Benjamin Franklin Tefft
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Franklin Tefft was an American Methodist minister, author, newspaper editor, and diplomat. As the American Consul in Stockholm
, Sweden
during the US Civil War, he encouraged and facilitated Swedish emigration to the United States
, particularly his native state of Maine
. This eventually resulted, for example, in the founding of the northern Maine immigrant community of New Sweden
and its satellite Stockholm, Maine
.
Tefft was born in Floyd, New York
and attended Wesleyan University
in Connecticut, graduating in 1835. In 1839-41, and again in 1858-61, he served as a Methodist pastor in Bangor, Maine
, and later briefly in Portland
. In between Tefft became a professor of Greek and Latin at DePauw University
in Indiana, and then president of Genesee College
in New York, which later became Syracuse University
.
in 1861 and Acting U.S. Minister to Sweden
in 1862. It was largely through Tefft's influence and that of fellow Maine native and U.S. Consul in Gothenburg
, Sweden, William W. Thomas, Jr., that beginning in 1864, a small portion of the soon-to-be-large Swedish migration to North America was directed to Maine. Tefft's lobbying resulted in the first grants by a state legislature in the United States designed to attract Scandinavian immigrants. Following the war Thomas would head a Maine immigration bureau and personally oversee the founding of the community of New Sweden
. In the eyes of Tefft, Thomas, and the Maine politicians who voted subsidies to settle them, Swedish immigrants were a potential demographic buffer against the Catholic Irish and Francophone populations of Maine at a time when English and American immigration to the state had stopped. This Protestant and Nordic 'buffer' never materialized, however, as the Swedish colony remained relatively small and isolated, and many of its members ultimately intermarried with Maine's French and Irish populations. Tefft also served as immigration agent (while still U.S. Consul) for Lake Superior copper mining companies who also desired Scandinavian settlers. Tefft's son George V. Tefft eventually took over the Stockholm consulate as Tefft devoted increasing energy to private interests related to immigration.
by 1873, where he edited the newspaper The Northern Border and continued a literary career that had begun in 1847 with the book Prison Life, and continued with Hungary and Kossuth in 1852 and Webster and his Masterpieces (a biography of Daniel Webster
) in 1854. His major postwar book was Evolution and Christianity of 1885. Tefft's son Charles Eugene (b. 1874 in Brewer, Maine
, a suburb of Bangor) would become a noted sculptor, some of whose bronze statues still decorate Bangor's parks.
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
during the US Civil War, he encouraged and facilitated Swedish emigration to the United States
Swedish emigration to the United States
During the Swedish emigration to the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries, about 1.3 million Swedes left Sweden for the United States...
, particularly his native state of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. This eventually resulted, for example, in the founding of the northern Maine immigrant community of New Sweden
New Sweden, Maine
New Sweden is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 621 at the 2000 census.-History:Starting in 1870, a Swedish-immigrant colony was established by the State of Maine in Aroostook County. The State of Maine had appointed William W...
and its satellite Stockholm, Maine
Stockholm, Maine
Stockholm is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 253 at the 2010 census.-History:Starting in 1870, a Swedish-immigrant colony was established by the State of Maine in Aroostook County. The State of Maine had appointed William W...
.
Tefft was born in Floyd, New York
Floyd, New York
Floyd is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 3,869 at the 2000 census. The town is named after William Floyd, a signer of the Declaration of Independence....
and attended Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
in Connecticut, graduating in 1835. In 1839-41, and again in 1858-61, he served as a Methodist pastor in Bangor, Maine
Bangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
, and later briefly in Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
. In between Tefft became a professor of Greek and Latin at DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
in Indiana, and then president of Genesee College
Genesee College
Genesee College was a college founded in 1832 as the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary by the Methodist Episcopal Church. It was located in Lima, NY and eventually relocated to Syracuse, NY, becoming Syracuse University.-Genesee Wesleyan Seminary:...
in New York, which later became Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
.
Consul in Stockholm
Tefft was appointed U.S. Consul in StockholmStockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in 1861 and Acting U.S. Minister to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
in 1862. It was largely through Tefft's influence and that of fellow Maine native and U.S. Consul in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden, William W. Thomas, Jr., that beginning in 1864, a small portion of the soon-to-be-large Swedish migration to North America was directed to Maine. Tefft's lobbying resulted in the first grants by a state legislature in the United States designed to attract Scandinavian immigrants. Following the war Thomas would head a Maine immigration bureau and personally oversee the founding of the community of New Sweden
New Sweden, Maine
New Sweden is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 621 at the 2000 census.-History:Starting in 1870, a Swedish-immigrant colony was established by the State of Maine in Aroostook County. The State of Maine had appointed William W...
. In the eyes of Tefft, Thomas, and the Maine politicians who voted subsidies to settle them, Swedish immigrants were a potential demographic buffer against the Catholic Irish and Francophone populations of Maine at a time when English and American immigration to the state had stopped. This Protestant and Nordic 'buffer' never materialized, however, as the Swedish colony remained relatively small and isolated, and many of its members ultimately intermarried with Maine's French and Irish populations. Tefft also served as immigration agent (while still U.S. Consul) for Lake Superior copper mining companies who also desired Scandinavian settlers. Tefft's son George V. Tefft eventually took over the Stockholm consulate as Tefft devoted increasing energy to private interests related to immigration.
Later career
Tefft had returned to Bangor, MaineBangor, Maine
Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine...
by 1873, where he edited the newspaper The Northern Border and continued a literary career that had begun in 1847 with the book Prison Life, and continued with Hungary and Kossuth in 1852 and Webster and his Masterpieces (a biography of Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
) in 1854. His major postwar book was Evolution and Christianity of 1885. Tefft's son Charles Eugene (b. 1874 in Brewer, Maine
Brewer, Maine
Brewer is a city in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It is part of the Bangor, Maine Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is named after its first settler, Colonel John Brewer. The population was 9,482 at the 2010 census....
, a suburb of Bangor) would become a noted sculptor, some of whose bronze statues still decorate Bangor's parks.