Alexander MacWhorter (January 1, 1822 – June 28, 1880) was an American theologian and author.
Early life
MacWhorter, the third of his name, was born in
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.née Lawrence) MacWhorter. His paternal grandfather was fellow clergyman Alexander MacWhorter. He graduated from
Yale College
Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...
New Haven
New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...
, pursuing philosophical and theological studies, with the exception of a brief residence (1859–60) in
Troy
Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in present-day Turkey, south-west of Ç ...
, N Y., as Professor of Metaphysics and English Literature in Troy University. MacWhorter received deacon's orders in the Protestant Episcopal Church, May 31, 1863, at the hands of Bishop Potter of New York.
He published a volume entitled ''Yahveh Christ, or the Memonal Name'', besides several magazine articles on metaphysical and theological subjects. During the extreme heat in June, 1880, he had labored assiduously to finish an article for the ''
Princeton Review
The Princeton Review is an education services company providing tutoring, test preparation and admission resources for students. It was founded in 1981. and since that time has worked with over 400 million students. Services are delivered by 4,0 ...
'', and at the close of his labors was struck with
apoplexy
Apoplexy () is rupture of an internal organ and the accompanying symptoms. The term formerly referred to what is now called a stroke. Nowadays, health care professionals do not use the term, but instead specify the anatomic location of the bleedi ...
on Friday, the 24th.
Personal life
In 1847, MacWhorter was embroiled in a noted scandal of the day, the subject of
Catharine Beecher
Catharine Esther Beecher (September 6, 1800 – May 12, 1878) was an American educator known for her forthright opinions on female education as well as her vehement support of the many benefits of the incorporation of kindergarten into children's ...
's book ''Truth Stranger than Fiction'' (1850). MacWhorter had become friends with a fellow lodger at New Haven's Tontine Hotel, the older, unmarried author
Delia Bacon
Delia Salter Bacon (February 2, 1811 – September 2, 1859) was an American writer of plays and short stories and Shakespeare scholar. She is best known for her work on the authorship of Shakespeare's plays, which she attributed to social reformer ...
, who would later be notable for her speculative writing about the Shakespeare authorship question. After a time, their relationship became the subject of gossip because, as per the current customs, two unmarried people spending a significant amount of time together would be expected to result in their marriage. When Bacon's brother, Rev.
Leonard Bacon
Reverend Leonard Bacon (February 19, 1802 – December 24, 1881) was an American Congregational preacher and writer. He held the pulpit of the First Church New Haven and was later professor of church history and polity at Yale College.
Biograp ...
, learned from MacWhorter that the latter had no intention of marrying her, he had MacWhorter brought up on charges that resulted in an ecclesiastical trial. A close 12-11 decision resulted in only a reprimand for MacWhorter.
On September 7, 1857, he married Henrietta Whitney Blake (1825–1901), a daughter of
Eli Whitney Blake
Eli Whitney Blake, Sr. (January 27, 1795 – August 18, 1886) was an American inventor, best known for his mortise lock and stone-crushing machine, the latter of which earned him a place into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Early life
Blak ...
of New Haven, who survived him without children.
He died on Tuesday, June 28, 1880, at the age of 58.