Edward H. Lockwood

1985

Edward Lockwood was born in Peru, Indiana, on June 12, 1887. In addition to his involvement in the founding of Sigma Delta Chi at DePauw University, he was on the student council, on the debate team, and a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. According to his senior yearbook, he was “one of the most popular men in his class.” After graduating Phi Beta Kappa from DePauw in 1909, he studied law for two years at the University of Wisconsin. He earned his master’s degree from the University of Chicago in 1923.

Lockwood joined the staff of the Pittsburgh YMCA in 1911 and went to Canton, China, in 1915 where he spent 10 years working with university students there. He returned to the United States in 1922 to serve in the YMCA’s National Student Department, later heading its Committee on Friendly Relations Among Foreign Students.

After his return to China in 1927 as Associate General Secretary of the Canton YMCA, he witnessed the seizure of Canton by Communist forces and its re-capture by the Chinese Nationalists, during which he survived over 200 Japanese air raids while directing first aid and relief operations.
Lockwood then served as relief director for the Kwantung Provincial Government of China and was later forced to flee invading Japanese forces. He finally reached the Allied lines through Chunking during World War II.

After a return to the United States, he went back to Canton as YMCA World Service Executive, retiring from that post in 1951. He was one of the last Americans to leave Canton after the Communists gained control, and he sent out the last Associated Press news story from that city. He died in Claremont, California, on April 4, 1957.