TOLMAN, Herbert Cushing. South Scituate (others Norwell, co. Plymouth), MA 4.11.1865 — Nashville, TN 24.11.1923. U.S. Philologist, specialized in Greek and Old Persian. Professor in Nashville. Son of James T., a tack manufacturer, and Mary T. Briggs. Graduated 1884 from Rockland High School. Studies at Yale (A.B. 1888). Ph.D. 1890 Yale. Mainly a classicist, but also learned Sanskrit under Whitney. In 1891 Assistant in Indo-European Languages at Yale, in 1892-93 Assistant Professor of Sanskrit at University of Wisconsin (studied theology there) and in 1893-94 Professor of Sanskrit and acting Professor of Greek at University of North Carolina. Ordained in 1895, he also worked as a priest. From 1894 until his death Professor of Greek Language and Literature at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. In 1896 further studies in Berlin, then travelled in Greece and Orient, in 1905 in Munich. In 1903-23 honorary canon of All Saints’ Cathedral in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 1914-23 Dean of College of Arts and Sciences, Vanderbilt University. D.D. 1901 Peabody College, LL.D. 1914 University of Nashville. S.T.D. 1913 Hobart College. LL.D. 1917 University of Louisville. Married 1891 Mary Beldin Wells (b. 1867), adopted daughter.
Publications: Diss. De gerundivo Latino atque modo infinitivo Sanscrito. Manuscript, Yale 1890.
– A Grammar of the Old Persian Language with the Inscriptions of the Achaemenian Kings and Vocabulary. 55+55 p. Boston 1892; A Guide to the Old Persian Inscriptions. 186 p. N.Y. 1893; Ancient Persian Lexicon and the Texts of the Achaemenidean Inscriptions. 134 p. N.Y. 1908; Darius. The Behistan Inscription of King Darius, transl. & comm. 39 p. Nashville 1908; Cuneiform Supplement to the Author’s Ancient Persian Lexicon. 122 p. N.Y. 1910.
– “The Turfan Fragments on the Crucifixion”, Stud. Phil. 14, 1917, 293-297.
– With W. R. Harper, Caesar’s Gallic Wars. 502 p. N.Y. 1893 and ed. the text of the same. N.Y. 1895.
– With Al. Kerr, The Gospel of Matthew in Greek. 117 p. Chicago 1892; withK. P. Harrington: Greek and Roman Mythology. 179 p. 1897; with G. C. Scoggin: Mycenaean Troy. 111 p. N.Y. 1904.
– With J. H. Stevenson: Herodotus and the empires of the east. 110 p. N.Y. 1899.
– Urbs Beata, Vision of the Perfect Life. 87 p. Milwaukee 1902; Via Crucis, Lesson of Holy Week. 8+76 p. Milwaukee 1907.
– Editor of the Vanderbilt Oriental Series. 1-9; articles on Iranian etc. in JAOS, AJPh, etc.
Sources: W.W. Briggs Jr. in Briggs (ed.), Biogr. Dict. of N. Am. Class. 1994, 648f.; *A.V.W. Jackson, “In appreciation of Prof. Tolman’s Oriental work”, In memoriam of H.C.T. Publ. by Alpha of Tenn., Vanderbilt Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa. Nashville, Tenn. 1926, 86-88; Nat. Cycl. of Am. Biogr. 44, 1924 with photo; thomastolmanfamily.org with photo.
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