John Thomas

John Thomas (1757-1801) was originally from Gloucestershire, Thomas was converted under the ministry of Samuel Stennett at Little Wild Street, London. He was trained as a surgeon and served a brief term as a missionary in India in the 1780s, during which time he acquired considerable proficiency in Bengali. His inability to remain financially stable forced his return to England in 1792, after which he met Carey, with whom he returned to India in 1793 under the auspices of the BMS.  Financial difficulties continued to plague Thomas, forcing both Thomas and Carey, through the assistance of Robert Udney, an indigo agent for the East India Company, to become managers of indigo plantations at Mudnabatty, Malda.  Thomas died shortly after he and Carey moved to Serampore to establish the new mission there. Before his death, however, Thomas was instrumental in the conversion of Krishna Pal, the first Hindu convert for the mission. See DEB.