ELIOT, JOHN (1604-169o), American colonial clergyman, known as the "Apostle to the Indians," was born probably at Wid ford, Hertfordshire, England, where he was baptized on Aug. 5, 1604. He was the son of Bennett Eliot, a middle-class farmer, and graduated at Jesus college, Cambridge, in 1622. He probably en tered the ministry of the Established Church, but there is nothing definitely known of him until 1629-3o, when he became an usher at the school of the Rev. Thomas Hooker, at Little Baddow, near Chelmsford. Apparently influenced by him to become a Puritan, he emigrated to America in the autumn of 1631, where he settled first at Boston, assisting for a time at the First Church. In Nov. 1632 he became "teacher" to the church at Roxbury, with which his connection lasted until his death. There he married Hannah Mulford, who had been betrothed to him in England, and who became his constant helper.
Inspired with the idea of converting the Indians, his first step was to perfect himself in their dialects, and with the aid of a young Indian he translated the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer ; in 1646 he first preached to them in their own tongue at Nonantun (Newton). The conversion of a number of Indians caused the Massachusetts general court to set aside land for their residence and in July 1649 Parliament incorporated the "Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New England," which henceforth supported and directed the work inaugurated by Eliot. In 1651 the Christian Indian town founded by Eliot was removed from Nonantun to Natick, where Eliot continued to preach throughout his life. A second town under his direction was established at Ponkapog (Stoughton) in 1654, in which he had the assistance of Daniel Gookin (c. 1612-87). His success was dupli cated in Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket by the Mayhews, and by 1674 the unofficial census of the "praying Indians" numbered 4,00o. King Philip's war (1675-76) was a staggering blow to all missionary enterprise ; and although few of the converted Indians proved disloyal, it was some years before adequate support could again be enlisted. Yet at Eliot's death, which occurred at Rox bury on May 21, 169o, the missions were at the height of their prosperity.
Of wide influence and lasting value was Eliot's work as a trans lator of the Bible and various religious works into the Massachu setts dialect of the Algonkin language. The Catechism, pub lished in 1653 at Cambridge, Mass., was the first book to be printed in the Indian tongue. The New Testament was issued in 1661, and the Old Testament two years later. With the assistance of his sons he completed his well known Indian Grammar Begun (1666). The Indian Primer and a translation of the Larger Cate chism followed in 1669. In 1671 Eliot printed in English Indian Dialogues, followed in 1672 by Logick Primer, both of which were intended for the instruction of the Indians in English. A curious treatise on government entitled The Christian Commonwealth was published in 1659. His Harmony of the Gospels (1678) was a life of Jesus Christ.
See Williston Walker's Ten New England Leaders (i9o1) ; the "Life of John Eliot," by Conyers Francis, in Sparks' American Biography (vol. v., 1836) ; another by N. Adams (1847) ; and a sketch in Cot ton Mather's Magnalia (London, 1702) . See the chapter on "The Indian Tongue and its Literature," by J. H. Trumbull, in vol. i. of the Memorial History of Boston (1882) . See also the Cambridge His tory of American Literature vol. i., pp.