Francis Landey Patton

Francis Landey Patton (January 22, 1843 – November 25, 1932) was a Bermudian-American educator, Presbyterian minister, academic administrator, and theologian, and served as the twelfth president of Princeton University.

Background, 1843–1871 Patton was born in Warwick Parish, Bermuda, to a family of Scottish descent. He attended Warwick Academy. As a child, the family relocated to Canada. Patton received collegiate education at the University of Toronto, followed by a theological education at Knox College, Toronto. He graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1865. He was ordained to the Presbyterian ministry in June 1865; was pastor of the 84th Street Presbyterian Church, New York City, and in 1867–1870, of the South Church, Brooklyn.

Years in Chicago, 1871–1881

In 1871, Patton moved to Chicago to become minister of the Jefferson Park Presbyterian Church, Chicago (1874–1881). From 1872 to 1881, he was also a professor at McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago. His appointment was criticized by some alumni, who noted that Patton was not an American citizen. Some feared he would harangue students with John Knox-style sermons. He won over a large number of the alumni with a speech given in New York in 1888, in which he remarked "I am not prepared to say that it is better to have gone and loafed than never to have gone at all, but I do believe in the genius loci; and I sympathize with Sir Joshua Reynolds when he says, 'that there is around every seminary of learning, an atmosphere of floating knowledge where every one can imbibe something peculiar to his own original conceptions.'" The phrase "Better to have gone and loafed than never to have gone at all" was often quoted by proponents of the so-called "Gentleman's C." Patton was a popular president, and his class in Ethics was one of the most popular on campus.

During Patton's time as university president, Princeton more than doubled in size, growing from 600 students in 1888 to 1,300 students in 1902. The faculty of Union Theological Seminary voted to withdraw from the denomination rather than remove Briggs from his chair in order to defend the institution's academic freedom.

Although Patton was popular as an academic, a theologian, and a public speaker, he was not a gifted administrator.

President of Princeton Theological Seminary, 1902–1913

Patton thus became president of Princeton Theological Seminary. In that capacity, he opposed Henry van Dyke's proposal to revise the Westminster Confession of Faith.

Later years, 1913–1932 Patton retired in 1913 and returned to his native Bermuda.

Family Patton married Rosa Stevenson on 10 October 1865.

Books Patton’s publications include; The Inspiration of the Scriptures (1869) A Summary of Christian Doctrine (1898) Fundamental Christianity (1926)