Wolff, Joseph, 1795-1862
Person
Joseph Wolff (1795-1862) was a Christian missionary to the Jewish people. Born into the Jewish faith to David and Sarah Wolff, he took an interest in Christianity and spent his early years learning about the faith, eventually being baptized into Catholicism in 1812. He began studying theology and oriental languages in Vienna and then in Germany at the University of Tubingen in 1815. Ultimately, Wolff was accomplished in 14 languages and an expert in 6. In 1816, he became a student at Collegio Romano in Rome, but was later expelled on account of his criticisms against his professors and the Catholic doctrine of infallibility. After joining the Church of England, he resumed his studies at Cambridge University to become a missionary.
Starting in 1821, he began his missionary travels, becoming the first modern missionary to reach out to the Jews in Jerusalem. Joseph Wolff went on five major missionary trips throughout his life:
1821-1826 To Palestine, Egypt, the Sinaitic Peninsula, Mesopotamia, Persia, the Crimea, Georgia, and the Ottoman Empire.
1826-1830 To England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Germany, the Mediterranean, Malta, the Greek Islands, Egypt, Jerusalem, and Cyprus.
1831-1834 To Turkey, Persia, Turkestan, Bokhara, Balkh, Afghanistan, Cashmere, Hindustan, and the Red Sea.
1835-1838 Gibraltar, Malta, Egypt, Mt. Sinai, Jiddah, Masowah (Africa), Kamazien, Tigre, Abyssinia, Bombay, St. Helena, the United States (New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D. C. , and possibly more), and England.
1843-1845 To Bokhara and Constantinople.
Upon his return to England after his first missionary journey, he met Lady Georgiana Mary Walpole, of British nobility, whom he married in 1827. Later he traveled to the United States in 1837 where he was ordained as a deacon in Newark, New Jersey and received his D. D. from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. During this time he also delivered a sermon before the United States Congress and met with President Martin Van Buren. In 1838, he was ordained as a priest in the Church of England and made rector of Linthwaite, Yorkshire; receiving an LL. D. from the University of Dublin the same year. In 1845, he was made the vicar of Isle Brewers in Somerset, England.
Throughout his life, he published the journals he kept during his travels as well as other works about his experiences.
Following Georgiana Wolff’s death in 1859, Joseph married his second wife, Louisa Decima King, in 1861. While planning another missionary journey, Joseph Wolff died on May 2, 1862.
Starting in 1821, he began his missionary travels, becoming the first modern missionary to reach out to the Jews in Jerusalem. Joseph Wolff went on five major missionary trips throughout his life:
1821-1826 To Palestine, Egypt, the Sinaitic Peninsula, Mesopotamia, Persia, the Crimea, Georgia, and the Ottoman Empire.
1826-1830 To England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Germany, the Mediterranean, Malta, the Greek Islands, Egypt, Jerusalem, and Cyprus.
1831-1834 To Turkey, Persia, Turkestan, Bokhara, Balkh, Afghanistan, Cashmere, Hindustan, and the Red Sea.
1835-1838 Gibraltar, Malta, Egypt, Mt. Sinai, Jiddah, Masowah (Africa), Kamazien, Tigre, Abyssinia, Bombay, St. Helena, the United States (New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D. C. , and possibly more), and England.
1843-1845 To Bokhara and Constantinople.
Upon his return to England after his first missionary journey, he met Lady Georgiana Mary Walpole, of British nobility, whom he married in 1827. Later he traveled to the United States in 1837 where he was ordained as a deacon in Newark, New Jersey and received his D. D. from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. During this time he also delivered a sermon before the United States Congress and met with President Martin Van Buren. In 1838, he was ordained as a priest in the Church of England and made rector of Linthwaite, Yorkshire; receiving an LL. D. from the University of Dublin the same year. In 1845, he was made the vicar of Isle Brewers in Somerset, England.
Throughout his life, he published the journals he kept during his travels as well as other works about his experiences.
Following Georgiana Wolff’s death in 1859, Joseph married his second wife, Louisa Decima King, in 1861. While planning another missionary journey, Joseph Wolff died on May 2, 1862.
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
Joseph Wolff Papers
Accession
Identifier: Collection 381