William Quan Judge was born in Dublin, Ireland, on April 13, 1851. His family emigrated in 1864 to New York where he specialized in corporate law (New York State Bar, 1872). A co-founder with H. P. Blavatsky and Henry S. Olcott of The Theosophical Society in 1875, he later became General Secretary of its American Section and Vice President of the international Society. In this capacity he organized and presided over the Theosophical Congress at the World's Parliament of Religions held in Chicago during the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Through his writing and extensive lecturing around the United States, he helped make theosophy known and respected. He died in New York City on March 21, 1896 at the age of 44.