Jonathan Edwards | |
---|---|
First President of Washington & Jefferson College | |
In office April 4, 1866 – April 20, 1869 | |
Preceded by |
John W. Scott (Washington College) David Hunter Riddle (Jefferson College) |
Succeeded by | George P. Hays |
President of Hanover College | |
In office 1855–1857 | |
Preceded by | Thomas E. Thomas |
Succeeded by | James Wood |
Personal details | |
Born | July 19, 1817 Cincinnati, Ohio |
Died | July 13, 1891 Peoria, Illinois | (aged 73)
Alma mater | Hanover College |
Signature | |
Jonathan Edwards (1817–1891) was the first president of Washington & Jefferson College following the union of Washington College and Jefferson College. [1]
Edwards was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 19, 1817. [2] He graduated from Hanover College in 1835 and from Hanover's theological department in 1838. [1] Edwards taught in Kentucky from 1838 to 1842 before becoming ordained clergy in the Presbyterian Church in 1844. [1] He served as pastor at various churches in Ohio, Maryland, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Edwards served as the fifth president of Hanover College from 1855 through 1857. [1]
On April 4, 1866, Edwards was elected as the first president of the newly unified Washington & Jefferson College. [1] By the end of his presidency, the college was considering consolidating the two campuses, a direction Edwards supported. [1] Edwards resigned the presidency of W&J on April 20, 1869 to accept a pastoral charge in Baltimore. [1] He died in Peoria, Illinois on July 13, 1891. [1]