David Oliver Allen

David Oliver Allen (1800–1863) was an American missionary to India and an author.

Life

Allen was born in Barre, Massachusetts to Moses and Mahitable Allen.[1] His father relocated the family to Princeton, Massachusetts while David Allen was an infant.[1] He initially began collegiate studies at Williams College, but moved to Amherst College upon that institution's opening.[1] He graduated from Amherst College in 1823 and spent a year teaching in Groton, Massachusetts.[2] In 1824 he began study at Andover Theological Seminary and completed their course in 1827.[1][2] He decided upon missionary work his final year, and was ordinated on May 21.[1] Seven days later he was married to Myra Wood.[1] Allen was called to Bombay, India as a missionary before he graduated as the situation there was deemed an emergency.[1][2] He arrived in Bombay on November 27, 1827.[1] His wife accompanied him, but she died on February 5, 1831.[1] In 1844 he took charge of the Bombay printing establishment. He wrote tracts in "Mahratta," (Marathi language) and supervised a new translation of the Bible into that language. Weakened by the Indian climate, he returned to America in 1853.[2]

His History of India was published at Boston in 1856.[2] The full title of this book is "India Ancient and Modern. Geographical, Historical, Political, Social, and Religious; with a particular account of the state and prospects of Christianity."

References

1. "Memoirs of American Missionaries. With an introductory essay by ... Gavin Struthers. And a dissertation on the consolations of a missionary by the Rev. Levi Parsons". J. Reid & Company. 11 August 1834 – via Google Books.
2. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Gilman, D. C.; Peck, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). "Allen, David Oliver" . New International Encyclopedia. 1 (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead.