These pages were created by Aprille Cooke McKay circa 2002 and went offline from the University of Michigan site that hosted them in late 2005. I've reproduced them here with her permission in 2006 and have done some minor corrections of typos. I do not plan to actively update these pages but I do welcome corrections, supplementary info, and links to complementary info and related church sites.  Hosting for these pages is provided courtesy of GetOggz.com. & Malcolm Humes.

Early American Presbyterians -- E

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    • Rev. Samuel Eakin (b. pre 1743-1784)

    He was a graduate of Princeton in 1763, was ordained by the Second Presbytery of Philadelphia in 1770. From 1773 to 1777, he was settled at Penn's Neck Presbyterian Church, in West Jersey; but rendering himself obnoxious to the Tories by his zeal in the cause of American liberty, he was obliged to withdraw. He was the idol of the soldiers. Wherever there was a military training or an order issued for soldiers to march, he was, if in his power, always there to address them, and, by his eloquence, would excite their emotions of patriotism to the highest pitch. Next to Mr. Whitefield, he was esteemed the most eloquent preacher who had ever been in the country. He died in 1784.
     

    Rev. Joseph Eastburn (1749-1828)

    He was a preacher to seamen in Philadelphia. He died January 30th, 1828, aged seventy-nine. Many thousands attended his funeral. At the grave, Dr. Green delivered an address. When Mr. Eastburn began to preach to seamen, about 1820, "we procured," he said, "a sail loft, and on the Sabbath hung out a flag. As the sailors came by, they hailed us, 'Ship ahoy.' We answered them. They asked us, 'Where we were bound?' We told them 'to the port of New Jerusalem -- and they would do well to go in the fleet.' 'Well,' said they, 'we will come in and hear your terms.''" This was the beginning of the mariners church.
     

    Rev. Johnston Eaton (1776-1847)

    He was born in Rocky Spring Congregation, Franklin co., Pennsylvania, February 7th, 1776. He graduated at Jefferson College in 1802, studied theology with Rev. John McMillan, and was licensed to preach the gospel by the Presbytery of Ohio, August 22d, 1805. After visiting southern Ohio, he took up his abode, in 1806, in Erie county, Pennsylvania. The country at the time was literally a wilderness. There were not more than two or three churches in the county, and at the period of his coming, not a minister of any denomination.

     Mr. Eaton was ordained by the Presbytery of Erie, June 30th, 1808, and installed at the same time pastor of the congregations of Fairview and Springfield. Released from the charge of Springfield, November 8th, 1814, he then divided his time between Fairview, Erie and Northeast. In 1818 Northeast was dropped, and his time divided between Erie and Fairview, until 1823. In 1813, during the war with Great Britain, he was employed as a government chaplain, and ministered to the troops stationed at Erie. He also preached for a portion of his time at Harbor Creek, Waterford, Washington and McKean, in Erie Co., Pennsylvania. He continued to labor in the congregation of Fairview until the close of his earthly toils. He died June 17th, 1847. His wife was Eliza (Canon) Eaton and he was the father of Rev. Dr. Samuel John Mills Eaton (1820-aft 1881).
     
     

    Rev. Sylvester Eaton (1790-1844)

    He was born in Chatham, New York, August 12th, 1790; graduated at Williams College in 1816; studied theology at Princeton Seminary, and was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Albany in 1818. He was ordained pastor of the Congregational Church in Norwalk, Connecticut, in 1820, and was dismissed in 1827; was settled as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Buffalo, in April, 1829, and was dismissed in September, 1834; was settled as pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Paterson, New Jersey, in 1834, and was dismissed about 1837; was settled shortly after in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he remained about four years. He died May 14th, 1844.
     
