Full name: Louise Henrietta Pierson

Birth: April 7, 1832 in New York

Death: November 28, 1899 in Yokohama, Japan.

Family

Parents: Pierre Williams Thomas (1789-1847) and Harriet Bradford Brainard

Siblings: Harriet E. (1829-1860), Henrietta B. (1830-1830), Pierre William (1831-1835), Jane Amelia (1837-1837).

Marital Status: Benjamin Pierson (d. 1856-1861)

Children: Mrs. Louise Pierson had four children who had all died previous to her ministry in Japan in 1870.

Education

1849 - Barchester (?)

Career

1870 - Following Dr. James H Ballagh’s conversations with Mrs. Mary Putnam Pruyn regarding the need for Christian education for Japanese girls and the problem of orphaned Eurasian children, Mrs. Pruyn announced in November 1870 at the general meeting of the Woman’s Union Missionary Society Albany Branch that she intended to open a school for Japanese girls and Eurasian children in Japan. Mrs. Louise Pierson and Miss Julia Nielson Crosby volunteered to join the effort. Through WUMS, Louise Pierson was commissioned as a teacher, responsible for the lessons and the daily care of the children.

1871 - The three missionaries arrived in Yokohama, Japan in June 1871. With the help of Dr. Ballagh, they rented facilities at Yamate no. 48. While endeavoring to learn Japanese, they also began plans for the school, opening the American Mission Home in August 1871. The school offered board or day school to girls, as well as day school to boys. Beyond the work of the school, the three missionaries also established evening Bible classes for Japanese Christians, as well as non-denominational prayer meetings for Western foreigners.

1872-1891 - The growth of the school necessitated a move to a larger facility. In October 1872, the school moved to 212 Bluff in Yamate, Yokohama, Japan and the three women re-established the school exclusively for girl’s education. Popularly known as “No. 212,” the name of the school was changed in 1875 to Kyōritsu Jogakkō (Kyoritsu Girls’ School). As well as her work as a teacher and then as a principal of the girl’s school, Louise Pierson undertook multiple evangelism trips with current and former students throughout Japan, including one to Hakone in 1878 and another to the Province of Shinsiu in 1886.

1881 - Concerned with the further education of Japanese women for missionary and evangelism work, Louise Pierson assisted in founding the Kaisei Dendo Jogakko (Kaisei Women’s Bible Training School), later named the Kyoritsu Women’s Theological Seminary.

1891-1899 - Louise Pierson resigned from her principalship of the girl’s school to focus further on her evangelism trips and other efforts, as well as the development of the Bible Training School.

Other significant information

1871 - Authored “Haru: Spring Flower” for the Daughters of Japan Series, published by the Women’s Union Missionary Society.