Holyoke, Edward, 1689-1769

Edward Holyoke (1689-1769) was pastor of the Second Church of Marblehead, Massachusetts, from 1716 to 1737 and the ninth president of Harvard College, serving for thirty-two years from 1737 to 1769.

Edward Holyoke (1689-1769) was President of Harvard College from 1737 to 1769.

Edward Holyoke (1689-1769) was President of Harvard College for thirty-two years from September 28, 1737 to June 1, 1769.

Edward Holyoke (1689-1769) was the ninth president of Harvard College, serving for thirty-two years from 1737 to 1769.

Holyoke was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1689. After attending Harvard (A.B. 1705, A.M. 1708), he served as a tutor at the College from 1712 to 1716 and as a Fellow of the Corporation in 1713. From 1709 to 1712, he also served part time as the College librarian. In 1716, he resigned his Harvard positions to become pastor of the Second Church of Marblehead, Massachusetts, where he served for the next twenty-one years. Holyoke returned to Harvard in 1737, when he was appointed president.

During Holyoke’s presidency, the College flourished. A number of academic reforms were instituted, including subject specialization by the tutors, the introduction of public exhibitions by students, consisting of orations, debates, and dialogues, and the establishment of academic merit as the criteria for admission to Harvard.

Holyoke was married three times. In 1717, he married Elizabeth Browne of Marblehead, Massachusetts. They had two children before Elizabeth died in 1719. In 1725, Holyoke married Margaret Appleton of Ipswich, Massachusetts, with whom he had eight children. Margaret died in 1740. In 1742, Holyoke married Mary Whipple Epes, with whom he had one child. Mary died in 1790.