James Irwin Brownson, Sr.,

D.D. A Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or DDiv; la, Doctor Divinitatis) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity. In the United Kingdom, it is considered an advanced doctoral degree. At the University of Oxford, doctors of divinity are ra ...

(March 14, 1817 – 1899) was a clergyman and academic in Washington, Pennsylvania. He served as pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Washington, Pennsylvania, for over 50 years.

Biography

He was born on March 14, 1817, in

Mercersburg, Pennsylvania Mercersburg is a borough in Franklin County, located near the southern border of Pennsylvania, United States. The borough is southwest of Harrisburg, the state capital. Due to its location in a rural area, it had a relatively large percentage ...

. He was

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...

by the Presbytery of Carlisle in 1840. He became minister of the First Presbyterian Church of Washington, Pennsylvania, in 1848. Brownson was elected to the board of trustees of Washington College in 1849 served as President Pro Tem. there from July 13, 1852, until September 20, 1853. He was elected to serve in the consolidated board of

Washington & Jefferson College Washington & Jefferson College (W&J College or W&J) is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania. The college traces its origin to three log cabin colleges in Washington County established by three Presbyterian missionaries to ...

after the union of the two colleges and was made President of the Board in 1882. He again served as President Pro Tem. in 1870. He also served as a trustee of the

Washington Female Seminary The Washington Female Seminary was a Presbyterian seminary for women operating from 1836 to 1948 in Washington, Pennsylvania. During the 19th century, it was "one of the best known and most noted institutions of its kind in the state". History T ...

and of the Western Theological Seminary (now Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. He died in 1899 in Washington, Pennsylvania.

Legacy

His son James Irwin Brownson, Jr. served as Judge of the Washington County Courts of Common Pleas and became the namesake of the

Brownson House The Brownson House is a non-profit charitable organization in providing recreation, education, and character development services in Washington, Pennsylvania. The organization's primary facility provides athletic venues for flag football, baske ...

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brownson, James Presidents of Washington & Jefferson College Washington & Jefferson College alumni 19th-century Presbyterian ministers American Presbyterian ministers 1817 births 1899 deaths People from Mercersburg, Pennsylvania 19th-century American clergy