Reverend Charles William Nassau

D.D. A Doctor of Divinity (DD or DDiv; ) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity (i.e., Christian theology and ministry or other theologies. The term is more common in the English-speaking world than elsewhere. In the United Kin ...

, (April 12, 1804 – August 6, 1878) was a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

minister and the fourth president of

Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter and other citizens in Easton, the college first held classes in 18 ...

serving from 1849 to 1850.

Early life

Charles Nassau was born in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

in 1804 to Reverend William Nassau, a

ruling elder Presbyterian (or presbyteral) polity is a method of Ecclesiastical polity, church governance ("ecclesiastical polity") typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually ...

at the Second Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, and Ann Nassau (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Parkinson). The family descended from the

Duchy of Nassau The Duchy of Nassau (German language, German: ''Herzogtum Nassau'') was an independent state between 1806 and 1866, located in what became the Germany, German states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse. It was a States of the Confederation of th ...

, through Charles Henry Von Nassau, the chief hunt master to

Augustus II the Strong Augustus II the Strong (12 May 1670 – 1 February 1733), was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1697 to 1706 and from 1709 until his death in 1733. He belonged to the Albertine branch of the H ...

, the

King of Saxony This article lists dukes, electors, and kings ruling over different territories named Saxony from the beginning of the Saxon Duchy in the 6th century to the end of the German monarchies in 1918. The electors of Saxony from John the Steadfast ...

. Nassau initially attended school at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

, graduating on July 26, 1821, and studied Hebrew the following year with a professor from the school. Nassau attended

Princeton Theological Seminary Princeton Theological Seminary (PTSem), officially The Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church, is a Private university, private seminary, school of theology in Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Establish ...

for one year before leaving due to health problems, and completed his

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological college, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called seminarians) in scripture and theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as cle ...

with the Presbytery of Philadelphia on April 23, 1824. Nassau was ordained by the Presbytery on November 16, 1825.

Career

After his ordainment, Nassau was a pastor in

Norristown, Pennsylvania Norristown is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough with Home Rule Municipality (Pennsylvania), home rule status and the county seat of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States, in the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia metropolitan area. Located ...

from 1825 to 1828, leaving due to another complaint with his health. From 1829 to 1833 he taught at an all-boys school in Philadelphia before overcoming his health issues and practicing as a pastor, again in Norristown, from 1832 to 1833. Starting in 1836, Nassau became a professor of Latin and Greek at Marion College, in

Hannibal, Missouri Hannibal is a city along the Mississippi River in Marion County, Missouri, Marion and Ralls County, Missouri, Ralls counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. According to the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 17,108, ...

. He stayed here for two years before transferring to teach ancient languages at Lafayette College from 1841 to 1849. In 1848, Lafayette College was under dire financial stress due to a lacking endowment. The previous president,

George Junkin The Reverend George Junkin (November 1, 1790 – May 20, 1868) was an American educator and Presbyterian minister who served as the first and third president of Lafayette College and later as president of Miami University and Washington College ...

, resigned in the 1848 school year leaving the college without a president. In a state of emergency, Nassau was elected as president in 1849. Despite Nassau's education, he was unable to turn the financial situation around, and left the position in September, 1850 when debtors began to take legal action against the school. After the presidency at Lafayette, Nassau became head of the Young Ladies' Seminary in

Lawrenceville, New Jersey Lawrenceville is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) within Lawrence Township in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

. He served in this position until 1875, and the seminary prospered well during his tenure. After 1875, Nassau resigned from this position to retire in

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County. It was the federal capital, capital of the United States from November 1 until D ...

Personal life

Nassau married Hannah Hamill on April 11, 1826, with whom he had eleven children. In 1850, Nassau was awarded with an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Jefferson College (now

Washington & Jefferson College Washington & Jefferson College (W&J College or W&J) is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania, United States. The college traces its origin to three Presbyterian m ...

). He died in Trenton on August 6, 1878.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nassau, Charles 1804 births 1878 deaths 19th-century American Presbyterian ministers American Presbyterians Presidents of Lafayette College Clergy from Philadelphia