John McMillan (missionary)

John McMillan (November 11, 1752 – November 16, 1833) was a prominent Presbyterian minister and missionary in Western Pennsylvania when that area was part of the American Frontier. He founded the first school west of the Allegheny Mountains, which is now known as John McMillan's Log School. He is one of the founders of Washington & Jefferson College. Biography McMillan was born on November 11, 1752 in Fagg's Manor, Chester County, Pennsylvania. His Scots-Irish parents (William McMillan & Margaret Rea) arrived in Chester County from County Antrim, Ireland, in 1742. McMillan attended Blair's grammar school in Fagg's Manor and studied theology at Robert Smith's Pequea Academy He entered Princeton at 18 and graduated in 1772. It was at Princeton that he declared "that the divine law was not only holy and just but that it was also good and that conformity to it would make me happy." He was licensed to preach at age 22 in East Nottingham, Pennsylvania under the Presbytery of Newcastle. He traveled west on foot in 1775, preaching along the way. On 6 August 1776 he married Catherine Brown (daughter of William Brown) of Chester County. He founded Pigeon Creek Church, where he served for 19 years, Chartiers Church, where he served for 47 years and spent eight years with Matthew Brown. Amid the Revolutionary War and attacks from local Indians, McMillan moved his wife and their first child to a cabin on Shanon Run, the east branch of Chartiers Creek in Washington County, Pennsylvania. McMillan began teaching Greek and Latin to students in his log cabin, eventually graduating several prominent frontier ministers, including James McGready, William Swann, Samuel Porter, and Thomas Marquis. The precise date of the beginning of instruction is unknown.