Editor, publisher and historian John Clark Marshman, who brought out several of the earliest Indian journals and newspapers from Bengal, in Bengali and English, died on this day.

His parents were British Baptist missionaries who worked with William Carey in Serampore.

John grew up in the missionary community and spoke Bengali fluently.

In 1818, with his father Joshua Marshman, he launched Digdarshan, considered the first monthly magazine in Bengali.

This was followed soon by the weekly Samachar Darpan, considered one of the two first Bengali newspapers with Bengal Gazetti.

In 1821, the Baptist mission launched Friend of India. With John as its editor, it became a powerful voice, even outside India, and was an outspoken critic of the British government.

John contributed greatly to the Serampore press and though a layman, participated in the mission’s initiatives, especially in education. He supported Serampore College with his income.

His lives of his father, Carey and William Ward, the Serampore missionaries, and several histories of Bengal and India, are considered of great value. He received the C.S.I. (Companion of the Order of the Star of India) from Britain. He finally returned to England where he died.

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