Edwards is known as one of America's greatest intellectuals. He was distinguished as a preacher, theologian, missionary, and educator. His son-in-law, Aaron Burr, Sr., was serving as president of Princeton University (then known as the College of New Jersey) at the time of his death. Edwards was persuaded to fill Burr 's position. Edwards took office on February 16, 1758, shortly before an outbreak of small pox. He volunteered for the small pox inoculation hoping his example would encourage others to follow suit. Instead, he fell ill and died from the inoculation on March 22, 1758.
Jonathan Edwards' descendants have included many influential roles in American history, according to his biographer George Marsden who "notes that "the Edwards family produced scores of clergymen, thirteen presidents of higher learning, sixty-five professors, and many other persons of notable achievements."" [*] His grandson, Aaron Burr Jr. served as United States Vice President under Thomas Jefferson and the victor in his infamous duel with Alexander Hamilton.
So how is our family connected with Jonathan Edwards? His daughter, Esther Edwards, married our 7th Great-Grand Uncle Aaron Burr Sr. (making her our 7th Great-Grand Aunt). Aaron Burr's sister, Elizabeth, is our 7th great-grandmother, as the chart below shows:
| Jonathan Edwards and Sarah Pierpont | Daniel Burr and Elizabeth Pinkney | |||
| Esther Edwards married | Aaron Burr, Sr. (b. 1715) | Elizabeth Burr (b.1696) married | Nathaniel Hull (b.1726) | |
| Ezekiel Hull (b.1765) | ||||
| Platt Hull (b.1787) | ||||
| Ezekiel Hull (b.1813) | ||||
| Rebecca L. Hull (b.1841) | ||||
| Frank Martin Bragg (b.1867) | ||||
| Orval Bishop Bragg (b.1895) | ||||
| Don Cicero Bragg (b.1920) | ||||
[*] Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, Jonathan Edwards (theologian) <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Edwards_%28theologian%29>
