
, also known as Matsudaira Keiei, was the 14th head of Fukui Domain during the Late Tokugawa shogunate and politician of the Meiji era. "Yoshinaga" is his imina and "Shungaku" is his gō...
, for the purpose of organizing schools along modern lines. In 1871, he was Superintendent of Education in the province of Echizen. In recompense, he was provided with a salary of $2,400, a house in Fukui
Fukui, Fukui
is the capital of Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The city is located in the north-central part of the prefecture on the coast of the Sea of Japan.-Demographics:...
and a horse.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
; and he and contributed to the Japanese press and to newspapers and magazines in the United States numerous papers of importance on Japanese affairs.
Griffis was joined by his sister, Margaret Clark Griffis, who became a teacher at the Tokyo Government Girls' School (later to become the Peeresses' School
Gakushuin
The or Peers School is an educational institution founded in Tokyo in 1877, during the Meiji period, for the education of the children of the Japanese aristocracy, though it eventually also opened its doors to the offspring of extremely wealthy commoners...
). By the time they left Japan in 1874, Griffis had befriended many of Japan's future leaders.
Griffis was a member of the Asiatic Society of Japan
Asiatic Society of Japan
The is a society of Japanese studies . Founded in 1872, the ASJ is Japan's oldest learned society.-Overview:The Asiatic Society of Japan was founded in 1872, five years after the Meiji restoration, at Yokohama by British and American residents - in particular missionaries, diplomats, businessmen...
, the Asiatic Society of Korea, the Historical Society of the Imperial University of Tokyo, and the Meirokusha
Meirokusha
The ' was an intellectual society in Meiji period Japan that published social-criticism journal Meiroku Zasshi .Proposed by statesman Mori Arinori in 1873 and officially formed on 1 February 1874, the Meirokusha was intended to “promote civilization and enlightenment”, and to introduce western...
.
Education and ministry
Returning to the United States, Griffis attended Union Theological SeminaryUnion Theological Seminary in the City of New York
Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York is a preeminent independent graduate school of theology, located in Manhattan between Claremont Avenue and Broadway, 120th to 122nd Streets. The seminary was founded in 1836 under the Presbyterian Church, and is affiliated with nearby Columbia...
; and after finishing his studies in 1877, he was called to the ministry in a series of churches—at the First Reformed Church, Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1877–1886); at the Shawmut Congregational Church, Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
(1886–1893); and at the First Congregational Church, Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, New York (1893–1903). Concurrently, at Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in 1884, he earned a higher degree, Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
(D.D.
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
). Rutgers awarded him an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters
Doctor of Humane Letters
The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary degree, usually to those who have distinguished themselves in areas other than science, government, literature or religion, which are awarded degrees of Doctor of Science, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, or Doctor of...
(L.H.D.
Doctor of Humane Letters
The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary degree, usually to those who have distinguished themselves in areas other than science, government, literature or religion, which are awarded degrees of Doctor of Science, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, or Doctor of...
) in 1899.
Writing and lectures
In 1903 he resigned from the active ministry to devote himself exclusively to writing and lecturing. His books on Japan and Japanese culture were complemented with extensive college and university lecture circuit itineraries. In addition to his own books and articles during this period, he also joined Inazo NitobeInazo Nitobe
was a Japanese agricultural economist, author, educator, diplomat, politician, and Christian during Meiji and Taishō period Japan.-Early Life:Nitobe was born in Morioka, Mutsu Province . His father was a retainer to the local daimyō of the Nambu clan. His infant name was Inanosuke...
in crafting what became his most well-known book, Bushido: The Soul of Japan.
In 1907, the Japanese government conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette
Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
, which represents the fourth highest of eight classes associated with the award.
The prolific writer was also a prolific traveller, making eleven trips to Europe—primarily to visit the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. In 1898, he was present at the enthronement of Queen Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands
Wilhelmina was Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands from 1890 to 1948. She ruled the Netherlands for fifty-eight years, longer than any other Dutch monarch. Her reign saw World War I and World War II, the economic crisis of 1933, and the decline of the Netherlands as a major colonial...
