HISLOP, Stephen. Duns, Berwickshire 8.9.1817 — Bori River, Takalghat, Maharashtra 4.9.1863. Rev. British (Scottish) Missionary in India. Son of Stephen Hislop, a mason, and Margaret Thomson. “Educated at Duns, Edinburgh University, Glasgow, and in divinity under Chalmers at Edinburgh. Joined the Free Church of Scotland 1843, went out to India in 1844 as a missionary of the Free Church to Bombay, stationed at Sitabaldi, near Nagpur, in the Central Provinces, and opened a school at Nagpur. Through a warning from a native friend, he was able to save the lives of the Europeans there in the mutiny of 1857.” In 1858-60 on furlough in the U.K. “He was drowned in trying to cross a swollen river, while on tour with the Chief Commissioner, Sir R. Temple… He had much ability, not only for his own work, but also in languages, philology, antiquarian research, geology, natural history, botany, zoology, entomology, and conchology.” M.A. Edinburgh. Married 1844 Erasma Hull, three daughters and one son. In India he soon became fluent in Marathi and also learned Gondi. In Nagpur he collaborated with —> R. Hunter both in missionary work and studies. The Hislop College in Nagpur and the green mineral hislopite are named after him.
Publications: Papers relating to the Aboriginal Tribes of the Central Provinces. Edited by with notes and preface by R. Temple. 8+136+13 p. (Nagpur) 1866 (on Gonds).
– Papers on geology and natural history.
Sources: Buckland, Dictionary; C.L.K[ingsford], D.N.B. 27, 1891, 12f.; *G. Smith, St.H.: Pioneer Missionary & Naturalist in Central India. London 1888; Wikipedia with two portraits.
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