History of Princeton, (Mercer County) New Jersey United States of America

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Biographies:

Archibald Alexander, educator, was born in Rockbridge county, Va., April 17, 1772, son of William Alexander, a farmer of means, who gave him an academic education under William Graham in the celebrated school founded by his great-uncle, Robert Alexander in 1749, and then known as "Liberty Hall." This school was the germ of Washington and Lee university. During the great revival of 1789-'90 Archibald turned his attention to religious study, was ordained by the presbytery of Hanover, and preached several years as an itinerant pastor over several churches in Charlotte and Prince Edward's counties. He was elected president of Hampden-Sidney college in 1796, serving until a revolt among the students forced him to retire in 1806. In 1802 he was married to Janetta, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Waddel, the blind preacher, immortalized by William Wirt. He acted as pastor of the old Vine street Presbyterian church of Philadelphia from 1807 to 1812, when he became leading professor in Princeton theological seminary, the first theological professor elected by the general assembly of the Presbyterian church. He opened the seminary with three students, and in a few years, as the number of professorships increased, he was able to confine his work to didactic and polemic theology. He had been moderator of the general assembly in 1808, and in his annual sermon before that body had advised the establishment of a theological seminary. This led to the foundation of the seminary at Princeton in 1812. There he founded the chair of Christian ethics and apologetics, and after his retirement it became known as the Archibald Alexander chair. For nearly forty years he labored in this field, shaping the views and character of hundreds of preachers. He possessed extraordinary powers as a pulpit orator and in polemics, so popular in his day. His first published work was, "A Brief Outline of the Evidences of the Christian Religion" (1823), widely translated and largely used as a text-book. He prepared a pocket edition of the Holy Bible in 1831. In 1833 he followed it with: "The Canons of the Old and New Testament Ascertained;" "Lives of the Patriarchs" (1835); "Essays on Religious Experiences" (1840); "Evidences of the Authenticity and Canonical Authority of the Holy Scriptures," 5th ed. (1836); "History of African Colonization" (1846); "History of the Log Cabin" (1846); "History of the Israelitish Nation" (1852); "Outlines of Moral Science" (1858); and minor works. He died at Princeton, N.J., Oct. 22, 1851.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Francis Barber, soldier, was born at Princeton, N.J., in 1751. He was graduated from Princeton college in 1767, and two years later accepted the position of principal of the Elizabethtown (N.J.) academy. He joined the revolutionary army in 1776 with the rank of major of artillery, and received promotion first to lieutenant-colonel, and later to assistant inspector-general, serving under Baron Steuben. He was present at many important battles, including Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine and Germantown, receiving serious wounds at Monmouth. He was taken to a hospital, and while convalescent succeeded in gaining important information which was exceedingly useful to the patriots. In 1779 he was promoted adjutant-general, and the following year was appointed by General Washington to levy stores in New Jersey. The following year when insurrection broke out in some of the troops he was sent to subdue the soldiers, accomplishing the task with tact and success. He was present at several engagements in Lafayette's Virginia campaign in 1781, notably at Yorktown, serving efficiently throughout the war. He died in Newburg, N.Y., Feb. 11, 1783.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Samuel Miller, clergyman, was born at Princeton, N.J., Jan. 23, 1816; son of the Rev. Samuel and Sarah (Sergeant) Miller. His uncle, Dr. Edward Miller (1760-1812) was, with Drs. Smith and Mitchell, founder of the Medical Repository, New York, 1797, and was professor of medicine in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1807. Samuel was graduated at the College of New Jersey, A.B., 1833, A.M., 1836; was tutor there, 1835-36; studied law, was admitted to the Philadelphia bar, and practised there until 1841, when he ended Princeton Theological seminary. He was graduated in 1844; was ordained evangelist by the presbytery of New Brunswick, Oct. 5, 1844; was stated supply at Mount Holly, N.J., 1845-50, and pastor there, 1850-73; also served as a stated supply at Columbus, 1845-65, and at Tuckerton and Bass River, N.J., 1858-62, and was pastor at Oceanic, 1880-83. He was principal of the West Jersey Collegiate institute at Mount Holly, 1845-57. He received the degree of D.D. from the College of New Jersey in 1864, and was a director of the Princeton Theological seminary, 1869-83. His brother, Elihu Spencer (1817-1879), was a well known lawyer, law editor and author in Philadelphia. Dr. Miller published a Report of the Presbyterian Church Case (1840), and Life and Writings of the Rev. Samuel Miller, his father (2 vols., 1869). He died at Mount Holly, N.J., Oct. 12, 1883.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Macpherson Berrien, jurist, was born near Princeton, N.J., Aug. 23, 1781, son of, Maj. John Berrien, an officer in the Continental army. His mother was a sister of John MacPherson, who was an aide-de-camp to General Lafayette, and subsequently served on the staff of General Lachlan McIntosh. Major Berrien settled in Georgia in 1782, but his son John passed his school days in New York and New Jersey, and was graduated at Nassau hall, Princeton, in the class of 1796. He studied law and was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1799, practising in Chatham county. In 1809 he was appointed solicitor-general of the eastern district of the state, and two years later was elected judge of his circuit, holding the judgeship until 1821. Soon after the beginning of the war of 1812 he entered the army as major of cavalry. The legislature of Georgia in 1812, to relieve the debtor class among the citizens of that state, passed laws which practically closed the doors of the courts to creditors. At a convention of the judges of the state, four cases were presented and a unanimous opinion, prepared by Judge Berrien, was rendered that the laws impaired the obligation of contracts, and were therefore unconstitutional. This is held as the ablest exposition made on that question. On the expiration of his term as judge he was elected a member of the state senate. In 1824 he was elected to the senate of the United States. He resigned his seat as senator in 1829, and was appointed attorney-general in the cabinet of President Jackson. In June, 1831, he resigned with the other members of the cabinet, receiving a letter from the President expressing his approval of his zeal and efficiency, and tendering him the mission to Great Britain which he declined. He returned to his home at Savannah and resumed the practice of law. In 1841 he was returned to the United States senate, taking his seat the 4th of March, and serving for a time as chairman of the judiciary committee. In 1845 he was made judge of the supreme court of Georgia, and in 1847 was once more elected to the United States senate, resigning his seat in May, 1852, when, being in his seventy-first year he retired to private life. In 1844 he was a delegate from Georgia to the national Whig convention at Baltimore that nominated Henry Clay for President. His speech in the senate on the constitutionality of the bankrupt law won general commendation, and drew from Mr. Clay a graceful compliment in open session of the senate. His argument on "the right of instruction" was complimented by Mr. Justice Story, who proposed to insert it in a new edition of his work on the Constitution. He was one of the board of regents of the Smithsonian institution, Washington. The college of New Jersey conferred on him the degree of LL.D. in 1829. The county of Berrien, in the state of Georgia, is named in his honor. He died in Savannah, Ga., Jan. 1, 1856.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor