Woodbridge, Timothy, Dd

Woodbridge, Timothy, D.D.

a. Presbyterian divine, was born at Stockbridge, Mass., Nov. 24, 1784. His maternal grandfather was the first president Edwards, and his paternal ancestry embraced a long line of venerable ministers, reaching back to the very early settlement of New England He was educated at Williams College, and while there he lost the sight of both eyes, and the remainder of his life was passed in total blindness. In 1809 he entered the Theological Seminary at Andover, and in due time was regularly licensed to preach; in 1816 he was ordained pastor of tile Church at Green River, Columbia Co., N. Y., where he continued, laboring with great zeal and diligence, twenty- six years; in 1842 he became pastor of the Church at Spencertown, N.Y., where he remained till 1851, when he resigned his pastoral charge; since that time he lived in comparative retirement until his death, Dec. 7, 1862. Dr. Woodbridge had an intellect of much more than common vigor, and a memory that held everything deposited in it. His preaching was evangelical, earnest, impressive. "It may reasonably he doubted whether, as a 'blind preacher,' he had his equal since the days of Waddel." He published The Autobiography of a Blind Preacher (Boston, 1856, 12mo), including sketches of the men and events of his time. See Parton, Life of Burr, ch. 33; Sprague, Discourse at the Funeral of Rev. Timothy Woodbridge, D.D. (Albany, 1863, 8vo); Wilson, Presb. Hist. Almanac, 1864, p. 325; Allibone, Dict. of Brit and Amer. Authors, s.v. (J. L. S.)