Samuel Langdon (January 12, 1723 – November 29, 1797) was an American

Congregational Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

clergyman Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

and educator. After serving as pastor in

Portsmouth, New Hampshire Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. At the 2020 census it had a population of 21,956. A historic seaport and popular summer tourist destination on the Piscataqua River bordering the state of Maine, Portsm ...

, he was appointed

president of Harvard University The president of Harvard University is the chief administrator of Harvard University and the '' ex officio'' president of the Harvard Corporation. Each is appointed by and is responsible to the other members of that body, who delegate to the pr ...

in 1774. He held that post until 1780.

Life

Born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1723, Langdon attended

Boston Latin School The Boston Latin School is a public exam school in Boston, Massachusetts. It was established on April 23, 1635, making it both the oldest public school in the British America and the oldest existing school in the United States. Its curriculum f ...

and graduated from Harvard in 1740. While teaching in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, he studied

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...

, and was licensed to preach. In 1745, he was appointed chaplain of a regiment, and was present at the capture of

Fortress Louisbourg The Fortress of Louisbourg (french: Forteresse de Louisbourg) is a National Historic Site and the location of a one-quarter partial reconstruction of an 18th-century French fortress at Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. Its two s ...

. On his return, he was appointed assistant to Reverend James Fitch of the North Church of Portsmouth. He was ordained as pastor in 1747, and continued in that charge till 1774, when he became president of Harvard. At Harvard, his ardent patriotism led him to adopt measures that were obnoxious to the

Tory A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved in the English culture throughout history. The ...

students, and although he endeavored to administer the government of the college with justice, his resignation was virtually compelled in 1780. The following year, he became pastor of the

Congregational church Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...

at Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. In 1788, he was a delegate to the New Hampshire convention that adopted the

Constitution of the United States The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, in 1789. Originally comprising seven articles, it delineates the nati ...

, often led its debates, and did much to remove prejudice against the Constitution. Langdon was distinguished as a scholar and theologian, and exerted a wide influence in his community. The

University of Aberdeen , mottoeng = The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom , established = , type = Public research universityAncient university , endowment = £58.4 million (2021) , budget ...

gave him the degree of

Doctor of Divinity 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 ran ...

in 1762. He was a charter member of the

American Academy of Arts and Sciences The American Academy of Arts and Sciences (abbreviation: AAA&S) is one of the oldest learned societies in the United States. It was founded in 1780 during the American Revolution by John Adams, John Hancock, James Bowdoin, Andrew Oliver, a ...

. He published ''Summary of Christian Faith and Practice'' (1768); ''Observations on the Revelations'' (1791); ''Remarks on the Leading Sentiments of Dr. Hopkins's System of Doctrines'' (1794) and many sermons. In 1761, in connection with Colonel

Joseph Blanchard Joseph Blanchard (1704–1758) was born in Dunstable, New Hampshire (now Nashua) on February 11, 1704 to Capt. Joseph Blanchard and his wife Abiah Hassell. In 1724 he joined the New Hampshire Militia as a lieutenant and served in Capt. Eleaze ...

, he prepared and published a map of New Hampshire. Langdon died in

Hampton Falls, New Hampshire Hampton Falls (formerly the "Third Parish and Hampton Falls") is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 2,403 at the 2020 census. History The land of Hampton Falls was first settled by Europeans in 1638 ...

on November 29, 1797.

References

*''Portions of the above text are from Appletons Encyclopedia published 1887-1889, and are in the public domain.''

External links

Massachusetts Historical Society copy of the Blanchard/Langdon map
1723 births 1797 deaths Presidents of Harvard University American theologians American cartographers Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences People from colonial Boston People from Boston Boston Latin School alumni Harvard University alumni Patriots in the American Revolution {{US-academic-administrator-stub