Joseph Tracy (1793-1874) was a Protestant
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
minister, newspaper
editorEditing is the process of selecting and preparing language, images, sound, video, or film through processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications in various media...
,
historianAn historian is an individual who studies and writes about history, and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all events in time...
and leading figure in the
American Colonization SocietyThe American Colonization Society was the primary vehicle for proposals to return black Americans to greater freedom in Africa, and helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22, as a place to send people who were formerly enslaved. Liberia is situated on the coast of West Africa...
of the early to mid-nineteenth century. He is noted as a typical figure of the New England Renaissance.
Joseph Tracy was born November 3, 1793 in
Hartford, VermontHartford is a town in Windsor County in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is located on the New Hampshire border, at the intersection of Interstates 89 and 91. It is the site of the confluence of the White River and the Connecticut River; the Ottauquechee River also flows through the town...
as the eldest child of Joseph and Ruth Carter Tracy. By his own account, he "was a farmer's boy and student alternately, or sometimes both at once," until he graduated with an
Master of ArtsA Master of Arts is a postgraduate academic master degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in English, Fine Arts, History, Nursing, Humanities, Geography, Philosophy, Social Sciences or Theology and can be either fully-taught, research-based, or a...
from
Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth College is a private, coeducational university located in Hanover, New Hampshire, USA. Incorporated as "Trustees of Dartmouth College," it is a member of the Ivy League and one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution...
in 1814, after election to the
Phi Beta Kappa SocietyThe Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society with missions to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences; and for induction of the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William...
.
Joseph Tracy (1793-1874) was a Protestant
ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
minister, newspaper
editorEditing is the process of selecting and preparing language, images, sound, video, or film through processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications in various media...
,
historianAn historian is an individual who studies and writes about history, and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all events in time...
and leading figure in the
American Colonization SocietyThe American Colonization Society was the primary vehicle for proposals to return black Americans to greater freedom in Africa, and helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22, as a place to send people who were formerly enslaved. Liberia is situated on the coast of West Africa...
of the early to mid-nineteenth century. He is noted as a typical figure of the New England Renaissance.
Early life and education
Joseph Tracy was born November 3, 1793 in
Hartford, VermontHartford is a town in Windsor County in the U.S. state of Vermont. It is located on the New Hampshire border, at the intersection of Interstates 89 and 91. It is the site of the confluence of the White River and the Connecticut River; the Ottauquechee River also flows through the town...
as the eldest child of Joseph and Ruth Carter Tracy. By his own account, he "was a farmer's boy and student alternately, or sometimes both at once," until he graduated with an
Master of ArtsA Master of Arts is a postgraduate academic master degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in English, Fine Arts, History, Nursing, Humanities, Geography, Philosophy, Social Sciences or Theology and can be either fully-taught, research-based, or a...
from
Dartmouth CollegeDartmouth College is a private, coeducational university located in Hanover, New Hampshire, USA. Incorporated as "Trustees of Dartmouth College," it is a member of the Ivy League and one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution...
in 1814, after election to the
Phi Beta Kappa SocietyThe Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society with missions to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences; and for induction of the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William...
. The degree of
Doctor of DivinityDoctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
was awarded him by the
University of VermontThe University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, more commonly known as the University of Vermont, is a national public research university and the state of Vermont's land-grant university. Known to many as "UVM," the university has also been named a Public Ivy...
in 1859, after he had won his fame.
Early career
Like many other college graduates of his day, he first supported himself by teaching. In 1817 he was chosen as
principalPrincipal or Head of School is the title of the head administrator of an elementary school, middle school, or high school in some English-speaking countries, including the United States, India and Australia. Public schools in the United States generally use the title Principal whereas private...
of Royalton Academy in Vermont. In a letter of recommendation it was said of him "I know him to be one of the best linguists and classical scholars in general who have been this number of years at Dartmouth College. . .You will find him to be not a fine gentleman nor a showy pedagogue but a useful instructor." It was there he met his first wife, Eleanor Washburn, whom he married in 1819. An admirer of educated women, he taught her
LatinLatin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Roman conquest, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe...
and began
GreekAncient Greek is the historical stage in the development of the Greek language spanning across the Archaic , Classical , and Hellenistic periods of ancient Greece and the ancient world. It is predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
, until the demands of family life cut short her studies. At this time, he also began the study of law.