; and he attended the Congress of Diplomatic History. He was among the group of Bostonians who wanted to commemorate the Pilgrims' roots in Holland; and the work was rewarded with the dedication of a memorial at Delfshaven
Delfshaven
Delfshaven is a borough of Rotterdam on the right bank of river Nieuwe Maas, in South Holland, the Netherlands. It was a separate municipality until 1886.The town of Delfshaven grew around the port of the city of Delft...
and the placement of five other bronze historical tablets in 1909. He was one of four Americans elected to the Netherlands Society of Letters in Leiden.
In 1926, Griffis was invited to return to Japan; and on this trip, the Japanese government conferred a second decoration. He was presented with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon
Order of the Rising Sun
The is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
, which represents the third highest of eight classes. A private rail car was provided by the Japanese government, and he visited several cities in the course of this return trip.
Griffis was a founding member of the National Institute of Arts and Letters (later to become the American Academy of Arts and Letters), the American Historical Association
American Historical Association
The American Historical Association is the oldest and largest society of historians and professors of history in the United States. Founded in 1884, the association promotes historical studies, the teaching of history, and the preservation of and access to historical materials...
, and the U.S. Naval Institute. He died at his winter home in Florida in 1928.
Family
One of Griffis' two sons, Stanton Griffis, would become U.S. Ambassador to Poland, Egypt, Spain and Argentina under President TrumanHarry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
. Stanton Griffis was ambassador to Argentina while Juan
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
and Eva Peron
Eva Perón
María Eva Duarte de Perón was the second wife of President Juan Perón and served as the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952. She is often referred to as simply Eva Perón, or by the affectionate Spanish language diminutive Evita.She was born in the village of Los Toldos in...
were in power and wrote of his experiences in a book titled Lying In State. The other son, John
Elliot Griffis
John Elliot Griffis was an American composer.Born in Boston, the son of the noted Orientalist William Elliot Griffis, he attended public schools in Ithaca, New York as well as the Manlius School before going to Ithaca College...
, became a composer.
Honors
- Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck RibbonOrder of the Rising SunThe is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
, 1926. - Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with RosetteOrder of the Rising SunThe is a Japanese order, established in 1875 by Emperor Meiji of Japan. The Order was the first national decoration awarded by the Japanese Government, created on April 10, 1875 by decree of the Council of State. The badge features rays of sunlight from the rising sun...
, 1907.
Time-line chronology
Griffis' life and publications are here organized chronologically.- 1843 - Born September 17 in Philadelphia, the fourth child of seven and second son to John Limeburner Griffis and Anna Maria (Hess) Griffis.
- 1850 - Observes the launching of the USS Susquehanna in Philadelphia. The Susquehanna, the largest steamship yet commissioned by the US Navy, was to be Commodore Matthew C. Perry
's flagship on the 1853-1854 Naval Expedition to Japan.
- 1860 - Sees the Shogun's Mission, the first Japanese Embassy to the US, when it visits Philadelphia.
- 1863 - Serves in Pennsylvania's 44th Regiment in the Civil War.
- 1866 - Enters Rutgers College.
- 1869 - Graduates with AB (Bachelor of Arts degree) from Rutgers College. In the summer, tours Europe with his sister, Margaret Clark Griffis, and family friend, Edward Warren Clark.
- 1870 - Sails for Japan to organize schools in EchizenEchizen Provincewas an old province of Japan, which is today the northern part of Fukui Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Etchū and Echigo Provinces.Echizen is famous for washi . A text dated AD 774 mentions the washi made in this area. Echizen-produced Washi is still the most commonly sold traditional...
.
- 1871 - Named Superintendent of Education in Echizen.
- 1872 - Awarded AM (Master of Arts degree) from Rutgers College. Publishes, in YokohamaYokohamais the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, The New Japan Primer and The New Japan Pictorial Primer.
- 1872-74 - Serves as Professor of Physics at the Imperial UniversityUniversity of Tokyo, abbreviated as , is a major research university located in Tokyo, Japan. The University has 10 faculties with a total of around 30,000 students, 2,100 of whom are foreign. Its five campuses are in Hongō, Komaba, Kashiwa, Shirokane and Nakano. It is considered to be the most prestigious university...
, Tokyo. In 1872, Griffis's sister Margaret Clark Griffis joins him in Tokyo, and is appointed teacher, and then principal, of the first government school for girls (to become the Tokyo Female Normal School).
