J. F. (John Fletcher) Hurst

Born in Maryland in 1834, John Fletcher Hurst became an American bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church and later the first chancellor of American University. He graduated from Dickinson College and continued his studies in Germany, attending the University of Halle and the University of Heidelberg.

Hurst was known as a prolific religious writer and historian. His books include works on Methodism, the medieval church, and rationalism, reflecting a strong interest in theology, history, and the development of Protestant thought.

He also played an important role in the founding of American University in Washington, D.C., helping turn a Methodist educational vision into a real institution. He died in 1903, remembered as both a church leader and a serious man of letters.