Ezra Stiles diary excerpt

Collection — Box: Multi 08, Folder: 01

Identifier: MS-0180

Scope and Contents Note

This collection contains excerpts from Ezra Stiles’ diaries. Ezra Stiles was a contemporary of William Smith and wrote in his diaries the creation of Washington College. They are only the entries related to the early history of Washington College. Frederica Albee Strong wrote these excerpts for a book the College was writing on its history. There is also correspondence from 1952, between Frederica and Daniel Gibson regarding the excerpts, thanking Frederica for them, the book project, and the revival of the Kent County Historical Society.

Dates

Creation: 1783; 1952

Access restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Publication rights

Copyright has not been assigned to Washington College. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Washington College as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Biographical Information

See more See less

Ezra Stiles (1727-1795) was born in New Haven, Connecticut, to Rev. Isaac Stiles and Kenzia Taylor Stiles. He attended Yale College in 1742 as one of thirteen in that year’s freshman class. He graduated in 1746, and he then got his Master of Arts in 1749; he was also ordained that year. Stiles continued his time at Yale as a tutor until 1755. In 1753, he began a career in law, gaining his qualifications by reading law and passing the bar in November of that year. He had traveled to Newport, Rhode Island, and eventually ministered at the Second Congregational Church there. In 1757, he married Elizabeth Hubbard. Stiles played a major role in the establishment of Brown University. He supported the Patriot cause during the American Revolution. In 1778, he was appointed President of Yale University, a post he held until his death. Stiles held views that slavery was cruel and inhuman, even writing a letter condemning it with Samuel Hopkins, but he also owned a young boy he renamed “Newport.”