     

    James Edgar (b. 1744)

    Judge Edgar was born in York county, Pennsylvania, in the congregation of Slate Ridge, November 15th, 1744. He removed to Western Pennsylvania in the Fall of 1779. He was an Associate Judge of the Court of Washington, and a ruling elder in the Presbyterian Church. Judge Brackenridge, in his "Incidents of the Western Insurrection," alludes to him as "having been a member of committees in the early period of the American Revolution, and of legislative assemblies, executive and censorial councils or deliberative conventions ever since." And Dr. Carnahan, in his "Lectures on the Whisky Insurrection," says: "This truly great and good man, little known beyond the precincts of Washington county, had a good English education, and had improved his mind by reading knowledge, and was superior to many professional men. He had as clear a head and as pure a heart as ever fall to the lot of mortals, and he possessed an eloquence which, although not polished, was convincing and persuasive."
     
     

    John Todd Edgar, D.D. (1792-1860)

    He was born at Sussex county, Delaware, April 13th, 1792. His father removed to Kentucky in 1795. He was at the Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky a short time, but was not a graduate. He graduated at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1816, when he was licensed by New Brunswick Presbytery. In 1817 he was installed pastor of the Church at Flemingsburg, Kentucky, and labored there with earnestness and assiduity. He was subsequently pastor at Maysville, Kentucky, and in 1827 took charge of the church at Frankfort, the capitol of Kentucky. Here his eloquence soon gathered round him the leading men of the state. In 1833 he accepted a call from Nashville, Tennessee. He died, November 13th, 1860.
     

    Rev. Thomas Edgar

    He was the minister for the Seven-Mile Congregation in Butler Co., Ohio in 1834.

    Joseph S. Edie, M.D. (b. 1798)

    He was an elder of the church at Christiansburng, Virginia. He was born at Brooke county, Virginia, November 27th, 1798, and graduated at Hampden-Sydney College in 1825. About that time he came to Christiansburg as a teacher. Here he established the first Sabbath School in the place. Subsequently he established another school on Mr. Van Lear's place on the North Fork of Roanoke, and did much in circulation tracts and religious reading among the people. After the organization of the Church at Christiansburg, he went to teach school in Lewisburg, Virginia, and to pursue the study of medicine. During an absence of several years he taught also at Union, Monroe county, and completed his medical course in Cincinnati, Ohio. He returned to Christiansburg in 1832, and has continued in the practice of his profession there to this day. He has been a member of that church about fifty-six years, and a ruling elder forty-nine years. His name will be linked especially with the names of R.D. Montague and William Wade.

    Rev. Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)

    He was a president of the College of New Jersey, a most acute metaphysician, and distinguished divine. He was born at Windsor, Connecticut, October 5th, 1703. He was graduated at Yale College in 1720, before he was seventeen years of age. His uncommon genius discovered itself early, and while yet a boy he read Locke on the Human Understanding with a keen relish. Though he took much pleasure in examining the kingdom of nature, yet moral and theological researches yielded him the highest satisfaction. He lived in college nearly two years after taking his first degree, preparing himself for the office of a minister of the gospel. In 1722 he went to New York, at the request of a small congregation of English Presbyterians, and preached a number of months. In 1724 he was appointed a Tutor in Yale College, and he continued in that office till he was invited, in 1726, to preach at Northampton, Massachusetts. Here he was ordained a colleague with his grandfather, Mr. Stoddard, February 15th, 1727. In 1735 his ministry was attended with very uncommon success, a general impression was made upon the minds of the people by the truths which he proclaimed, and the church was much enlarged. He continued in this place more than twenty-three years. He had been instrumental in cheering many hearts with the joys of religion, and not a few had regarded him with all that affectionate attachment which is excited by the love of excellence and the sense of obligations which can never be repaid. But a spirit of detraction had gone forth, inconsequence of his strict views of Christian discipline and purity, and a few individuals of outrageous zeal pushed forward men of less determined hostility, and he was released from his charge by an ecclesiastical council, June 22nd, 1750.

