Robert Harpur
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Harpur (1731 - 1825) was a colonial teacher, politician, pioneer, and landowner who settled in the Binghamton, New York area. Harpursville, New York in Eastern Broome County, NY was named after him. Additionally, Harpur College, now Binghamton University was also named for him.
Robert Harpur was born in Ireland and came to the colonies in 1761 via Scotland. He was a teacher at Columbia University (known then as Kings College) and served in various capacities in the Colonial government during the American Revolution.
He was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1777 to 1784.
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[edit] Classical names used in New York
While Harpur worked for the New York survey as a clerk, he has been credited with assigning the numerous classical names to locations in the Central New York Military Tract, now in Cayuga County. Cortland County, Onondaga County, and Seneca County. In some cases, it is not entirely clear to which classical person, the name was referring.
The chief of the survey, Simeon DeWitt, has also been credited with the assignment of these classical names.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Herbert, Anne T., 2003, Robert Harpur's New York, Broome County Historical Society.
