| Notes |
- BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH XXXVI.
GILBERT TENNENT WOODHULL, (Rev.), (D. D.), seventh generation from Richard Wodhull I., Patentee of Brookhaven, Long Island, was born February 18, 1827, at Manalapan, Monmouth Co., New Jersey.
He was the seventh son of John Tennent Woodhull, M. D., and Ann Wikoff. He attended the school taught by his brother William, later a noted classical teacher, and was by him prepared for college.
He was graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University), in 1852; and from Princeton Theological Seminary in
1855, and was appointed Tutor in Mathematics at Princeton which position he held from 1854 to 1855.
Two years were spent in South Jersey, as stated supply to the Congregation of May's Landing and Tuckahoe.
While on a visit to his friend and fellow-student, the Rev. Edwin R. Bower, who was pastor at Wappinger's Falls, New York, he preached to the neighboring congregation at Fishkill, whose pulpit was then vacant, the result being a call to the pastorate.
He was ordained and installed by the Presbytery of North River, on November 10, 1857, and was the faithful and beloved pastor of the small, scattered, but loyal congregation from 1857 to 1867.
Meanwhile, three of his College and Seminary fellow students, the Revs. Isaac N. Rendall, Lorenzo Westcott, and Edwin R. Bower had become Professors at Lincoln University, near Oxford, Chester Co., Penna., the first institution founded in the United States for the higher education of colored youth.
In 1869, the growth of the work demanded an additional professor and Mr. Woodhull's scholarship, character and general fitness for the position being brought before the Trustees by his college friends, an invitation was extended to, and accepted by him to become Professor of Greek and Latin.
Two years later a Professor of Latin was added to the Faculty, and Mr. Woodhull became Charles Avery Professor of Greek.
For two years he lived at Oxford four miles distant, and during that period it was his custom to ride on horseback to his classes.
Later, he and his family occupied the home near the University, which a quarter of a century's residence has associated with his name.
In 1881, Mr. Woodhull received the degree of Doctor of Divinity, from Princeton University, an honor of which he was eminently worthy.
He possessed great educational gifts and acquirements.
President Rendall, his friend and colleague of many years, speaks of him as a choice and very valuable man for their common work, by his faithful, quiet, steady, accurate instruction, his power of inducing thoroughness in study, and his influence upon the mental training of the students.
Order was kept in the class-room solely by his dignified presence, for here as elsewhere, appeared the peculiar and remarkable combination, for which Dr. Woodhull was justly noted, that of dignity, gravity, reserve and firmness together with uniform courtesy and gentleness.
His placid demeanor gained, from one class at least, the familiar name among themselves of "Moses."
Yet he could ask one who had made a specially unreasonable complaint concerning his grade, to hand it back that it might be reduced to its merits.
It was understood by the students that the Professor of Greek was not to be trifled with. On one occasion an unprepared student was "splashing about" in the effort to escape total failure in his poorly
prepared recitation, when Dr. Woodhull exclaimed "Mr. (???) you can extemporize in English and perhaps also in Latin, but you can't extemporize in Greek."
His pupils admired and loved him, and liked to fancy that his study of Greek had made him classic in features, hair, attire and walk, and in every sentence of his sermons; and even declared that he talked Greek to his horse.
Outside of the class-room, the students proved his accessibility and personal kindness, feeling that they were welcomed in his study by a genuine friend, to whom they could unbosom their cares.
Like many of his race and name, he was a strong Republican, yet he took little part in political or civil affairs, although ever warmly attached to the best traditions of his party.
As a preacher he gave forth the utterance of a well informed theologian and an ardent believer; each sermon bore the marks of careful study, scholarly interpretation, decided conviction, spiritual experience, clear, ripe and well ordered thinking, sympathetic fidelity of application and notably cultured and chaste expression, while the delivery was with loving persuasion and impressiveness.
His preaching "day" always excited the glad expectation of pleasure and profit, and the students competed for the front seats.
His public prayers, it may be added, were reverent, spiritual and comprehensive, distinguished by simplicity and elevation of diction.
Dr. Woodhull regarded his labors at Lincoln as part of the missionary work of the Church. When the Mission Sabbath School, in the little village contiguous to the University, was at a low ebb he, with his eldest daughter, taking the feeble organization in hand, was the means of recovering the school.
