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Harvardinates: (Har-VAR-di-NAH-tays) The Life and Times of John Leverett, first secular President of Harvard
John Leverett would refer to Harvard alumni as Harvardinates (sons of Harvard) instead of Sons of the Prophets, to emphasize that others besides Divinity School students could and did become Harvard graduates. Cotton Mather and forces of Puritan orthodoxy wanted Harvard to remain primarily a divinity school, but Leverett was part of a general trend toward secular education and the inclusion of arts and sciences. This book tells the story of a time when society was divided and Harvard was becoming what it is today. It is not an exhaustive biography, but it has family information which puts things in perspective, and tells how he and Mather, who were about the same age, lived through the Salem witch trials. Leverett was busy writing logic textbooks in Latin at the time, but didn't dare speak out against the leader of the colony.
175 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 16, 2024
Harvardinates: (Har-VAR-di-NAH-tays) The Life and Times of John Leverett, is a striking narrative which artfully mixes rhetoric subject’s history and family into one logical narrative. The author, Thomas Leverett , gives a well researched account of the struggles in Boston - on one side a search for knowledge and prosperity, and on the other, a conservative movement that sparked witch hunts and extreme reform.
With a slew of iconic figures sprinkled into the story, such as Ben Franklin, and other household Americans, history nerds will be drawn into a twisting spiral of conflict that actually happened, but was rarely covered in standard American history books. If you’re a fan of thoroughly researched history of America with new insights, check out Harvardinates: (Har-VAR-di-NAH-tays) The Life and Times of John Leverett.
With a slew of iconic figures sprinkled into the story, such as Ben Franklin, and other household Americans, history nerds will be drawn into a twisting spiral of conflict that actually happened, but was rarely covered in standard American history books. If you’re a fan of thoroughly researched history of America with new insights, check out Harvardinates: (Har-VAR-di-NAH-tays) The Life and Times of John Leverett.
December 16, 2023
Like Stepping in a Time Machine
"Harvardinates" illuminates the transformation of Harvard under John Leverett's secular presidency. Skillfully blending genealogy and historical upheavals, Thomas Leverett navigates through societal shifts, the Salem witch trials, and Leverett's tussle with Cotton Mather. A captivating time capsule, revealing the erosion of church power, political tensions, and Leverett's resilience. With clinical suspense and justified reasoning, it's an indispensable glimpse into America's crucial history. Highly recommended!
"Harvardinates" illuminates the transformation of Harvard under John Leverett's secular presidency. Skillfully blending genealogy and historical upheavals, Thomas Leverett navigates through societal shifts, the Salem witch trials, and Leverett's tussle with Cotton Mather. A captivating time capsule, revealing the erosion of church power, political tensions, and Leverett's resilience. With clinical suspense and justified reasoning, it's an indispensable glimpse into America's crucial history. Highly recommended!
November 18, 2025
Interesting book. Well researched, clever in how it connects personal stories, genealogy, Harvard’s shift to a secular institution and all that historical turbulence. I liked that it goes deeper than usual history books and makes you see the transformation through real people, their conflicts, their resilience. At times it felt a bit too detailed and heavy, especially with names and backstories that didn’t always add to the flow. Still, it offers a strong view on how politics, religion and education reshaped each other, and that alone makes it worth reading.
December 27, 2023
Some great genealogy and historical research!
I love anything that regards genealogy and family history, so this was the perfect book for me to read. You can certainly tell the author has done his research. However, I did find some of it repetitive as some things were mentioned over and over again. Great job by the author.
I love anything that regards genealogy and family history, so this was the perfect book for me to read. You can certainly tell the author has done his research. However, I did find some of it repetitive as some things were mentioned over and over again. Great job by the author.
September 22, 2024
Informative!
I was interested in learning more about John Leverett since one of my sons attended Harvard. This was a well researched book that explored the lives of the Leveretts and many other families of the time. There was a bit of repetition regarding the names and birthdates of the Leverett children, but an interesting and informative book.
I was interested in learning more about John Leverett since one of my sons attended Harvard. This was a well researched book that explored the lives of the Leveretts and many other families of the time. There was a bit of repetition regarding the names and birthdates of the Leverett children, but an interesting and informative book.
