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This Week in Princeton History for June 1-7


In this week’s installment of our recurring series bringing you the history of Princeton University and its faculty, students, and alumni, John Witherspoon’s marriage is celebrated, a sophomore writes to his father about an upcoming election, and more.

June 1, 1887–The Princetonian reports on the New Jersey Courier’s investigation into Walter Ridgely. Ridgely, a Texan who made national headlines for killing seven men near the Red River, is not, as many newspaper reports claim, a graduate of Princeton. No record exists of him having ever attended the school.

June 2, 1791—A holiday celebrating the marriage of John Witherspoon, age 68, to the widow of one of his former students, Ann Marshall Dill, age 24, continues on this day.

Clipping from the Gazette of the United States, June 15, 1791.

June 5, 1998—More than 100 students whose login information is believed to have been compromised in a recent hacking attack receive an email from the Office of Computing and Information Technology warning them that they need to change their email passwords, but many remain unconcerned.

June 7, 1856—Henry Kirk White Muse, Class of 1859, writes to his father from Princeton, “I suppose you have heard of the nomination of Buchanan and Breckenridge. This is here considered a strong ticket. By most here they are regarded as elected…I am now a Whig, and hope to be one all my life, whether they are strong or weak.”

Henry Kirk White Muse, Class of 1859, ca. 1858. Image from J. H. Muse, Correspondence with My Son (1858).

For the previous installment in this series, click here.

Fact check: We always strive for accuracy, but if you believe you see an error, please contact us.


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