     In August, 1751, he succeeded Mr. Sergeant as missionary to the Housatonic Indians, at Stockbridge, in Berkshire county. Here he continued six years, preaching to the Indians and the white people, and as he found much leisure, he prosecuted his theological and metaphysical studies, and produced works which rendered his name famous throughout Europe. Thus was his calamitous removal from Northampton the occasion, under the wise providence of God, of his imparting to the world the most important instructions, the influence of which has been extended to the present time, and will be felt through all the coming ages. In January, 1758, he reluctantly accepted the office of President of the College of New Jersey, as successor of his son-in-law, Aaron Burr, but he had not entered fully upon the duties of this station before the prevalence of the smallpox induced him to be inoculated, and this disease was the cause of his death, March 22d, 1758, aged fifty-four. A short time before he died, as some of his friends, who surrounded his bed to see him breath his last, were lamenting the loss which the college would sustain, he said, "Trust in God, and ye need not fear." These were his last words. He afterwards expired, with as much composure as if he had only fallen asleep. He left three sons and seven daughters.

     President Edwards was equally distinguished by his Christian virtues, and by the extraordinary vigor and penetration of his mind. Though his constitution was delicate, he commonly spent thirteen hours every day in his study. He usually arose between four and five in the morning, and was abstemious, living completely by rule. All his researches were pursued with his pen in his hand, and the number of his miscellaneous writings which he had left behind him was above fourteen hundred. They were numbered and paged, and an index was formed for the whole. He was peculiarly happy in his domestic connections. Mrs. Edwards, by taking the entire care of his temporal concerns, gave him an opportunity of consecrating all his power, without interruption, to the labors and studies of the sacred office.

     As a preacher, he was not oratorical in his manner and his voice was rather feeble, though he spoke with distinctness; but his discourses were rich in thought, logical in structure, and direct in aim, and, being deeply impressed himself with the truths which he uttered, his preaching came home to the hearts of his hearers.

     President Edwards' Inquiry into the Freedom of Will is considered one of the greatest efforts of the human mind, and is generally regarded as having forever settled the controversy with Arminians, by demonstrating the untenableness of their principles. His other works which are most celebrated, are his books on Original Sin; his treatise on The Affections; his dissertation on the Nature of True Virtue, and that on the End for which God Created the World.

    Rev. John Elder (1706-1792)

    He was born in the county of Antrim, Ireland, in 1706. He came to this country as a licentiate, and was ordained and installed, by the Presbytery of New Castle, pastor of the churches of Paxton and Derry, near Harrisonburg, Pennsylvania, November 22d, 1738. When associations for defense against the Indians were formed throughout the province Mr. Elder's hearers, being on the frontier, were prompt to embody themselves. Their minister was their captain and they were trained as rangers. He superintended their discipline, and his mounted men became widely known as the "Paxton Boys." He afterwards held a Colonel's commission from the Proprietaries, and had the command of the blockhouses and stockades, from Easton to the Susquehanna. In tendering this appointment to him it was expressly stated that nothing more would be expected of him than the general oversight. His justification lies in the crisis of affairs.

     Mr. Elder joined the Second Presbytery of Philadelphia, May 19th, 1768. In the formation of the General Assembly he became a member of the Presbytery of Carlisle. He died, in the year 1792, at the age of eighty-six, having been a minister of the gospel sixty years, and the pastor of the congregations in Paxton and Derry fifty-six. He is represented by those who knew him as having been a fine looking man, above six feet high, well formed and proportioned, and dignified in manner.
     
