{"id":2075,"date":"2020-01-02T10:07:50","date_gmt":"2020-01-02T15:07:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/special-collections\/?page_id=2075"},"modified":"2026-02-06T10:40:58","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T15:40:58","slug":"jacob-harris-patton","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/special-collections\/principals-presidents\/jacob-harris-patton\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacob Harris Patton – Second Principal, 1939-1840"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Principal Isaac N. Peck was succeeded by twenty-seven-year-old Jacob Harris Patton in the September 1839, who had received his bachelors degree from Jefferson College earlier that year. He served as Principal for one school term. In a letter that he wrote in 1901, he stated, “I spent about fourteen months at Maple Grove, when I was principal of Marshall Academy, 1839-40. I look back even now with pleasure to that period of my life. I left in the autumn of 1840, and reached Nashville, Tenn., in November, and was appointed Tutor in Nashville, University” During his tenure at Marshall Academy his conduct was described as “gentle and persuasive, it is of the strictest moral character; and that the attendance at chapel exercises on the part of the pupils was compulsory.” The following biographic sketch highlights Patton’s life and academic career as a renowned historian: <\/p>\r\n\r\n

Jacob Harris Patton, teacher and author, was born in Fayette county, Pa., May 20, 1812; son of Thomas and Anna (Harris) Patton; grandson of Joseph and Sarah (Weir) Patton and of Jacob and Rebecca (Mofford) Harris. He was graduated at Jefferson College, Pa., A.B., 1839, A.M., 1842; was a tutor in the University of Nashville, Tenn., 1840-43, and at Union Theological seminary, New York city, 1843-46, and was graduated there in 1846. He was principal of a private classical school in New York city, 1846-82, and was licensed to preach by the presbytery of New York in 1846, but chose the profession of teaching. He was married in 1854 to Caroline, daughter of Oliver Chear; she died in 1880. He received the degree of Ph.D. from Washington and Jefferson college in 1884. He devoted the latter part of his life to literary work, and is the author of: A Concise History of the American People<\/em> (2 vols. 1860-1901); Yorktown Memorial 1731-1831<\/em> (1881); Political Parties of the United States, their History and Influence<\/em> (1884-1902); A Popular History of the Presbyterian Church in the United States<\/em> (1901); The Natural Resources of the United States<\/em> (1888-1894); Which Religion Satisfies the Wants of the Soul?<\/em> (1902), and contributions to periodicals. <\/blockquote><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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