John Eliot

Kathryn Napier Gray (University of Plymouth)
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John Eliot was a Puritan missionary in the Massachusetts Bay area, and for his work with Algonquian tribes he was dubbed “Apostle to the Indians.” In 1631 Eliot sailed to the New World on board the

Lyon

, following other first-generation ministers to New England. During his long career in the colony, from 1631 until his death in 1690, Eliot distinguished himself as a preacher, writer and translator.

Eliot was born in Hertfordshire, England, and was baptised at St. John the Baptist Church in Widford, around twenty miles from London. His father Bennett Eliot was a landowner, and was wealthy enough to send his son John to Jesus College, Cambridge, where he studied under the charge of Reverend Thomas Hooker. When Eliot arrived in Massachusetts Bay in 1631 he took up the position of

753 words

Citation: Napier Gray, Kathryn. "John Eliot". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 16 January 2004 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=1409, accessed 19 March 2024.]

1409 John Eliot 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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