WINSLOW, Miron. Williston, County Chittenden, Vermont 11.12.1789 — Cape Town 22.10.1864. Rev. U.S. Missionary and Tamil Lexicographer in South Asia, where he remained in 1819-64. Son of Nathaniel Winslow (1761–1831) and Anna Kellogg (1766–1810). From the age of 14 worked as store clerk, but then turned to religion. Graduated from Middlebury College 1815 and from Andover Theological Seminary 1818, ordained priest 1818. Together with his wife he arrived in December 1819 at Ceylon and together they founded a girls’ school in Uduvil (then called Oodooville), Jaffna. Mrs. Winslow died in 1833 and the widower returned to the States, but in 1836 came to India and from now on mainly worked in Madras, thus founding the American Madras Mission. In 1855-58 visited the U.S.A. In 1864 retired because of ill-health, but died on way home. D.D. LL.D. Married 1819 Harriet Wadsworth Lathrop (1796–1833), four daughters and two sons, second wife 1835 Catherine Waterbury Carman (1797–1837), one daughter. Third wife 1850 Mary Williams Dwight (née Billings, 1808–1852), fourth 1857 Ellen Reed (1813–1908).
Winslow’s Tamil Dictionary was result of thirty years’ work and, containing more than 67,000 words, the most comprehensive dictionary of a modern Indian language in its time. Later it formed the basis of the Tamil Lexicon.
Publications: History of Missions or History of the principal attempt to propagate Christianity among the Heathen. Andover 1819; religious writings.
– Edited: J. Knight and L. Spaulding: English and Tamil Dictionary. 1842, 3rd rev. ed. 1888.
– A comprehensive Tamil and English Dictionary of High and Low Tamil. 976 p. Madras 1862 and many editions.
– Hints of Missions to India. 1856; published sermons.
– By his wife: Memoir of Mrs. Harriet L. Winslow, thirteen years a member of the American Mission in Ceylon. Rev. ed. 479 p. N.Y. 1840.
Sources: Early career briefly in Richard Morey Sherman, “American contacts with Ceylon in the 19th century”, JRAS-Sri Lanka 35, 1990/91, 1-8, p. 3; famousamericans.net/mironwinslow/; parents and wives in findagrave.com; Wikipedia with photo.
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