John Harvard

John Harvard was an English Puritan minister who lived in the seventeenth century.

He is best known for his significant contribution to a new school in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. While he did not create the school by himself, his generous bequest helped ensure its permanence. This gift included both money and a large collection of books. Because of this, he is considered one of the most honored founders of Harvard University. His legacy continues to be recognized through many monuments and names today.

Harvard's life began in Southwark, England, in 1607.

He was the fourth of nine children born to Robert Harvard and Katherine Rogers. His father was a butcher and a tavern owner. The family faced significant hardship when the bubonic plague struck in 1625. This disease reduced his immediate family to only John, his brother Thomas, and his mother. Despite these challenges, his mother was able to send him to higher education. He attended Emmanuel College at the University of Cambridge.

At Cambridge, Harvard focused on his studies and earned two important degrees. He was admitted as a pensioner to Emmanuel College in December 1627. He received his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in 1632 and his Master of Arts (M.A.) in 1635.

In 1636 or 1637, he married Ann Sadler, the sister of a fellow student. Shortly after his marriage, the couple emigrated to the New England Colonies. They settled in Charlestown within the Massachusetts Bay Colony. In this new land, Harvard became a teaching elder and an assistant preacher at the First Church.

Harvard was an active member of his new community in Massachusetts. In 1638, he was appointed to a committee to help consider a body of laws. He also owned a house on what is now known as the John Harvard Mall. His property included an orchard that extended up a hill behind his home. However, his time in the colony was short. On September 14, 1638, Harvard died from tuberculosis. He was buried at the Phipps Street Burying Ground in Charlestown.

Before his death, Harvard made a life-changing decision for the local school. Two years earlier, the Massachusetts Bay Colony had set aside £400 to start a college in Newtowne. This was done to advance learning and prevent an illiterate ministry. Just before he died, the childless Harvard left a large portion of his wealth to this school. He bequeathed £780, which represented half of his monetary estate. This amount was roughly equal to the annual tax receipts of the entire colony.

He also left his scholar's library, which contained 400 volumes across 329 titles.

The colony was so grateful for this gift that they voted to name the school after him. Some people argue he was not the true founder because the school was planned before his gift. However, many historians and the Harvard Corporation view him as a founder. They believe his contributions helped ensure the institution would last for future generations. The town of Newtowne had already been renamed Cambridge, named after the English university. The school eventually became known as Harvard College.

Today, John Harvard is remembered through many different tributes. A famous statue stands in Harvard Yard, though it is not a true likeness of him.

There is also a stained-glass window at Emmanuel College that depicts him. In London, the John Harvard Library is named in his honor. The Harvard Bridge, which connects Boston and Cambridge, also bears his name. In Southwark Cathedral, a dedicated Harvard Chapel was rebuilt in 1907. These memorials link his English origins to his American legacy.