Thomas Harrison (translator) facts for kids

Thomas Harrison (born 1555 in London, died 1631) was an English scholar. He was a Puritan, which meant he followed a strict form of Protestant Christianity. Harrison was a Vice-Master at Trinity College, Cambridge, and played an important role as one of the translators for the famous King James Version of the Bible.

Early Life and Learning

Thomas Harrison was born in London in 1555. When he was about 15 years old, in 1570, he started attending Merchant Taylors' School. Later, in 1573, he went to Trinity College, Cambridge, which is a very old and famous university. He worked hard and earned his first degree (a Bachelor of Arts) in 1577.

While he was at Cambridge, his excellent studies caught the attention of William Whitaker, another important scholar. Harrison became a Fellow and a tutor at Trinity College. This meant he was a senior member of the college and taught students there.

A Puritan Scholar

Harrison was known for being a Puritan. Puritans were a group of Protestants who wanted to make the Church of England simpler and more "pure." In 1589, he attended a special meeting (called a synod) at St. John's College, along with another well-known Puritan, Thomas Cartwright.

He was also very skilled in the Hebrew language, which is the original language of much of the Old Testament in the Bible. Because of his knowledge, he was called a Christian Hebraist.

Translating the King James Bible

One of Thomas Harrison's most important contributions was his work on the King James Version of the Bible. This version of the Bible is still widely used today. He was part of a group of scholars known as the First Cambridge Company. These scholars worked together to translate parts of the Bible from its original languages into English.

For the last 20 years of his life, Harrison served as the Vice-Prefect of Trinity College. This was a high position, similar to a vice-principal, helping to manage the college.

Later Years and Legacy

Thomas Harrison passed away in 1631. He was buried with respect in the chapel of Trinity College. After his death, a book was written in Latin to honor him by Caleb Dalechamp. The book was called Harrisonus Honoratus and included a short story of his life and some poems.