William Edgar Geil

William Edgar Geil (October 1, 1865, in New Britain, Pennsylvania – April 11, 1925, in Venice) was an unordained evangelist, explorer, lecturer, photographer, and author of 10 books related to his travels. He lectured all over the world, illustrating his talks with lantern slides. He is believed to be the first American to have traveled the entire length of the 2,500-kilometer-long Ming section of the Great Wall of China. He visited the Five Sacred Mountains of China, about which he wrote in The Sacred 5 of China. He came to be considered an expert in Chinese culture and religion.

Early years and education William Edgar Geil was born on October 1, 1865, in New Britain, Pennsylvania on his family farm. Geil moved to nearby Doylestown, Pennsylvania, where he acquired his education at the public schools, the Doylestown English and Classical Seminary, and Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania, where he attended briefly but never completed graduation. At an early age Geil manifested a deep interest in religious matters and became an earnest and active member of the church. An indefatigable student, he became thoroughly versed in the Scriptures as well as in most of the important sacred literature, ancient and modern. During this four-year trip Geil would use photography, notes, and maps to interact with the various peoples and cultures of the world. His three books Ocean and Isle (1902), Yankee on the Yangtze (1904), and A Yankee in Pigmy land ( 1905) would capture his stories and experiences of his travels during the Great World Wide Tour.

Ocean and Isle (1901–02) Leaving Philadelphia on April 29, 1901, he crossed the continent to California, and, sailing from the Golden Gate for the Sandwich and South Sea Islands, visiting the Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, and many other regions in Oceania, and noting their condition and work, as well as the condition and characteristics of their indigenous populations. Geil also focused on the relations between governmental and commercial matters to the propagation of the Gospel of Christ. He proceeded thence to New Zealand, and Australia, reaching Sydney in November 1901, and in Melbourne the following April and May, he organized and participated in the greatest religious revival the continent has ever known, speaking daily to audiences of 3,000 at noon and 10,000 at night during "The Great Melbourne Mission". Throughout 1902, Geil made an extensive trip through China, going up the Yangtze river in a native gunboat, and was carried over the mountains of western China in a bamboo mountain chair. Geil also very visited Manchuria, Korea and Siberia, and later traveled extensively in Burma. Constance fascinated by his travels and humor fell in love, and in June 1912 the couple were wed at the First Baptist Church of Titusville.

The couple lived in "the Barrens", until 1919 when the Geils traveled to China.

Death and legacy In the years following his return from China and visit to the Sacred Five Mountains in China. Geil spent his time lecturing, writing, teaching Sunday School, and life at the Barrens with Constance, entertaining colleagues and guests from Bucks County and all over the world. In November 1924, William and Constance sailed from New York to Palestine to visit the Holy Land. It was Geil's last journey. alt=Dr. Geil's Grave, at Doylestown Cemetery in Doylestown, Pa. On April 11, 1925, at age 59, Dr. William Edgar Geil died of influenza in Venice, Italy .

Constance Geil resided at the Barrens until her death in 1959, and preserved her husband's library, personal papers, and artifacts. In 1959, following her death, Walter Gustafson of Bucks County purchased the Geil library at public auction held at the Barrens. He preserved Geil's personal library until his death 2005. In 2008, his family donated the collection to the Doylestown Historical Society, where they are permanently housed and preserved today.

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