Reverend George Wilson McPhail

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 ...

(December 26, 1815 – June 28, 1871) was a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

minister, and educator who served as the sixth president of

Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter and other citizens in Easton, the college first held classes in 1832. The founders voted to name the college after General Laf ...

, a director at

Princeton Theological Seminary Princeton Theological Seminary (PTSem), officially The Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church, is a private school of theology in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1812 under the auspices of Archibald Alexander, the General Assembly of ...

, and as the fifth president of

Davidson College Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. It was established in 1837 by the Concord Presbytery and named after Revolutionary War general William Lee Davidson, who was killed at the nearby Battle of Cowan� ...

Biography

McPhail was born in

Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...

in 1815 and attended

Hampden–Sydney College gr, Ye Shall Know the Truth , established = , type = Private liberal arts men's college , religious_affiliation = Presbyterian Church (USA) , endowment = $258 million (2021) , president = Larry Stimpert , city = Hampden Sydney, Virginia , cou ...

for a period of two years before entering

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

where he graduated in 1835. After college, McPhail returned to Virginia where he attended

Union Presbyterian Seminary Union Presbyterian Seminary is a Presbyterian seminary in Richmond, Virginia. It also has a non-residential campus in Charlotte, North Carolina and an online blended learning program. History As a result of efforts undertaken together by the S ...

, studying theology. After his ordainment, McPhail was called upon to preach at a number of churches, leaving at various times due to health problems. He started in

Prince George County, Virginia Prince George County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 43,010. Its county seat is Prince George. Prince George County is located within the Greater Richmond Region of the U.S. stat ...

before moving to

Buckingham, Virginia Buckingham is a census-designated place (CDP; listed as Buckingham Courthouse) in and the county seat of Buckingham County, Virginia, United States. The population as of the 2010 Census was 133.Fredericksburg, Virginia Fredericksburg is an independent city located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,982. The Bureau of Economic Analysis of the United States Department of Commerce combines the city of Fredericksburg wi ...

, and finally the Brainard church in

Easton, Pennsylvania Easton is a city in, and the county seat of, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city's population was 28,127 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Easton is located at the confluence of the Lehigh River, a river tha ...

. While at the Brainard church, in 1857, he was elected as president of nearby

where he served until 1863. While at Lafayette, McPhail worked with

Francis March Dr. Francis Andrew March (October 25, 1825 – September 9, 1911) was an American polymath, academic, philologist, and lexicographer. He is considered the principal founder of modern comparative linguistics in Old English. Also known as the "G ...

, who was previously appointed as an instructor to the school under the tutelage of former president Daniel V. McLean, on recommendation from McPhail. March, a revolutionary academic, was the first individual to teach English in a college setting, and McPhail was instrumental in creating courses specific to the philological study of the English language - something every other American college afterwards began to do. During the 1861 school year, and with the advent of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, Lafayette saw a drastic decrease in enrollment. Though interest in the school began again after the

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union G ...

, when Lee invaded Pennsylvania the rush to arms by students statewide was so great it left Lafayette almost without pupils. Commencement in 1863 therefore did not take place as there were not enough students capable of graduating. Seniors who joined the military efforts ended up graduating the following year, and due to the financial pressures of a college without students, McPhail resigned in 1863. After Lafayette, McPhail taught at an all-ladies seminary in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

before taking on the role as president at

in 1867. While at Davidson, McPhail took gratification in leading many students into the church of Christ, many of whom would later join the ministry themselves. During his time at Davidson, McPhail's condition slowly worsened, yet he was able to continue fulfilling his obligations until a short time before his death. Ultimately, he became ill while signing diplomas for the class of 1871 and died before the commencement of that year.

Personal life

McPhail married Mary C. Page in December 1840. Together they had four children, though three died while McPhail was still alive, causing him much grief. In 1857, McPhail was awarded with an honorary 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 ...

from Jefferson College. McPhail died on June 28, 1871, in

Davidson, North Carolina Davidson is a suburban town located in northern Mecklenburg and Iredell counties, North Carolina, United States, on the banks of Lake Norman. It is a suburb in the Charlotte metropolitan area. The population was 10,944 at the 2010 census, and in ...

at the age of 55.

References

External links

Biography from the Davidson College Archives & Special Collections
{{DEFAULTSORT:McPhail, George 1815 births 1871 deaths Presidents of Davidson College Presidents of Lafayette College Yale University alumni Union Presbyterian Seminary alumni People from Norfolk, Virginia People from Buckingham, Virginia Lafayette College trustees People from Davidson, North Carolina