Benjamin Franklin DeCosta
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Franklin DeCosta or de Costa (July 10, 1831 – November 4, 1904) was an American
clergyman and historical writer
.
, and graduated in 1856 at the Biblical Institute at Concord, New Hampshire
(later part of Boston University
), became a minister in the Episcopal Church in 1857, and during the next three years was a rector first at North Adams
, and then at Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts
.
After serving as chaplain in the 18th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and one other Massachusetts regiment during the first two years of the American Civil War
, he became editor (1863) of The Christian Times in New York City
, and subsequently edited The Episcopalian and The Magazine of American History
. He was rector of the Church of St John the Evangelist
in New York City from 1881 to 1899, at which time he resigned while converting to Roman Catholicism.
He was one of the organizers and long the secretary of the Church Temperance Society, and founded and was the first president (1884–1899) of the American branch of the White Cross Society. He became a high authority on early American cartography and the history of the period of exploration. He died in New York City in 1904.
In addition to numerous monographs and valuable contributions to Justin Winsor
s Narrative and Critical History of America, he published The Pre-Columbian Discovery of America by the Northmen (1868); The Northmen in Maine (1870); The Moabite Stone (1871); The Rector of Roxburgh (1871), a novel under the nom de plume of William Hickling; and Verrazano the Explorer; being a Vindication of his Letter and Voyage (1880).
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
clergyman and historical writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
Biography
He was born in Charlestown, MassachusettsCharlestown, Massachusetts
Charlestown is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and is located on a peninsula north of downtown Boston. Charlestown was originally a separate town and the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; it became a city in 1847 and was annexed by Boston on January 5, 1874...
, and graduated in 1856 at the Biblical Institute at Concord, New Hampshire
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
(later part of Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
), became a minister in the Episcopal Church in 1857, and during the next three years was a rector first at North Adams
North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,708 as of the 2010 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
, and then at Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts
Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts
Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts is a village of Newton, Massachusetts, on the Charles River. The commercial area extends across the river into Wellesley, Massachusetts, where it is known as Wellesley Lower Falls, where a majority of the retail businesses are.The Charles River drops 18 feet over...
.
After serving as chaplain in the 18th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry and one other Massachusetts regiment during the first two years of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he became editor (1863) of The Christian Times in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and subsequently edited The Episcopalian and The Magazine of American History
The Magazine of American History
The Magazine of American History was first established in January 1877 by Martha Joanna Lamb, Nathan Gillett Pond and John Austin Stevens with the long title The Magazine of American History with Notes and Queries. It was issueded monthly. The first seven volumes were published by the A. S...
. He was rector of the Church of St John the Evangelist
St. John the Evangelist's Church (Manhattan)
The Church of St. John the Evangelist is a Roman Catholic parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located at 355 East 55th St. at First Ave., Manhattan, New York City.-Parish:...
in New York City from 1881 to 1899, at which time he resigned while converting to Roman Catholicism.
He was one of the organizers and long the secretary of the Church Temperance Society, and founded and was the first president (1884–1899) of the American branch of the White Cross Society. He became a high authority on early American cartography and the history of the period of exploration. He died in New York City in 1904.
In addition to numerous monographs and valuable contributions to Justin Winsor
Justin Winsor
Justin Winsor was a prominent American writer, librarian, and historian.-Background and education:Winsor was born in Boston, Massachusetts, son of Nathaniel Winsor III and Ann Thomas Howland Winsor...
s Narrative and Critical History of America, he published The Pre-Columbian Discovery of America by the Northmen (1868); The Northmen in Maine (1870); The Moabite Stone (1871); The Rector of Roxburgh (1871), a novel under the nom de plume of William Hickling; and Verrazano the Explorer; being a Vindication of his Letter and Voyage (1880).