Richard Peters (cleric)
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Richard Peters (1704– July 10, 1776) was an American cleric and a civil servant in colonial Pennsylvania. For many years he was the rector of Christ Church in Philadelphia.
Richard was born in Liverpool, England where his father, Ralph Peters, was the town clerk. He was educated at Westminster School and Oxford. He was ordained in the Church of England in 1731 and emigrated to America in 1735.
Peters became an assistant at Christ Church in Philadelphia and served there for two years. He then became a registrar at the land office. He also served as secretary to a series of colonial governors and on the Governor's Council from 1737 until the Revolution.
In 1762 Peters returned to Christ Church, this time as rector, and remained until his health forced him to resign in September of 1775. Throughout these years he was active in many religious, civic, and educational affairs. He worked with Benjamin Franklin to establish a public academy, which became the Philadelphia College and then the University of Pennsylvania, and served President of the school's Board of Regents from 1756 to 1764.
Peters died in Philadelphia in 1776. His brother William had also emigrated to Pennsylvania. William's son and Richard's nephew was named Richard, and was known as Richard Peters, Jr. to distinguish him from the prominent churchman. Richard Jr. (1744-1828) would represent Pennsylvania in the Continental Congress and serve as a U.S. District Court judge.
