John Smith (academic)
Encyclopedia
John Smith was a professor
at Dartmouth College
and the author of the first unpointed Hebrew grammar book published in the United States
.
Smith was born in Byfield, Massachusetts
. After graduating from Dartmouth, he moved to West Hartford, Connecticut
, and became a pastor
. In 1777, he returned to Dartmouth as a professor in of English
, Greek
, Latin
, Hebrew and Aramaic.
Smith arrived in Hanover in 1771 after graduating from Byefield Academy where he had studied under the classical scholar Samuel Moody. He was admitted to the junior class and graduated in 1773. He then studied divinity under Dartmouth President Eleazar Wheelock
while serving as tutor in ancient languages for the freshman and sophomore classes. In 1776 he was granted the degree of Master of Arts. He was then appointed Dartmouth's first professor in 1777.
From his early interest in Greek and Latin, he soon proceeded to master Hebrew, Chaldaic, Arabic and other oriental languages. In 1780 he also prepared an interesting set of lectures on Natural Philosophy covering Newtonian astronomy and earth science, in which he speculated on the possibility of multiple peopled worlds and the origin of the Indians. These lectures seem to have stimulated his students Solomon Spaulding and Ethan Smith to further speculate on the later subject.
In 1779 Smith also was appointed college librarian. After the death of Professor of Divinity Sylvanus Ripley in 1787, he absorbed Ripley's duties. In 1788 Smith was also appointed to the Board of Trustees. He also was pastor of the College Church and led the daily chapel sessions.
In the late 1790s and early 19th century he prepared a remarkable set of theological lectures that covered various aspects of the details of his Armininan (free will), non Calvinist thinking. All of his published grammars and unpublished lectures and grammars can be found in the Rauner Special collections library at Dartmouth.
His theological work was so appreciated by the Freewill Baptists at Brown that he was granted a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1803. He was in the final stages of preparing his theology lectures for publication in 1809 when he died. His work generally anticipated the efforts of Joseph Smith's development of Mormon doctrine.
Smith died from tuberculosis in 1809.
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
and the author of the first unpointed Hebrew grammar book published in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Smith was born in Byfield, Massachusetts
Byfield, Massachusetts
Byfield is a village in the town of Newbury, in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It borders West Newbury, Georgetown, and Rowley. It is located about 30 miles north-northeast of Boston, along Interstate 95, about 10 miles south of the border between New Hampshire and...
. After graduating from Dartmouth, he moved to West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town was incorporated in 1854. Prior to that date, the town was a parish of Hartford....
, and became a pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
. In 1777, he returned to Dartmouth as a professor in of English
English studies
English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language , English linguistics English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S.,...
, Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
, Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, Hebrew and Aramaic.
Smith arrived in Hanover in 1771 after graduating from Byefield Academy where he had studied under the classical scholar Samuel Moody. He was admitted to the junior class and graduated in 1773. He then studied divinity under Dartmouth President Eleazar Wheelock
Eleazar Wheelock
Eleazar Wheelock was an American Congregational minister, orator, educator, and founder of Dartmouth College....
while serving as tutor in ancient languages for the freshman and sophomore classes. In 1776 he was granted the degree of Master of Arts. He was then appointed Dartmouth's first professor in 1777.
From his early interest in Greek and Latin, he soon proceeded to master Hebrew, Chaldaic, Arabic and other oriental languages. In 1780 he also prepared an interesting set of lectures on Natural Philosophy covering Newtonian astronomy and earth science, in which he speculated on the possibility of multiple peopled worlds and the origin of the Indians. These lectures seem to have stimulated his students Solomon Spaulding and Ethan Smith to further speculate on the later subject.
In 1779 Smith also was appointed college librarian. After the death of Professor of Divinity Sylvanus Ripley in 1787, he absorbed Ripley's duties. In 1788 Smith was also appointed to the Board of Trustees. He also was pastor of the College Church and led the daily chapel sessions.
In the late 1790s and early 19th century he prepared a remarkable set of theological lectures that covered various aspects of the details of his Armininan (free will), non Calvinist thinking. All of his published grammars and unpublished lectures and grammars can be found in the Rauner Special collections library at Dartmouth.
His theological work was so appreciated by the Freewill Baptists at Brown that he was granted a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1803. He was in the final stages of preparing his theology lectures for publication in 1809 when he died. His work generally anticipated the efforts of Joseph Smith's development of Mormon doctrine.
Smith died from tuberculosis in 1809.