Difference between revisions of "John Witherspoon"

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'''John Witherspoon''' (February 5 1723 – November 15 1794) was a minister, college president, and member of the [[Continental Congress]].  
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'''John Witherspoon''' (February 5, 1723 – November 15, 1794) was a minister, college president, and member of the [[Continental Congress]].  
  
==Early Life==
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==Early life==
 
Witherspoon was born in Gifford, East Lothian, [[Scotland]] in February 1722. At the age of fourteen he attended the University of Edinburgh, and when he was twenty-one he followed in his father's footsteps and became a [[Church of Scotland]] minister.
 
Witherspoon was born in Gifford, East Lothian, [[Scotland]] in February 1722. At the age of fourteen he attended the University of Edinburgh, and when he was twenty-one he followed in his father's footsteps and became a [[Church of Scotland]] minister.
  
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Witherspoon wrote an acclaimed theological series while installed as pastor, first at Beith, Ayrshire, and then as  minister of the ''Laigh Kirk'' ("Low Church") in [[Paisley]]. In 1766, he declined his election to the presidency of the [[Princeton University|College of New Jersey (now University)]] in the American Colonies because his wife, Elizabeth Montgomery, was reluctant to leave [[Scotland]]. However, due to the influence of friends, the family decided to move to the Colonies to accept the job offer in August 1768.<ref>http://etcweb.princeton.edu/CampusWWW/Companion/witherspoon_john.html</ref>
 
Witherspoon wrote an acclaimed theological series while installed as pastor, first at Beith, Ayrshire, and then as  minister of the ''Laigh Kirk'' ("Low Church") in [[Paisley]]. In 1766, he declined his election to the presidency of the [[Princeton University|College of New Jersey (now University)]] in the American Colonies because his wife, Elizabeth Montgomery, was reluctant to leave [[Scotland]]. However, due to the influence of friends, the family decided to move to the Colonies to accept the job offer in August 1768.<ref>http://etcweb.princeton.edu/CampusWWW/Companion/witherspoon_john.html</ref>
  
He was inaugurated to the position of president of Princeton Collage in 1774, and contributed a significant amount of books to the university's library. One of Witherspoon's greatest contributions during his tenure as president was his endeavor to unite the [[Presbyterian Church]] in [[America]].
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He was inaugurated to the position of president of Princeton College in 1774, and contributed a significant amount of books to the university's library. One of Witherspoon's greatest contributions during his tenure as president was his endeavor to unite the [[Presbyterian Church]] in [[America]].
  
 
==Continental Congress==
 
==Continental Congress==
His involvement in politics began during his time serving as president of Princeton, where he wrote numerous articles criticizing British rule in America.  On June 22, 1776, after taking part as a member of the Provincial congress in the overthrow of the authority of the royal governor, William Franklin, Witherspoon was elected to represent [[New Jersey]] in the Continental congress.<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/witherspoon.htm</ref>
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His involvement in politics began during his time serving as president of Princeton, where he wrote numerous articles criticizing British rule in America.  On June 22, 1776, after taking part as a member of the Provincial congress in the overthrow of the authority of the royal governor, William Franklin, Witherspoon was elected to represent [[New Jersey]] in the [[Second Continental Congress]].<ref>http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/witherspoon.htm</ref>
  
He was a strong advocate of the [[Declaration of Independence]] and grew impatient as congress members debated the merits of the document. Witherspoon voted affirmative for independence on July 2, 1776. Five months later the British burned his library to the ground.
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He was a strong advocate of the [[Declaration of Independence]] and grew impatient as congress members debated the merits of the document. Witherspoon voted affirmative for independence on July 2, 1776. During the British occupation, they took over large parts of New Jersey, including Princeton and surrounding areas.  During this time, they deliberately vandalized buildings at the college and burned its library to the ground.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=xaMwDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA290 John Witherspoon's American Revolution]</ref>  In the waning hours of the [[Battle of Princeton]], British forces barricaded themselves in Nassau Hall.  It took Witherspoon years to rebuild the college after the battles ended.<ref>[https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Presbyterians/BQpN_G2h4TEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA213 The Presbyterians]</ref>
  
