Graduating from Toronto’s Trinity College as a physician at age twenty, Susanna Carson Rijnhart became one of the first women admitted to practice medicine in Western Ontario. Her career later transitioned from a private Canadian practice into a challenging life as an independent missionary and explorer, eventually making her one of the few Western women of her era to penetrate deep into Tibet.
Early Career and Marriage
Born in 1868 in Chatham, Ontario, Susie Carson completed her medical training and spent six years in local practice. She was active in the Methodist church and the Epworth League. In 1894, she married Petrus Rijnhart, a former China Inland Mission worker. Operating independently of established missionary organizations, the couple funded their own travels through support raised in Canada and departed for China before the year concluded.
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By 1895, the Rijnharts settled in Lusar to work near the Kumbum monastery. They lived a frugal existence, operating a medical dispensary in the town of Tankar. Their work earned them occasional notice from other travelers, including explorer Sven Hedin, who encountered them in 1896. During this period, the couple had a son, Charles Carson, born on June 30, 1897, while managing the logistical difficulties of life near the Tibetan border.
The Attempt to Reach Lhasa
In May 1898, the family departed Tankar with the goal of reaching Lhasa. After the death of their son in August and the desertion of their hired help, the mission collapsed under pressure from Tibetan authorities and bandits. Following an attack on September 17, Petrus Rijnhart disappeared while seeking assistance. Alone and armed with a revolver, Susanna navigated a dangerous route toward Kangding, eventually arriving in November 1898 suffering from frostbite and exhaustion.
Final Years
After official investigations failed to locate her husband, Susanna returned to Canada in 1900 to lecture and document her experiences. She returned to China in 1902, working in Kangding with the Foreign Christian Missionary Society. In 1905, she married James Moyes, a missionary she had met during her arrival in the region years earlier. She died in 1908 at the age of forty.
Fast facts
- Born: 1868, Chatham-Kent, Canada
- Died: 1908
- Medical Education: Trinity College, Toronto
- First Husband: Petrus Rijnhart
- Second Husband: James Moyes
- Son: Charles Carson, born June 30, 1897
- Lhasa expedition start date: May 20, 1898
Questions readers ask
Was Susanna Carson Rijnhart affiliated with a major church organization?
While she was involved with Methodist organizations and the Disciples of Christ, her mission work in Tibet was independent and not officially sponsored by a larger missionary body.
What was the result of the 1898 Lhasa expedition?
The expedition failed to reach Lhasa. Her son died during the journey, and her husband disappeared after a bandit attack, leaving her to complete the journey to Kangding alone.
