Jacob Green (pastor)
President of Princeton University | |
---|---|
In office 1758–1759 | |
Preceded by | Jonathan Edwards |
Succeeded by | Samuel Davies |
Delegate for Morris County to the Provincial Congress of New Jersey | |
In office June 1776 – August 1776 | |
Personal details | |
Born | February 2, 1722 Hanover, New Jersey |
Resting place | Hanover Presbyterian Church Cemetery |
Spouse(s) |
Anna Strong
(m. 1747; died 1756)Elizabeth Pierson (m. 1757) |
Relations | Jacob Green (father) Dorothy Lynde Green (mother) |
Children | 10, including Ashbel Green |
Alma mater | Harvard University |
Occupation | Pastor, politician, physician |
Jacob Green (February 2, 1722 – May 24, 1790) was a
Born in Malden, Massachusetts, Green grew up in a
Green would marry twice and have a combined 10 kids. He was the father of Ashbel Green, eighth president of Princeton University.[3] Green died in 1790 from influenza and was buried in Hanover Presbyterian Church Cemetery.
Early life
Jacob Green was born on February 2, 1722, in Malden, Massachusetts.[4][a] His father, also named Jacob Green, was a poor farmer who died about 18 months after his birth from a "nervous fever".[5] Due to his father's death, the responsibility of raising Green fell to his mother, Dorothy Lynde Green and an assortment of uncles and sisters.[4] He moved several times through his youth, resulting in him living with various family members.[6] At fourteen, Green went to find vocational work, but after an unsuccessful search for a suitable trade, he began preparing for college on the advice of his brother-in-law;[7] no one in Green's family had attended college before.[8] To gather funds, he got a probate court to approve an arrangement to sell land inherited from his father's estate. To prepare academically, Green spent a year and a half at a grammar school learning Latin, a standard practice at the time for those interested in attending college.[9]
Harvard education
Green enrolled at Harvard College in the summer of 1740[7] at the age of 18 and a half.[6] Green recounted his college experience as demanding, though he placed this feeling on his excessive studying.[10] Moreover, he was a studious student who avoided trouble, winning three scholarships and becoming Scholar of the House while there.[11] At Harvard, he intensely studied theology[12] and was member of a small religious society that met weekly.[11] In his junior year, he began a personal diary that he continued for over 40 years.[13] He graduated from Harvard in July 1744 in a class of thirty.[14] Afterwards, he wished to pursue advanced studies but was too poor,[15] so he accepted a teaching position at a school in Sutton, Massachusetts, for one year.[16]
Religion
Throughout the early years of his life, Green was constantly confronted by religion.
While at Harvard, Green was significantly influenced by sermons given by
Ministry
In the summer of 1745,
Green then consulted with Presbyterian leaders Jonathan Dickinson and Aaron Burr Sr., who suggested the idea of becoming a Presbyterian minister in New Jersey. After consulting with others and additional encouragement by Burr, he agreed to the proposition.[26] His first assignment was the pastorship for the Hanover Presbyterian Church located in Morris County, New Jersey.[3] In September 1745, he was licensed to preach and began a year-long trial, which culminated with him being ordained and installed as pastor of Hanover Presbyterian Church in November 1746.[14] He remained as pastor for 44 years.[27] His congregation agreed to build Green and his family a parsonage in 1754 and would finish construction in 1758; Green would live there for the rest of his life.[28][b]
College of New Jersey
While Green was a devoted minister, he continued his studying, gaining a reputation for his general knowledge and his skill in Hebrew.[16] He was a founding trustee of the College of New Jersey—now Princeton University—in 1748 and served as acting president for a period of eight consecutive months between Jonathan Edwards' death and the arrival of Samuel Davies.[30] He resigned as trustee in 1764.[31]
In 1774, Green built and established a Latin school, where he taught at with eight others, including his son Ashbel.[32] One of those he taught was Mahlon Dickerson, future governor and senator of New Jersey.[33]
Money issues
