Founded in 1636 by the colonial Massachusetts legislature, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Its early graduates were the movers and shakers of colonial American government and society.
How Harvard Got Its Name
Initially called "New College" or "the college at New Towne", the institution was renamed Harvard College the year after young clergyman John Harvard (1607-1638) left the fledgling school and its master, his friend Nathaniel Eaton, his 400-volume library and £779 (which was half of his estate). This is not surprising. Harvard lost most of his family to a smallpox epidemic in England and was childless when he died at Charlestown, MA. He was a Cambridge University graduate and valued education.
Harvard in 1836
Harvard was already 200 years old in 1836 when Eliza Susan Quincy sketched a September, 1836 procession of Harvard alumni leaving the First Parish Meeting House and walking to the Harvard pavilion. She was the daughter of Josiah Quincy, Harvard’s president from 1829 to 1845 and himself a 1790 graduate of the college. (See illustration)
Following is the first part of the list of graduates between 1741 and 1745. Many of the names are familiar to students of American history.
Adams, Rev. John (1745) of Durham, NH, and Newfield, Maine, died 1792; Adams, Rev. Joseph (1742) of Stratham, NH, died 1785; Adams, Dr. Joseph (174-) of Newington and Barnstead, NH, died 1801; Allen, James (1742) of Brookline, MA, died 1749; Amory, Thomas (1741) of Boston, died 1784; Annable, John (1744) of Hamilton, died 1762; Auchmuty, Rev. Samuel (1742) of New York City, died 1777.
Bass, Bishop Edward (1744) of Newbury, died 1803; Bayley, Capt. Enoch (1742) of Newbury, died 1757; Bird, Rev. Samuel (1744) of New Haven, CT, d. 1784; Bourne, Nathaniel (1744) of Marshfield, died before 1748; Bourne, Shearjashhub (1743) of Bristol, died 1771; Bourne, Judge William (1743) of Marblehead, died 1770; Bowdoin, Gov. James (1745) of Boston, died 1790; Bowles, Isaac (1744) of Marshfield, died 1806; Brandon, Benjamin (1742) of Boston and St. Eustatia, died 1755; Breck, Dr. Samuel (1742) of Great Barrington, died 1764; Bridge, Rev. Matthew (1741) of Framingham, died 1775; Brigham (1745), unidentified; Brinley, Thomas (1744) of Boston and London, died 1784; Bromfield, Edward (1742) of Boston, died1746; Brown, Rev. Cotton (1741) of Brookline, died 1751; Brown, Rev. John (1741) of Cohasset, died 1791; Bullard, Adam (1742) of Sherborn, MA, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, died ca. 1754; Burbeen, Paul (1743) of Woburn, died 1795; Burley, Andrew (1742) of Ipswich, died 1788; Burnet, Rev. William (1741) of Islington, England, died 1755.
(This is a serialized list which resumes here.)
Sources:
The New England Historical and Genealogical Register (Vol. CX, October, 1956);
Colonial Graduates of Harvard University; and, Shipton, Clifford K., Vol. 11, Sibley's Harvard Graduates, (Boston: 1960)
Rosemary E. Bachelor - Rosemary Bachelor, a prize-winning journalist, has had a career as an editor, feature writer, magazine publisher and author. Her latest ...
