author
B. F. (Benjamin Franklin) DeCosta
1831–1904
A 19th-century Episcopal clergyman who brought the drama of early exploration and American history to a wide readership. His books range from Norse voyages to local history, showing a lifelong fascination with how the past was discovered, argued over, and remembered.
1 Audiobook
The Pre-Columbian Discovery of America by the Northmen Illustrated by Translations from Icelandic Sagas
by B. F. (Benjamin Franklin) DeCosta
About the author
Born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1831, Benjamin Franklin DeCosta was an American clergyman and historical writer. He studied at the Biblical Institute in Concord, New Hampshire, entered the Episcopal ministry, and served in several church posts before becoming especially known for his historical work.
DeCosta wrote with a strong interest in early exploration and the origins of American history. Among his best-known books are The Pre-Columbian Discovery of America by the Northmen and Lake George: Its Scenery and Characteristics, works that reflect both his curiosity about the distant past and his talent for making history readable.
He died in 1904 in New York City. Today he is remembered as one of those energetic 19th-century writers who moved comfortably between religious life, scholarship, and popular history.