Guide to the Romig Family Papers

Arthur Mathes Romig was born to Presbyterian missionaries, the Rev. and Mrs. H.G. Romig, on October 7, 1907, in Taianfu, China. He was graduated from Wooster College in Ohio, with a BA, in 1928 and from Princeton Seminary, (Th.B.) in 1931. He met Adelaide Helen Anderson while at Wooster College, and they were married on June 20, 1931.

Mr. and Mrs. Romig applied for PCUSA missionary service during college. They were appointed for service in China in 1931 and assigned to evangelistic work in Yuankiang, Yunnan. In 1934, they moved to Hwaiyuan, Anhwei, to continue evangelistic work.

The Japanese Army attacked Shanghai in the summer of 1937 and then went on to capture Nanking on December 13, 1937. In October 1937, Helen evacuated with their two children (Elizabeth and Donald) to Tsingtao, Shantung. She stayed there for about a year and then returned to Hwaiyuan. On January 1, 1941, Helen and the children left for San Francisco while Arthur stayed in China. Arthur had expected to return to America in December 1941, but after Pearl Harbor the Japanese would not let any Americans leave China. He and other missionaries were put under house arrest. On June 29, 1942, Arthur and the other missionaries were finally allowed to leave China.

In 1942, Arthur and Helen moved to Ohio where Arthur served as associate pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Dayton from 1942 to 1944. He then served as pastor from 1944 to 1958 at Market Street Presbyterian Church in Lima and at Second Presbyterian Church in Portsmouth.