The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-01-04
PRINCETON HoNoRs MEMORY
 OF THE FIRST AARON BURR

! Princeton University is a monument to the memory of the first Aaron Burr. who was born two centuries ago today, Jan. 4, 1716, in FaifieId, Conn. Lhe pl-centenary of the educator and minister who was the father of Old Nassau will not be forgotten by the faculty and students of that institu- ton. The Rev, Aaron Burr was the father of the statesman of the same na4le who loomed so large in the early history of the United States.
 The Burrs were of German descent. The elder Burr was educated at Ya1e and was ordained by the presbytery of East Jersey in 1737. He became pastor fat Newark, N. J. and was chiefly Instrumental in founding the College of New Jersey, which has sinceIs developed into Princeton Uni ,versity- In 1752 heimarried a daugh- ter of eJonothan Edwards, the ceIe- brated New England theoIogfan and metaphysician, and four years later she gave him a son, who was christen- ed Aaron. Jr.
 The father of Princeton died in 1757, when, his son was only a little over a year old, and young Aaron's mother. also died while ne was still an infant Deprived of his parents, young Aaron was left with a consider able estate, and was educated at Princeton. the college founded by his father. Although the son of one fa- nous minister and the grandson of another, young Aaron did not inherit the stern morality of his forebears. His career at college did not shed any particular luster on that institution. From his youth he was always sur rounded by a large circle of enthus- iastic friends, who were entirely obedi- cnt to his will, and who loved him in spite of his vices. He was notorious for his gaIlantries, and his boyhood and early manhood were marked by a 1oEg succession of amours. He pre- served to his dying day the tender epistles written to him by his mistress es, and in his old age found his great est pleasure in reading and re-readIng these records of youthful intrigue and passion.
 The yonger Aaron Burr. by the power of his genius, attained the posi- ton of Vice President of the United States, and he would undoubtedly have gone higher except for those grave faults of character which blast ed his career. AS a soldier in the revolution he served ga,llantly with Arnold and Montgomery in Canada, and attracted the favorable attention of Washing gton, who invited the young man to join his military family. He was soon detected by the Comnlander- i1l-chief in some immortality, which produced in the mind of Washington an impression which was never re- moved, Burr, on his part, affected to despise the military talents of Washington, and joined in every scheme for injuring the reputation. of the father of the republic.
 After the war Burr became a. law yer and married the widow of a Bri- tish officer. In 1791 he entered the United States senate, where his friends recommended him for the mission to France, but Washington. with marked emphasis. refused to appoint man of sBurr's character to so important a post.
 In 1900 Burr and Jefferson receiv- ed an equal number of votes in the electoral college. and the choice of a president devolved upon the House of Representatives. After a long con- test Jefferson was chosen. while Burr became Vice President. Tn 1894 Burr was a candidate for governor of New York, and his famous duel with Ham ilton, in which the later was killed, resulted from that political contest. Soon after his retirement from the vice presidency, Burr was accused of seeking to establish an empire in the Southwest and in Mexico, but was ac- quilted. His attempts to get backing for his scheme in Europe having faiI- ed, he returned to the practice of law, but never regained his former position.