JOHN
WITHERSPOON was
born February 5, 1722 in Gifford, Haddingtonshire, Scotland.His father was the minister of the parish of Yester.He was sent, at an early age, to the public school at
Haddington, and at the age of fourteen, he went on to the University of
Edinburgh.At the age of
twenty-one, he finished college and following in his father's
footsteps, he commenced preaching.In 1745 he was ordained a minister of the parish of Beith.He married Elizabeth Montgomery, and she eventually bore him ten
children.He gained a wide reputation through his many ecclesiastical
writings and in January of 1757 he was installed as pastor at Paisley,
where he found himself very happy in the affections of his large
congregation.
Witherspoon
flourished and in 1766, he declined his election to the presidency of
Princeton College in the Colonies.The female members of the Witherspoon family, especially Mrs.
Witherspoon, were reluctant to leave Scotland for a land of strangers
that was so far from her family.However,
due to the influence of Benjamin Rush, who was studying medicine abroad at that
time, and Richard Stockton, both fellow signers, Mrs. Witherspoon had a
change of heart and in August 1768, the Witherspoons arrived in America.He brought with him 300 valuable books as a gift to the college,
while his friends in Scotland and England gave many more.In the same month he was inaugurated president of the college,
and he devoted himself to his new endeavor until 1774.He also was instrumental in stimulating and unifying the Presbyterian Church
in America during this and later periods.He contributed to the cause of the Patriots by sermons and
writings and by participation in various local activities.
On
June 22, 1776, after taking part as a member of the Provincial congress
in the overthrow of the authority of the royal governor, William
Franklin, Witherspoon was elected to the Continental congress.He was impatient with the delay in the passing of the Declaration
of Independence, stating that "he that will not respond to its
accents, and strain every nerve to carry into effect its provisions, is
unworthy the name of freeman" and protesting for himself that
"although these gray hairs must soon descend into the sepulcher, I
would infinitely rather that they should descend thither by the hand of
the public executioner than desert at this crisis the sacred cause of my
country".He took his
seat a few days before the fourth of July, and actively participated in
the deliberations on the momentous question of a declaration of
independence.Witherspoon
would, despite his Scottish accent, astonish the whole house by the
regular arrangement of his ideas, his command of the language, and his
precision on subjects of importance.He was a strong advocate of independence and it was a happy reply
that he made to a gentleman who, in opposing the measure, declared that
the country was not yet ripe for a declaration of independence.
"Sir," said Witherspoon, "in my judgment the country is
not only ripe for the measure but in danger of rotting for the want of
it."
Witherspoon
cast his affirmative vote for independence on July 2, 1776.Five months after signing the Declaration, the British burned his
library.As one colleague reported, "He would lay aside the cloth to
take revenge on them, I believe he would send them to the devil if he
could."
Witherspoon
served in Congress for six years and was ambitiously involved in his
work on more than one hundred committees.He was seldom absent from his seat, and never allowed personal
considerations to prevent his attention to official duties. At the
close of the year 1779, Dr. Witherspoon voluntarily retired from
congress, desiring to spend the rest of his life, as he said, in "otio
cum dignitate."He
wished to devote his attention to a revival in the college, but he was
persuaded to return to Congress in 1780, but at the close of 1782, he
retired from political life.In
1783, he visited England with Joseph Reed, intending to promote
Princeton College and request contributions, but he found the British so
embittered toward the American people that the amount that he was able
to raise only just exceeded his expenses on the voyage.Upon returning to the States in 1784, he occupied himself with
the administrative affairs of the college and with the cultivation of
his farm near Princeton.
Although
Witherspoon was a sagacious politician, he was more advantagous as a minister of the gospel, and particularly as a minister in the pulpit.The social
qualities of Witherspoon rendered him one of the most companionable of
men. He possessed a rich supply of anecdote, both amusing and
instructive.The following
anecdote is an example of his humor.On the surrender of the British army to General Gates, at
Saratoga, Gates dispatched one of his aids to convey the news to
congress. The news of the surrender would have prompted most men to make
the journey as quickly as possible, but the aid proceeded so leisurely,
that the news reached Philadelphia three days before his arrival.It was usual for Congress, on such occasions, to bestow some mark
of their esteem upon the person who was the bearer of such good news and
it was proposed, in this case, to bestow upon the messenger an elegant
sword. During the conversation on this subject in the hall, Witherspoon
rose, and begged leave to amend the motion, by substituting for an
elegant sword, a pair of golden spurs. Another interesting trait
in his character was his attention to young persons.He never missed an opportunity to impart the most useful
advice to them, according to their circumstances, when they happened to
be in his company.And this
was always done with so much kindness and grace, that they could neither
be inattentive nor easily forget it.
In
his personal life, he was an affectionate husband, a tender parent, a
kind master, and a sincere friend.He was twice married.The
first time in Scotland, at an early age, to Elizabeth Montgomery.She was a woman distinguished for her piety and benevolence and
she bore him ten children, five of whom survived infancy.At the time of his emigration to America, he had three sons and
two daughters. James, his eldest son, was killed in the battle of
Germantown.John became a
physician, and David a lawyer.Of the daughters, one was married to the Rev. Samuel S.
Smith, the successor of Witherspoon in the presidency of the college.The other became connected with Dr. Ramsay, the celebrated
historian.The second marriage of Witherspoon occurred when he was seventy years old, marring
Ann, the widow of Dr. Armstrong Dill. She was only twenty-three years old,
and she bore him two daughters.
In
1792, Witherspoon lost his sight and it contributed to the progress of
his other health problems.At
length however, he sank under the accumulated pressure of his
infirmities and on November 15, 1794, in his seventy-third year of life,
he died.
We invite you to read a transcription
of the complete text of the Declaration as presented by the National Archives.
&
The article "The
Declaration of Independence: A History,"
which provides a detailed account of the Declaration, from its drafting through
its preservation today at the National Archives.
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