Henry Steel Olcott

Colonel Henry Steel Olcott (2 August 1832 - 17 February 1907) was an American military officer, journalist, lawyer and the co-founder and first President of the Theosophical Society. He was born in New Jersey and attended first the College of the City of New York and later Columbia University. He served in the US Army during the American Civil War and was later promoted to the rank of colonel and transferred to the Department of the Navy in Washington, DC. In 1874, he met Helena Blavatsky. His foundational interest in the Spiritualist movement and his budding relationship with Blavatsky helped foster his development of spiritual philosophy. He publicly converted to Buddhism on May 25, 1880. His conversion is considered the first among American and European Buddhists. From 1874 on, his spiritual growth and development with Blavatsky and other spiritual leaders would lead to the founding of the Theosophical Society.