Burritt, Elihu, 1810-1879

American reformer and linguist.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Birmingham, to [Freeman H. Morse], 1869 May 12. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270131472

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Springfield, Massachusetts, to Freeman H. Morse, 1854 Jan. 16. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270131738

From the description of Autograph letter signed : New Britain, Connecticut, to the Rev. W.H. Ward, 1873 Jan. 04. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270131661

From the description of Autograph letter signed : Portland, Maine, to the Rev. John Pierpont, 1843 Oct. 11. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270131712

Elihu Burritt (1810-1879), famous as "the Learned Blacksmith," was born in New Britain, Conn. During his youth he apprenticed himself to a blacksmith. After working at various jobs, he became interested in improving his education and moved to Worcester, intending to use the library of the American Antiquarian Society to study foreign languages. In Worcester, he worked as a blacksmith and taught himself to read some thirty languages. Burritt decided he wanted a literary career and in 1839 he began to publish Literary Geminae, a magazine in English and French. The magazine failed the following year. He began lecturing at lyceums, and was involved in evangelical, temperance, and antislavery activities. In 1844 Burritt started a weekly newspaper in Worcester called The Christian Citizen. He became increasingly interested in pacifism and associated himself with peace organizations. In 1846 he went to England and founded the League of Universal Brotherhood. During most of the remainder of his life he wrote numerous books and traveled extensively in Europe and America lecturing and working for world peace.

From the description of Papers, 1822-1868. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 207122078

Born and died in New Britain, Conn. Founded League of Universal Brotherhood to further the course of world peace; organized Brussels Peace Congress of 1848; served as U.S. consul at Birmingham, Eng., 1863-1870.

From the description of Letter : New Britain, Conn., to the editor of the Express, 17 Jan. 1859. (Buffalo History Museum). WorldCat record id: 56781495

Reformer, publisher, and author.

From the description of Elihu Burritt correspondence, 1859. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70980290

Linguist, reformer; formed League of Universal Brotherhood, 1846; U.S. consulate, Birmingham, England, 1863-1870.

From the description of Letters, 1865-1874. (Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library). WorldCat record id: 27988878

Buritt was an American reformer.

From the description of Letter and portraits, 1848. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 78986985

Burritt, a linguist, reformer and peace activist also organized peace conferences.

From the description of ALS, 1851 Dec. 23 : Manchester [Eng.] to Miss Sidebottom. (Haverford College Library). WorldCat record id: 52625601

Elihu Burritt was born in New Britain, Connecticut, in 1810. Known as the "Learned Blacksmith" because he was primarily self-taught, he was a social reformer, abolitionist, absolute pacifist, linguist, and internationalist. He advocated programs of international cooperation and inexpensive international postage rates (which he called "ocean penny postage"), and promoted his plans by means of "Olive Leaves" (brief statements written by peace reformers) and "Friendly Addresses" between paired cities in the United States and England. Burritt was active in the American Peace Society, and was a founder of the League of Universal Brotherhood. He was involved with several international peace conferences in Europe, notably the first Peace Congress held in Brussels in 1848. Although a staunch abolitionist and a believer in complete equality among the races, Burritt opposed the American Civil War on absolute pacifist principles. He proposed a system of "compensated emancipation", to pay Southern slave owners to free their slaves. Burritt died in New Britain, Connecticut in 1879.

From the description of Papers, 1840-1965 1841-1878 (bulk). (Swarthmore College, Peace Collection). WorldCat record id: 20494897

Elihu Burritt was an American reformer and peace advocate. Apprenticed as a blacksmith, he sought opportunities for learning, and taught himself Latin, Greek, mathematics, and other subjects while working as a smith. He began publishing, and lecturing, and acquired the nickname of The learned blacksmith. He continued to work for peace and the abolition of slavery, founding periodicals and writing tracts.

From the description of Elihu Burritt letter, 1850 Mar. 11. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 52999941