Thomas Prince

Thomas Prince (born May 15 1687 in Sandwich, Massachusetts - died August 22 1758 in Boston, Massachusetts) was an American Clergyman, Scholar and Historian. He was the fourth child of Samuel Prince Esq. and Mercy Hinkley, and entered Harvard University in 1703, graduating in 1707 with a B.A, then teaching at Sandwich while working on his M.A, which was granted "in absentia" in 1710 a year after he had begun travelling. He spent 2 years travelling to places such as the West Indies and Madeira. In 1711 he travelled to England and preached in Coombes before returing to Boston in 1717. He was ordained as a priest on October 1 1718 by Dr. Joseph Sewell, and became the pastor for Old South Church, a position he retained until his death. On October 30 1719 Prince married Deborah Denny, a member of the congregation at Coombes who had followed him to the United States, who bore him 4 daughters and a son.

As a scholar

In 1728 Prince began work on a "Chronological History of New England, in the Form of Annals", the first volume of which was published in 1736. This project aimed to create a history of New England, beginning with the 6th day of creation, and was such a momentous project that by his death he had only written a history of events up to 1633 despite 30 years of work. Prince's work was notable for its meticulous scholarship; he refused to trust secondary sources, reading works by scholars as varied as Ptolemy, Tacitus, Suetonius and Dio Cassius in an attempt to gain accurate information. He boasted that “I cite my vouchers to every passage, and I have done my utmost, first to find out the truth, and then to relate it in the clearest order."

The first volume of his "Annals" only covered events up to September 7 1630 after the publisher informed him that the book was becoming too large to be effectively published. Due to the poor sale of the book Prince did not resume work until 1755, releasing his efforts in 3 serial parts instead. In addition to his historical works he also published 29 sermons, with many being published after his death by John Erskine.

As a bibliophile

Prince was a noted book lover, and by his death had amassed an enormous collection of books which he left to the Old South Church, including one which dates from 1697. Unfortunately the collection was depleted during the American Revolution when British soldiers occupied the meeting house where the books were stored. Many of the remaining books are now held by the Boston Public Library, as well as the Massechusetts Historical Society. While at harvard he created what he called the New England Library, saying that his urge to create a depository of books came from an incident in his first year at Harvard when he "chanced in my leisure Hours to read Mr. Chamberlain's Account of the Cottonian Library: Which excited in me a Zeal of laying hold on every Book, Pamphlet, and Paper, both in Print and Manuscript which are either written by persons who lived here, or that have any Tendency to enlighten our History."

As a clergyman

Prince was a noted preacher, presenting a sermon at his own ordination which was said to be "a wonderful production." He was given several offers from various churches in New England apon his return, but chose to settle in Boston regardless. In the 1740's he was a great supporter of the First Great Awakening, inviting George Whitefield to preach in Boston. In an age of increasing he attempted to reconcile scientific theories with traditional theology, with articles such as "Earthquakes the Works of God, & Tokens of His Just Displeasure" and "An Account of a Strange Appearance in the Heavens", a description of the Aurora Borealis he witnessed while in England.

He created the "Christian History", a periodical in 1743 to report on the revivals sweeping Europe and the United States, with his son Thomas Prince Jr. acting as editor, although the periodical only ran for two years. The publication is notable as the first such Christian periodical to be created.

Legacy

As well as the obvious collection of books, Thomas Prince also left an intellectual legacy. Dr. Charles Chaucy, a frequent idealogical opponent of Prince, said after his death that "He possessed all the intellectual powers in a degree far beyond what is common. He may be justly characterized as one of our great men ... [and] deserves to be remembered with honour." His reliance on primary sources and meticulous checks of factual accuracy also makes his "Annals" a key historical work, one which is still in print today.

The town of Princeton, Massachusetts was named after Prince due to his high standing within the local community and his ownership of part of the land used to form the town, which was given to him in 1727 as part of the will of Cyprian Stevens; the Thomas Prince School, a school within the town, is also named after him. A printing company named after him (the Prince Association) was also formed in 1858.

The Prince Society, described in "The Cambridge History of English and American Literature" as "one of the most honoured of American historical organizations" is also named after him.

Bibliography

*"An Account of a Strange Appearance in the Heavens" - 1717
*"Account of the English Ministers at Martha's Vineyard" - 1727
*"Earthquakes the Works of God, & Tokens of His Just Displeasure" - 1727
*"A Sermon on the Death of Cotton Mather" - 1728
*"Memoirs" - 1731
*"The Vade Mecum for America: or, A Companion for Trades and Travellers (travel guide)" - 1731
*"Chronological History of New England, in the Form of Annals" - 1736
*"A Thanksgiving Sermon occasioned by the Capture of Louisburg" - 1745
*"Earthquakes of New England" - 1751
*"The New England Psalm-Book, Revised and Improved" - 1758

References

_{*The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21). VOLUME XV. Colonial and Revolutionary Literature; Early National Literature, Part I.
*Drake, Samuel G.. "Governor Hinckley's Verses on the Death of His Second Consort", The New England Historical and Genealogical Register volume I (1847).
*Drake, Samuel G.. "Some Memoirs of the Rev. Thomas Prince", The New England Historical and Genealogical Register volume V (1851).
*Smith, Ethel Farrington. "Seventeenth Century Hull, Massachusetts, and Her People", The New England Historical and Genealogical Register volume CXLIII (1989).
*Dictionary of Literary Biography. ©2005-2006 Thomson Gale}