October 14, 2024
I picked up this book out of curiosity to learn more about life in 17th century America, and it truly delivered on that front. I gained valuable insights, such as the surprising fact that Latin was commonly spoken at formal events during that era.
Overall, the book offers an interesting narrative that immerses the reader in the period.
Overall, the book offers an interesting narrative that immerses the reader in the period.
November 29, 2023
Informative read
An interesting book about John Leverett's life and how to changed Harvard University. He focused on the secular to evolve beyond the theology. He also reveals history. This is a very educational book for anyone who does not about the history of USA.
An interesting book about John Leverett's life and how to changed Harvard University. He focused on the secular to evolve beyond the theology. He also reveals history. This is a very educational book for anyone who does not about the history of USA.
December 9, 2023
god damn he’s done his research
god damn he’s done his research - another crusade into a close branch of the family tree!
Backdrop and background maybe of equal importance to the individual that is John Leverett
Nice work, covers all in an easy to read and not-so-dry manner!
god damn he’s done his research - another crusade into a close branch of the family tree!
Backdrop and background maybe of equal importance to the individual that is John Leverett
Nice work, covers all in an easy to read and not-so-dry manner!
November 25, 2023
Thomas Leverett continues the journey into his family history which began with Puritan Leveretts: A Preliminary Investigation with Book 5 of his Leveretts in the New World series. On this occasion his focus is upon John Leverett, the first secular President of Harvard—not a direct ancestor of the author, but from a seemingly-close branch of the family tree.
It’s a historical piece of work, and covers more than you might think. Would Harvard still have been in existence without John Leverett’s opening-up of the institution to students of other disciplines than divinity? Probably, but maybe in another semblance than that which it’s become down the centuries. There’ll always be a requirement for an establishment of theology, but I think it’s fair to say that the inclusion of the sciences and arts has made a major contribution to the position of excellence which Harvard holds today in the world of education—and that’s down to John Leverett.
As well as his personal history—including his rivalry with the orthodox Puritan Cotton Mather and the political machinations which were a part of that—there’s a great deal here about the society of which Leverett was a member. The crowded towns, the fires and diseases which ravaged the population, the persecution of non-Puritans such as the Quakers and of course the tensions with and downright oppression of the indigenous inhabitants—a part of it set against a background of the Salem witch-hunts (and indeed, Ezekiel Cheever, father of a son of the same name who’s know for living in Salem at that time, is a part of this history). There’s even reference to the young Benjamin Franklin, writing critically about his society—and Harvard as a part of it—under the alias ‘Silence Dogood.’
As usual Thomas Leverett’s research has been meticulous, as he examines the material found among a selection of family papers and augments it with the additional study of other documents, all recorded in the bibliography. If you’re interested in the minutiae of the history of the USA from the Pilgrim Fathers forward, then this book is for you.
It’s a historical piece of work, and covers more than you might think. Would Harvard still have been in existence without John Leverett’s opening-up of the institution to students of other disciplines than divinity? Probably, but maybe in another semblance than that which it’s become down the centuries. There’ll always be a requirement for an establishment of theology, but I think it’s fair to say that the inclusion of the sciences and arts has made a major contribution to the position of excellence which Harvard holds today in the world of education—and that’s down to John Leverett.
As well as his personal history—including his rivalry with the orthodox Puritan Cotton Mather and the political machinations which were a part of that—there’s a great deal here about the society of which Leverett was a member. The crowded towns, the fires and diseases which ravaged the population, the persecution of non-Puritans such as the Quakers and of course the tensions with and downright oppression of the indigenous inhabitants—a part of it set against a background of the Salem witch-hunts (and indeed, Ezekiel Cheever, father of a son of the same name who’s know for living in Salem at that time, is a part of this history). There’s even reference to the young Benjamin Franklin, writing critically about his society—and Harvard as a part of it—under the alias ‘Silence Dogood.’
As usual Thomas Leverett’s research has been meticulous, as he examines the material found among a selection of family papers and augments it with the additional study of other documents, all recorded in the bibliography. If you’re interested in the minutiae of the history of the USA from the Pilgrim Fathers forward, then this book is for you.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews