History of Westchester County, New York — Passage 161 (part 4)
[J. Thomas Scharf (1886)] In the year 1792, the year after the New York As-sociation of Baptist Churches was formed, some of the brethren of the Sing Sing Church suggested the establishment of an academy in this vicinity for the education of young men for the ministry. The design was cordially approved. This was probably the first effort made to establish a Baptist Theological Semi-nary in this country. In 1797 the association com-mended the academy to the churches. In 1798 they drew up a constitution for it, and appointed a board of thirteen trustees. The academy was not a success. In 1801 the Rev. Stephen S. Nelson bought it and conducted it with great satisfaction to all. Francis Wayland was one of the most distinguished pupils. In 1795 or 1796 the Rev. John Kitchen, an English-