John Danforth
John Danforth was a notable figure in early American history, born in the early 1660s into a distinguished colonial family in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Following in the footsteps of his father, a respected pastor, Danforth graduated from Harvard University in 1677 and became the pastor of Dorchester in 1682. He married Elizabeth Minot that same year, with whom he had three sons. Highly educated, Danforth was not only a clergyman but also a scholar with interests in mathematics, literature, and science. He is particularly remembered for his contributions to poetry, writing elegies, epitaphs, and sermons that reflected his community's values. His work often intermingled with his public service, showcasing his belief in the power of poetry to convey moral and spiritual messages. Danforth had a strong admiration for classical poets and maintained connections with his contemporaries in clerical poetry. He passed away in 1730 at the age of sixty-nine, leaving behind a legacy that highlighted the dual roles of poet and pastor in colonial society.
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John Danforth
Poet
- Born: November 8, 1660
- Birthplace: Roxbury, Massachusetts
- Died: May 26, 1730
- Place of death: Dorchester, Massachusetts
Biography
John Danforth was born into one of the premier colonial families in the early 1660’s. His father, Samuel, was a respected pastor, his uncle, a governor, and his younger brother, Samuel Danforth II, went on to become a minister as well. Born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, where his father preached, John Danforth followed in his father’s footsteps by enrolling at Harvard University and graduated in 1677. He stayed on as a fellow of the college before being ordained as pastor of Dorchester in 1682. Later that same year Danforth wed Elizabeth Minot and the two had three sons.
A well-educated man in several disciplines, Danforth was a scholar of math, literature, and science. He even traveled to Dighton Rock to transcribe the mysterious carvings there, and made an effort to interpret them. However, Danforth made his mark in the field of poetry, where he wrote elegies, epitaphs, and sermons to better serve the community he presided over. He was noted for his fondness for classical poets such as Virgil, and for communal clerical poets such as Edward Taylor and Samuel Sewall, whom he associated with closely. John Danforth’s publications spanned a solid thirty years, and he was known for intertwining his public service with his poetry, sometimes using his work as a basis for his preaching. He died in 1730 at the relatively old age of sixty-nine.