==Later Life==
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After the [[Battle of Germantown]] in 1777, Witherspoon received the sad news that his son James, a major in the Continental Army, had been killed.<ref>[https://www.google.com/books/edition/Proceedings_and_Collections/l57g55sRMjYC?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA43 Proceedings and Collections], Wyoming Historical Society</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Battle_of_Germantown/7Kg-AAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA55 The Battle of Germantown]</ref><ref>[https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Piety_of_John_Witherspoon/AzWyLklnT24C?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA211 The Piety of John Witherspoon]</ref>
In 1779, after more then six years and service in more than one hundred committees, Witherspoon voluntarily retired from his seat in the Continental Congress. He was persuaded to return to Congress in 1780, but at the close of 1782, he again retired from political life.
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==See Also==
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==Later life==
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In 1779, after more than six years and service in more than one hundred committees, Witherspoon voluntarily retired from his seat in the Continental Congress. He was persuaded to return to Congress in 1780, but at the close of 1782, he again retired from political life.
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 +
==Quotes==
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* "Some nations have given parents the power of life and death over their children....... We have denied the power of life and death to parents." - Lectures on Moral Authority: Relation of Parents and Children<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=6wArAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA91 The Works of John Witherspoon, D.D.], pp. 91-92</ref>
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==See also==
 
* [[William Houston]]
 
* [[William Houston]]
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
<references/>
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{{reflist|1}}
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==External links==
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* [https://archive.org/details/lecturesonmoralp00withrich Lectures on Moral Philosophy]
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* [https://oll.libertyfund.org/pages/1776-witherspoon-dominion-of-providence-over-the-passions-of-men-sermon The dominion of Providence over the passions of men]
  
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[[Category: Founding Fathers]]
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[[Category:Founding Fathers]]
 
[[Category:Religion and Politics]]
 
[[Category:Religion and Politics]]
 
[[Category:Presbyterians]]
 
[[Category:Presbyterians]]

Latest revision as of 22:38, March 25, 2020

Founding Fathers
Witherspoon.jpg
John Witherspoon
State New Jersey
Religion Christian- Presbyterian [1]
Founding Documents Declaration of Independence,
Articles of Confederation


John Witherspoon (February 5, 1723 – November 15, 1794) was a minister, college president, and member of the Continental Congress.

Early life

Witherspoon was born in Gifford, East Lothian, Scotland in February 1722. At the age of fourteen he attended the University of Edinburgh, and when he was twenty-one he followed in his father's footsteps and became a Church of Scotland minister.

Career

Witherspoon wrote an acclaimed theological series while installed as pastor, first at Beith, Ayrshire, and then as minister of the Laigh Kirk ("Low Church") in Paisley. In 1766, he declined his election to the presidency of the College of New Jersey (now University) in the American Colonies because his wife, Elizabeth Montgomery, was reluctant to leave Scotland. However, due to the influence of friends, the family decided to move to the Colonies to accept the job offer in August 1768.[2]

He was inaugurated to the position of president of Princeton College in 1774, and contributed a significant amount of books to the university's library. One of Witherspoon's greatest contributions during his tenure as president was his endeavor to unite the Presbyterian Church in America.

Continental Congress

His involvement in politics began during his time serving as president of Princeton, where he wrote numerous articles criticizing British rule in America. On June 22, 1776, after taking part as a member of the Provincial congress in the overthrow of the authority of the royal governor, William Franklin, Witherspoon was elected to represent New Jersey in the Second Continental Congress.[3]

He was a strong advocate of the Declaration of Independence and grew impatient as congress members debated the merits of the document. Witherspoon voted affirmative for independence on July 2, 1776. During the British occupation, they took over large parts of New Jersey, including Princeton and surrounding areas. During this time, they deliberately vandalized buildings at the college and burned its library to the ground.[4] In the waning hours of the Battle of Princeton, British forces barricaded themselves in Nassau Hall. It took Witherspoon years to rebuild the college after the battles ended.[5]

After the Battle of Germantown in 1777, Witherspoon received the sad news that his son James, a major in the Continental Army, had been killed.[6][7][8]

Later life

In 1779, after more than six years and service in more than one hundred committees, Witherspoon voluntarily retired from his seat in the Continental Congress. He was persuaded to return to Congress in 1780, but at the close of 1782, he again retired from political life.

Quotes

  • "Some nations have given parents the power of life and death over their children....... We have denied the power of life and death to parents." - Lectures on Moral Authority: Relation of Parents and Children[9]

See also

References

External links