     

    David Elliott, D.D., LL.D. (1787-1874)

    He was born at Sherman's Valley, now Perry county, Pennsylvania, February 6th, 1787. He graduated at Dickinson College, September 28th, 1808, and by the unanimous selection of his classmates, to whom the Faculty left the distribution of honors, he delivered the valedictory. His first preceptor in theology was his pastor, the Rev. John Linn, with whom he spent two years as a student. His last year was spent with the Rev. Joshua Williams, D.D., of Newville, Pennsylvania. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Carlisle, September 26th, 1811. He was the pastor of the Church at Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, 1812-29, where he labored with great energy efficiency and success. Whilst here, the Franklin county Bible Society, in 1815, originated, in his appeal through the newspapers. From 1829 to 1836 he was pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Washington, Pennsylvnia. To him, during this period, more than to any other man, was due the presuscitation and prosperity of Washington College, after its complete prostration. He declined the proffered presidency of the Institution; he consented, however, in connection with his pastoral charge to become "Acting President and Professor of Moral Philosophy," until a permanent president could be secured, and in the Spring of 1832, handed over the institution to Dr. McConaughy, by whom the presidency had been accepted. In 1835, he was called, by the General Assembly, to take a Professorship in the Western Theological Seminary, Allegheny, Pennsylvania. By an arrangement, this was the Chair of Theology. In 1854, he was assigned by the Assembly, with his own cordial approbation to the department of Polemic and Historical Theology. To this institution he devoted his best years and powers.

     He was frequently sent as a Commissioner to the General Assembly. He was Moderator of the Assembly of 1837, which held its sessions in Philadelphia. Dr. Elliott died March 18th, 1874. Chief among his publications was a volume of "Letters on Church Government," which was well received at the time it appeared and the work in which he rescued from oblivion, in sweet biographical sketches, the labors of Elisha McCurdy and the other noble pioneers of the Presbyterian Church in Western Pennsylvania.

    Rev. John Millot Ellis (1793-1855)

    He was born in Keene, New Hampshire, July 14th, 1793. He graduated at Dartmouth College in 1822, and maintained a high character in a class of more than average abilities. He completed his theological course at Andover Seminary, September 28th, 1825, and was ordained the day following in the Old South Church in Boston. Furnished with a hundred dollars as outfit, the young minister made his way to Illinois. He first settled at Kaskaskia. During his residence there, he expended a considerable part of his labors west of the Mississippi. In 1828 he removed to Jacksonville. He was deeply interested and very active in building up "an Insititution of learning which should bless the West for all time." The designs which resulted in the Femal Seminary at Jacksonville, and procured its beautiful grounds, were formed in his house. This Institution continues to be a monument in honor of him and his accomplished wife [nameless, though she may be]. He attended the first meeting of the Centre Presbytery in 1829. His pastorate in Jacksonville ended in 1831.

     Subsequently, Mr. Ellis became Secretary of the Indiana Education Society, and while so engaged took an active part in the deliberations which resulted in the foundation of Wabash College, at Crawfordsville. In 1834 and 1835 he served the Education Society in New England. Afterwards he entered with great warmth into the designs for the aid of Marshall College, Michigan. Having organized a church at Garss Lake, he became its pastor in 1836, preaching in a log cabin. His parish was a scene of constant revivals. In 1840 he was settled as pastor of the Church of East Hanover, New Hampshire, and in 1844 entered the service of the Society for Promoting collegiate and Theological Education at the West, in which he continued till his death, August 6th, 1855. Mr. Ellis was a Calvinist of the graver type. He was Stated Clerk of his Presbytery in Illinois. He was the chief agent in organizing the Presbytery of Marshall, and was its first Moderator.
     
     

    Rev. Daniel Elmer (1690-1755)

    He was born in Fairfield, Conn., in 1690 and graduated at Yale, in 1713. "For some time he carried on the work of the ministry" in Brookfield, Mass., which he left before 1715. He taught a classical school, married and preached several years in Massachusetts; came to Fairfield, in Cohanzy, West Jersey.here, probably, in 1727, with his wife and five children purchased a farm near the church and became its pastor in 1729. In this region, while Whitefield was preaching, November 19th, 1740, the Holy Spirit came down, "like a rushing mightly wind." Some thousands were present, and the whole congregation was moved. Mr. Elmer's congregation divided, in 1741. He died, January 14th, 1755, aged sixty-five years, and his remains lie buried in the old New England town graveyard. The inscription on his tombstone is ecclesiastically significant. It does not speak of his as the late pastor of the Presbyterian Church but of the Church of Christ in Fairfield. He was the father of Hon. Theophilus Elmer and grandfather of Hon. Jonathan Elmer.
     
