A Boston Family’s Treasured Bible Comes Home — 318 Years Later

Descendant of 18th-Century Sea Captain Donates Heirloom

The above headline and subhead were atop an article that ran on the front page of the Boston Globe’s Metro section on August 20, 2026. The article by Brian MacQuarrie told the tale of tour guide Ben Edwards’ donation to the New England Historic Genealogical Society / American Ancestors of the Bible that once belonged to his sixth-great-grandfather Captain Benjamin Edwards of Boston. The 800-page Bible, printed in London in 1708, is now the oldest in the collections of the NEHGS containing records of a colonial Boston family. Ben’s gift of the Bible included a check for $10,000 to cover the extensive conservation work it required. That work (about 50 hours) was performed by American Ancestors’ conservator Todd Pattison.

The Bible in now in the Special Collections of the New England Historic Genealogical Society and can be viewed by appointment in controlled, supervised conditions. Photos from one of those visits are seen below. You can access the online version of the article here. Boston Globe subscription required.