Blatchford, Samuel 1767-1828

Samuel Blatchford was a presbyterian minister and the first president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

He was born in Devonport, Devon, England in 1767. He was educated at the Dissenting College of Theology at Homerton, now called Homerton College, Cambridge. He married Alicia Windeatt on March 25, 1788. On November 4, 1789, he was ordained and became pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Kingsbridge, Devon. In 1791, he became pastor of the church in Topsham, Devon. In 1795, he became pastor of a church in Bedford, Westchester County, New York State, and later pastor of a church in Bridgeport, Connecticut. In 1804, he became pastor of the Presbyterian churches in Lansingburgh and Waterford (which later merged). He was also asked to be principal of Lansingburgh Academy. In 1805, he was appointed a trustee of Union College and later a member of the Board of Examiners. In 1824, Stephen van Rensselaer appointed him trustee and the first president of the Rensselaer School, which grew to become Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He was given an honorary master's degree by Yale College in 1798 and the degree of Doctor of Divinity by Williams College in 1808.
He died in Lansingburgh on March 27, 1828. Eliphalet Nott, the president of Union College and later the third president of Rensselaer, delivered the sermon at the funeral services. His grandson Samuel Blatchford was an attorney, judge and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Blatchford_(university_president)

Annals of the American Pulpit, Volume 4 - 1860 (page 158)





The Rev. Samuel Blatchford, D.D., the first president of the Institute, was born in Devonshire County, England in 1767. He was educated for the ministry at the Dissenting College of Theology, at Homerton, near London; married in 1788; ordained in 1789 pastor over the Presbyterian Church in Kingston, Devonshire. In 1791 he became pastor of the church in Topsham, England, where he remained until he was called to a church at Bedford, Westchester County, N.Y., in 1795. He then moved on to Bridgeport, Conn., and in 1804 he was called to take charge of the church at Lansingburgh and Waterford, N.Y. Here an acquaintance with the Hon. Stephen Van Rensselaer grew into a friendship. In 1824, Blatchford was named trustee and first president of the Rensselaer School. This position he held for four years. He died at Lansingburgh on the 27th of March, 1828.
http://www.rpi.edu/dept/library/html/Archives/history/presidents/blatchford,s.html

Elements of the Greek language: exhibited, for the most part, in New Rules, Made Easy to the Memory by Their Brevity: Being a Translation of Dr. Moor's Celebrated Greek Grammar. To Which are Added, Greville Ewing's Continuation and Syntax. By Samuel Blatchford, A.M., Principal of Lansingburgh Academy - 1807

The Blatchford Memorial 1871 - 104 pages



Funeral Sermon, By Dr. Nott (see page 55 of "The Blatchford Memorial")

Blatchford Memorial II : a genealogical record of the family of Rev. Samuel Blatchford, D.D., with some mention of allied families, also autobiographical sketch of Rev. Dr. Blatchford from "The Blatchford memorial". (1912) - Blatchford, E. W. (Eliphalet Wickes), 1826-1914

A sermon, delivered to the United Presbyterian congregations of Lansingburgh and Waterford, April 13, 1815; (1815) - Blatchford, Samuel, 1767-1828.
Delivered on the Day of National Thanksgiving (Psalm 136:1)

Doctor Smith's Answer to Mr. Blatchford's letter (1798) - Smith, William, 1754-1821