Barnas Sears

Biography

Barnas Sears, born in 1802, served the church and the academy with equal devotion, guiding Brown University as its president and later helping to shape public education in Virginia. His sermons and writings reflected a lifelong belief that learning and faith could strengthen a community’s moral compass.

He encouraged teachers and students alike to pursue knowledge with humility, leaving a legacy felt in both pews and classrooms, and he is interred at the Old Burying Ground, where visitors honor his contributions.