Lucius Foote
Encyclopedia
Lucius Harwood Foote was the first American minister to Korea
and served from 1883 to 1885.
to Rev. Lucius Foote and Electa (Harwood) Foote. He married in 1862 to Rose Frost Carter (d.1885). He retired to San Francisco and later died June 4, 1913.
). This treaty required an American political presence in Korea. Foote was assigned a year later with the title Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. However, due to low trade volumes, in July 1884 Foote was demoted to the position of Minister Resident. In August 1884, he purchased a hanok
-style house from the Min family and thus established the American Legation He shared the building with Horace Newton Allen
.
replaced him.
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
and served from 1883 to 1885.
Biography
Born April 10, 1826 in Winfield, New YorkWinfield, New York
Winfield is a town in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 2,202 at the 2000 census. The town is named after General Winfield Scott.The Town of Winfield is in the southwest corner of the county and is south of Utica....
to Rev. Lucius Foote and Electa (Harwood) Foote. He married in 1862 to Rose Frost Carter (d.1885). He retired to San Francisco and later died June 4, 1913.
Work in Korea
In May 1882, Korea and the United States signed a treaty of commerce(조미 수호 통상 조약) in Chemulpo Port (modern day IncheonIncheon
The Incheon Metropolitan City is located in northwestern South Korea. The city was home to just 4,700 people when Jemulpo port was built in 1883. Today 2.76 million people live in the city, making it Korea’s third most populous city after Seoul and Busan Metropolitan City...
). This treaty required an American political presence in Korea. Foote was assigned a year later with the title Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. However, due to low trade volumes, in July 1884 Foote was demoted to the position of Minister Resident. In August 1884, he purchased a hanok
Hanok
Hanok is a term to describe Korean traditional houses. Korean architecture lends consideration to the positioning of the house in relation to its surroundings, with thought given to the land and seasons....
-style house from the Min family and thus established the American Legation He shared the building with Horace Newton Allen
Horace Newton Allen
Horace Newton Allen was a Protestant medical missionary and a diplomat from the United States to Korea at the end of the Joseon Dynasty.-Biography:He was born in Delaware, Ohio on April 23, 1858. He lreceived his B.S...
.
Legacy
When Foote resigned and left Seoul in January 1885, George Clayton FoulkGeorge Clayton Foulk
George Clayton Foulk . He graduate from the US Naval Academy in 1876 and went to Asia on the ship Alert. He made a 427-mile journey through Japan, then returned to the United States overland via Korea, Siberia, and Europe...
replaced him.