Rev. Martin Brewer Anderson (1815–1890) was the first president of the

University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private university, private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants Undergraduate education, undergraduate and graduate degrees, including Doctorate, do ...

Rochester, New York Rochester () is a city in the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Monroe County, and the fourth-most populous in the state after New York City, Buffalo, and Yonkers, with a population of 211,328 at the 2020 United States census. Located in W ...

Biography

Anderson was born February 12, 1815, in

Brunswick, Maine Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 21,756 at the 2020 United States Census. Part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area, Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin Intern ...

. His father was of Scotch-Irish descent and his mother of English origin, a woman of marked intellectual qualities. He graduated from

Waterville College Colby College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine. It was founded in 1813 as the Maine Literary and Theological Institution, then renamed Waterville College after the ...

in 1840 and then attended

Newton Theological Institution Newton Theological Institution was a Baptist theological seminary founded on November 28, 1825 in Newton Centre, Massachusetts.Hovey, Alvah, Historical Address Delivered at the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Newton Theological Institution, June 8, 1 ...

Newton, Massachusetts Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is approximately west of downtown Boston. Newton resembles a patchwork of thirteen villages, without a city center. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population of Ne ...

. He married Elizabeth Gilbert, of New York. He taught Latin, Greek, and mathematics as a tutor at Waterville College, later being appointed as professor of rhetoric and lecturer on modern history, remaining there until 1850, when he removed to

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and became the editor of the Baptist weekly '' New York Recorder''. He was elected a member of the

American Antiquarian Society The American Antiquarian Society (AAS), located in Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a learned society and a national research library of pre-twentieth-century American history and culture. Founded in 1812, it is the oldest historical society i ...

in 1864. He was president of the American Baptist home missionary society, 1864; of the missionary union, 1869-'72. He was elected as a member of the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS), founded in 1743 in Philadelphia, is a scholarly organization that promotes knowledge in the sciences and humanities through research, professional meetings, publications, library resources, and communit ...

in 1867. He served as trustee of

Vassar College Vassar College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, United States. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States, closely foll ...

from 1864 to his death in 1890. He was a member of the New York board of charities, 1868-'81. He received the degree

LL.D. Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation refers to the early ...

from Colby, 1853, and from the

University of the State of New York The University of the State of New York (USNY, ) is the state of New York's governmental umbrella organization for both public and private institutions in New York State. The "university" is not an educational institution: it is, in fact, a lic ...

, 1883, and

L.H.D. The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (; DHumLitt; DHL; or LHD) is an honorary degree awarded to those who have distinguished themselves through humanitarian and philanthropic contributions to society. The criteria for awarding the degree differ ...

from Columbia, 1887. He died February 26, 1890, in

Lake Helen, Florida Lake Helen is a city in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,624 at the 2010 census. Lake Helen was named after the daughter of its founder, Henry DeLand. Geography Lake Helen is located at (28.983463, –81.232870). ...

, and is buried in the University of Rochester plot at Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester. After his death, he bequeathed his property to the University of Rochester.

President of the University of Rochester

He served in the position from 1853 to 1888. His initial salary was $1,800 per year. In addition to being president, he served as professor of moral and intellectual philosophy, 1853-'87, and of political economy, 1887-'90. He has also served as trustee of the college from 1887 until his death in 1890.

References

External links

NY Times obituary February 27, 1890Campus Times article
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, Martin Brewer Presidents of the University of Rochester Colby College alumni Andover Newton Theological School alumni Baptists from Maine 1815 births 1890 deaths Members of the American Antiquarian Society Baptists from New York (state) People from Brunswick, Maine Academics from Maine 19th-century Baptists