Witherspoon, John (1723-1794), was a leader in American political, religious, and educational life. He served in the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. Witherspoon was born on Feb. 5, 1723, in Scotland. He was a Presbyterian minister before coming to America in 1768 to become president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). After the Revolutionary War in America (1775-1783), he continued his duties as college president. He died on Nov. 15, 1794.
