Olcott, Henry Steel

Comprehensive Theosophical Dictionary

Terms (+) • Literature (+) • Persons (+) • Periodicals (+) • Sources

H A L P S

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Henry Steel Olcott

1832-1907

Henry Steel Olcott

(English: Henry Steel Olcott)

(2 August 1832 − 17 February 1907)

American agriculturist, military officer, journalist and lawyer; President-Founder of The Theosophical Society, together with H. P. Blavatsky, in 1875, and its first and life-long President (1875-1907). His contribution towards the revival of Buddhism in Ceylon is one of the most significant by-products of his Theosophical activity, the repercussions of which are heard even today in various parts of the Buddhist world.  (BCW 1:503-518).
The bibliography lists People from the Other World (1875), the first series of Old Diary Leaves (1895; second edition, 1941), and the original daily diaries preserved in the Adyar Archives.  (BCW 2:538).
The bibliography includes his diaries from 1878 onward, preserved in the Adyar Archives, Buddhist Catechism (1881), Theosophy, Religion and Occult Science (1885), and Old Diary Leaves (1895; second edition, Adyar, 1941).  (BCW 3:516).
Zirkoff lists his Buddhist Catechism (Colombo, 1881), translation of Adolphe d’Assier’s Posthumous Humanity, and six-volume history of the Theosophical Society, Old Diary Leaves (1895-1935).  (BCW 5:379).
De Zirkoff lists A Buddhist Catechism (1881), People from the Other World (1875), the six volumes of Old Diary Leaves, and thirty volumes of diaries preserved in the Adyar archives.  (BCW 6:442).
Bibliographical references include: Old Diary Leaves. The True History of The Theosophical Society. Vol. I. New York and London: G. P. Putnam’s Sons; Madras: The Theosophist, 1895. x, 2, 491 pp. pl  (BCW 9:446).
The bibliography lists the second and third series of Old Diary Leaves, published in 1900 and 1904 respectively  (BCW 10:426).
Served as secretary of the National Insurance Convention in New York in 1871 and compiled its two-volume official report with his own prefaces. On page 124 of the first volume he pencilled a note that he had been paid $5,000.  (B. de Zirkoff, BCW 3:13)

Assumed legal and editorial responsibility for The Theosophist on 1 November 1887. On 23 December he began transferring books to the new Adyar Library premises; the first book transferred was Isis Unveiled.  (B. de Zirkoff, BCW 8:xxii-xxiii)

Some links:

Quotes: Zirkoff, Boris
CTD article in Russian: Олкотт, Генри Стил
Theosophy Wiki: Henry Steel Olcott
Other resources: Theosophy World Encyclopedia

Mentions

Mentioned in:

DATA

To show: Henry Steel Olcott; sortable: Olcott, Henry Steel
Person's short name: H. S. Olcott; sortable: Olcott, H. S.; for categories: Olcott H.S.
Lifetime: 1832-1907
Shortly: American agriculturist, military officer, journalist and lawyer; President-Founder of The Theosophic...