Elijah Porter Barrows Papers

Elijah Porter Barrows (1807-1888) was born at Mansfield, Connecticut to Nathan (1775-1818) and Sophia Hanks Barrows (1776-1861). He had four sisters - Julia Ann (1802-1842), Caroline C (1803-1880), Joanna (1806-1866), and Sophia Malvina (1808-1845). He received his A.B. (1826) and A.M. (1892) degrees from Yale University. He married Sarah Maria Lee (1803-1880) in 1829 and together they had 10 children: Nathan (1830-1900), Frances Lee (1831-1898), Sophia Lee (1832-1891), Elijah Porter Jr (1835-1860), Martha Bliss (1837-1892), Allen Campbell (1839-1908), Charlotte Malvina (1840-1922), William Eliot (1842-1901), Franklin Lee (1844-1922), and Sarah Maria (1847-1913). His D.D. was awarded by Dartmouth College in 1858. Barrows was ordained to the gospel ministry in 1832 and for four years was an evangelist in churches in Connecticut. In 1835 he declined a position at Oberlin College.  He also served as pastor of the Day Street Presbyterian Free Church in New York City. From 1837-52 he was Professor of Sacred Literature at Western Reserve College, Hudson, Ohio, and from 1853-65 was Professor of Hebrew language and Literature in Andover Theological Seminary. During 1869-70 he taught at Union Theological Seminary, New York City and in 1871 came to Oberlin as Acting (and then) Professor of Hebrew and Old Testament Literature which he taught until 1880. Barrows died September 14, 1888 and his will left to Oberlin College some 70 volumes of his private library, all in other languages than English. Barrows two main works were Companion to the Bible [c. 1867] and Sacred Geography and Antiquities [ca.187?].  His contributions to the Bibliotheca Sacra spanned 31 years including a series of 12 articles on Revelation and Inspiration (1867).