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Notable people · Reformer · Clergy

Washington Gladden

Pastor of First Congregational Church in Columbus from 1882 to 1914, Gladden was a leader of the Social Gospel and sat on Columbus City Council 1900-02. He is buried at Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus.

Washington Gladden
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At a glance

Born
1836-02-11
Died
1918-07-02
Education
Owego Free Academy, Owego, NY
Williams College, Williamstown, MA, to 1859, B.A.
Known as
Reformer, Clergy
Organizations
First Congregational Church, Columbus

Life story

Washington Gladden was born in Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania, in 1836, and after his father died lived with an uncle in New York. He graduated from Williams College in 1859 and wrote its alma mater.

He married Jennie Cohoon in 1860 and held pastorates in Brooklyn, Morrisania, North Adams and Springfield, Massachusetts, working briefly as religious editor of the New York Independent.

In 1882 he became pastor of First Congregational Church in Columbus, where he stayed thirty-six years. He wrote widely, including Working People and their Employers (1876) and Social Salvation (1902).

He served on the Columbus city council in 1900-1902 and published Social Salvation (1902) and Recollections (1909). He died in 1918 and is buried at Green Lawn Cemetery.

Timeline

  • 1859: Graduates Williams College (Williamstown, MA) source
  • 1860-12-05: Marries Jennie O. Cohoon (New York) source
  • 1866: Pastor in North Adams (to 1871) (North Adams, MA) source
  • 1871: Religious editor, New York Independent (to 1875) (New York, NY) source
  • 1875: Pastor in Springfield (to 1882) (Springfield, MA) source
  • 1882: Becomes pastor of First Congregational Church (Columbus, OH) source
  • 1900: Columbus City Council (to 1902) (Columbus, OH) source
  • 1909: Recollections published; wife Jennie dies May 8 (Columbus, OH) source
  • 1918-07-02: Dies (Columbus, OH) source

What Washington is known for

  • Pastor, First Congregational Church, Columbus 1882-1914
  • Columbus City Council 1900-1902
  • Father of the Social Gospel
  • Working People and their Employers (1876)
  • The Christian Way (1877)
  • Who Wrote the Bible? (1891)
  • Social Salvation (1902)
  • Recollections (1909)

Honors and things named for them

  • 35 honorary doctorates

Family

  • wife: Jennie O. Cohoon

Places in Ohio to see

Ohio places

Where Washington Gladden was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.

Further reading

Sources

Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.

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