Francois Rene Cossitt D.D.
Francois (Franceway) Ranna Cossitt was born in
Claremont, New Hampshire on April 24, 1790. He was the Great
Grandson of Rene and Ruth Cossitt. Both his maternal grandfather
and an uncle were pastors of the Episcopalian congregation in Claremont.
In 1813 he graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont. He then
taught for several years as was the custom for young college graduates
before continuing their education in a chosen field. His original
purpose was to become a lawyer, but when he got a spiritual change, he
resolved to become a Christian minister. He studied theology at
New Haven and received a license as a "lay reader" in the Episcopal
Church.
In 1822 Mr. Cossitt was ordained a minister in the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church. That same year he married Lucinda Blair of
Montgomery County Tennessee. Together they would have five
daughters before Lucinda died in 1833.
At a session of the Cumberland Synod at Princeton, KY in 1825, a plan
was proposed for the formation of Cumberland College. A charter
was obtained from the State of Kentucky and in March 1826 Cumberland
College opened with Francois Rene Cossitt as its President.
The original buildings were constructed on a farm outside of Princeton,
KY and were no more than a log college, as rough in its exterior as an
ordinary barn. The dormitories for the students were coarse cabins,
furnished with straw beds. But the purpose of this institution was
a novelty--educate young men, especially young men preparing for the
ministry who could not afford more expensive colleges. By the
spring of 1830 there were one hundred and twenty-five students.
In 1839 he received the Doctorate of Divinity from Middlebury College
and also from the Trustees of Cumberland College. Cumberland
College, however was continually beset with financial problems.
Dr. Cossitt labored for seventeen years at Cumberland College as its
President and as a teacher. Eventually the College was placed in
the hands of others and eventually closed.
Early in 1843, he moved to Lebanon, Tennessee to take charge of what is
now Cumberland University that was formed the year earlier. He remained as its president for one
year before resigning to take over a publication called Banner of
Peace. On December 24, 1849 he submitted his farewell to
publishing Banner of Peace. Today Cumberland University
is a thriving Liberal Arts University with approximately 2000 students.
It is still located in Lebanon, Tennessee.
At the time of his death on February 3, 1863, Dr. Cossitt was
survived by his second wife, Matilda Edwards Cossitt, his
youngest daughter, Lucinda, and one granddaughter.
Special thanks to the
Historical Foundation