Loading AI tools
American educator, scholar and Presbyterian clergyman From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Matthew Kugler Meigs (February 5, 1812 – October 9, 1889) was an American educator, scholar, and Presbyterian clergyman. Although best known as the founder and principal (headmaster) of The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, Meigs also served a short term as U.S. Consul to Piraeus, Greece, pastored churches, and preceded his time at The Hill School with teaching posts at a variety of other secondary and university level institutions including a short term as President of Delaware College (subsequently the University of Delaware).
The Reverend Dr. Matthew Meigs | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Born | Matthew Kugler (Kughler) Meigs February 5, 1812 |
Died | October 9, 1889 77) | (aged
Resting place | Edgewood Cemetery, Pottstown, Pennsylvania |
Alma mater | |
Occupations |
|
Known for |
|
Spouse | Mary Ripley Moulton Gould |
Children | Eleven |
Parents |
|
Meigs was born in Albany, New York, on February 5, 1812. He was the son of Major John Meigs and grandson of Seth Meigs, a Revolutionary War soldier.[1] He married Mary Gould on April 11, 1842.[2] Eleven children were born to them between 1844 and 1858. Son John succeeded his father as The Hill School's headmaster, serving in that position from 1876 to 1911.[1]: 78, 118
Meigs received his undergraduate degree in languages and linguistics from Union College (1836) and theological training from Union Theological Seminary (1839) after which he was ordained a Presbyterian Minister.[2] Other degrees followed including a Ph.D. from Lafayette College.[3] Various alumni journals, histories and obituaries concur that he was at some point also awarded the degrees of D.D. (Doctor of Divinity) and L.L.D. (Doctor of Laws).[4][5][6] Union College specifically attributes the L.L.D. to Lafayette College in 1868.[7]
Meigs early academic career included posts at schools in South Carolina, Winchester, Virginia, and the University of Michigan. He then became a teacher and principal of Newark Academy (1846-1851) before becoming president of Delaware College (1850-1851). During his time in Michigan, he also pastored a church in Pontiac.[2]
Meigs' most notable legacy is in the founding of The Hill School in 1851 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania from which he retired as principal in 1876.[1]: 245 During his tenure at The Hill, he took a brief leave of absence from 1868-1869 to serve as U.S. Consul to Piraeus, Greece.[8]
Meigs continued his interest in the church even after education became his primary professional focus. He and his family were active at the First Presbyterian Church in Pottstown.[9][10] His obituaries attest to the respect accorded both his clerical standing in the church and his status as a scholar by describing him as a "well-known Presbyterian divine" and a "distinguished scholar and clergyman...a man of fine literary attainments, distinguished as a philologist" at the time of his death.[6][11]
Meigs died on October 9, 1889, in Clifton Springs, New York, and was buried in Edgewood Cemetery in Pottstown. The New York State death certificate (#36123) and local obituaries agree on October 9 as his death date.[6][11] However, the Journal of the Presbyterian Historical Society, The University of Delaware Archives, and The Union Theological Seminary Alumni Catalog give October 10 as date of death.[12][2][13]
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.