Kitty Wood Barr-Kumarakulasinghe (17th Jan 1853-10th Jan 1926) by Richard Kanagasundaram
		Orrie Emma Wood or "Kitty" as she was known, was married to my grandfather's brother, Gate Mudaliar K. C. Barr Kumarakulasinghe. Unfortunately my curiosity was not sufficiently aroused, when my parents were living, to try and learn more of this strange American woman who had entered the Barr family. However I am grateful to several sources, for the help received in piecing together all the information into a short biography. Dr. Isaac Thambyah, the brother in law of K. C. B. Kumarakulasinghe, writes about him and his wife Kitty in a publication titled "In Memoriam", a tribute to K.C.B's brother Chellam, who died in London. In this publication a letter by Kitty to the "Free Methodist" is quoted. The search tools for the Internet, helped me to locate a denomination of evangelical Methodists called the Free Methodists, located in the United Sates. Their response was immediate; coming up with references to Kitty Wood in their archives in Indianapolis. The other sources were Mrs. Blossom Navaratnam of Toronto, a niece of K.C.B, and the diaries of Rev Arthur Paynter, who helped to establish an Orphanage with Kitty in Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon. Some of the information is rather inaccurate, but the reader will have no difficulty forming an impression of Kitty Wood; her faith, determination and the fortitude with which she bore all her tribulations, in a foreign land."
	Kitty Wood was born in Lockport New York on the 17th of Jan 1853,the daughter of Rev Levi and Sarah Wood. The parents were both pioneers of the Free Methodist Church. Levi was also the first editor of the"Free Methodist" paper. In 1867 the family moved to North Chili, where Kitty became a student at A M Chesborough Junior College, during the early years of its existence. Kitty Wood At the age of eleven, she was converted and united with the Free Methodist Church in North Chili, where she retained her membership for thirty nine years. At the age of eighteen she graduated with honours in the classical course at Chili Seminary. After graduation she became Private Secretary to a blind evangelist, who was also the author of several books and religious tracts. In 1882 she moved to Chicago, where she worked part time in the office of the Free Methodist. Being very interested in evangelical work, Kitty devoted much time to City mission work in Chicago. In March1882 Kitty Wood along with a band of forty missionaries sailed for India. It was a purely faith mission, the group collecting their own supplies and financing their efforts. Kitty Wood travelled on to Ceylon and arriving in Colombo, she expressed a desire to learn Tamil, one of the languages of the indigenous people. Tamil was the language of the people living mainly in the North and East of the country. Gate Mudaliar K. C. Barr-Kumarakulasinghe was introduced to her as tutor. He was then Chief Translator and Interpreter to the Governor Sir West Ridgeway. K.C.B was, to quote Dr Isaac Thambyah,"A man of noble appearance, manly bearing and sustained dignity. His life was based on principles of self denial and service." Kitty and K.C.B. were drawn to each other and very soon K.C.B expressed a desire to marry her .Marriage to foreigners was very rare, at that time K. C. Barr-Kumarakulasinghe especially to Caucasians ,and there appears to have been some opposition from K.C.B's mother Sivakami. Mrs Blossom Navaratnam, sheds some light on their respective attitudes. She says "Yes Appachi (Sivakami) was a tough stubborn person; yet she had to give in to her son's request with good grace. He tactfully pointed out to her that he had cleared all the family debts( the properties had been heavily mortgaged by K.C.B's father), settled all the brothers and sisters and done all that his late father would have done. He wanted his own life with the woman of his choice." Kitty and K.C.B eventually married, and there is evidence that she was accepted into the family. They had three children, the eldest a girl was called Akilanda Catherine, and the boys Charlie and Willie. The children are described in an article to the "Free Methodist" Feb 