John Lloyd Stephens

John Lloyd Stevens (November 28, 1805 - October 13, 1852) was an American explorer, writer, and diplomat. Stevens was a key figure in the rediscovery of the Mayan civilization throughout Central America and in the planning of the Panama Railway. John Lloyd Stevens was born on November 28, 1805, in the town of Shrewsbury, New Jersey. He was the second son of Benjamin Stevens, a successful New Jersey merchant, and Clemens Lloyd, daughter of a prominent local judge. The following year, the family moved to New York. There, Stevens was educated in classics at two private schools. At the age of 13, he entered Columbia College, where he graduated in his class four years later, in 1822. After a year of law study with a lawyer, he attended law school in Lichfield. After completing the course of study, he passed the exam for a lawyer and practiced in New York. Stevens traveled to Europe in 1834 and traveled to Egypt and the Levant, returning home in 1836. He later wrote several popular books about his travels and explorations.