Charles Edwin Wilbour
Encyclopedia
Charles Edwin Wilbour was an American journalist and Egyptologist. He was one of the discoverers of the Elephantine Papyri
. He produced the first American translation of Les Misérables
.
, on March 17, 1833. He received a classical education and entered Brown University
, where he took a prize for proficiency in Greek
and was noted for his thorough acquaintance with the ancient and modern languages, but was not graduated, owing to delicate health. Having taught himself shorthand
, when he had sufficiently recovered, he went to New York City in 1854 and became connected with the Tribune as a reporter. He also studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1859. The following eighteen years were devoted to literary and journalistic work. In 1872, he began the study of Egyptian antiquities and visited the principal libraries of the United States and Canada. Wilbour also owned a major paper manufacturing company, which eventually involved him in the events leading to his voluntary self-exile. He obtained many city contracts apparently dealing with Tammany Hall
in the heyday of the Tweed Ring. With the fall of William M. Tweed in the early 1870s, Wilbour decided to leave the United States. In 1874, he went abroad and spent much time consulting the archaeological treasures of the British Museum
and the great libraries of the continent. He then became a co-laborer with Heinrich Karl Brugsch
and Gaston Camille Charles Maspero in the field of Egyptology, accompanying the latter on five winter exploring expeditions up the Nile. In 1889 Mr. Wilbour continued to travel in Egypt, using his own dahabeeyah, or Nile boat. On a visit to Aswan he purchased some papyrii dug up on the island of Elephantine by local people. He did not realise the importance of his find and when he died in a hotel in Paris his belongings, including the papyrii, were put in storage by the hotel and not returned to his family for nearly half a century. At the request of his widow, they were donated to the Brooklyn Museum.
Wilbour published "Rachel in the New World", from the French of Leon Beauvallet, with John W. Palmer (New York, 1856); and translated Victor Hugo's Les Miserables
(1862–1863); he also published The Life of Jesus, from the French of Ernest Renan
(1863).
His wife, Charlotte Beebee, was born in Norwich, Connecticut
, on March 2, 1830, was educated in Wilbraham, Massachusetts
, and married Mr. Wilbour on January 18, 1858. She was elected president of Sorosis
in 1870 and five times re-elected. She was a founder of the club, devoted much time and thought to securing for it a permanent foundation, and was instrumental in organizing the Association for the Advancement of Women that was formed by it in 1873. She instituted lectures on health and dress reform, suggested and aided in preparing entertainments for various purposes, and assisted many women in obtaining public recognition. Despite living outside America, she maintained her interest in the elevation of her sex and sought every opportunity to labour for it.
is named for him as is Wilbour Hall and the Charles Edwin Wilbour Professorship at Brown University
.
Elephantine papyri
The Elephantine Papyri are a collection of ancient Jewish manuscripts dating from the 5th century BC. They come from a Jewish community at Elephantine, then called Yeb, the island in the Nile at the border of Nubia, which was probably founded as a military installation in about 650 BC during...
. He produced the first American translation of Les Misérables
Les Misérables
Les Misérables , translated variously from the French as The Miserable Ones, The Wretched, The Poor Ones, The Wretched Poor, or The Victims), is an 1862 French novel by author Victor Hugo and is widely considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century...
.
Biography
He was born in Little Compton, Rhode IslandLittle Compton, Rhode Island
Little Compton is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. Its population was 3,492 at the time of the 2010 census. Little Compton is located in southeastern Rhode Island, between the Sakonnet River and the Massachusetts state border...
, on March 17, 1833. He received a classical education and entered Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, where he took a prize for proficiency in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
and was noted for his thorough acquaintance with the ancient and modern languages, but was not graduated, owing to delicate health. Having taught himself shorthand
Shorthand
Shorthand is an abbreviated symbolic writing method that increases speed or brevity of writing as compared to a normal method of writing a language. The process of writing in shorthand is called stenography, from the Greek stenos and graphē or graphie...
, when he had sufficiently recovered, he went to New York City in 1854 and became connected with the Tribune as a reporter. He also studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1859. The following eighteen years were devoted to literary and journalistic work. In 1872, he began the study of Egyptian antiquities and visited the principal libraries of the United States and Canada. Wilbour also owned a major paper manufacturing company, which eventually involved him in the events leading to his voluntary self-exile. He obtained many city contracts apparently dealing with Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society...
in the heyday of the Tweed Ring. With the fall of William M. Tweed in the early 1870s, Wilbour decided to leave the United States. In 1874, he went abroad and spent much time consulting the archaeological treasures of the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
and the great libraries of the continent. He then became a co-laborer with Heinrich Karl Brugsch
Heinrich Karl Brugsch
Heinrich Karl Brugsch was a German Egyptologist, born in Berlin. He was associated with Auguste Mariette in his excavations at Memphis...
and Gaston Camille Charles Maspero in the field of Egyptology, accompanying the latter on five winter exploring expeditions up the Nile. In 1889 Mr. Wilbour continued to travel in Egypt, using his own dahabeeyah, or Nile boat. On a visit to Aswan he purchased some papyrii dug up on the island of Elephantine by local people. He did not realise the importance of his find and when he died in a hotel in Paris his belongings, including the papyrii, were put in storage by the hotel and not returned to his family for nearly half a century. At the request of his widow, they were donated to the Brooklyn Museum.
Wilbour published "Rachel in the New World", from the French of Leon Beauvallet, with John W. Palmer (New York, 1856); and translated Victor Hugo's Les Miserables
Les Misérables
Les Misérables , translated variously from the French as The Miserable Ones, The Wretched, The Poor Ones, The Wretched Poor, or The Victims), is an 1862 French novel by author Victor Hugo and is widely considered one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century...
(1862–1863); he also published The Life of Jesus, from the French of Ernest Renan
Ernest Renan
Ernest Renan was a French expert of Middle East ancient languages and civilizations, philosopher and writer, devoted to his native province of Brittany...
(1863).
His wife, Charlotte Beebee, was born in Norwich, Connecticut
Norwich, Connecticut
Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...
, on March 2, 1830, was educated in Wilbraham, Massachusetts
Wilbraham, Massachusetts
Wilbraham is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is also a suburb of the City of Springfield, Massachusetts and part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,868 at the 2010 census...
, and married Mr. Wilbour on January 18, 1858. She was elected president of Sorosis
Sorosis
Sorosis was the first professional women's club in the United States. The club was organized in New York City with 12 members in March 1868, by Jane Cunningham Croly...
in 1870 and five times re-elected. She was a founder of the club, devoted much time and thought to securing for it a permanent foundation, and was instrumental in organizing the Association for the Advancement of Women that was formed by it in 1873. She instituted lectures on health and dress reform, suggested and aided in preparing entertainments for various purposes, and assisted many women in obtaining public recognition. Despite living outside America, she maintained her interest in the elevation of her sex and sought every opportunity to labour for it.
Legacy
The Wilbour Library of Egyptology in the Brooklyn MuseumBrooklyn Museum
The Brooklyn Museum is an encyclopedia art museum located in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. At 560,000 square feet, the museum holds New York City's second largest art collection with roughly 1.5 million works....
is named for him as is Wilbour Hall and the Charles Edwin Wilbour Professorship at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
.
External links
- Charles Edwin Wilbour at Findagrave
- Rose, Mark, "Wilbour's Legacy", ArchaeologyArchaeology (magazine)Archaeology is a bimonthly mainstream magazine about archaeology, published by the Archaeological Institute of America. Its focus is both for archaeologists and non-specialists alike. The magazine was launched in 1948, and is published six times a year....
, August 18, 2005