Samuel Langdon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Samuel Langdon
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| President of Harvard College |
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| In office 1774–1780 |
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| Preceded by | John Winthrop |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Willard |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 12, 1723 Boston, Massachusetts |
| Died | November 29, 1797 (aged 74) Hampton Falls, New Hampshire |
| Alma mater | Boston Latin School Harvard College |
| Signature |  |
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Samuel Langdon (born January 12, 1723 – died November 29, 1797) was an important American church leader and teacher. He was a Congregational clergyman.
Langdon served as a pastor in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Later, he became the president of Harvard University in 1774. He held this important job until 1780.
Contents
Samuel Langdon's Life Story
Early Years and Education
Samuel Langdon was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1723. His parents were Samuel Langdon and Esther Osgood. He went to the Boston Latin School when he was young.
After that, he graduated from Harvard in 1740. While he was teaching in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, he studied theology, which is the study of religious faith. He was then allowed to preach.
A Chaplain and Pastor
In 1745, Langdon became a chaplain for a group of soldiers. He was there when Fortress Louisbourg was captured. When he returned, he became an assistant to Reverend James Fitch. Reverend Fitch worked at the North Church of Portsmouth.
Langdon became the official pastor there in 1747. He stayed in that role until 1774. That's when he became the president of Harvard.
Leading Harvard College
At Harvard, Samuel Langdon was very patriotic. He took actions that some students, who supported the British (called Tories), did not like. He tried to be fair in running the college.
However, he was eventually forced to resign in 1780. The next year, he became the pastor of the Congregational church in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire.
A Voice for the Constitution
In 1788, Langdon was chosen as a delegate for New Hampshire. This group met to decide if New Hampshire would adopt the Constitution of the United States. He often led the discussions.
He helped many people understand and accept the Constitution. He worked hard to remove any doubts or negative feelings about it.
A Respected Scholar
Samuel Langdon was known as a great scholar and a deep thinker about religion. He had a big impact on his community. The University of Aberdeen gave him a special degree in 1762. This degree was called Doctor of Divinity.
He was also a founding member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Langdon wrote several books. These included Summary of Christian Faith and Practice (1768) and Observations on the Revelations (1791). He also published Remarks on the Leading Sentiments of Dr. Hopkins's System of Doctrines (1794) and many sermons.
In 1761, he worked with Colonel Joseph Blanchard to create a map of New Hampshire. Samuel Langdon passed away in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire, on November 29, 1797.
