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Herrick Johnson
Overview
Herrick Johnson (1832–1913) was a prominent Presbyterian minister, theologian, and orator who graduated from Hamilton College in 1857. He served for over two decades as professor of sacred rhetoric and pastoral theology at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, and rose to become one of the most prominent figures in American Presbyterianism, serving as Moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly in 1882. He was a member of Alpha Delta Phi and Phi Beta Kappa during his Hamilton years and won the Clark Prize, one of the college’s most prestigious academic honors.
Relevance to Research
Johnson appears in the corpus across a wide date range (1853–1929), spanning both contemporary and retrospective mentions. The earliest references are student enrollment listings in the 1853–54 and 1860–61 course catalogs, which place him in Hamilton’s Classical course during the mid-1850s. A contemporary mention appears in the November 21, 1903 Hamilton Life, which records him delivering the address of the day at a memorial event for the late Dr. Edward North. The September 30, 1905 Hamilton Life reports his resignation from his professorship at McCormick Theological Seminary after twenty-two years. The November 25, 1913 Hamilton Life carries an obituary notice for him, citing his class year of 1857, his fraternities, his Clark Prize, and his 1882 role as Moderator of the General Assembly. Later mentions — in the March 24, 1915 and March 20, 1929 Hamilton Life issues — are retrospective, listing him among Hamilton’s most distinguished alumni in the category of prominent theologians and orators. The 1887–88 course catalog also records him as a member of a prize committee, confirming his continued institutional connection to Hamilton well after graduation.
Notes
Role: Presbyterian minister; Professor of Sacred Rhetoric and Pastoral Theology, McCormick Theological Seminary Hamilton connection: Class of 1857 Key events: - 1853–54: Listed in course catalog as student (Classical course) - 1857: Graduated Hamilton College; member of Alpha Delta Phi and Phi Beta Kappa; won the Clark Prize - 1882: Elected Moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly - ca. 1883–1905: Professor of Sacred Rhetoric and Pastoral Theology, McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago - November 21, 1903: Delivered the address of the day at a Hamilton memorial service for Dr. Edward North, as recorded in Hamilton Life - September 30, 1905: Hamilton Life reports his resignation from McCormick Seminary after twenty-two years - 1887–88: Listed as a member of the prize award committee in the Hamilton course catalog - November 25, 1913: Hamilton Life publishes obituary notice on his death; describes him as “a prominent Hamilton Alumnus” - March 24, 1915: Cited retrospectively in Hamilton Life as one of Hamilton’s “prominent theologians and orators” from the class of 1857 - March 20, 1929: Cited again in a retrospective list of notable Hamilton clergy alongside Arthur T. Pierson ‘57 and Anson J. Upson ‘48
Related Topics
- Campus Life and Culture
- Hamilton Life Archive (1899–1942)
- Course Catalogs and Curriculum
- Religious Life at Hamilton