Elias Lyman Magoon

Born in Lebanon, New Hampshire, in 1810, he became a Baptist clergyman, graduating from Waterville College in 1836 and Newton Theological Seminary in 1839. His career included pastorates in Richmond, Cincinnati, and New York, and he became known as a forceful pulpit speaker as well as a prolific religious writer.

Beyond the ministry, he built a wide literary reputation through books such as Proverbs for the People, Republican Christianity, and Orators of the American Revolution. His work often joined moral argument, historical storytelling, and a strong taste for eloquence, which helped make him a recognizable voice in 19th-century American religious and literary culture.

He also played a part in the early history of Vassar College, serving as a trustee and helping shape the college's art collection. He died in Philadelphia in 1886.