Rankin, Jeremiah Eames, 1828-1904

Jeremiah Eames Rankin was the President of Howard University from 1889-1903. Trained as a minister and talented as a hymn lyricist, he wrote the lyrics to the famous hymn "God Be With You Till We Meet Again."

• 1828 Jan. 2: Born in Thornton, New Hampshire, son of Rev. Andrew & Lois Eames Rankin.
• 1848: Received B.A. degree from Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vt.
• 1851: Received M.A. degree from the same college.
• 1854: Graduated from Andover Theological Seminary.
• 1854: Married Mary Howell Birge.
• 1854 - 1856 : Pastored Presbyterian Church, Potsdam, N.Y.
• 1856: Left Presbyterian church and became a Congregational preacher
• Accepted the pastorate at Lowell and Charleston, MA.
• 1869: Call to First Congregational Church, Washington, D.C.
• 1869: Alma Mater conferred D.D. degree upon him.
• 1882: Wrote hymn ''God Be With You Till We Meet Again."
• 1884: Accepted pastorate of Congregational Church at Organa Valley, N.J.
• 1889: Elected to presidency of Howard University, 1889-1903.
• 1903: Resigned presidency of Howard University.
• 1904: Died in Cleveland, OH.

From the guide to the Jeremiah E. Rankin Collection, Dates unknown, (Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University)