Ruggles, William, Lld

Ruggles, William, LL.D., a Baptist educator, was born in Rochester, Mass., Sept. 5, 1797, and was a graduate of Brown University in the class of 1820. Shortly after graduating, he went to Washington, D.C., and was appointed a tutor in Columbian College in 1822, his name being retained in the list of its faculty for forty-five years. He was appointed professor of mathematics and natural philosophy in 1827, and discharged the duties of that office with marked ability and success till 1859, when, at his own request, he was appointed professor of political economy. He discontinued active service after 1873. During four interims he was the acting president of the college. He died Sept. 10, 1877.

Prof. Ruggles was a most generous giver to the benevolent organizations of the denomination (the Baptist) with which he sympathized. "His relations with some of the Baptist missionaries in Burmah had led him to take particular interest in their labors. This was especially true of the Karen Theological School established by the late Dr. Binney, who had been his associate in Washington. In his last will and testament, after certain personal bequests, he bestowed his estate upon the Baptist Missionary Union and the Baptist Home Missionary Society, with a residuary provision for the college in whose service he had spent his entire active life." (J.C.S.)