John Todd

    John Todd [graduate of Princeton College, class of 1749] is said to have been a weaver before he joined college.  He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New Brunswick, November 13, 1750.   Immediately after his licensure he went to Virginia, and became an assistant to the Rev. Samuel Davies in Providence Church.  After the removal of Mr. Davies to Princeton, Mr. Todd became the leading Presbyterian preacher in that region.  During the Revolution, he was a staunch Whig.  While pastor in Virginia he taught a classical school, and the Rev. James Waddel, who was at that time reading divinity with Mr. Davies, assisted him in teaching.  Col. Gordon, of Lancaster County, on hearing him preach, said: "I never heard a sermon, but one I heard from Mr. Davies, that I heard with more attention and delight.  Oh, if the Lord would be pleased to send us a minister of as much piety as Mr. Todd!"  He died suddenly, July 27, 1793.

[EDITOR'S NOTE:  The above is an excerpt (slightly edited) from: Samuel Davies Alexander, Princeton College During the Eighteenth Century (New York: Anson D. F. Randolph & Company, 1872), pp. 7-8.

    John Todd graduated from Princeton during the governorship of Princeton founder Governor Jonathan Belcher (1682-1757) (governor of New Jersey, 1746-1757), who under the charter of 1748 was ex officio president of the Princeton Board of Trustees.]

Home - Policy Analysis - Christian Law Library - Christian History Library

Historical Biographies - Belcher Bulletin - Publications - Belcher History Center

About Governor Jonathan Belcher - About the Belcher Foundation - Copyright/Disclaimer - Site Index