Princeton University - Bric A Brac Yearbook (Princeton, NJ)

Page 16 text:

AARON BURR PRESIDENT 1748-1757 UPON the death of Jonathan Dickinson, Aaron Burr, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Newark, was elected to head the College of New Jersey, and the students were moved from Elizabeth Town to his parsonage. Burr, a Yale graduate of the Class of 1734 and a native of Pairield, Connecticut, was one of the ablest young men in the Presbyterian ministry. O'n November 9, 1748 he made his inaugural address at the first commencement exer- cises before a graduating class of siX. It was Burr, even more than Dickinson, who launched the college upon its career, for he drew up its first entrance requirements, organized its iirst course of study, adopted a code of rules, secured the funds for Nassau Hall as well as tlae President's house, and supervised their erection. The students were removed from Newark to Princeton in the fall of 1756, but Burr did not long survive to guide their studies. He died on October 7, 1757, while still a com- paratively young man. 'S'

Page 15 text:

ff' IONATHAN DICKINSON PRESIDENT 1747 PRINCETON is indebted to New England for its Hrst President, for Jonathan Dickinson was born at Hat- field, Massachusetts in 1688 and graduated from Yale in 1706. Coming to Elizabeth Town, New Jersey while still a mere lad, he continued as pastor of the church there for thirty-eight years. A devoted pastor, an eloquent preacher, a learned theologian, he became a leader in the Presbyterian Church of the Middle Colonies. Thus when the College of New Jersey was founded, he was the logical choice for the Presidency. ln May, 1747, a group of twenty students gathered at Elizabeth Town to take up their residence in the parsonage, but their studies were interrupted five months later by the death of their President. Although Dickinson had not had time to organize the college or to begin a permanent build- ing, he will always be honored not only as the Hrst President of Princeton, but as one of the most active of its founders.

Page 17 text:

T116 1987 Bric:a:Brac Peefzefemf of Ike College of New feng! emez' Pifmeelon U nzbferfzbf College Founded in 1746 Became a University in 1896 Accessus Exitus XREV. JONATHAN DICKINSON, Dk TJOHN MacLEAN. A.B., A.M. XREV. AARON BURR, A.B., A.M. XREV. JONATHAN EDWARDS, A.B., A.M. AFREV. SAMUEL DAVIES, A.M. YSAMUEL EINLEY, D.D. QKJOHN WITHERSPOON, A.M., D.D., LL.D. SETSAMUEL S. SMITH, A.M., D.D., LL.D. XTASHBELL GREEN, A.B., D.D., LL.D. ,WJ AMES CARNAHAN, A.B., D.D., LL.D. gk Deceased 'I' Resigned 1 Pro Tempore 1747 1747 1748 1757 1758 1758 1759 1761 1761 1767 1768 1794 1795 1811 1812 1822 1823 1853 A.B., A.M., D.D., LL.D. YTJAMES MCCOSH, A.M., D.D., LL.D., Litt.D. XTPRANCIS L. PATTON, A.M., D.D., LL.D. XTWOODROW WILSON, A.M., Ph.D., Litt.D., LL.D YTQTJOHN A. STEWART, A.M., LL.D. XTJOHN G. HIBBEN, A.M., Ph.D., LL.D. iEDWARD D. DUFPIELD, A.M., LL.D. HAROLD W. DODDS, A.M., Ph.D., LL.D., Litt.D. Accessus 1854 1868 1888 1902 1910 1912 1932 1933 Exitus 1868 1888 1902 1910 1912 1932 1933