Ng Poon, Chew

Ng Poon, Chew

(1866–1931) minister, editor, lecturer; born in South China. He studied under a Taoist priest before he emigrated to San Francisco (1881). He converted to Christianity (1882) and was a Presbyterian minister to Chinese congregations in California (1892–99). He left the ministry and founded the Chinese Western Daily (1900), the first Chinese daily paper in the U.S.A. He lectured for the Chautauqua and Lyceum groups (1915–31) and promoted better understanding of Chinese culture in the U.S.A. He became a Mason and a Shriner.