Businessman, Naturalist, Yachtsman. In 1871, he left England to go to Asia, to work as a merchant in Japan and a marine naturalist. There, he collected over 1,300 of Asian fish specimens from Japan and China. In addition, he also collected reptiles, birds, clams, frogs and giant sea sponges. His collections can be found in many museums to this day, such as the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. As a yachtsman, he was the founder of Yokohama Yacht Club Japan and his craft the Golden Hind was noted as the fastest yacht. He was also credited as the one who opened Japan to western influence and business interests. (bio by: John “J-Cat” Griffith)  Family links:  Spouse:  Kame Miyahara Owston (1875 – 1923)*  Children:  Susie Viele Owston Mann (1879 – 1970)*  Harriet Owston Portus (1900 – 1939)*  Francis Alan Owston (1904 – 1994)*  Alan Merry Owston (1907 – 1937)*  Infant Son Owston (1913 – 1913)* *Calculated relationship