John Williamson Nevin
American theologian (1803 – 1886)
John Williamson Nevin (February 20, 1803 – June 6, 1886) was an American theologian and educator. He served as the second president of Marshall College after the sudden death of Frederick Augustus Rauch.2
From Wikipedia’s article on John Williamson Nevin (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.
Born Feb 20, 1803, died Jun 6, 1886.1
About
As president, Nevin negotiated the merger of Marshall College with Franklin College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania to found Franklin & Marshall College in 1853. He later returned to head the combined college as its second president from 1866 to 1876.
Nevin was a leading voice in the Mercersburg theology and established the Mercersburg Review as the mouthpiece for its ideas. Theologically sympathetic with Catholicism, Nevin's association with Franklin & Marshall College and the Lancaster Theological Seminary motivated critics within the German Reformed Church to found Ursinus College as a conservative alternative.
He was the father of noted sculptor and poet Blanche Nevin.
From Wikipedia’s article on John Williamson Nevin, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2
Companies
- Franklin & Marshall CollegeChair 1866 to 18769
- Franklin & Marshall CollegeChair 1841 to 18539
Early life and education
Early life
Nevin was born in Strasburg, Pennsylvania on February 20, 1803 to a Scottish-American family. His uncle was the Founding Father Hugh Williamson.
Presbyterian training
Nevin was raised Presbyterian and trained to become a Presbyterian minister. He graduated at Union College in 1821 and studied theology at the Presbyterian-affiliated Princeton Theological Seminary from 1823 to 1828. After graduating with his Doctor of Divinity in 1828, Nevin was ordained as a minister by the Carlisle, Pennsylvania Presbyterian church. From 1826 to 1828, Nevin was Charles Hodge's teaching assistant.
In 1830, Nevin was appointed as a professor of biblical literature at the newly founded Presbyterian Western Theological Seminary in Allegheny, Pennsylvania.
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Schism and Ursinus College
Nevin's pro-Catholic theology alienated traditional elements within the German Reformed Church. To oppose his appointments with Franklin & Marshall College and the German Reformed Theological Seminary, these critics established Ursinus College in 1869 as a conservative alternative.
Franklin & Marshall College
In 1841, Nevin's colleague and Marshall College president Frederick Augustus Rauch died suddenly. Nevin was appointed as Rauch's successor, serving as president of the young college until 1853. Under Nevin, the institution thrived but struggled financially. Nevin and the Franklin College Board of Trustees agreed to merge their institutions in 1853, relocating the college from Mercersburg to Lancaster, Pennsylvania and becoming Franklin & Marshall College.
Nevonia
From 1861 to 1866, Nevin served the college as an instructor of history. He returned as president in 1866 and served until 1876. Under Nevin's presidency, Franklin & Marshall College was known through the epithet Nevonia.
Nevonia legacy
This nickname persisted after his departure, giving rise to the college's first athletic nickname, the Nevonians. Franklin & Marshall's traditional school song and fight song is Hail! Hail! Nevonia in honor of Nevin.
Nevin also lent his name to the student newspaper The Nevonian. After Nevin's death, the College inaugurated the Nevonian Medal and Nevonian Society to preserve his legacy and honor individual contributions to the college.
From Wikipedia’s article on John Williamson Nevin (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.
Career
Occupation: theologian.5
- 1866 to 1876Chair, Franklin & Marshall College4
- 1841 to 1853Chair, Franklin & Marshall College4
Personal life
Nevin married Martha Jenkins in 1835. They had 8 children, including Blanche Nevin.
He died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on June 6, 1886.
From Wikipedia’s article on John Williamson Nevin (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.
Links
Sources
The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.
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- 2WikipediaJohn Williamson Nevin on Wikipedia
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- 7Wikidataplace of birth, as reported
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