- 1873 - Publishes The Tokio Guide and The Yokohama Guide (Yokohama).
- 1874 - Griffis and Margaret Clark Griffis return to America.
- 1876 - Publishes The Mikado's Empire.
- 1877 - Graduates from Union Theological SeminaryUnion Theological Seminary in the City of New YorkUnion Theological Seminary in the City of New York is a preeminent independent graduate school of theology, located in Manhattan between Claremont Avenue and Broadway, 120th to 122nd Streets. The seminary was founded in 1836 under the Presbyterian Church, and is affiliated with nearby Columbia...
.
- 1877-86 - Serves as Pastor of the First Reformed Church, Schenectady, NY.
- 1879 - Marries Katherine L. Stanton (1859–98).
- 1880 - Publishes Japanese Fairy World: Thirty-five Stories from the Wonderlore of Japan.
- 1882 - Publishes Corea: the Hermit Nation.
- 1883 - Lillian Eyre Griffis (daughter) born in Schenectady.
- 1884 - Awarded DD (Doctorate of Divinity) from Union CollegeUnion CollegeUnion College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
.
- 1885 - Publishes Corea: Without and Within.
- 1886-93 - Serves as Pastor of the Shawmut Congregational Church in BostonBostonBoston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, MA.
- 1887 - Stanton Griffis (first son) born in Boston. Publishes Matthew Calbraith Perry: A Typical American Naval Officer.
- 1889 - Publishes The Lily Among Thorns: A Study of the Biblical Drama Entitled "The Song of Songs".
- 1890 - Publishes Honda the Samurai: A Story of Modern Japan.
- 1891 - Publishes Sir William Johnson and the Six Nations, and an edition of The Arabian Nights.
- 1892 - Publishes Japan: In History, Folklore and Art.
- 1893 - John Elliot Griffis (second son) born in Boston.
- 1893-1903 - Serves as Pastor of the First Congregational Church, IthacaIthacaIthaca or Ithaka is an island located in the Ionian Sea, in Greece, with an area of and a little more than three thousand inhabitants. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It lies off the northeast coast of Kefalonia and...
, NY.
- 1894 - Publishes Brave Little Holland and What She Taught Us.
- 1895 - Publishes The Religions of Japan From the Dawn of History to the Era of Meiji: Shinto, Buddhism and Confucianism, and Townsend Harris, First American Envoy in Japan [an edition of Harris's journals].
- 1897 - Publishes The Romance of Discovery: A Thousand Years of Exploration and the Unveiling of Continents.
- 1898 - Publishes Charles Carlton Coffin: War Correspondent, Traveller, Author and Statesman; The Romance of American Colonization; The Pilgrims in Their Three Homes. Katherine Stanton Griffis dies in Ithaca on December 9.
- 1899 - Publishes America in the East: A Glance at Our History, Prospects, Problems and Duties in the Pacific Ocean; The Romance of Conquest: The Story of American Expansion Through Arms and Diplomacy.
- 1899 - Awarded LHD by Rutgers College.
- 1900 - Marries Sarah Frances King (1868–1959). Publishes The American in Holland: Sentimental Rambles in the Eleven Provinces of the Netherlands; The Pathfinders of the Revolution: A Story of the Great March into the Wilderness and Lake George Region of New York in 1779; and Verbeck of Japan: A Citizen of No Country.
- 1901 - Publishes In the Mikado's Service: A Story of Two Battle Summers in China.
- 1902 - Publishes A Maker of the New Orient: Samuel Robbins Brown, Pioneer Educator in China, America, and Japan, the Story of his Life and Work, and Mighty England - Our Old Home.
- 1903 - Resigns pastorate to write and lecture full time. Publishes John Chambers: Servant of Christ and Master of Hearts, and his Ministry in Philadelphia; Sunny Memories of Three Pastorates; and Young People's History of Holland.
- 1904 - Publishes Dux Christus: An Outline Study of Japan.
- 1907 - Decorated with the Order of the Rising Sun, Fourth Class, by the Emperor of Japan. Publishes The Japanese Nation in Evolution: Steps in the Progress of a Great People, and Christ, the Creator of the New Japan.