Green complained of his salary as pastor being too little to sustain his family, leading to dissatisfaction and anger with his congregation.[34] This necessitated his pursuing other jobs, like farming, speculating on real estate, and distilling.[35][16] As was typical at the time for farmers in New Jersey at the time, but in contrast with his later public abolitionist stance, Green purchased a single slave to work his farm. However, the slave died around 1756 and Green could not afford to replace him, so eventually Green found tenants who would work his farm instead.[36] When he purchased a gristmill, it angered members of his congregation and ignited a tense relationship. He eventually compromised, promising to consult with them prior to undertaking "secular" jobs. To resolve his money problems, they agreed to him becoming a physician,[37] a common job for preachers.[38] While he received no formal training, he learned from watching other doctors and studying medical textbooks.[39] He would remain one for over thirty years.[32] His efforts would resolve his debts and by the time of his death, his estate was valued at double the average estate in Hanover.[40]
Later life and death
Green died in May 1790 from influenza he contracted at a religious gathering at his church in Hanover.[1][41] He is buried in Hanover Presbyterian Church Cemetery, along with both his first and second wife; his grave features a lengthy epitaph[42] written by Ashbel Green.[43]
Personal life and family
Green's great-grandfather was Thomas Green, who was one of the first settlers from England.[44] His grandfather, Henry Green, had eight children, with Jacob's father, born in 1689, being the youngest. The Green family was predominantly one of Puritan farmers and craftsmen; Malden served as the geographic center for the family.[4] When Green's father died, his mother remarried to John Barrett, though it is considered that Green and his stepfather did not have a strong relationship due to no mention by Green of him in his autobiography. On the contrary, Green cited his mother Dorothy as influential to his love of learning and interest in religion.[18]
He married his first wife, Anna Strong, in 1747, though she died in November 1756 from tuberculosis; they had four children.[45] Anna's death would strengthen Green's faith and increase his spiritual outreach in his Hanover congregation.[46] He married again in 1757 to Elizabeth Pierseon, who died in 1810, and had six children,[45][c] with his most notable being Ashbel Green, the eighth president of Princeton University.[48] While Green did not practice primogeniture like many other English descendants with his children, he did favor his sons over his daughters, as only his sons would receive land.[49] His parenting style was conventional for the time.[50]
Bibliography
Autobiography
Green wrote an autobiography that was published in The Christian Advocate, a religious journal edited by his son Ashbel. While Green wrote most of it, Ashbel filled in parts from his own memory.[43]
- Green, Ashbel, ed. (1831). "Sketch of the Life of Rev. Jacob Green, A.M." The Christian Advocate. Philadelphia: A. Finley: 408–412, 465–68, 522–525, 578–581, 633–637. ISSN 1079-9311.
- Green, Ashbel, ed. (1832). "Sketch of the Life of Rev. Jacob Green, A.M." The Christian Advocate. Philadelphia: A. Finley: 11–14, 51–55, 99–102, 145–148, 194–199. ISSN 1079-9311.
Pamphlets
- Observations, on the Reconciliation of Great-Britain, and the Colonies, in Which are Exhibited Arguments for, and Against, that Measure (PDF). Philadelphia: Robert Bell, Third-Street. 1776. OCLC 80030443.
- A Small Help, Offered to Heads of Families, for Instructing Children and Servants. New York: Hugh Gaine. 1771. OCLC 1199199362.
- A Vision of Hell, and a Discovery of Some of the Consultations and Devices There in the Year 1767. New London: Timothy Green. 1770. OCLC 977001219.
- A Reply to the Reverend Mr. George Beckwith's Answer, to Mr. Green's Sermon, Entitled, Christian Baptism: In a Letter to a Friend. New Haven: Thomas and Samuel Green in the Old State House. 1769. OCLC 835842685.
- An Inquiry into the Constitution and Discipline of the Jewish Church; In Order to Cast Some Light on the Controversy, Concerning Qualifications for the Sacraments of the New Testament: With an Appendix. New York: Hugh Gaine at the Bible and Crown in Hanover Square. 1768. OCLC 213839965.