     

    Hon. Jonathan Elmer (1745-1817)

    He was the son of Hon. Theophilus Elmer, and grandson of Rev. Daniel Elmer, pastor of the Presbyterian Church, Fairfield, New Jersey, and was the most influential man in Cumberland county and in South Jersey, in the Revolutionary period. He was born November 29th, 1745. His father died when he was sixteen years of age, but he continued his studies under the instruction of the Rev. Mr. Ramsey. He was graduated a doctor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 1771, and elected the next year a member of the American Philosophical Society. He commenced the practice of medicine, and his practice soon extended beyond the county. He quickly turned his attention to political affairs, raised a military company, was active in the Committee of Vigilance, entered the Provincial Congress in 1776, and was a member of the committee that formed the first Constitution of the State. He was a member of the National Congress during most of the Revolution, and was a Medical Inspector of the Army. After the establishment of Independence he was two years in the National House of Representatives, and then, in 1789, he was elected to be a Senator of the United States. He became an intelligent lawyer, and for many years, until near the close of his life, he was the presiding Judge of the County Court of Common Pleas. He was clerk of the county from 1776 to 1780, of the higher branch of the State Legislature in 1780 and in 1784, President of the State Medical Society in 1787; ordained a ruling elder of the Presbyterian Church in 1799. He resigned his Judgeship in 1814. He died September 3d, 1817.
     
     

    Rev. Jonathan Elmer (pre 1727-1807)

    He graduated at Yale, in 1747, and was ordained by the New York Presbytery, pastor of New Providence, New Jersey, in October, 1750. Of the first forty years of his ministry we find no notice beyond that he preached at the execution of Morgan, the Tory, who shot Caldwell in cold blood on Elizabethtown Point. He resigned his charge at New Providence, October, 1793. He acted as stated supply at Millstone, and occasionally at other places, and died June 7th, 1807.
     
     

    L.Q.C. Elmer, LL.D. (1793-1883)

    He was one of the most distinguished citizens of New Jersey. He was the only son of General Ebenezer Elmer, a Revolutionary patriot. He was a member of Congress from 1843 to 1845, and was believed to be the oldest living ex-member. He was a distinguished jurist. At one time he was United States District Attorney, receiving his appointment from President Monroe. Subsequently he was appointed Attorney-General of New Jersey, and he was for many years a member of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, retiring from the Bench in 1870, on account of advancing years.

     Judge Elmer was the author of "Elmer's Digest of the Laws of New Jersey," also "Elmer's Book of Law Forms," "Reminiscences of the Bench and Bar of New Jersey," a very valuable and entertaining work, and a "History of Cumberland County," and various other historical collections. At the time of his decease he was President of the New Jersey Society of the Cincinnati. His father was also President of this Society at the time of his death, in 1843, and was the last survivor of the original members. Judge Elmer was for forty years a Trustee of Princeton College, and upon his resignation was succeeded by his son-in-law, Judge John T. Nixon, of the United States District Court. He was a devout Christian, and was for many years a member and an elder of the First Presbyterian Church of Bridgetown, New Jersey, and President of the Cumberland County Bible Society. He died at his home in Bridgetown, March 11th, 1883, aged ninety years.

