Thomas Oliphant

Thomas "Tom" Oliphant is an American journalist who was the Washington correspondent and a columnist for the Boston Globe.

Life and career

Oliphant was born in Brooklyn, New York. He graduated from La Jolla High School in California and in 1967 from Harvard University.

In 1968 he joined the Boston Globe. During his career with the newspaper, he served as its Washington correspondent and reported on ten Presidential campaigns. The Boys on the Bus, Timothy Crouse's account of the 1972 United States presidential campaign, included Oliphant as one of the prominent journalists among "the boys" covering the campaign.

Oliphant was one of three editors who managed The Globe's coverage of school desegregation in Boston, work which won a 1975 Pulitzer Prize, and he was a finalist in 1980 in the category of Editorial Writing. He also received a writing award from the American Society of Newspaper Editors.

In March 2005, Oliphant suffered a brain aneurysm. His account of the experience and his recovery appeared in The Globe on June 5, 2005, At the end of 2005, he was one of 32 Globe staff members who accepted a retirement buyout package from the New York Times Company, owner of The Globe.

Thomas Oliphant (lyricist)

Thomas Oliphant (1799–1873) was a Scottish musician, artist and author whose works were well known in their day. He wrote the chorale for the wedding of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. Oliphant wrote the words to "Deck the Hall(s) with Boughs of Holly".

Family Background

Thomas was the fifth son of Ebenezer Oliphant, 7th of Condie and Mary, 3rd daughter of Sir William Stirling, Bt. of Ardoch, Perth and Kinross. Thomas was baptised at Forgandenny on Christmas Day in 1799.

Oliphant was closely related to Carolina Oliphant, Lady Nairne. Oliphant had a total of six brothers and sisters. His eldest brother was Laurence Oliphant, 8th of Condie, Member of Parliament for Perth from 1832 to 1837. Another older brother, Sir Anthony Oliphant, was Chief Justice of Ceylon. A third brother, Lt. Col. James Oliphant, was Chairman of the Honourable East India Company and it is from this brother that the present chiefly line of Oliphants descend. Thomas died unmarried on 9 March 1873 in Great Marlborough Street.