HARPUR, Robert, American educator: b. Ballybay, County Monaghan, Ireland, 25 Jan. 1733; d. Harpursville, N. Y., 1825. His moth er's father fought in the battle of the Boyne and left Scotland to enjoy religious freedom. His father was a man of means and intelligence and a rigid Presbyterian. The son graduated at Glasgow University and, finding his faculty for public address unequal to the demands of preaching, turned to the work of teaching in the grammar school of Newry. He shortly set out for America and arrived at New York 1 Sept. 1761. Within a few days he engaged himself to teach mathematics and physics in the recently chartered king's (later Columbia) College, and after a time also became libra rian. Remembering his oppressed neighbors at home, he undertook to secure land grants for them and by his assistance one entire parish, with their pastor, Dr. Thomas Clark, immi grated and founded the town of Salem, N. Y. In the Revolution Professor Harpur cast in his lot with the patriots, becoming a deputy to the 3d and 4th Provincial Congresses and a mem ber of the new State assembly from 1777 to 1784, and also acting as a commissioner for de tecting and defeating conspiracies for Dutchess County. He served likewise as deputy secre
tary of state under the first two incumbents of the office, John Morin Scott and his son, Lewis Allaire Scott, and later, covering the years 1778-95; and in the capacity of secretary to the State Land Board was probably sponsor for the military townships of central New York, whose classical names have ever since been the subject of criticism and wonder.
Poughkeepsie now became his residence until the close of the war, when he returned with the State government to New York city. On the creation of the Board of Regents to con trol State educational interests, Professor Har pur was made a member and served as its first secretary. In 1795, at the age of 62, he re signed his public posts and, turning from the habits and associations of a lifetime, took up the career of a pioneer in the wilderness of Broome County, where he had acquired a tract of 15,360 acres in what is now Colesville town ship. Here for 30 years he encouraged settle ment by his generosity and won a wide repute for his counsel and philanthropy. •