    Dr. Ezra Styles Ely (1786-1861)

    He was born in Lebanon, Connecticut, June 13th, 1786. He graduated at Yale College in 1803; pursued his theological studies under the direction of his father, Rev. Zebulen Ely; was licensed in 1804, and ordained, by West Chester Presbytery, pastor of Colchester (Congregational) Church, Connecticut, in 1806. He was taken from this charge to act as Chaplain to the New York City Hospital. In 1813 he was installed pastor of the Pine Street Church, Philadelphia, as successor of Dr. Alexander, removed to Princeton, but his strong anti-Hopkinsian tenets led to the division of the church. Jefferson Medical College owes its existence, in a great measure, to him, as one of its Trustees, for, in its pecuniary straits, he bought the lot and erected the building where the institution now stands. From 1825 until 1836 he was Stated Clerk of the General Assembly. In 1828 he was chosen Moderator of the General Assembly.

     in 1834 his enthusiasm led him to embark as an active patron of Marion College, in Missouri. It was started as a manual labor college, and the products of the land belonging to the institution were expected to defray all expenses. A large number of students was collected, but finally, the scheme failed of success. In 1844, Dr. Ely took charge of the Church of the Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. He retained this post until struck down by paralysis, August, 1851. His death occurred June 18, 1861.

     Dr. Ely was of mercurial temperament, which was never completely overcome, in or out of the pulpit. No one went to sleep under his preaching. There is good reason to believe that his benefactions during his lifetime amounted to nearly $50,000.

     His published works were, "Visits of Mercy," "The Contrast," "Collateral Bible," "Memorial of his father, Rev. Zebulon Ely, and the religious weekly, The Philadelphians. He wrote, also, a "History of the Churches of Philadelphia" which is in manuscript and unpublished [1884].
     
     

    Joseph Patterson Engles (1793-1861)

    He was the son of Silas and Annie (Patterson) Engles, and was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 3d, 1793, and graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1811. In 1813 he was appointed co-master of the Grammar school of that institution. In 1817 he was associated with Samuel B. Wylie, D.D., in conduction an academy, and, after Dr. Wylie's withdrawal from it, it was under his sole charge for twenty-eight years. In February, 1845, Mr. Engles was elected by the Board of Publication as its Publishing Agent, and in this position realized the expectations of the friends of the Board. He was an elder in the Scots Presbyterian Church until the time of his death, April 14th, 1861.
     
     

    Rev. William M. Engles, D.D. (1797-1867)

    He was born in Philadelphia, October 12th, 1797. He graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1815, studied theology with Dr. S.B. Wylie, and was licensed by the Presbytery of Philadelphia, October 18th, 1818. July 6th, 1820, he was ordained pastor of the Seventh or Tabernacle Church, in Ranstead Court, afterwards famous as the scene of the disruption. Here his ministry was faithful and successful, but in 1834, he was obliged to resign, on account of a diseased throat. From the pulpit he stepped into the editorial chair, succeeding Dr. James W. Alexander as editor of the Presbyterian, in which post he continued for thirty-three years. Under his supervision the paper attained an increased circulation and a high reputation as the leading organ of the Old School party. In May, 1838, he was appointed editor of the Board of Publication, which post he held for twenty-five years. In 1840, he was chosen moderator of the General Assembly, Old School; and then filled the office of stated clerk for six years. His death occurred November 27th, 1867.

     Dr. Engles owed his reputation more to his pen than to his pulpit efforts. He was too quiet and didactic to be a popular preacher. But to say nothing of his editorial success, to him the Board of Publication was more indebted than to any other individual, according to its own acknowledgement. He took an active part in its inception and progress. He not only rescued from oblivion various valuable works, in danger of becoming obsolete, but added to the Board's issues a number of treatises from his own prolific pen. As these were published anonymously, they cannot here be specified. Mention, however, may be made of the little volume, entitled, "Sick Room Devotions," which has proved of inestimable service, and "The Soldiers' Pocket Book," of which three hundred thousand copies were circulated during the [Civil] war.
     

    Rev. Benjamin Erwin (b pre 1780)

    He was a minister in the Lexington Presbytery of Virginia before 1800.