25 1906 (vide attachment). It was the practice of K.C.B to visit the Maldive Islands with the Governor as it was being administered from Colombo. On one of these routine visits K.C.B contracted an illness from which he never recovered. He died in June1903 at the age of 43. It is said that K.C.B on his death bed requested Kitty not to take the children back to the U S A, fearing that they would not be treated fairly, being the children of a mixed marriage. However loneliness and her father's illness made Kitty decide to take the children back. It was also her intention to educate them at Seattle Pacific C Akilani, Kitty and Charlie ollege. This decision appears to have led to some conflict with the Barr relatives. The journey back to America was a long and tedious one taking several weeks. On the way, the children fell ill with diphtheria, and Akilanda and Charlie succumbed to the disease and were buried at sea. Willie died soon after arriving in New York. He was buried in the family grave near President Garfield's. There is some mention that President Garfield was related in some way to Kitty. Garfield was the 27th president, but he held office for only six months before being assassinated by a disgruntled official. No evidence could be found to substantiate the connection. This is what Mrs. Navaratnam has to say about subsequent events. "Kitty's father died soon after she reached America; desolate and heartbroken, she stayed on in America for a year. During this time she roused interest in missionary enterprises, and helped to raise money for such works, before returning to Ceylon. The Barrs shunned her, turning their backs, had nothing to do with her till her death in 1926. I remember my mother looking sad, when we returned from school one day. She spoke to my sisters who were older than me, and said" Your Aunt whom you never saw, has died; a stranger in a foreign land, a castaway. The stubborn hard hearted Barrs never found it in their hearts to forgive her. Thereafter she returned to Nuwara Eliya and helped to found an orphanage and school. She spent all her time and wealth there, and was much loved. They called her "Sudhu Aunty" or "White Aunty". It is after the return of Kitty from America, that her association with the Paynter family becomes evident. It would be appropriate to deal briefly on the history of the Paynter family because of this connection, which lasted several years until Kitty's death in 1926. Arthur Stephen Paynter was born in Bicester in Oxfordshire, where his father owned several breweries. Arthur married Anagi, the daughter of a Ceylonese, Arnolis Weerasooriya. Both were in the Salvation Army and worked in India and after some years left in order to start the India Christian Mission. Arthur and Anagi moved to Ceylon in 1904, and decided to start a mission in Nuwara Eliya. Fortunately Arthur was a inveterate diarist and there are several references to Kitty Wood. The first time Kitty's name comes up is with this entry:   1905 April 9th Received Rs 400 from Mrs Kumarakulasinghe (This was a fortune those days). First meeting held in Railway Station-Went to Holy Trinity Church. Musa Bhai , old Tamil friend joins us. 1905 June 13th Aunty Kumara and children going to America She was Kitty Wood , sister of General Wood of the US Army-She married Kumarakulasingham, Interpreter Mudaliar to His Excellency the Governor .He died in 1903. 1905 June 25th Letter from Mrs Kumara; Akhil and Thamby dead-Poor dear Aunty (n.b. Mrs Kumarakulasinghe was going to America with her three children-the baby died on the voyage of Yellow Fever and the other two died later when the ship was kept in Quarantine in New York. (Diagnosis of Yellow Fever probably incorrect.) Anagi writes to Aunty Kumara. "I am so sorry for everything and cant tell you how much I feel for you. I do wish I could have been with you through it all.I am sure the Lord has been near and dear to you all the while. It must have been terrible and must still be terrible,but Jesus is with you and can help you to bear it. I am weak I fear;I could not have stood it. Did J B tell you what Mr Unwin wrote to us? He said, God must love you well, to be able to trust you with