JOHN PIERPONT - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 08/12/1825 - HFSID 198003

JOHN PIERPONT
The anti-slavery minister, educator and poet writes a letter of recommendation for a teacher.
Autograph Letter signed: "Jno Pierpont", 1p, 7x9¼. Boston, 1825 August 12. Docketed on verso.To "Hon. E. Moseley", in full: "Allow me to introduce to your acquaintance Mr. Henry S. Wade, one of our corps instructif, who is desirous of becoming successor to Mr. Parker as preceptor of your academy. Mr. Wade came before our board so highly recommended from Cambridge, and from other places where he had taught, that he succeeded in the competition, which was a very respectable one, and, for six or seven months, has sustained the relation of usher to Mr. Bailey, to his acceptance and that of our Committee. Mr. Wade - from the opportunity which I have thus had of judging of him - may be recommended as a young gentleman of irreproachable moral habits, and able, and faithful as a teacher. He is ambitious of a better place than that of usher in one of our publick schools, and, should he succeed in his present object, I have good reason to believe that the trust of your board would not be misplaced. I am, Sir, with respect, and grateful remembrance, yours".
John Pierpont (1785-1966) was Pastor of the (Congregational) Hollis Street Church in Boston, 1819-1845. While there he was active in establishing the Boston English Classical School - a prestigious public school still known as Boston English - in 1821. He also wrote two early school readers. Pierpont also became a widely published poet best known for The Airs of Palestine (individual poem, 1816; title of a collection, 1840). Pierpont's poems and sermons increasingly voiced his temperance and anti-slavery viewpoint, the latter eventually causing him to lose his pulpit. He ran for Governor as an Anti-Slavery candidate, and later for US Congress on the Free Soil Ticket. He served briefly as a Civil War chaplain, and then accepted an appointment in the Treasury Department. Pierpont's grandson was the famous financier John Pierpont (J. P.) Morgan. Contrary to legend, John Pierpont did not write "Jingle Bells." His son, James Lord Pierpont, did. Mailing folds. Adhesive remnant shows through lightly at left edge verso. One-quarter-inch tear at center of left edge. Otherwise, fine condition.