    Rev. David Evans (d. 1751)

    He was of Welsh extraction. In 1713 he graduated at Yale College, after which he received a call from the people of Welsh Tract, and was ordained, November 3d, 1714. He was the recording clerk of New Castle Presbytery for six or seven years. For his services each member gave him a half-crown. He was released from his charge in 1720, and was called to Great Valley, but he declined to accept the call for several years. He was one of the first supplies sent to Sadsbury, west branch of Brandywine, and Conestoga. When he removed to Tredryffryn, he was directed to spend one-fourth of his time at Sadsbury. He died before May, 1751. Mr. Evans is said to have been eccentric and high-spirited. His preaching gave such offence, on one occasion, to a person at Pilesgrove, that, rather than listen a moment longer, he jumped out of a church window.
     
     

    Rev. Robert Evans (d. 1727)

    He was one of the earliest preacher of the church at Derry, Pennsylvania, which was founded about 1725. He died in Virginia in 1727.

    Rev. Thomas Evans (b. pre 1700)

    He was received by the Presbytery of New Castle, as a student, from the Presbytery of Caermarthen, in Wales, and licensed May 28th, 1720. A call from the congregation of Welsh Tract was placed in his hands, March 12th, 1723, and he was ordained at Pencader, May 8th. Proclamation was made thrice at the door of the meeting house, by David Evans, Esq., that, if any had allegations to make against his life or doctrine, they should do so before the ordination. Mr. Evans was an excellent scholar and a valuable instructor. He was a bachelor, a book-worm, possessed a fine library, and was continually adding to his store.

    Charles Ewing, LL.D. (pre 1778-1832)

    He was the son of James Ewing, a distinguished citizen of New Jersey. He took the first honor in his class at Princeton (1798), and after graduation, studied law in Trenton, New Jersey, and was admitted to practice in 1802. In October, 1824, he was appointed Chief Justice of the State of New Jersey, and reappointed in 1831. Judge Ewing may be justly reckoned among the greatest ornaments of the New Jersey Bar. His acquaintance with his own department of knowledge was both extensive and profound, closely resembling that of the English black-letter lawyers. In a very remarkable degree, he kept himself abreast of the general literature of the day, and was even lavish in regard to the purchase of books.

     He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church in Trenton, and was an active and earnest Christian. He died at Trenton, August 5th, 1832.
     
     

    John Ewing, D.D. (1732-1802)

    He was a native of Cecil county, Maryland. He was born June 22, 1732. He was a pupil of Dr. Francis Alison, at New London, Pennsylvania, and for three years a tutor. In 1754 he graduated at the College of New Jersey, then at Newark, New Jersey, Aaron Burr being President. Here also he served as tutor. He was then engaged as an instructor in the College, afterward University, of Philadelphia. He was the minister of the First Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia 1759 to 1802. In 1774 and 1775 he visited Great Britain to solicit aid for Newark Academy, Delaware, in which effort he was quite successful, and made many friends. The University of Edinburgh conferred on him the degree of D.D. and Principal Robertson declared that he had never bestowed the degree with greater pleasure, in his life. But, very naturally, the American was not a great favorite with the high tories of the period. Dr. Samuel Johnson, in his presence, gruffly abused the colonies as ignorant as well as rebellious. "What do you know, in America?" said he, "you never read." "Pardon me," replied Dr. Ewing, "we have read the Rambler" "A soft answer turneth away wrath," and the ursa major was at once mollified, and paid special attention to the guest for the remainder of the evening.

     Dr. Ewing was made Provost of the University of Pennsylvania in 1779. He was a thorough Hebraist and an accomplished scholar, capable of supplying any Professor's place at a moment's warning. He excelled in mathematics, assisting Rittenhouse in running the boundary lines between several of the States. He was a solid and instructive preacher and much esteemed by the intellectual and cultivated portion of his congregation. Gillett places a high estimate upon him, when he called him " the leading member of the Philadelphia Presbytery," which he represented at the first meeting of the General Assembly in 1789.

     Dr. Ewing died, September 8th, 1802, in the seventy first year of his age. His lectures on Natural Philosophy in two volumes and a volume of sermons were published after his death.