march december politician presbyterian minister member family kentucky son senator restless youth suspended princeton_university fighting following graduation prone engage lifestyle admitted bar elected illness death child prompted turn religion ordained minister year accepted pastor second presbyterian church baltimore maryland church involved number theological debates 1830s hard line member faction played influential role churches rewarded elected general_assembly brief stint president pennsylvania returned kentucky presbyterian church lexington kentucky appointed superintendent public education governor changes effected office brought increase public school attendance led called father public school system kentucky left post superintendent years professor theological seminary kentucky conflict leading civil war escalated unusual position opposed slavery support abraham_lincoln president election odds nephew tragic scenario brother brother literally played family sons joining war following war retired home died december early life born march near lexington kentucky son born senator john senator died leaving wife tend family large plantations robert soon earned reputation instance brother john physical altercation robert salt blind cousin coffee mother gave tremendous beating old slave studied education classical school operated brother chief justice followed brothers john princeton behavior problems continued year spent suspended fighting later reinstated incident princeton granted honorable release school later awarded honorary master arts degree enrolled yale_university months discovered year residency required graduation unwilling complete requirement moved new_york earned bachelor_of_arts degree following graduation returned kentucky clear direction life began attending parties social engagements visit state capital offended man challenged duel obtained pistols accepted man challenge branded dispute later settled lodge man members march married cousin bride home virginia couple children ann political heritage husband sister senator sister law south_carolina governor virginia governors service kentucky general assembly following advice older brother obtained law license january practice law suit instead decided follow family tradition seek public office campaigning seat early political career began articulate stance issues legacy states rights viewpoint stressing instead need strong states second called end slavery emphasized importance education agreed point father opposed emancipation slaves favored states rights historian robert mother mary influenced positions politically charged issue kentucky campaign controversy left dire financial straits legislators sought relieve financial burden passing law favored highest court commonwealth time declared law unconstitutional year general_assembly passed legislation dissolved court replaced new court court acknowledged valid confused public lost respect public authority general issue generally split party lines democrats generally favoring favoring issue campaign won took office come voted favor reflecting upper class status affinity establishment identified party kentucky favorite son control kentucky politics years majority general_assembly sided abolished eventually tensions faded bigger decision awaited chosen sit committee draft kentucky response crisis south_carolina reasoning actions based logic kentucky resolutions supported senator determine support words late father end sympathies sense loyalty father sided committee majority condemning south_carolina actions religious conversion ministry time general_assembly battled fever letter wife visiting relatives virginia recounted near death months finally february illness subsided told death daughter louisiana occurred month earlier illness combined news death daughter caused turn religion spring public profession faith hosted revival meeting farm decided pursue ministerial training ordained presbyterian minister april served ruling elder relocated princeton new_jersey study november succeeded brother john pastor second presbyterian church baltimore maryland tenure saw numerous converts odds brother practices employed church concerned belief doctrine limited eventually persuaded doctrines orthodox leaders movement presbyterian fold began follow footsteps brother john criticizing number speeches publications catholics baltimore sponsored edited thoroughly protestant journals baltimore literary religious magazine spirit century year long tour europe wife began april deepened disdain opined continent traced catholic particularly harsh catholic worked county drew indictment libel trial ended hung jury voted favor displeased obtain unanimous continued published anti catholic articles century united_states equally controversial internal church politics western reserve emphasizing effectively abandoning office ruling elder condemned governance presbyterian missionaries presbyterian church chief author act testimony document old new schools resented signed act testimony old school camp hoped moderate course differences old widened teachings members ejected leadership controversy elected branch general_assembly president wife ann died lingering sadness memories ann life baltimore led leave city held years offered lexington kentucky instead accepted presidency pennsylvania advice brothers john william rift brother widow relatives help account surprising decision feel return home state inaugurated president september tenure church city pennsylvania college administration apparently suit student uprising president faculty occurred end short stay school desire children living relatives scattered kentucky virginia decision resign post resignation awarded honorary school father kentucky public school system returned kentucky accepting lexington return kentucky motivated growing fondness cousin virginia hart cared children stay pennsylvania virginia widow son twice governor kentucky written exchanges included love poems robert concerned questions virginia wisdom engaging relationship despite advised sisters avoid marriage issue married april children survived adulthood disagreements children partners previous marriages exacerbated tense union ended divorce september robert managed reconcile wife remained virginia death personal turmoil hinder political accomplishments appointed superintendent public education governor sixth person hold office creation 1830s task school age children kentucky attended school thirty kentucky counties received state educational funds began reforms immediately secured general_assembly passage cent property tax education tax subject voter approval worked hard issue efforts paid tax passed margin continuing needs push legislators action enjoyed support governors served opposed state funded school system challenged helm veto educational bill general_assembly reforms manifested results educational spending increased school age children attend school ratified constitution changes effected document office superintendent election belonged democrats whig elected office tenure short unlike early reforms calls parental selection textbooks use bible primary reading material opposed abolition tuition charges unsuccessfully lobbied pay increase position salary little prospect reform leadership resigned following resignation shifted party affiliation whig know republican helped found kentucky professor civil war later life owned number slaves marriage left good supporter gradual emancipation colonization blacks early political career crisis worsened led high profile debates notably fellow uncle support abraham_lincoln president election pitted nephew vice president outbreak civil war quickly ardent supporter union position slavery sake preserving union position editor advocate position called harsh measures time accepted president lincoln immediate emancipation slaves chosen temporary chair nominated lincoln president speech hailed freshman representative inspiring given event family split issue sons joseph charles fighting union cause fighting confederacy sons law fought union daughter husband rode likely intervention kept executed following war wife refused let father law grandchildren period years november married wife white year later resigned died december extensive illness buried legacy hall named built dormitory students theological seminary residence hall upper class students nephew alma mater renovated national_register_of_historic_places story building campus named selected works knowledge god considered knowledge god considered second country protest use instrumental music worship hierarchy charm act government thoughts development presbyterian church christian pastor christ ascension gifts letter speech laying cornerstone clay monument calling illustrate posture duty united_states_of_america
Robert Jefferson Breckinridge