- 1908 - Publishes The Firefly's Lovers and Other Fairy Tales of Old Japan.
- 1909 - Publishes The Story of the New Netherland, the Dutch in America.
- 1911 - Publishes China's Story in Myth, Legend, Art and Annals, and The Unmannerly Tiger and Other Korean Tales.
- 1912 - Publishes A Modern Pioneer in Korea: The Life Story of Henry G Appenzeller; Might England: the Story of the English People; The Call of Jesus to Joy; Belgium, the Land of Art.
- 1913 - Publishes Hepburn of Japan and His Wife and Helpmates: A Life Story of Toil for Christ. Margaret Clark Griffis dies in Ithaca, December 15.
- 1914 - Publishes The House We Live In, Architect and Tenant: Talks About the Body and the Right Use of It.
- 1915 - Publishes Millard Fillmore: Constructive Statesman, Defender of the Constitution, President of the US; The Mikado, Institution and Person: A Study of the Internal Political Forces of Japan; The Story of Belgium.
- 1916 - Publishes Bonnie Scotland and What We Owe Her.
- 1918 - Publishes Dutch Fairy Tales.
- 1919 - Publishes Belgian Fairy Tales.
- 1920 - Publishes Swiss Fairy Tales; Young People's History of the Pilgrims.
- 1921 - Publishes Welsh Fairy Tales; The Dutch of the Netherlands in the Making of America.
- 1922 - Publishes Korean Fairy Tales; Japanese Fairy Tales.
- 1923 - Publishes The Story of the Walloons, at Home, in the Lands of Exile and in America.
- 1924 - Publishes Proverbs of Japan: A Little Picture of the Japanese Philosophy of Life as Mirrored in Their Proverbs.
- 1926 - Publishes The American Flag of Stripes and Stars: Mirror of the Nation's History, Symbol of Brotherhood and World Unity.
- 1926-27 - With Frances King Griffis, journeys to Japan for the second time, stopping in KoreaKoreaKorea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and ManchuriaManchuriaManchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
.
- 1926 - Decorated with the Order of the Rising Sun, Third Class.
- 1928 - Dies in Florida, February 5.
Published works
- 1876 -- The Mikado's Empire
- 1880 -- Japanese Fairy World
- 1881 -- Asiatic History; China, Corea, and Japan
- 1882 -- Corea, the Hermit Nation
- 1885 -- Corea, Without and Within
- 1887 -- Matthew Calbraith Perry : A Typical American Naval Officer
- 1889 -- The Lily among Thorns
- 1890 -- Honda the Samurai: A Story of Modern Japan.
- 1891 -- Sir William Johnson and the Six Nations
- 1892 -- Japan in History, Folk-Lore, and Art
- 1894 -- Brave Little Holland and What she Taught us
- 1895 -- The Religions of Japan
- 1895 -- Townsend HarrisTownsend HarrisTownsend Harris was a successful New York City merchant and minor politician, and the first United States Consul General to Japan...
, First American Envoy in Japan - 1897 -- Romance of Discovery
- 1898 -- Charles Carlton Coffin: War Correspondent, Traveller, Author and Statesman
- 1898 -- Romance of American Colonization
- 1898 -- The Pilgrims in their Three Homes
- 1898 -- The Student's Motley
- 1899 -- The Romance of Conquest
- 1899 -- The American in Holland
- 1899 -- America in the East
- 1900 -- VerbeckGuido VerbeckGuido Herman Fridolin Verbeck was a Dutch political advisor, educator, and missionary active in Bakumatsu and Meiji period Japan...
of Japan - 1900 -- The Pathfinders of the Revolution
- 1901 -- In the Mikado's Service
- 1902 -- A Maker of the New Orient
- 1903 -- Young People's History of Holland
- 1903 -- Sunny Memories of Three Pastorales
- 1904 -- Dux Christus: An Outline Study of Japan
- 1907 -- Japanese Nation in Evolution: Steps in the Progress of a Great People
- 1908 -- The Fire-fly's Lovers and Other Fairy Tales of Old Japan
- 1909 -- The Story of New Netherland
- 1910 -- China's Study in Myth, Legend, Art, and Annuals
- 1911 -- The Unmannerly Tiger and Other Korean Tales
- 1912 -- A Modern Pioneer in Korea: The Life Story Of Henry G. Appenzeller
- 1913 -- HepburnJames Curtis HepburnJames Curtis Hepburn, M.D., LL.D. was a physician who became a Christian missionary. He is known for the Hepburn romanization system for transliteration of the Japanese language into the Latin alphabet, which he popularized in his Japanese–English dictionary.- Biography :Hepburn was born in...
