Convers Francis
Convers Francis was a prominent Unitarian minister and educator born in late 18th-century Massachusetts, with roots tracing back to early Puritan settlers and Revolutionary War soldiers. He grew up in Medford, where his father managed a bakery, and after excelling in school, he graduated from Harvard University in 1815, later obtaining a divinity degree. Ordained in 1819, he served as the pastor of the First Church of Watertown for 23 years, becoming well known for his optimistic and inspiring sermons that often reflected his appreciation for nature, influenced by Romanticist poets like Wordsworth.
In addition to his preaching, Francis was an accomplished writer, authoring religious tracts, historical works, and biographies, such as "An Historical Sketch of Watertown, Massachusetts." His liberal views began to emerge in his writings, where he addressed issues like the treatment of Native Americans. He was also associated with the Transcendental Club and developed a friendship with Ralph Waldo Emerson. In 1842, he transitioned from the pulpit to academia, becoming a professor at Harvard Divinity School until his death, during which he continued to be recognized for his contributions to theology and literature, ultimately bequeathing his extensive library to the institution.
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Convers Francis
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- Born: November 9, 1795
- Birthplace: West Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Died: April 7, 1863
- Place of death: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Biography
Convers Francis was born in the last days of the eighteenth century in Massachusetts, the descendent of an early Puritan settler and a Revolutionary War soldier. He was raised in Medford, Massachusetts, where his father owned and ran a bakery. After doing well in his local school,s he attended and graduated from Harvard University in 1815, and then went on to obtain a divinity degree there. In 1819, he was ordained as a Unitarian minister and soon became pastor of the First Church of Watertown, Massachusetts, where he would remain for twenty-three years. Within a few years of his ordination he married Abby Bradford Allyn.
Francis soon became a well-known and popular minister. His sermon style was optimistic and inspiring; his sermons were never intended to intimidate or scare his congregation. Influenced by Wordsworth and other Romanticist poets, Francis often considered the subject of nature, and saw in nature evidence of God’s revelations to man.
In addition to his sermons, he soon became known as a writer, publishing religious tracts, biographical articles, historical treatises, and eventually a number of books. His first book was An Historical Sketch of Watertown, Massachusetts, from the First Settlement of the Town to the Close of its Second Century in 1830. His liberal ideology would slowly emerge in his political writings although he would never allow his views complete free rein while still in the pulpit. Nonetheless, in 1830, he published an article on the removal of the Indians, which pointed out the inappropriate treatment of Native Americans by the government. Throughout the 1830’s, he also continued to write small biographies of ministers, missionaries, and the thinkers who helped shape the theological views of the young nation. He contributed often to such magazines as the Christian Examiner, the American Monthly Review, and the Scriptural Interpreter.
Francis particularly gained recognition for his publication of “The Life of John Eliot, the Apostle to the Indians,” in Jared Sparks’s Library of American Biography. Francis was also active in the Transcendental Club and became close friends with Transcendentalist philosopher and writer Ralph Waldo Emerson. In 1842, Francis left the pulpit to become a professor at the Harvard Divinity School, where he stayed for twenty-one years until his death. His publications waned somewhat with his academic appointment; nevertheless, he continued to write and to be respected for what he wrote. He was devoted to his work as a teacher, and upon his death dedicated his considerable personal library to the Harvard Divinity School, which dedicated a room to “the Francis Library.”