Later life and work
However, he gave up the law for the ministry, studying under Dr Asa Burton of
Thetford, VermontThetford is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States in the Connecticut River Valley. The population was 2,617 at the 2000 census. Villages within the town include East Thetford, North Thetford, Thetford Hill, Thetford Center, Rices Mills and Post Mills. The town office is in Thetford...
and was admitted to the ministry of the
Congregational ChurchesCongregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
on June 26, 1821. From 1821 to 1828 he held the pastorates of two churches in villages near Thetford, but by the latter year it became apparent that his true work lay in a different branch of church activities. He was appointed in the autumn of 1828 to take the editorship of the "Vermont Chronicle", an organ of the Vermont Congregational Churches, which had been founded in 1826 by his younger brother, Ebenezer Carter Tracy. In 1834, he again exchanged positions with his brother, becoming editor of the Boston Recorder. He also served for a short time in 1837 as editor of the "New York Observer." During and after this time he published several books, including:
The Three Last Things, 1839, an essay on resurrection, judgment and final retribution;
The Great AwakeningThe First Great Awakening was a period of heightened religious activity, primarily in the United Kingdom and its North American colonies in the 1730s and 1740s.-History:...
, 1842, a history of the religious revival in America in the mid to late 1700s (some scholars attribute the well-known name of that movement to Rev. Tracy's work); and
The History of the Missions of the American Board, 1842.
Tracy had eight children with his first wife, Eleanor, who died in 1836. He remarried in 1842 to Sarah Prince. In his later years, he was cared for by his wife and two unmarried daughters. He died in his home in
Beverly, MassachusettsBeverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,862 at the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides Crossing.-History:...
on March 24, 1874 after a short illness.
Views and affiliations
Rev. Tracy's theological views were absolutely orthodox for his denomination, even puritan in outlook. However, in a time of extreme turbulence in his church, his tolerance was notable. Tradition within the Tracy family suggests that he assisted
Samuel F. B. MorseSamuel Finley Breese Morse was the American inventor of a single-wire telegraph system and Morse code and a painter of historic scenes.-Birth and education:Samuel F.B...
with the development of the Morse code when in New York, despite Morse's well-known unorthodox ideas. Although this is mere tradition, Rev. Tracy did have a reputation as a man with an extraordinarily extensive fund of knowledge in varied fields. The story is told that a friend was talking to another about a certain type of copper found in England. The friend said "Mr. Tracy could tell you if he was here!" and then looking up, saw him. The friend couldn’t resist. "Mr. Tracy, what is Bungtown Copper?" Rev. Tracy replied that is was an expression shortened from Birmingham Copper and proceeded to go into a deep explanation of the meaning of the term.
From his college days, Rev. Tracy was closely associated with the New England group who were leaders in the development of political feeling in the north, most notably
Rufus ChoateRufus Choate , American lawyer and orator, was born at Ipswich, Massachusetts, the descendant of a family which settled in Massachusetts in 1643; brother of physician George Choate, and uncle to George C. S. Choate and Joseph Hodges Choate...
and
Daniel WebsterDaniel Webster was a leading American statesman during the nation's Antebellum Period. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
, both fellow Dartmouth graduates. In 1842, he began his life work as secretary of the Massachusetts Colonization Society, an affiliate of the
American Colonization SocietyThe American Colonization Society was the primary vehicle for proposals to return black Americans to greater freedom in Africa, and helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22, as a place to send people who were formerly enslaved. Liberia is situated on the coast of West Africa...
, a position he held until his death in 1874. He became a director of the parent society in 1858 and attended the annual meetings at the Washington headquarters. The "Memorial of the Semi-Centennial Anniversity of the American Colonization Society," published 1867, contains a historical account by him of the work of the society.
These Societies, which arose in several states including the South, beginning in 1817, undertook to solve, or alleviate, the slavery question by acquiring freedom for black slaves and transporting them by ship back to Africa. In actuality, the motives of the colonization supporters were mixed—many supporters were no abolitionists, but instead wanted to be rid of the free Negro population. By the time Rev. Tracy began his work, it was clear that large-scale colonization was a failure and that much of the movement was discredited.
Rev. Tracy's did not view Liberia as a mere convenient place for an inconvenient population. Besides sincere anti-slavery views, he saw African colonization as a way of Christian mission. He also had an important influence in the founding of the college at Liberia and bringing it into successful operation.
Rev. Tracy was in some ways a typical figure in the period of American history known as the New England Renaissance. His upbringing and inclination looked back to the Pilgrim fathers—he called
ChristmasChristmas , also referred to as Christmas Day, is an annual holiday celebrated on December 25 that commemorates the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The day marks the beginning of the larger season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days. The nativity of Jesus, which is the basis for the anno Domini...
a heathen holiday, yet never interfered with his family's celebration of it—but his education and tolerance heralded the beginnings of a more modern sensibility.