Theodore N. Danforth Jr.

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Theodore N. Danforth, Jr. died peacefully at home in New York City on Easter Sunday 2026.

Ted survived glioblastoma for over twelve years before succumbing to it. He is survived by his spouse and loving partner of forty eight years James Fredrikson and his sisters Alexandra Danforth, Laura Danforth, Florence Danforth – Meyer and his brother Bryan Danforth. He was born in New York City in 1951 to Theodore Danforth and Isabel Bryan. He graduated from the Hill School, Hamilton College, and studied comparative literature at Columbia University.

He was president for two years of the Academy of American Poets and served on the board for ten. He was a member of Fisher’s Island Yacht Club, Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, The New York Yacht Club, and The Grolier Club. 

Ted and his partner James Fredrikson published limited edition chap books through Seacliff Press including the work of James Merrill, W.H. Auden, George Bradley, and John Ashbery. These are included in the collections of The Museum of Modern Art, The Pompidou Center, The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, The Morgan Library, The Library of Congress, the rare books department of the New York Public Library, and the New York University Bobst Fales Special Collection. Ted also wrote, illustrated, and published The Eastern Question: A Geopolitical History in 2015 which grew out of his long time interest in the Silk Road.

The family would like to thank Leon Albert for his care and loving devotion to Ted.

Please honor his memory with an act of kindness.