Jonathan Blanchard

Biography

Born in 1811, Jonathan Blanchard answered a lifelong call to evangelical education and moral reform, guiding Wheaton College through its formative years with a firm belief that learning should be shaped by faith. He insisted on a rigorous curriculum, open admission to women, and a campus life rooted in Christian discipline, earning the trust of students and supporters throughout his tenure.

He left a legacy of courageous leadership that inspired a generation of ministers and laypeople, and his name remains synonymous with the enduring ideals of Wheaton and the broader movement for conscience-driven scholarship.