MITCHELL, John Murray. Garvock near Aberdeen 19.8.1815 — Leith, Edinburgh 14.11.1904. Rev. British (Scottish) Missionary in India. Son of Rev. James Mitchell and Margaret Gordon. Educated in Kinneff (Kincardineshire) and Aberdeen, studied in Aberdeen, M.A. 1833 (Marischal College). Further studies of theology at Aberdeen and 1837-38 at Edinburgh. Ordained in 1838 (Church of Scotland) and immediately sent to Bombay. “Taught in the Free General Assembly’s Institution and College in Bombay, and afterwards at Poona, 1844-66…” Thus Buckland, but Wikipedia says that he returned three years earlier, was 1863-66 Minister of Broughty Ferry near Dundee. Back in India, in 1868-73 Principal of Duff College in Calcutta. Now also participated in establishing the Santal Mission. Again returned to Scotland, last time in India 1880-82 and from 1888 in Nice. LL.D. 1858 Marischal College. Duff Missionary Lecturer in 1895-1903. Also knew Sanskrit and Avestan. Married 1842 Mary Hay Mackenzie Flyter (d. 1907, wrote three books of memoirs), no children.
Publications: Metrical transl. of sarga 1 of the Raghuvaṁśa, JBRAS 1:6, 1843, 308-319.
– “The Story of Tukárám”, JBRAS 3:1, 1849, 1-29 (tr. from Marathi); “Maráthí works composed by the Portuguese”, JBRAS 3:1, 1847-48 (1849), 132-157; other articles in JBRAS.
– “Tukârâm”, IA 11, 1882, 57-66 (with translations); “Paṇḍharpûr”, Ibid. 149-156.
– “Santali Songs with Translations”, IA 4, 1875, 34f.
– Letters to Indian Youths on the Evidence of the Christian Religion. 12+211 p. Bombay 1852, 11th ed. 1894; Biography of the Rev. Robert Nesbitt, Missionary. 1858; other missionary works.
– Hinduism Past and Present. 299 p. L. 1885, rev. ed. 1897; The Great Religions of India. 287 p. Edinburgh 1905.
– The Zend-Avesta and the religion of the Pârsis. 62 p. n.pl. n.d. (L. 188?).
– In Western India. Recollections of My Early Missionary Life. 408 p. Edinburgh 1899.
Sources: Buckland, Dictionary; W.F.G[ray], D.N.B. Suppl. 1912, 2, 623f.; *L.A. Ritchie, Oxford D.N.B.; www.mundus.ac.uk/cats/2/77.htm; Wikipedia with photo.
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