Biographical Introduction

Attorney, educator and twenty-fourth president of Harvard University, Abbott Lawrence Lowell was born on December 13, 1856 to a “Boston Brahmin” family. He was the son of Augustus Lowell, a prominent Boston financier, and Katherine Bigelow Lawrence.

Lawrence Lowell was preceded by a long lineage of notable figures: John Lowell was a member of the 1780 convention that framed the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.…

Biographical Introduction

Thomas Hill, the twenty-first president of Harvard University, was confirmed October 6, 1862; and resigned September 30, 1868. Born at New Brunswick, N. J., June 7, 1818, of English parents, who had been in this country for thirty years, he was apprenticed to the “Fredonian” newspaper in that city in 1830, and remained connected with it until 1833.…

Biographical Introduction

Cornelius Conway Felton, the twentieth president of Harvard College, was born in West Newbury, Massachusetts, November 6, 1807. His early education was gained in spite of obstacles which would have discouraged a less enthusiastic scholar; and although he had the advantage of good instruction in the classics only one year and nine months before he entered college, his slender opportunities were most conscientiously improved.…

A founder of the American Unitarian Association, James Walker (1794-1874) was President of Harvard University from February 10, 1853, to January 26, 1860. Walker was also a Unitarian minister and religious philosopher.

Early Years

James Walker was born to John Walker and Lucy (Johnson) Walker on August 16, 1794, in what was then Woburn, Massachusetts (later to become part of Burlington).…

Biographical Introduction

Jared Sparks was born May 10, 1789, in Willington, Connecticut, of humble parentage. Till his twentieth year his entire school life amounted to forty months, but, nevertheless, he was at that time found competent to take charge of a district school near his native place.…

Edward Everett (1794-1865) was President of Harvard University from February 5, 1846, to February 1, 1849. He was also a Unitarian clergyman, teacher, statesman, and a renowned American orator.

Early Life

Edward Everett was born to the Reverend Oliver Everett and Lucy (Hill) Everett on April 11, 1794.…

Josiah Quincy (1772-1864) was President of Harvard University from January 29, 1829 to August 27, 1845. He was also a politician, serving as a Federalist congressman, Boston mayor, Massachusetts municipal court judge, and Massachusetts state representative and state senator.

Early Life and Education

Josiah Quincy was born to Josiah Quincy Jr.…