Samuel Barker (Hebraist) facts for kids
Samuel Barker (born 1686, died 1759) was an English expert in the Hebrew language. He was known for his scholarly writings and his work on Hebrew grammar.
A Look at Samuel Barker's Life
Samuel Barker was born in 1686. His father was Augustin Barker from South Luffenham, and his mother was Thomasyn Tryst. Samuel inherited the title of Lord of the Manor of Lyndon, Rutland. This meant he owned a large estate and had certain rights and responsibilities in that area. He received this title from his father's cousin, Sir Thomas Barker.
Samuel went to Wadham College at the University of Oxford in 1704. He finished his studies and earned his first degree in 1708.
In 1717, Samuel married Sarah Whiston. Sarah was the daughter of William Whiston, a famous translator. William Whiston was known for translating the works of Josephus, an ancient historian. William Whiston even lived with Samuel and Sarah at Lyndon Hall later in his life.
Samuel and Sarah had a son named Thomas Barker (born 1722, died 1809). Thomas became very famous for studying weather and is sometimes called 'The father of meteorology'. Samuel's daughter-in-law, Ann Barker, was the sister of Gilbert White. Gilbert White was a famous naturalist who wrote about nature. Samuel also had a grandson, Samuel Barker Jr., who studied at Clare College at the University of Cambridge, just like his great-grandfather William Whiston.
Samuel Barker's Writings
Samuel Barker wrote several important books and papers in Latin. These were collected and published in one large book in 1761, after he had passed away. This collection also included a Hebrew grammar book, which he had worked on for a long time.
A writer named John Nichols once said that the Hebrew grammar book was something Samuel worked on when he was younger, during his free time.
Here are some of the topics Samuel Barker wrote about:
- Ancient Hebrew Poesy Restored (This was about old Hebrew poetry)
- On the Anacreontic songs (About a type of Greek poetry)
- On Greek accents (About how words are stressed in Greek)
- Ancient Ionic writings (About old Greek writings from the Ionian region)
- On consonant and vowel letters (About the letters used in languages)
- On the pronunciation of the Hebrew language (About how to speak Hebrew words correctly)
He also wrote a letter in 1723 to Joseph Wasse, a rector from Aynho, Northamptonshire. This letter was about a specific part of an ancient Greek inscription called the Sigeion inscription. You can find this letter in an old publication called the Biblioteca Literaria.
