Charles Whittlesey ATKINSON [23267]

  General Notes:

Charles Whittlesey Atkinson was a graduate of Amherst College class of 1899 and in 1902 started work for Standard Oil becoming a General Manager in New York, then.Kobe, Japan, and Shanghai China.
China was very unsettled in the early 20thC, Charles was involved in settling a high profile kidnapping of a Rockefeller relative, the strain took a toll and with overwork he suffered a stress disorder.
Seeking to recover his health he returned to the US to settle in Paso Robles, California, but died suddenly aged 49 at a function at the home of Major General Joseph H. Pendleton in Coronado, California.

Standard Oil Manager for North China Dies on Coast.
Charles W Atkinson, Language Expert, Succumbs at Coronado.
Charles W Atkinson, manager of the Standard Oil Company for Northern China, died on Sunday at Coronado, where he had been staying for the past two months in hopes of regaining his health. News of his demise was received in San Francisco yesterday and came as a shock to his many friends, associates in the Standard Oil Company and others who knew him in China.
Atkinson came to California several months ago for his health, having suffered a breakdown from overwork and the nervous strain due to the unsettled conditions in China. For some time he was reported well on the way to a full recovery, and it was believed that he would be able to return to his business within a few months. However he collapsed suddenly last Sunday and died within a short time.
Spent Years in China.
He is survived by a widow and two daughters. Mrs Atkinson was before her marriage, Miss Gladys Howard, daughter of R Chandler Howard of Yokohama. Mrs Howard was visiting her daughter when Atkinson's death occurred.
Atkinson was 48 years of age, a graduate of Amherst College and passed practically all of his business life in China, where he went soon after leaving college. He became an authority upon Chinese affairs and had many personal friends among Chinese officials and business leaders.
Fluent Linguist.
Atkinson took up the study of the Chinese language and spoke many of the dialects, his ability as a linguist resulting in his being asked to serve on many important missions involving matters in dispute between the Chinese and the foreigners in the country.
At the time of the kidnapping of Miss Lucy Aldrich, sister-in-law of John D Rockefeller Jr, who with a train load of passengers on the Peking express were seized by bandits and compelled to walk many miles into the mountain fastnesses of Shantung. Atkinson personally took charge of the negotiations to ransom the captives and succeeded in having the women released without harm within a few days. Atkinson then accompanied Miss Aldrich to San Francisco.
Rockefeller Agent.
Atkinson also acted as a confidential agent of the Rockefeller interests in China and was active in interesting the Chinese government in the Rockefeller Hospital and other social agencies which it was proposed to establish for the benefit of the people.
The recent wars between the Tuchuns and various parties however, interfered with the progress of the hospital and this was a source of anxiety to Atkinson, who believed that the establishment of the Rockefeller institutions would not only be of great benefit to the people but would do much to create a better feeling among the Chinese towards the Western people.
Wednesday 8 June 1927 San Francisco Chronicle.

  Research Notes:

Image courtesy of Carla Ihori - 2015

Charles married Gladys HOWARD [23268] [MRIN: 8353], daughter of Benjamin Chandler HOWARD of Boston Mass. [23269] and Ella C (Nellie) HOPPS of San Francisco [23270], on 23 Nov 1906 in Christ Church Yokohama Japan. (Gladys HOWARD [23268] was born on 22 Nov 1886 in Yokohama Japan, died on 21 Feb 1944 in San Francisco California USA and was buried on 8 Mar 1944 in Cypress Lawn Cemetery Colmar CA USA.)