C. E. Wigton

Submitted by George L. Wigton, son

Photo taken in Peking (Beijing) China, c. 1921.

C.E. Wigton, b. Nov 16, 1893 in Delaware County, Ohio (Sunbury), BA Ohio Wesleyan, 1920, served in US Navy during WWI, married Elizabeth Lowry Jun 1920, went to China (1920-1925). Principal of Oberlin High School (late 20's - early 30s) Superintendent for many years, late 30s to early 50s.

Elizabeth was a descendant of Hiram Homer Lowry, b. Zanesville, Ohio and Parthenia Nicholson. Hiram sailed to China after graduating from Ohio Wesleyan in 1865. He established the first Methodist Mission in northern China, established the Asbury Methodist Church (now Cong Wen Men Congreational Church), and the Methodist Hospital (now Tong Ren Hospital). He also established a college that was consolidated with other colleges to form the University of Peking. He was the minister of Asbury Church, and the president of the University of Peking. My brothers were born in Peking, and Hiram was our great grandfather. The submitter's grandfather (Dr. George D. Lowry) was a physician, surgeon, and professor of medicine at the Methodist Hospital in Peking. The submitter's mother, Elizabeth, was born and raised in China, evacuated during the Boxer rebellion, returned to the states to attend OWU, met the submitter's father there, and they married and returned to China for about six years.

Dr. George lived and practiced in Lakewood, and Delaware, Ohio after leaving China about 1925. Four of Elizabeth's brothers and sisters lived in Cleveland after returning from China.