Dartmouth College. Office of the President. Nathan Lord (1828-1863)

Dates

Usage: 1828 - 1863

Biography

Nathan Lord, Congregational minister, and college president was born November 28, 1792, in Berwick Maine. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1809, went on to attend Andover Theological Seminary, and received a Doctor of Divinity from Bowdoin in 1828. That same year, he also became the 6th president of Dartmouth College. Lord was the longest serving president after John Wheelock remaining in office for a total of 35 years. Lord was an independent thinker and a strict disciplinarian.

Dartmouth, which had been suffering financially ever since the attempted takeover of the institution by the State of New Hampshire, saw considerable growth during Lord's tenure. Lord established the first alumni association and raised $50,000 to build Thornton and Wentworth Halls. He also significantly increased student enrollment.

The issue of slavery in the United States became paramount during Lord's tenure. While his initial inclination was toward the abolition of slavery, he served as a vice president of the New Hampshire Auxiliary Colonization Society, and later he briefly held the position of Vice President, representing New Hampshire, in the American Anti-Slavery Society. But, by the late 1840s he claimed no abolitionist associations. In 1854, Lord anonymously published the first of three pro-slavery pamphlets, which argued that slavery was condoned by God through the scripture. In 1862 he published a third piece "A True Picture of Abolition" in which he accused abolitionists of being responsible for the Civil War. This landed him in hot water with a group of anti-slavery ministers in New Hampshire who petitioned the Trustees to consider his removal. The Trustees declined to take this action, but instead issued a statement distancing College from Lord and his views. In response, Lord tendered his resignation, which was eventually accepted by the Board.

Found in 124 Collections and/or Records:

Nathan Lord letter

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 863440.1

Mss 863440.1

Date(s): 1863-07

Scope and Contents

Two-page letter from Nathan Lord to Joseph Leland Lord, telling him that the trustees accept resolutions of a Committee on the resolutions of the Merrimac County ministers stating, among other things, that the College might be relied on to be true to the antislavery abolition policy. Writer thereupon resigned as president because "I could not resign my principles."

Nathan Lord letter

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 863552.1

Mss 863552.1

Date(s): 1863-10-02

Scope and Contents

Four-page letter from Nathan Lord in Hanover, New Hampshire to Asa Dodge Smith, welocming him as his successor in the presidency of Dartmouth College. His reasons for resigning.

Nathan Lord letter of resignation

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 863422.1

Mss 863422.1

Date(s): 1863-07-22

Scope and Contents

Four-page letter of resignation from Nathan Lord at Dartmouth College to the Trustees of Dartmouth College, resigning from the presidency and from the Board of Trustees. Includes a note identifying the letter as a true copy.

Nathan Lord letters

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 859361

Mss 859361

Date(s): 1859-06-11

Scope and Contents

Four-page letter from Nathan Lord at Dartmouth College to John Lord, telling him that it is not a good time for addressee to lecture at the College.

Nathan Lord note

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 838613

Mss 838613

Date(s): 1838-11-13

Abstract

In English.

Nathan Lord notice

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 839471

Mss 839471

Date(s): 1839-08-21

Abstract

In English.

Nathan Lord opinion

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 851658

Mss 851658

Date(s): 1851-12-08

Abstract

In English.

Nathan Lord papers relating to the Chandler school

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 860580.1

Mss 860580.1

Date(s): 1860-10-30

Scope and Contents

Nathan Lord papers relating to the Chandler school, had in consideration at an adjourned meeting of the Trustees, October 30, 1860.

Nathan Lord recommendation

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 842228.1

Mss 842228.1

Date(s): 1842-03-28

Abstract

In English.

Nathan Lord report

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 848900.1

Mss 848900.1

Date(s): 1848

Abstract

In English.

Nathan Lord report

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 852440

Mss 852440

Date(s): 1852-07

Scope and Contents

Four-page report of President Nathan Lord to the Dartmouth College trustees for the academic year 1851/52.

Nathan Lord report

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 859640.1

Mss 859640.1

Date(s): 1859-11

Scope and Contents

Ten-page report by Nathan Lord regarding subjects before that Trustees, adjourned meeting, November 1859 and the opinions of the faculty regarding them, as submitted to the Committee of Conference, by the president.

Nathan Lord report

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 846900

Mss 846900

Date(s): 1846

Scope and Contents

Four-page report from Nathan Lord at Dartmouth College to the Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College for the year 1846.

Nathan Lord report

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 847900.1

Mss 847900.1

Date(s): 1847

Abstract

In English.

Nathan Lord report

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 849900

Mss 849900

Date(s): 1849

Scope and Contents

Report by of president Nathan Lord at Dartmouth College to the Board of Trustees of Dartmouth College for the year 1849.

Nathan Lord report

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 859540

Mss 859540

Date(s): 1859-09

Scope and Contents

Forty-one page report by Nathan Lord to the Trustees of Dartmouth College, related to a meeting with them that was adjourned in September 1859.

Nathan Lord report

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 859640

Mss 859640

Date(s): 1859-11

Scope and Contents

Thirty-page report by Nathan Lord to the Trustees of Dartmouth College for a meeting adjourned in November, 1859.

Nathan Lord report

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 860440.3

Mss 860440.3

Date(s): 1860-07

Scope and Contents

Nine-page report from Nathan Lord to the Dartmouth College Trustees for the academic year 1859/1860.

Nathan Lord report

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 860580

Mss 860580

Date(s): 1860-10-30

Scope and Contents

Thirty-seven page report of President Nathan Lord and resolutions of the Trustees on the relation between the college and the Chandler school.

Nathan Lord report

Item 1

Identifier: Mss 861440

Mss 861440

Date(s): 1861-07

Scope and Contents

Six-page report of Dartmouth College president Nathan Lord to the Dartmouth College Trustees for the academic year 1860/61.