pic: Internet
Tribute to Satyanand Stokes on his Birth Anniversary. In Indian history he was the only american citizen to participate in freedom struggle.
He was Samuel/Sathyanand Stokes. Samuel Evans Stokes Jr son of Samuel Evans Stokes sr was born in Philadelphia in USA in 16 August 1882 into a Quaker family. His father ran a successful business Stokes and Parish Machine Company.
His father wanted him to run business but he wasn’t interested as he believed his life for greater purpose. In 1904 he moved to India where he led a life of an ascetic.He selflessly served leper colony of Subah near Shimla in Himachal Pradesh .
His service was appreciated by locals and Archbishop of Canterbury asked him to be part of Francisian Friars the wandering monk order where he served for two years. Later he married Agnes in 1912 a first generation christian in that area and bought farm land from his family fortune.
He in 1913 wrote a book historical characters of Gospel which was later reprinted london in same year titled Gospel according to Jews and Pagans.
He bought new stains of apple developed by stark brothers in Louisiana. He cultivated it and it had a bumper harvest in 1916. with the help of exporters in Delhi he exported it and made a fortune later the apple cultivation reinvigorated agriculture in that region of Himachal pradesh.
In 1921 he participated in freedom movement along with Lala Lajpat Rai and was arrested in sedition charges. He later participated in freedom struggle full time. He also helped many individuals.
He wrote book titled Failure of European Civilization as a world culture was critical about Colonialism.
In 1932 after death of his son He became practicing hindu by changing his name from Samuel to Sathyanand. He later continued his social work. He contracted illness in 1940s and breathed last in 14 may 1946.
His books Arjuna the story of an Indian boy,Sathyakama,National self realisation are other popular works by him.
His Apple cultivation put Himachal pradesh in global apple map as one of the largest apple producer in India.
Thus let’s remember the individual farmer and one of the finest human.
-Tribute by Srikaanth Sridhar
Srikaanth Sridhar
Latest posts by Srikaanth Sridhar (see all)
- Tribute to Satyanand Stokes - 2026/08/16
- Tribute to Shri Aurobindo - 2026/08/15
- Vision for Stronger India - 2026/08/15