He also established and carried on a preaching service, and brought the mission well forward toward its present issue in the village Chapel, now under the charge of the Presbyterian Congregation of Oxford.
Dr. Woodhull's only publication was an address in the Theological Department of the University, in September, 1885. It was entitled "The Importance and Responsibility of Ministerial Work," and was printed by request.
Notwithstanding his kindliness and affability, Dr. Woodhull was seldom seen in society. He loved better the privacy of his own home, where his bright, cheerful, uncomplaining spirit made him the idol of the household.
He was never known to lose control of his temper, while his consideration for others and his appreciation of anything done for himself were very marked.
He had a deep sense of humor and thoroughly enjoyed a joke at his own expense.
He was a noted horseman for many years, and a pedestrian as well, walking almost daily for exercise, usually accompanied by a favorite hunting dog.
Page 345
He had a marked degree of muscular strength, and when near the age of three score and ten, he surprised his younger colleagues by raising himself up with his hands to the branch of a tree well overhead.
He was never in haste, on the contrary very deliberate, yet accurate and effective.
These qualities, and his renowned coolness and courage, came into play when he was the young pastor at Fishkill, when, revolver in hand, he stepped from the parsonage door and confronted a stalwart stranger clad in a long dark cloak and slouched hat.
Coolly pointing the revolver at the intruder in such a manner that the moonlight flashed across the ominous looking weapon, the young minister calmly ordered the intruder to turn round and make his way to the gate, which, followed by Mr. Woodhull, he obediently did, the raised weapon often meeting him when he ventured to pause and look back. The road reached, the man was dismissed with a warning.
Very different treatment was accorded the suppliant stranger. Two interesting cases were those of a runaway slave from the South, and a young French lad whose English was limited to the one word "work."
This helpless youth was taken into the Doctor's family, given employment, and taught to read and speak the English language. A French Bible was given to him, the first he had ever seen, having been brought up a Roman Catholic. Now grown to man's estate, this prot g is doing well and in the enjoyment of prosperity.
Though Dr. Woodhull had the courtly manners of the old school, it was without stiffness; such gracious dignity is rarely seen, and akin to this, another chief element in the universal esteem and affection that gathers about his memory: it was expressed at the time of his death in the tribute paid by the great poet in "In Memoriam" to the friend he mourned:
"And thus he bore without abuse
The good old name of Gentleman."
Other lines might be fitly applied to him from the same poem-- addressed to one who also was a Professor of Greek, and whom the Lincoln Professor in many ways resembled:
"And thou art worthy, full of power,
As gentle, liberal-minded, great,
Consistent, wearing all that weight
Of learning lightly as a flower."
One of the letters of sympathy received by Mrs. Woodhull after her husband's death, was from his cousin, a surgeon and Colonel in the United States Army, at whose home in Princeton, New Jersey, in College and Seminary days, the subject of this sketch had been "a frequent and welcome visitor."
It is thus Colonel Woodhull wrote of him: "I know that his record has constantly been just such as one would desire for efficiency
Page 346
and for reputation--a life of intelligence and culture, tending in the words so conspicuous at Princeton, to 'the advancement of sound learning and true religion.'"
"True religion" was the source and strength of the life and character thus briefly sketched. She who knew him best writes that "it was his habit for many years to rise early each morning for the purpose of uninterrupted meditation and prayer in the privacy of his study. As it was said of Enoch, 'he walked with God.'"
Dr. Woodhull rested from his labors on February 11, 1898. During his brief illness he was able to talk little, but he "held fast the beginning of his confidence steadfast unto the end" and among his last words were "Oh, Jesus loves me," and "All is well."
Funeral addresses were made by the Rev. Isaac N. Rendall, D. D., President of Lincoln University, his colleague for twenty-nine years, and the Rev. William R. Bingham, D. D., President of the Board of Trustees. He was buried at Oxford beside a much loved and mourned little son.
Gilbert Tennent Woodhull married, May 14, 1862. Elizabeth, daughter of William Besley Waldo and Jane Ann Bruce, of New York City.
Mrs. Woodhull was descended in the eighth generation from Cornelius Waldo, of Chelmsford, Mass., who died in the year 1700.
Dr. Woodhull was survived by his widow, one son and four daughters.
(See Genealogy, No. 320.)
|
1827 - 1898 (70 years)
d. 18 Nov 1869, Camden, Camden, New Jersey, United States 