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Name: DEIMLER, Johann Gottfried
Birth Date: 2 Apr 1826 Windstein, Bavaria
Death Date: 30 Dec 1899 Nuremberg
First Date: 1856
Profession: Church Missionary Society missionary
Area: Rabai
Married: 1857 Mathilde Luise Johanna Schuster
Children: Karl Adolf
Book Reference: info. from Alex Kuria
General Information:
He was a keen photographer and documented his life and missionary work. In Basel Mission Archive there is a personal compendium of documentation and photographs with commentary about his life as missionary trained in Basel 1847-53, and his work as CMS
missionary at first in East Africa but from 1858 till his death missionary in
Mumbai specialising in contact with Muslims. Put together by his
granddaughter Ruth Weygoldt-Deimler. Includes information about, and
publications from, his children. Almost exclusively in German.
www.digitallibrary.usc.edu/archive/Deimler--Gottfried--2A3BF1DGS6YF.htmI: 1856 Johann Gottfried Deimler arrived in Mombasa from Bombay, he worked with Rebmann for a few months in Kisulutini (Rabai) but had to leave at the end of that year due the uncertainty of their security after the death of Sultan Seyyid Said. Receiving Johann Gottfried Deimler in 1856, from India where he had been for one year, was an encouragement and consolation to Rebmann as they could compare the conditions in both, with much of India under British rule. They discussed the ‘direct Native communication between EA (East Africa) and Bombay” - the young Africans that were under the care of the CMS. He concluded a December 18, 1856 letter to the CMS with “In conclusion I would only inform you, that, according to the advice of the Consul, we intend leaving for Zanzibar as soon as convenient, whence Mr. Daimler, with my full approbation will proceed to Europe, as he can have no inducement for learning the language under the present circumstances – while I with my dear wife will await there the further instructions of the Committee, as I shall be at least able to continue the study of native languages & to gather further information about the Interior.”
Indian Missionary Directory and Memorial Volume DEIMLER, JOHANN GOTTFRIED. Born, April 2, 1826, at Windstein, Bavaria, Germany. Ordained in 1854. Arrived in India, 1855. Transferred to East Africa in 1856. Married, 1857. Re-appointed to India in 1858. Field, Bombay. Work, both English and vernacular. Literary works: "The Gospel and the Mussulman Population of Bombay," (original). "The Judgement," and "The Heart-book," (translations). Two health furloughs: one for six months; the other, two and a half years.
Obituary in Church Missionary Intelligencer Vol. LI 1900 “The Secretaries also reported the death, on December 30th, 1899, of the Rev. J. G. Deimler, late of the Western India Mission, and the following Resolution was adopted:- "The Committee have heard with much regret of the death of their veteran Missionary, the Reverend John Gottfried Deimler. Educated at the Basle Seminary and at the Church Missionary College, he went forth in 1854, assigned to the East Africa Mission. Afterwards transferred to Western India, he continued in a long and earnest missionary course with great devotion to his Master and with much blessing in his work. He was in charge of the Mohammedan Mission from 1887, and retired in 1896, after forty-two years' service. The Committee would express to the widow and sorrowing friends their deep sympathy and earnest prayers that it may please the God of all comfort to supply them with His comfort."”