Author; born at
Shrewsbury, N. J., Nov. 28, 1805; graduated at Columbia College in 1822; studied at the Litchfield Law School, and practised in New York.
From 1834 to 1836 he was in
Europe, and went to
Egypt and into
Arabia and the
Holy Land.
He travelled in
Greece,
Turkey,
Russia, and
Poland, and published accounts of incidents of travel in those countries.
In 1839 he was appointed special ambassador to
Central America, when he explored the ancient ruins in that country.
On his return he published
Incidents of travel in Central America, Chiapa, and Yucatan (2 volumes). In 1842 he again visited that region and made further investigations, and in 1843 he published
Incidents of travel in Yucatan.
All of his works were very popular, those on the antiquities of
Yucatan having acquired an enormous sale.
They are regarded as the richest contributions on the subject of American antiquities ever made by one man.
Frederic Catherwood accompanied
Mr. Stephens, and made numerous drawings for the books.
Mr. Stephens was a director of the Ocean Steam Navigation Company.
He was also president of the Panama Railroad Company, and was active in the construction of the road.
In the constitutional convention of the
State of New York (1846)
Mr. Stephens was a delegate from the
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city of New York.
He died in New York City, Oct. 12, 1852.
