Henry Mitchell McCracken was born at Oxford, Ohio, September 28, 1840.
His early education was obtained in the public schools and later at
Miami university, from whence he graduated in 1857. He also studied
at the United Presbyterian theological seminary at Zenia, Ohio,
at the Princeton theological seminary, and at Tubingen and Berlin
universities. His first professional work was that of a teacher of
classics and a public school superintendent. From 1857 to 1860 he was
pastor of the Westminster church at Columbus, Ohio, and later of the
Presbyterian church at Toledo, Ohio. In 1868, he was elected chancellor
of the Western university, at Pittsburg, and in 1880 was made
vice-chancellor and professor of philosophy in the New York university,
which position he held until 1891, when he was made chancellor. He is
the author of numerous educational and theological works. In 1872 he
married Catherine Hubbard. Chancellor McCracken’s life work has had
a dominating influence on educational theories and methods in this
country. His powers of professional expansion have enabled him to keep
pace with the drift of modern thought and sentiment.