Frequently Asked Questions

The Rev Dr. Francis Alison. 1705-1779
   Francis Alison was born in County Donegal, North Ireland. In 1732, he graduated with a Masters of Arts from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. Following his University education, Alison trained for the Presbyterian ministry, which brought him to the United States in 1735. Between 1736 and 1752, he served as pastor of the Presbyterian Church in New London, Pennsylvania.
   Disturbed by the prevailing standards of education and the lack of reliable institutions in Pennsylvania's lower counties, Alison started a free school in New London, Pennsylvania. The scho operated out of Alison's home for nine years and was supported by the Synod of Philadelphia, It became an academy in 1743, In 1752, Alison left his New London school in the hands of Alexander McDowell as Alison was called to be the Vice Provost of the fledgling University of Pennsylvania. His New London Academy moved to Newark, Delaware in 1763.. The University of Delaware (in Newark) traces its origin to this school.    

    Alison, meanwhile,  moved to Philadelphia, when Ben Franklin asked him to fill a vacancy at the new Academy of Philadelphia, which then became the University of Pennsylvania. The chief teacher at the university, he set the standard of education in the Classics, in Philosophy and Natural Sciences.
   During his life, Alison received numerous honors, including degrees from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1756, and Yale, in 1775. In 1758, he was awarded the Doctor of Divinity from the University of Glasgow, Scotland, the first such award given to an American. He taught signers of the declaration and kept up correspondence with the major figures of his day,  He died in 1779 in Philadelphia during the War for Independence.
   Alison was known for his "Love of Country and Love of God," (Rev. Thomas Pears) and was regarded as the "greatest classical scholar in America." (Ezra Stiles, President of Yale 1778-1795).

francisalison.org is in the process of becoming a 501 (c) 3 charitable organization dedicated to the preserving of the legacy of the Rev, Dr, Francis Alison and promoting his rightful place in US history.

Existing as a dream by some of his descendants as far back as 1968, the germ of the creation of francisalison.org took place with a multigenerational gathering of his descendants in 2021.

While not a lot is taught about the Rev. Dr. Francis Alison in current history, we are fortunate to have multiple first and second hand resources in quite a number of locations, most of them with public access. We intend for this site to be the "one stop" locus for Francis Alison research, with all documents found in one place.