Brown, Matthew, Dd, Lld

Brown, Matthew, D.D., Ll.D., a Presbyterian minister, was born in Northumberland Co., Pa., in 1776. He graduated at Dickinson College, Carlisle, in 1794, commenced the study of theology about 1796, and was licensed by the presbytery of Carlisle Oct. 3, 1799. After having for some time had the charge of the congregation ,of Mifflin and Lost Creek, he became in 1805 pastor of the congregation of Washington, Pa., and principal of the Washington Academy, the latter being in 1806 merged in the Washington College. Mr. Brown was elected first president of the college, which situation he filled until Dec., 1816, still remaining pastor of his congregation. After leaving Washington College, he declined the presidency of Centre College, Danville, Ky.; yet in 1822 he accepted that of Jefferson College at Cannonsburg, which office he filled with distinguished success for twenty-three years. In 1823 he was made D.D. by the College of N. J., and subsequently LL.D. by Lafayette and Jefferson colleges. After a time he became also pastor of the congregation at Cannonsburg, and continued as such until his health compelled him to tender his resignation of the presidency of the college in 1845; yet his labors in the pulpit did not wholly cease till near the close of life. He died at Pittsburg July 29, 1853. He published A Memoir of the Rev. Obadiah Jennings, D.D. (1832):-Extracts from Lectures by Dr. Chas. Nisbet, President of Dickinson College, with Remarks from other Writers (1840), with a number of occasional sermons and addresses.-Sprague, Annals, 4:256.