Living in style in Jemulpo

A Western residence in Jemulpo in the early 20th century / Robert Neff Collection

By Robert Neff

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Jemulpo (part of modern-day Incheon) was a popular place for Westerners ― especially those in Seoul ― to escape Korea's unbearable summer heat. Most of these summer visitors stayed in the handful of hotels that were available but a few ― the luckier ones ― were able to find lodging with one of the few Western residents of the port. It is through the visitors' letters home that we gain some knowledge of what life was like for the residents of Jemulpo.

In 1911, Frank H. Henderson, an American who managed the British Cigarette Company's operations in Jemulpo, invited his mother, his sister Addie Lea and her family (husband Thomas Jordan, their 14-year-old son Thomas Jr. and their 11-year-old daughter Bessie) to spend the summer at his house ― Pinehurst Villa.

The Jordans and the elderly Mrs. Henderson departed Louisiana in mid-June, traveled to Hawaii and then through Japan and finally arrived in Fusan (modern-day Busan) about a month later where they boarded a train for Jemulpo via Seoul.

In a letter to his teacher, Thomas Jr. described the Japanese rice fields as being more artistically laid out than their Korean counterparts and that in "Japan men are the chief work animals. They do all of their own hauling by pulling and pushing the wagon or cart."

A train bound for Seoul in the early 20th century / Robert Neff Collection

As for Korea, "horses are very dear over here and when you do see them the driver leads his horse instead of driving him as they do at home [the U.S.]…. One can hardly tell the men from the women as both wear trousers and long hair. The women work in the field just as if they were men."

According to Thomas Jr., when they disembarked from the ferry, they were met by "a number of [Koreans] with wooden things on their backs in which to carry one's baggage. There were men, women, boys and girls waiting for their turn."

What he perceived to be young girls were probably young unmarried boys ― a common mistake made by Western visitors in those days. With their luggage, they made their way to the station and boarded the train.

He explained to his friends, that the line from Fusan to Seoul was the "first railroad in Korea" ― (it wasn't, that honor goes to the Seoul-Chemulpo Rail Road) ― and that it was built by the Japanese "during the Japanese and Russian war to bring in supplies." In Japan, the seats in the passenger cars "ran lengthwise and the aisles were very narrow" causing rail travel to be fairly uncomfortable, but he was pleasantly surprised by the Korean trains: "This train was the first Pullman car we had been on since we left the States. The other cars were very small and resembled a box car."

Two heavily laden oxen and their drivers in the early 20th century / Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection

In these Pullman cars he was able to sit and look out the window and enjoy the scenery of the Korean countryside:

"We passed many mountains for Korea is rough and rocky. The bullock is the chief beast of burden. One may see long lines of them going up the road with great pile of fuel on their backs. Each one is governed by a ring through his nose."

Finally, after a day's journey on the train, they finally arrived at Jemulpo at 9:30 p.m. and were taken to their host.

Addie Lea Jordan was delighted with her experience and rather faithfully ― if not boastfully ― recorded her impressions. In a letter home she gushed that they were "delightfully situated" at Pinehurst Villa ― which was perched on a high bluff overlooking the port. Two hundred stone steps lead up from the street to the "cute little bungalow [with its] low sloping roof, parlor, hall, dining room and three bedrooms, and a shed room as kitchen and butler's pantry, bath with hot water and an enclosed glass front verandah and three terraced walks in the yard."

Farmers working the fields in the early 20th century / Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection

She quickly corrected herself and noted that the yard was referred to as a "garden," and from its "many pretty nooks" and the verandah they were presented with stunning views of Jemulpo's dock while on the other side they were treated to the vastness of the Yellow Sea and could watch the tide coming and going.

Judging from her letters, Addie Lea certainly lived in the lap of luxury and "[enjoyed] a complete rest from domestic cares." There was a Japanese amah (maid) who washed and darned the handkerchiefs and socks in the morning and throughout the day entertained Bessie. There was a Chinese boy who waited on the table and served as a valet for the men, and the Korean cook not only prepared the meals and kept the garden in perfect order (she often woke to the sound of him sweeping under her window) but also served as her interpreter. He was "quite a linguist" she declared and noted that "his services [were] needed when dealing with trades people." Thomas Jr. added in his own letter home that the talented cook was able to speak four languages: Korean, Japanese, Chinese and English.

There was also a water coolie (laborer) who not only carried all the water up the steep steps but was also responsible for cleaning the stove and kitchen as well as polishing the brass. There were also two Korean coolies who did chores around the house and probably also served as chair-bearers. Everyone, except the two coolies, could speak English.

A commanding view of the Yellow Sea in the early 20th century / Robert Neff Collection

Everything had to look good because she was always receiving visits from the small community of 37 Westerners ("Scotch, English, Russians" and seven Americans) residing in the port.

"Every afternoon we have tea served in the garden, as there are comfortable chairs and a tea table. We have callers every few afternoons, then we return the calls and it is very pleasant. We have been to several dinner parties, where the service was perfect and the food beautifully prepared."

A water-carrier in the early 20th century / Robert Neff Collection

It is a shame Addie Lea did not describe who these guests were. There were more than a couple of interesting characters in Jemulpo at the time ―- some had some very interesting, if not scandalous, histories. The only one that she spoke about, albeit in benign detail, was 50-year-old Ume Townsend ― the Japanese wife of a "Boston gentleman."

"She called on us in her native dress, left her shoes outside on the gallery, and we had no house slippers for her so we got the amah's. She hardly speaks English but her attendant was interpreter."

It would have been interesting to see how Addie Lea described Amalia C. Amador, the Spanish ballet dancer who married a Chinese diplomat and, as to Ume Townsend, I believe she understood a lot more English than she let on. She had one or two skeletons in her closet that would have provided some fine gossip back in Louisiana.

Thomas Jr. also did some entertaining and, like his mother, he didn't really elaborate who he entertained. "I have met some boys here and like them very much. They are the first boys I have played with since I left home." He did, however, note that the Westerners' children in the port "speak French, Russian and Japanese almost as well as they do English."

With so much entertaining going on in such hot and humid weather, keeping clothes clean was a tedious task. In her letter Addie Lea wrote, "You are supposed to keep perfectly fresh and to change very often, a fresh linen suit every day." Of course, she didn't do laundry.

"The wash man comes twice a week for clothes, and is paid no more for a suit of men's flannel clothes or a white embroidered dress than for a towel or handkerchief, which is 3 cents in gold for each."

Large homes grace the hilltops surrounding Jemulpo in the early 20th century / Robert Neff Collection

Having a suit or dress washed and ironed for only 3 cents may have seemed reasonable to her, but the average Korean miner only earned 25 cents a day ― and they were considered to be paid fairly well.

In addition to tea parties and dinners, Addie Lea did manage to get out and explore Seoul with her brother. Her timing couldn't have been better for she witnessed, according to her, the biggest event of her life. Her hometown newspaper described it as being "so unique that its recital will be of universal interest." What was it? We will see tomorrow.

I would like to thank Diane Nars for her invaluable assistance with the research for this article and for the use of her images.

Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books including, Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.