Wheelock, John , 1754-1817
Biography
John Wheelock was born on January 28, 1754, in Lebanon, Conn.He was the eldest son of Eleazar Wheelock who was the founder and first president of Dartmouth College; John Wheelock succeeded his father as the College’s second president.
Wheelock began his higher education at Yale, then followed his father to Hanover, NH when his father founded Dartmouth and completed his studies there, where he was a member of the College’s inaugural graduating class in 1771.
In 1776, Wheelock became a leader of the United Committees, a group of disgruntled New Hampshire citizens angry at their lack of representation in the state legislature and the distance of the state capital; in retaliation for these slights, Wheelock and others led twelve New Hampshire towns to secede from the state and attempt to join Vermont. The next year, 1777, as the Revolutionary War raged, Wheelock briefly served in New York and Vermont as a lieutenant colonel in Colonel Bedel's Regiment.
Upon his father's death in 1779, John Wheelock assumed the presidency of the College, despite the fact that he was neither an academic nor a minister.
During his almost forty years as Dartmouth's president (1779–1815), Wheelock oversaw the construction of Dartmouth Hall and the founding of Dartmouth Medical School, the fourth-oldest medical school in the country; he also maintained the College’s fiscal solvency throughout the Revolutionary War, mainly through the Vermont legislature’s grant of 23,000 acres (93 km²) in Wheelock, Vermont.
During the latter half of Wheelock's tenure, he became embroiled in a dispute with Dartmouth’s Board of Trustees. Wheelock proceeded to convince the governor of New Hampshire to fill the Board with supporters and turn Dartmouth College into a state-controlled Dartmouth University. The original, private Board resisted and eventually sued. The case, Dartmouth College v. Woodward, went through various judicial courts, before the United States Supreme Court decided in the Board's favor in 1819, the result of a brilliant peroration by Dartmouth alumnus Daniel Webster, class of 1801, who had, ironically, graduated under Wheelock's tenure. However, by this time, Wheelock, who had been forced out of the presidency in 1815 by failing health and poor relations with the Board, had died.
Found in 61 Collections and/or Records:
Col. Benjamin Sumner to John Wheelock
Letter from Col. Benjamin Sumner of Claremont, N.H. to John Wheelock, telling him about the progress of the Six Nations towards civilization since 1760. Rev. Dr. Wheelock's great work. He is sending the two sons of Capt. Joseph Brant to be educated.
David McClure to Dr. Wheelock
Letter from D. McClure to Dr. Wheelock with his acknowledgement of the Doctor of Divinity conferred upon him. The prosperity of Dartmouth. The progress of the Memoirs.
David McClure to J. Wheelock
Three page letter from David McClure of East Windsor to J. Wheelock, informing him of the death of the President of Yale. Dr. Edwards dismissed from his church in New Haven, Conn. Assembly discussing what to do with their claims of land in the west. Increasing number of followers of Tom Paine.
David McClure to John Wheelock
Letter from David McClure of East Windsor to (J. Wheelock) in which he asks that two half-breed boys, -the descents of the captive daughter of Mr. Williams of Deerfield, who married an Indian, -be taken into Moor's School, and supported by the Scotch fund.
David McClure to John Wheelock
Three page personal letter from David McClure to J. Wheelock.
David McClure to John Wheelock
Two-page letter from David McClure in East Windsor of John Wheelock, telling him about more subscribers to the life of Wheelock than were engraved. Asks for some of John Wheelock's letters and speeches to insert in the book.
David McClure to John Wheelock
Letter from David McClure to East Windsor to John Wheelock, telling him that he is sending two of the engraved portraits of Eleazar Wheelock, such as are to be in the Memoirs.
J. Wheelock to D. McClure
Three-page letter fro John Wheelock in Concord to David McClure, telling him that he is sending him a copy of the "Sketches." He would like to resign his position, but feels it his duty to keep on. Religious revival in the College.
J. Wheelock to David McClure
Three page letter from J. Wheelock of Dartmouth College to David McClure, informing him of the trouble with Mr. (Charles) Backus. The 3d. class tickets of the lottery sold. Lawsuit with Esquire Wheelock settled in favor of John Wheelock. Trouble between members of the college and the propietors of the meeting-house.
J. Wheelock to David McClure
Three page letter from J. Wheelock of Dartmouth College to David McClure in which he urges him to be present at Commencement.
J. Wheelock to David McClure
Two page letter from J. Wheelock of Dartmouth College to David McClure, telling him about discussion in the recent Trustees' meeting of the trouble over Mr. Backus.
J. Wheelock to David McClure
Letter from J. Wheelock of Dartmouth College to (David McClure) urging him to be present at Commencement.
J. Wheelock to David McClure
Personal letter from J. Wheelock of Dartmouth College to (David McClure).
J. Wheelock to David McClure
Letter from J. Wheelock of Dartmouth College to (David McClure), telling him that the Trustees decided not to change the date of Commencement. They accept with sorrow McClure's resignation.
J. Wheelock to David McClure
Three page letter from J. Wheelock of Dartmouth College to David McClure, telling him that he will take one of the half-breed boys (descended from John Williams of Deerfield) into the School now, and later perhaps both.
J. Wheelock to David McClure
Four page letter from J. Wheelock of Dartmouth College to David McClure. A long and important letter, giving information about the history of the School and College, the money given to them, their land, Eleazar Wheelock's life and c. The information is for the life of Wheelock to be written by McClure.
John Wheelock to D. McClure
Letter from John Wheelock at Dartmouth College to David McClure discussing the resolution of the Assembly in favor of college lands, rights in Landaff and Saville, and how some of the towns are not organized or officered. Also shared College fiances and congratulated McClure and his lady on their new connection.
John Wheelock to D. McClure
Letter from Wheelock in Hanover to McClure expressing his hope that McClure will attend the Trustees' meeting at the coming commencement.
John Wheelock to D. McClure
Three page letter from J. Wheelock of Dartmouth College to David McClure informing him of the appointment of Isreal Evans, Judge Niles and Jonathan Freeman as Trustees. Fees for Doctor's degree to be $40, and for Master's degree $16. A.M. conferred on Gen. Knox
John Wheelock to D. McClure
Letter from J. Wheelock of Dartmouth College to D. McClure a letter from Mr. Dumas, the continental agent at the Hague, states that there are letters on the road from Holland. He asks hin to use his influence to get subscriptions in his section.
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