Elmer Hewitt Capen

Biography

Elmer Hewitt Capen, born in 1838 in Massachusetts, answered the call to lead Tufts College as its second president and soon became the institution's first permanent head. His steady stewardship saw the young college through its formative years, fostering rigorous scholarship while encouraging the expansion of faculty and facilities to meet the needs of a growing student body.

He believed that education should shape not only the mind but also the heart, and he worked tirelessly to cultivate a community rooted in integrity, service, and intellectual curiosity. Colleagues and students remembered him as a dignified presence whose commitment to character and learning left an enduring mark on the university and its families.