Elihu Burritt Monument - New Marlborough, MA
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 42° 07.348 W 073° 13.855
18T E 646232 N 4664888
A monument to the blacksmith turned author, linguist, and peace activist Elihu Burritt is located along Route 57 in New Marlborough, MA.
Waymark Code: WMW27M
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 06/30/2017
Views: 1
A monument to peace activist Elihu Burritt contains a bronze plaque on an 8' high by 4' square stone column, flared at the base, and topped with an anvil. The plaque is inscribed:
1810 ELIHU BURRITT 1879
"THE LEARNED BLACKSMITH"
LINGUIST AND APOSTLE OF PEACE
ORGANIZER OF
"THE LEAGUE OF UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD"
AUTHOR OF THE "CONGRESS OF NATIONS"
ADVOCATE OF LOW RATE OCEAN POSTAGE
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FOLLOWED HIS TRADE AND STUDIED AT THE FORGE
IN NEW MARLBOROUGH - 1833
Elihu Burritt was born in New Britain, Connecticut in 1810. After his father's death in 1828, he apprenticed himself to a local blacksmith. Elihu studied mathematics by practicing mental exercises at the while working. He later developed a love of linguistics. A served as a translator of German. Governor Edward Everett gave Burritt the name, "Learned Blacksmith."
Burritt lectured throughout New England about the joy of learning. He then turned his attention to humanitarian causes for which he is famous: the abolition of slavery, the dignity of the American working man, and the cause of world peace. In pursuit of peace, Burritt worked with the leading legislators in the United States and Europe. In England he addressed 150 meetings on behalf of the League of Universal Brotherhood. He travelled 10,000 in America to speak against slavery. In 1847, he visited Ireland during the potato famine and made Americans aware of the plight of the Irish.
Burritt joined the fight to reduce the cost of sending mail across the ocean to one penny, down from 25 cents. President Abraham Lincoln appointed Burritt United States consul at Birmingham, England where he served ably for several years.
Burritt was the author of over 37 books and articles. In addition, he edited many books and was the editor of several serial publications. He retired to Connecticut in 1870 and died in 1879 at the age of 69.
Books by Elihu Burritt:
Elihu Burritt: A Memorial Volume Containing A Sketch Of His Life And Labors
A Walk from London to John O'Groat's
A Walk from London to Land's End and Back: With Notes by the Way
Walks in the Black Country and Its Green Border-Land
The Western and Eastern Questions of Europe
Elihu Burritt: Drawing Books Eighty-Five Years Ago
Sparks from the Anvil
Chips From Many Blocks
Voice from the Forge
A Plan of Brotherly Copartnership of the North and South, for the Peaceful Extinction of Slavery
Advocate of Peace, and Universal Brotherhood, Vols 1 - 7
Jonas Webb: His Life, Labours and Worth
Thoughts and Things at Home and Abroad
A Journal of a Visit of Three Days to Skibbereen and Its Neighbourhood
Lectures and Speeches
Old Burchell's Pocket for the Children
The Children of the Bible
A Sanskrit Handbook for the Fireside