so much sorrow. If the Lord leads you back to Ceylon, come straight here and make your home with us. I would be so glad to have you. J B hopes to leave for England on July 5th (J B or Jai Bhai was the name assumed by Arthur Paynter in India ) He has been so ill, and goes for an Appendicitis operation. He is taking an an Indian worker from the East coast with him. The Lord sent the money for their fare in a wonderful way. It was all given by people who have been to our Nuwara Eliya meetings, during the past two years. Thank God for these loving friends. Pray for J B and his little family here. July1st Memorial sevice for Mrs Kumara's children. 1907 Feb 4th Started work on the Union Church 1907 April 7th Aunty Kumara sends Postcard Leaving New York. 1907Aug 3rd Aunty Kumara arrives in Nuwara-Eliya 1908 June 1st Aunty Kumara;s birthday. Oct 15th 1908 Mrs Kumara here for dinner. pleased esp Nov 1st 1908 Arnold Paynter ( Son ) left for Kandy re: the Kumara land (Hertford ). Visited Mrs. Kumara in hospital-Very poorly Dec 11 th 1908 Mrs Kumara , poor soul very ill. Diary entries missing till 1926 Jan 10 th 1926 Mrs. Kumara very low. 6 pm Mrs. Kumarakulasingham died. Dear Aunty Kumara. Phoning re: arrangements. Jan 11 th 1926 Mrs. Kumarakulasinghe's funeral. A rush of work. Funeral 2.30 p.m., large crowd. Back to Mission House. Sept 1st.1926 Visited Mrs. Kumara's House (Hertford ) Building up. Apr 7 th 1927 Opening of new home (Hertford) AGA Harrison Jones very happy re: children.   The Arnold Paynter Orphanage is still continuing its humanitarian work in Nuwara Eliya. I had the good fortune to visit the Orphanage in 1997 .It is still functioning well in the care of very dedicated people including a member of the Paynter family. It was a practice for the Press to cover the funeral's of prominent people, so we are fortunate in having the report of Kitty Woods funeral in Nuwara Eliya.   Funeral of Mrs Kitty Barr Kumarakulasinghe Largely attended funeral at Nuwara-Eliya. N'Eliya. Jan 12     The funeral of Mrs. Kitty Barr Kumarakulasinghe,whose death was already recorded in our issue,took place at the Non Conformist burial ground today at 1.45 p.m. in the presence of a large gathering. Prior to the cortege leaving "Beulah",the deceased's residence, Rev A.S. Paynter, Pastor Union Church, held a brief service, after which the remains enclosed in a handsome casket were carried by Messrs A.I. Rajasingham, Wilson Ward, J.R.Fry, Vivian.C.Perera, De Coonam, and S.V. Alagaratnam, to a motor car, and the procession wended its way to the Union Church, where Rev A.S. Paynter held a funeral service. The hymn "Peace Perfect Peace", being feelingly rendered,MissRuth Paynter,presiding at the organ.The coffin was carried to the car again, and at the burial ground the following pall-bearers took up their position carrying the coffin to the graveside;- Mr A.I.Rajasingham Mr De Coonam, J.R.Fry , S.V.Alagaratnam, H.M.Greet,William Ward, Vivian.C.Perera, C.D.C.Chimin Rev. Paynter read the concluding graveside prayers, after which the coffin was lowered to its last resting place. Rev Paynter then delivered a stirring address dwelling on the deceased life history and service to God.The grave was completely hidden by flowers and foliage. Among those who sent wreaths, were All at "Hill Cottage" India Christian Mission, Worshippers at Union Church. Advocate and Mrs C.S.Rajaratnam, Mr and Mrs L.M.Wordsworth, Mr and Mrs J.R.Fry, Mr and Mrs A.I.Rajasingham, Mr. and Mrs. Vivian C. Perera, Mr. and Mrs. Greet Darlington, Misses Bell, Mr. and Mrs. Hindle, Mr. and Mrs Rlhart Francis,Mr. and Mrs. White, Mrs. F.Bartholomeuz, Miss Estelle Bartholomeuz. Miss Keyt, Mr. and Mrs. William Ward, Mrs. Fanny Corteling Mrs. Vidier and several others. The deceased had completed 40 years of missionary work in Ceylon. She was always of a cheery disposition, and counted a wide circle of friends in Nuwea Eliya. She was highly educated, a very able writer and also wrote some beautiful poems. Quite recently she was engaged in translating the scriptures into the Maldivian language, the Maldivians being a people much liked by her husband. She was nursed to the end by Miss Paine of the Salvation Army."