Daniel Neal facts for kids
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Daniel Neal (born December 14, 1678 – died April 4, 1743) was an English historian. He is best known for writing about the history of religious groups in England who were not part of the main church. His most famous work is The History of the Puritans.
Contents
Life and Work
Early Life and Education
Daniel Neal was born in London, England. He went to school at the Merchant Taylors' School. After that, he studied at universities in Utrecht and Leiden. These universities are both in the Netherlands.
Becoming a Minister
In 1704, Daniel Neal became an assistant minister. By 1706, he was the main minister for a church in London. This church was for an independent group of Christians. They first met on Aldersgate Street and later on Jewin Street. He served this church almost until he died. Daniel Neal married Elizabeth Lardner. They had one son, Nathanael, and two daughters.
Writing History Books
In 1720, Neal published his book called History of New England. This book was about the early history of the American colonies. It was so well-received that Harvard College in America gave him an honorary MA degree.
He also planned to help another writer, Dr. John Evans. They wanted to write a history of Nonconformity. Nonconformists were Protestants in England who did not follow the official Church of England. Sadly, Dr. Evans died in 1730. Daniel Neal then used Dr. Evans's notes for the early parts of the book. He wrote the rest of the book himself.
The History of the Puritans
This important book was called The History of the Puritans. It covered the time from the Protestant Reformation up to 1689. The first part of the book came out in 1732. The fourth and final part was published in 1738.
Some people did not agree with Neal's book. In 1733, Isaac Maddox, who later became a bishop, said the first volume was unfair. Neal wrote a pamphlet to answer these criticisms. It was called A Review of the principal facts objected to in the first volume of the History of the Puritans. Other parts of his book were criticized by Zachary Grey. Daniel Neal did not reply to Grey's comments.
Later, Dr. Joshua Toulmin edited The History of the Puritans. He added a story about Neal's life in 1797. This edition was printed again in 1817. Another version was published in New York in 1844.
