15 Facts About Francis Wayland

Francis Wayland was an American Baptist minister, educator and economist.

Francis Wayland was president of Brown University and pastor of the First Baptist Church in America in Providence, Rhode Island.

In Washington, DC, Wayland Seminary was established in 1867, primarily to educate former slaves, and was named in his honor.

Francis Wayland's father was an Englishman of the same name, who was a Baptist pastor.

Francis Wayland was one of the founders of Newton Theological Institution in 1825.

Francis Wayland was an early advocate of the temperance and anti-slavery causes, for many years was "inspector of the state prison and Providence county jail," president of the Prison Discipline Society, and active in prison reform and local charities.

Francis Wayland worked hard to prevent the local Baptist denominations from splitting into pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, but ultimately failed in this attempt.

Francis Wayland was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society in 1838 and the American Antiquarian Society in 1851.

Francis Wayland worked for higher educational ideals outside the college, writing text-books on ethics and economics, and promoting the free school system of Rhode Island and especially of Providence.

Francis Wayland was disobeyed with fear and trembling, and the boldest did not care to encounter his frown.

Francis Wayland was majestic in manner, and could assume, if he pleased, a Rhadamanthine severity.

Francis Wayland had a heavy foot for a student's door when it was not promptly opened after his official knock.

Francis Wayland said so many wise things to us and uttered them in so pithy and sententious a style that one could never forget them.

Francis Wayland resigned the presidency of Brown in 1855, and served from 1857 to 1858 as pastor of the historic First Baptist Church in America, in Providence.

The town of Francis Wayland, Massachusetts was named in his honor.