of Japan - 1914 -- The House We Live In Architect and Tenant
- 1915 -- The Mikado Institution and Person
- 1915 -- Millard FillmoreMillard FillmoreMillard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
: Constructive Statesman, Defender of the Constitution - 1916 -- Bonnie Scotland and What We Owe Her
- 1918 -- Dutch Fairy Tales
- 1919 -- Belgian Fairy Tales
- 1920 -- Young People's History of the Pilgrims
- 1920 -- Swiss Fairy Tales
- 1921 -- Welsh Fairy Tales
- 1921 -- The Dutch of the Netherlands in the Making of America [reprinted by Kessinger Publishing, Whitefish, Montana, 2007. 10-ISBN 0-548-61147-5; 13-ISBN 978-0-548-61147-0 (paper)]
- 1922 -- Korean Fairy Tales
- 1922 -- Japanese Fairy Tales
- 1923 -- The Story of the Walloons, at Home, in the Lands of Exile and in America
- 1924 -- Proverbs of Japan: A Little Picture of the Japanese Philosophy of Life as Mirrored in Their Proverbs
- 1926 -- The American Flag of Stripes and Stars: Mirror of the Nation's History, Symbol of Brotherhood and World Unity
Further reading
- Griffis, William Elliot. (1898). Charles Carlton Coffin: War Correspondent, Traveller, Author and Statesman. Boston: Estes and Lauriat. Digitized, full-text copy of this book.
- __________. (1915). Millard FillmoreMillard FillmoreMillard Fillmore was the 13th President of the United States and the last member of the Whig Party to hold the office of president...
: Constructive Statesman, Defender of the Constitution. Ithaca: Aldrus & Church. Digitized, full-text copy of this book.
- __________. (1908). The Fire-fly's Lovers and Other Fairy Tales of Old Japan. New York: Crowell & Company. [reprinted by University Press of the Pacific, 2003. ISBN 1-410-20957-1], [reprinted by Kessinger Publishing, Whitefish, Montana, 2006. 10-ISBN 1-428-61402-8], [reprinted by Juniper Grove, 2007. 10-ISBN 1-603-55053-4; 13-ISBN 978-1-603-55053-6 (paper)] Digitized, full-text copy of this book.
- __________. (1895) Townsend HarrisTownsend HarrisTownsend Harris was a successful New York City merchant and minor politician, and the first United States Consul General to Japan...
, First American Envoy in Japan. New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. Digitized, full-text copy of this book.- __________. (1919). http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E01E1DE133BEE32A2575BC2A9649D946896D6CF&scp=1&sq=Townsend+Harris%2C+Centre+of+Japanese+Drama%3B+Adventures+of+First+American+Envoy+to+Mikado%27s+Empire+Furnish+the+Basis+of+a+Play+by+a+Native+Writer%2C+and+Tokio+Is+Applauding+the+Stars+and+Stripes.&st=p"Townsend Harris, Center of Japanese Drama; Adventures of First American Envoy to Mikado's Empire Furnish the Basis of a Play by a Native Writer, and Tokio Is Applauding the Stars and Stripes,"] The New York Times Magazine. December 28, 1919.
- __________. (1913). HepburnJames Curtis HepburnJames Curtis Hepburn, M.D., LL.D. was a physician who became a Christian missionary. He is known for the Hepburn romanization system for transliteration of the Japanese language into the Latin alphabet, which he popularized in his Japanese–English dictionary.- Biography :Hepburn was born in...
of Japan and His Wife and Helpmates: A Life Story of Toil for Christ. Philadelphia: Westminster Press. Publishing. Digitized, full-text copy of this book.
- __________. (1890). Honda the Samurai: A Story of Modern Japan. Chicago: Congregational Sunday School and Publishing Society.Digitized, full text copy of this book.
