Background
Olcott, Henry Steel was born on August 2, 1832 in Orange, New Jersey, United States. Son of Henry Wyckoff and Emily (Steel) Olcott.
Olcott, Henry Steel was born on August 2, 1832 in Orange, New Jersey, United States. Son of Henry Wyckoff and Emily (Steel) Olcott.
Educated private schools and University City of New York, class of 1847-1851.
Editor, New York Tribune, 1858-1860. Special commissioner War and Navy departments, United States, with rank of colonel, 1863-1866. Admitted New York bar, 1866.
Commissioned by the President, 1878, to report on trade relations between United States and India.
In 1875 helped to found, at New York, the Theosophical Society (headquarters in India. Operates in 42 countries) and is its president Editor Theosophist (magazine), since 1879.
Honorary member Societe d’Ethnographie, Royal Asiatic Society (Japan and China branches), Bengal Academy Music, Institut Psychologique International, et cetera In recognition of his services toward revival of Hindu philosophy in India the late Taranath Tarka Vachaspati, one of the most learned pandits of India (author of the Sanskrit Dictionary), conferred on him the sacred thread of the Brahmin caste, and adopted him into his gotra—a unique honor to a white manitoba Author: Sorgho and Imphee (the new sugar canes), 1857.
Yale Agricultural Lectures, 1858.
The Olcott Family, 1874. People from the Other World, 1875. Posthumous Humanity (translated and edited), 1887.
Old Diary Leaves (3 volumes), 1895, 1899, 1903.
The Buddhist Catechism, 1882 and since (41 edits in 23 languages). Theosophy, Religion and Occult Science, 1885.
Began an educational movement in Ceylon, 1880, for the benefit of the Buddhists and their religion, which in 1905 had 250 schools and 3 colleges with nearly 30,000 pupils.
Member Societe d’Ethnographie, Royal Asiatic Society (Japan and China branches), Bengal Academy Music, Institut Psychologique International, et cetera
Married Mary East. Morgan, 1860.