Samuel Andrew (29 January 1656 – 24 January 1738) 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 it ...
clergyman and educator.
Early life
Samuel was born in
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...
, the eldest child of Samuel and Elizabeth (nee White) Andrew.
The elder Samuel was a merchant and shipmaster and the master builder of the first
Harvard Hall
Harvard Hall is a Harvard University classroom building in Harvard Yard, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
First Harvard Hall
The present Harvard Hall replaces an earlier structure of the same name on the same site. The first Harvard Hall was built bet ...
. Elizabeth's step-father, a wealthy Salem merchant named George Curwin, paid for the younger Samuel's education.
He graduated from
Harvard College
Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...
in 1675 and received a Master's degree in 1678. He then became a tutor at the College until 1684. He was elected a Fellow of the college in 1679.
His students at Harvard included multiple co-founders of Yale (see below) and future Harvard president
John Leverett
John Leverett (baptized 7 July 1616 – 16 March 1678/79In the Julian calendar, then in use in England, the year began on 25 March. To avoid confusion with dates in the Gregorian calendar, then in use in other parts of Europe, dates between Ja ...
.
Minister in Milford
Reverend Andrew was ordained minister at
Milford, Connecticut
Milford is a coastal city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located between New Haven and Bridgeport. The population was 50,558 at the 2020 United States Census. The city includes the village of Devon and the borough of Woodmon ...
on 18 November 1685,
and served there for the rest of his life. When he arrived in Milford, the congregation was divided over doctrinal issues. The combination of the departure of some dissenters in the 1690s and Reverend Andrew's skills as a minister led to a revival that lasted until his death.
He was one of the ministers who assembled at Saybrook in 1708 by order of the General Court for the purpose of adopting and recommending to the churches a manual of church discipline called the "
Saybrook Platform".
Yale University
He was one of the ten ministers who were the founding trustees of the
Collegiate School in 1701. According to Yale President
Thomas Clapp
Thomas Clap or Thomas Clapp (June 26, 1703 – January 7, 1767) was an American academic and educator, a Congregational minister, and college administrator. He was both the fifth rector and the earliest official to be called "president" of Yale C ...
, writing in 1766, Reverend Andrew and his former students Reverend
James Pierpont and Reverend
Samuel Russell (who was not one of the original trustees) led the effort to create the new college. One of the several motivations for the new college was concern over the liberalizing of the Harvard education by Andrew's former student, Leverett.
Andrew had close ties to several of his fellow trustees. Reverend Samuel Mather was his brother-in-law. Reverend Timothy Woodbridge was a college classmate.
In addition to Pierpont,
Noadiah Russell and James Webb were former students.
He served as the
rector
Rector (Latin for the member of a vessel's crew who steers) may refer to:
Style or title
*Rector (ecclesiastical), a cleric who functions as an administrative leader in some Christian denominations
*Rector (academia), a senior official in an edu ...
''pro tempore'' of the
Collegiate School between 1707 (the death of Rev.
Abraham Pierson, the first rector) and 1719. During his tenure the school was renamed Yale College to honor a gift from
Elihu Yale
Elihu Yale (5 April 1649 – 8 July 1721) was a British-American colonial administrator and philanthropist. Although born in Boston, Massachusetts, he only lived in America as a child, spending the rest of his life in England, Wales and India ...
, a governor of the
British East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
. Andrew continued to reside at Milford, loyal to his congregation, teaching the senior students there. He refused to move to Saybrook, Connecticut, or, after the college moved, to
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 ...
.
Family
His first wife was Abigail Treat (1660-1727), the daughter of Governor
Robert Treat
Robert Treat (February 23, 1624July 12, 1710) was a New England Puritan colonial leader, militia officer and governor of the Connecticut Colony between 1683 and 1698. In 1666 he helped found Newark, New Jersey.
Biography
Treat was born in Pit ...
and his first wife Jane Tapp. His second wife was the widow Abigail Beach. His daughter Elizabeth married the Rev.
Timothy Cutler, who succeeded him as rector of Yale in 1719 and later became the first minister of
Old North Church
Old North Church (officially, Christ Church in the City of Boston), at 193 Salem Street, in the North End, Boston, is the location from which the famous "One if by land, two if by sea" signal is said to have been sent. This phrase is related ...
. His daughter Abigail married Governor
Jonathan Law.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Andrew, Samuel
1656 births
1738 deaths
People from Cambridge, Massachusetts
Harvard College alumni
Presidents of Yale University
People of colonial Connecticut
People of colonial Massachusetts
Yale University founders
American Congregationalist ministers