The First
Treasurer
Of Harvard
University
Narrative assembled by D. A. Sharpe
Herbert
Pelham was born in Lincoln County,
England in 1602.
It's exciting to me to
know that the first Treasurer of Harvard College was my 25th cousin, eight
times removed! This is on my Mother's side of the family. Herbert Pelham is the
father-in-law of Freelove Arnold, wife to Edward, Herbert's son through his
second marriage, which was to Elizabeth Bosvile. Freelove is the great grandaunt of General
Benedict Arnold of American Revolutionary soldier fame and of
his great traitor role played against the Patriots.
On my motherŐs side of
the family, Herbert
is related through my motherŐs Abney family line.
Herbert also is the 11th
cousin, once removed, of Edward Southworth, the first husband of my seventh
great grandmother, Alice Carpenter, on my Father's side of the family, which
descends from her second marriage to Plymouth Colony Governor William
Bradford. Herbert also is the
second great grandnephew of King Henry VIII (through the King's marriage to
Anne Boleyn).
Herbert is the third
great grandson of Thomas Boleyn, the father-in-law of King Henry VIII. Herbert
is the 11th cousin, 14 times removed of my son-in-law, Steven O. Westmoreland.
Herbert Pelham is the 2nd great grandnephew of
wife of 3rd cousin 5x removed of husband of stepdaughter of 6th great grand
uncle of Dwight Albert Sharpe.
Harvard College was
founded on October 28, 1636.
Harvard College was named for clergyman John
Harvard on March 13, 1636. It held its first Commencement in
Cambridge, Massachusetts on September 23, 1642.
Source: http: //www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/20041028.html?th
http:
//www.stratford-upon-avon.co.uk/soaharv.htm
Herbert Pelham, colonist,
was born in Lincoln county, England, in1602; died in Suffolk county, England, June12,
1673. He was graduated at Oxford in 1619, had an early interest in emigration
to the New World, and, in 1629, became a member of the Massachusetts
Company in England.
He visited the English colonies in 1638, resided in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, and was an assistant in 1645 -49. He was entrusted by the colony with some
of its most important affairs, and became first treasurer of Harvard in
1643. He was a Commissioner of the
United Colonies of New England, in making the treaty of 1646, with the
Narragansett and Niantic Indians.
Pelham returned to
England in 1650, and engaged in the formation of a society for the religious instruction
of the Indians.
It is an honor to feel
connected to the first college of education in the New World, noting that it
was founded by Christian people with the vision of what is expected from
education based on the principles of the Holy Scriptures and upon the beckoning
in life expressed by the Lord Jesus Christ.
My sense is that some of
that property of spiritual values has faded over the centuries, but my belief
is that our God is a God of miracles and revivals!
About the composer of this research:
805 Derting Road East
Aurora, TX 76078-3712
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