| James Pierpont | |
| Birth Date: | 1 January 1659 |
| Birth Place: | Roxbury, Massachusetts |
| Death Place: | New Haven, Connecticut |
| Occupation: | Minister |
| Known For: | Founder of Yale College |
| Alma Mater: | Harvard College |
| Signature: | Signature of James Pierpont (1659–1714).png |
James Pierpont or Pierrepont (January 4, 1659 - November 22, 1714) was a Congregationalist minister who is credited with the founding of Yale University in the United States.
Pierpont was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, on January 4, 1659. He was one of five children born to John Pierpont and his wife, Thankful (née Stow) Pierpont (1629–1664), daughter of John Stow. His father, who was born in London in 1619, was a Roxbury town officer and a deputy to the general court before his death in 1682.
He attended The Roxbury Latin School and Harvard College.
Pierpont became an ordained Congregationalist minister on July 2, 1685. In 1701, he secured the charter for The Collegiate School of Connecticut, which soon thereafter took the surname of its chief benefactor, Elihu Yale. He served as a founding trustee of Yale from October 16, 1701, until his death in 1714.
Pierpont was married three times and lived in New Haven at what was known as the Pierpont Mansion. His first marriage was on October 27, 1691, to Abigail Davenport (1672–1691), the daughter of John Davenport and Abigail (née Pierson) Davenport. Abigail died on February 3, 1692, from a cold she caught shortly after their marriage. His second wife was Sarah Haynes (1673–1696), whom he married on May 30, 1694. Sarah was the daughter of Rev. Joseph Haynes and Sarah (née Lord) Haynes, and the granddaughter of Governor John Haynes. She died on October 27, 1696, after giving birth to their only child:
In 1698, James Pierpont married for the third time to Mary Hooker (1673–1740) of Farmington. Mary was a daughter of Rev. Samuel Hooker and granddaughter of Rev. Thomas Hooker, chief founder of the Colony of Connecticut.[2]
He died on November 22, 1714, in New Haven, Connecticut, where he was buried.[4] His widow died on November 1, 1740.[5]
Pierpont's descendants also include U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr, financier John Pierpont (J.P.) Morgan, Edwards Pierrepont, and songwriter James Lord Pierpont, best known for "Jingle Bells".[5]