• General Notes

  BIOGRAPHY: He was brought up to the business of a weaver till he was towards 20 years of age, when he applied to Learning, and under the Tuition of the Reverend Timothy Edwards the Minister of [East] Windsor, he made such proficiency as to enter Yale College at six weeks before the commencement of the year 1719. Here he continued till 1722 when he proceeded Bachelor of Arts,?? and Master of Arts in 1725, being the first of the name and blood that had a liberal education in America. He was a good classical scholar, especially in Latin, few exceeding him either before or since, much addicted to the study of Oratory and the Bible all his Life. The valedictory Oration he made at the Examination, 1722, is a piece of elegant Latin. The old Logic, Philosophy & Metaphysics he read, but never understood, because unintelligible. The Mathemetics he was ignorant of beyond the 5 first Rules of Arithmetic. He had a Taste for polite Writings in prose & Poetry especially the latter. He delighted in the Spectator, Guardian, in Pope & Swift's works--he was sublimely fired with Dr. Watts' Lyrics, but above all with Milton and Young. With all but the last he was acquainted at College. The Newtonian Science had not passed the Atlantic; and after its Arrival he had no Taste or Genius for more than a superficial knowledge of it. After he had graduated in 1722--that year in which Dr. Cutler & others apostatized to Prelacy--he read some Divinity and became tolerably acquainted with the System contained in the Westminster Confession. Having begun to preach he traveled into the Jersies, being sent to by a destitute Chh. After this he returned to New England--kept School at Westfield, [Mass.] where he preached on probation & had a call to settle in the Ministry, the Reverend Edward Taylor being super-annuated; which he declined," as the church and society were not so united on him as he desired. He was also the second choice in Bolton, Conn., in May 1723, when that church called Jonathan Edwards, likewise a son of East Windsor.  In January, 1724, he began to preach to the church in the North parish of New Haven (now North Haven), which had been left vacant since the withdrawal of the Rev. James Wetmore (Y. C. 1714) a year before. After a trial of his gifts he was called to settle on an annual salary of œ70, to be raised gradually to œ120, and was ordained Nov. 11, 1724, as his son remarks, 'with absolute unanimity.  He was of above medium stature (the largest of the Family) upright, alert & active, unbowed to the day of his Death. Had a small piercing black eye, which at Times he filled with Flame & Vengence. Quick in his Temper & passionate to the last Degree. On occasion none could be more cheerful & merry in Company--but when alone, or with his Family only, he was gloomy or perpetually repining. He would not have enjoyed himself easy in affluent circumstances--much less in his narrow living & under some peculiar & pressing trials. Books & friends gave him some Relief & Respite. He did little at secular labor & always kept much at home & in...

Details of Isaac's family with Esther HOOKER