Articles
Articles written by Green were featured in the New Jersey Journal, a revolutionary-era newspaper, under the pen name of "Eumenes."[1]
- "Letter I on Paper Currency" (PDF). New Jersey Journal. 1779. Chatham, New Jersey
- "Letter II on Paper Currency" (PDF). New Jersey Journal. 1779. Chatham, New Jersey
- "Letter V on Paper Currency" (PDF). New Jersey Journal. 1779. Chatham, New Jersey
Published sermons
- Christian Baptism: A Sermon Delivered at Hanover, in New-Jersey; November 4, 1764. Woodbridge: Samuel F. Parker. 1766. OCLC 976943509.
- Christian Baptism: A Sermon Delivered at Hanover, (in New-Jersey) April 22d, 1778; Being the Day of Public Fasting and Prayer Throughout the United States of America. Chatham: OCLC 55814681.
- A Sermon on Persons Possessing the Iniquities of Their Youth in After Life. Chatham: OCLC 55814698.
See also
- Slavery in New Jersey
Notes
- ^ Most sources say that Green was born on January 22, 1722; however, they ignore the 11 day shift from the 1752 Calendar Change. Green himself makes reference to this shift in his autobiography on page 409; similarly, Sprague in his work "Annals of the American Pulpit: Presbyterian" lists January 22, 1722, as Old Style. Rohrer, who has produced the most updated work on Green, uses February 2, 1722 as his birthdate.
- ^ Known as the "Old Parsonage", the structure still stands and has a historical marker outside it that was erected by the Morris County Heritage Commission.[29]
- ^ Elizabeth Pierson was the daughter of John Pierson, who was one of Princeton's founding trustees.[47]
References
Citations
- ^ The New Jersey Historical Society. Archivedfrom the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
- ^ Noll 1976, p. 222.
- ^ a b c d Noll 1980, p. 210.
- ^ a b c Rohrer 2014, p. 23.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, pp. 8, 23.
- ^ a b Sprague 1858, p. 135.
- ^ a b Noll 1976, p. 218.
- ^ a b Rohrer 2014, p. 28.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 28; Noll 1976, p. 218.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 31.
- ^ a b Rohrer 2014, p. 33.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 32.
- ^ Tuttle 1894, p. 6.
- ^ a b Tuttle 1894, p. 7.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 41.
- ^ a b c Noll 1980, p. 211.
- ^ a b Rohrer 2014, p. 25.
- ^ a b Rohrer 2014, p. 24.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 26–27.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 35.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 36.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 37.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 40.
- ^ Noll 1976, p. 219.
- ^ Noll 1976, pp. 3–4.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 42.
- ^ Tuttle 1894, p. 8.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 71.
- ^ "Old Parsonage Historical Marker". The Historical Marker Database. December 17, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
- ^ Noll 1980, p. 211; Tuttle 1894, p. 10.
- ^ Tuttle 1894, p. 9.
- ^ a b Tuttle 1894, pp. 8–9.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, pp. 77–78.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, pp. 88–89.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 91.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, pp. 92.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, pp. 93–94.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 95.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 96.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 97.
- ^ Noll 1976, p. 221.
- OCLC 12700525.
- ^ a b Sprague 1858, p. 139.
- ^ Tuttle 1894, p. 5.
- ^ a b Sprague 1858, p. 137.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 72.
- JSTOR j.ctt13x0zx2.
- ^ Noll 1980, p. 210; Noll 1976, p. 220.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, p. 77.
- ^ Rohrer 2014, pp. 79–80.
Works cited
- JSTOR 23328169.
- JSTOR 23328041.
- Rohrer, S. Scott (2014). Jacob Green's Revolution: Radical Religion and Reform in a Revolutionary Age. University Park: JSTOR 10.5325/j.ctv8j49r.
- OCLC 904347940.
- Tuttle, Joseph F. (1894). "Rev. Jacob Green, of Hanover. N.J. As an Author, Statesman, and Patriot" (PDF). Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society, Second Series, Vol. XII, 1892–1893. Newark: Advertiser Printing House. OCLC 13041201.
Further reading
- Mitros, David (1993). Jacob Green and the Slavery Debate in Revolutionary Morris County, New Jersey. Morristown: Morris County Heritage Commission. OCLC 28988927.