Life of Philo Norton McGiffin
By Peng Yining | China Daily | Updated: 2015-01-13 08:37
Born in 1860 in Pennsylvania, Philo Norton McGiffin entered the US Naval Academy at the age of 17. His great-grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and his father served in the Mexican War and the US Civil War.
After graduation, McGiffin failed to receive a commission in the US navy, so he went to China's newly founded fleet for employment.
China's Viceroy Li Hongzhang interviewed him for the post.
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