STILES, Ezra, American clergyman and college president : b. North Haven, Conn., 15 Dec. 1725; d. New Haven, Conn., 12 May 1795. He was graduated from Yale in 1746, and was a tutor there 1749-55. Dr. Franklin having sent an electrical apparatus to Yale, Stiles entered with great zeal upon this then new field of philosophical investigation, and performed the first electrical experiments ever made in New England. At the time he was pursuing the study of theology; was licensed, and commenced his ecclesiastical work in June 1749. In April 1750 he visited the Housatonic tribe of Indians at Stockbridge. He then studied law, in 1753 was admitted to the bar, and practised at New Haven for the two following years. In 1775 he became pastor of the Second Church in New port, R. I., and during his residence there found time for literary and scientific investigations, corresponding with learned men in almost every part of the world. His congregation at New port being entirely broken up by the. British occupation of the place, in May 1777 he re moved to Portsmouth, N. H., to become pastor
of the North Church. In September following he was elected president of Yale and shortly after professor of ecclesiastical history in con nection with the presidency; and in June 1778 he entered on his official duties. After 1780 he discharged the office of professor of divinity. His labors for the college were intense and uninterrupted during the rest of his life. He was widely learned, being particularly versed in the Oriental languages. He published a funeral oration in Latin on Governor Law (1751) ; a Latin oration on his induction to his office as president (1778) ; an 'Account of the Settlement of Bristol' (1785) ,•