Dr. Charles Robert Hager, Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Baptizer

Updated (partial) on January 1, 2013

Notable Doctors From the First 100 Years
A Biography of

Charles Robert Hager 喜嘉理
Dr. Sun Yat-sen's baptizer

Qualifications:

Clergyman and physician; b.October 27, 1851 – d.1917 Claremont, California; M.D., D.D.; a German born in Switzerland who moved to the United States and was naturalized as a US citizen; Congregationalist 美國公理會 minister sent to Hong Kong as medical missionary in 1883, Hager was chosen because he had some experienced with the Chinese while working in San Francisco; established China Congregational Church 公理會佈道所綱紀慎會堂 soon after arriving Hong Kong at No. 2, Bridges Street; together with devoted Christian 溫清溪 established day and evening (English) schools within the church premises; at one time worked for the Hong Kong Missionary Association; baptized Dr. Sun either at the close of 1883 or early in 1884, also baptized at that time was Dr. Sun’s good friend and later a dear revolution comrade Lu Hao-tung 陸皓東 (b.1868-d.1895), following the baptizium, Dr. Sun resided at the living quarters provided by Hager in the church for about two years; Hager was said to have encouraged and recommended Dr. Sun to pursue medical studies as a matter of course, including an introduction for Dr. Sun to enroll at the medical school in Canton that was attached to the Pok Tsai Hospital 博濟醫學堂 run by medical missionary John G. Kerr; after resided in Hong Kong and China for twenty seven years, returned to the United States due to ill health (1910); first wife, Lizze, nee Blackman, who came to Hong Kong and China with Hager, but died in the California; second wife, Marie, nee Von Rausch, A.B.C.F.M., who came to China as missionary of the Basel Mission, married Hager on December 13, 1986, opened first kindergarten in South China, died November 22, 1918, in Claremont, California; children of Marie and C.R. Hager: Robert, Elsie and Morrison Hager