- __________. (1907). Japanese Nation in Evolution: Steps in the Progress of a Great People. New York: T. Y. Crowell & Company.Digitized, full-text copy of this book.
- The New York Times. June 27, 1908.
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- "Book reviewThe Japanese Nation in Evolution. Steps in the Progress of a Great People. Bulletin of the American Geographical Society, Vol. 40, No. 4, 256. 1908.
- __________. (1891). Sir William JohnsonSir William Johnson, 1st BaronetSir William Johnson, 1st Baronet was an Anglo-Irish official of the British Empire. As a young man, Johnson came to the Province of New York to manage an estate purchased by his uncle, Admiral Peter Warren, which was located amidst the Mohawk, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois League...
and the Six Nations. New York: Dodd, Mead and CompanyDodd, Mead and CompanyDodd, Mead and Company was one of the pioneer publishing houses of the United States, based in New York City. Under several names, the firm operated from 1839 until 1990. Its history properly began in 1870, with the retirement of its founder, Moses Woodruff Dodd. Control passed to his son Frank...
.Digitized, full-text copy of this book.- The New York Times. November 15, 1891.
- __________. (1876). The Mikado's Empire. Philadelphia: Harper & Brothers. Digitized, full-text copy of this book.
- __________. (1915). The Mikado Institution and Person. Princeton: Princeton University PressPrinceton University Press-Further reading:* "". Artforum International, 2005.-External links:* * * * *...
. [reprinted by Adamant Media Corporation, New York, 2000. 13-ISBN 978-1-402-10824-2 (cloth) -- 13-ISBN 978-1-402-18652-3 (paper). Digitized, limited preview copy of this book
- _________. (1887). Matthew Calbraith Perry: A Typical American Naval Officer. Boston: Cupples & Hurd. [reprinted by Reprint Services Corp., London, 1992. 10-ISBN 0-781-22960-X; 13-ISBN 978-0-781-22960-9 (cloth)] [reprinted by Kessinger Books, Whitefish, Montana, 2007. 10-ISBN 0-548-30525-0; 13-ISBN 978-0-548-30525-6 (paper)] Digitized, full-text copy of this book.
- __________. (1900). VerbeckGuido VerbeckGuido Herman Fridolin Verbeck was a Dutch political advisor, educator, and missionary active in Bakumatsu and Meiji period Japan...
of Japan: A Citizen of No Country; a Life Story of Foundation Work Inaugurated by Guido Fridolin Verbeck. Chicago, Fleming H. Revell Co.Baker Book HouseBaker Publishing Group is an evangelical Protestant Christian book publisher based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It has six subdivisions: Bethany House, Revell, Baker Books, Baker Academic, Chosen and Brazos Press.-Identity:...
[reprinted by Oliphant, Anderson and Ferrier, London, 1901. Digitized, full-text copy of this book.
External links
- William Elliot Griffis - Entry from the Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious KnowledgeSchaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious KnowledgeThe Schaff–Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge is a religious encyclopedia. It is based on an earlier German encyclopedia, the Realencyklopädie für protestantische Theologie und Kirche. Like the Realencyklopädie, it focuses on Christianity from a primarily Protestant point of...
- The William Elliot Griffis Collection - Collection of print, manuscript, photographic and ephemeral materials relating to early Japan-U.S. relations
- Putting Rutgers’ Name in Print - Article on America's oldest student newspaper founded by W. E. Griffis at Rutgers University
- http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/moa/sgml/moa-idx?type=boolean&coll=serial&rgn1=authorind&layer=second&q1=Griffis%2C%20W.%20E.%2C%20Rev.&q1=Griffis%2C%20William%20E.&q1=Griffis%2C%20William%20E.%2C%20Rev.%2C%20D.D.%2C%20Chairman&q1=Griffis%2C%20William%20Eliot&q1=Griffis%2C%20William%20Elliot&q1=Griffis%2C%20William%20Elliott&searchSummary=18%20matching%20%20journal%20articlesMaking of America] - Collection of articles written by William Elliot Griffis located at Cornell University Library
- The New York Times. November 15, 1891.
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- The New York Times. June 27, 1908.