Daniel Comfort
New York native Daniel Comfort succeeded F.G. Hopkins, likely in 1828. Born April 29, 1785 in Orange County, New York , Comfort graduated from Princeton University. At the prestigious Ivy League school in New Jersey, he studied both literary and theological programs. Dr. Comfort taught ancient languages as a Princeton professor for several years. In addition, he served as an ordained Presbyterian Church minister. But Dr. Comfort didn’t stay very long in the Northeast. He moved hundreds of miles south to Kentucky in 1812 or 1813 where he preached the Gospel. A throat difficulty made it impossible to carry on his ministerial duties in the Bluegrass State. That illness may have contributed to his move to Mississippi in 1827 to land a job as leader of Mississippi Academy. For the rest of his life, he stayed connected with Mississippi College as a teacher, scholar, administrator, board member and Christian philanthropist. He and his wife, Martha Ann Cruzer, stayed busy as parents with four sons and four daughters. During his tenure, MC received loans to construct buildings, obtained gifts from patrons and friends and managed to grow. Highlighting his administration, two young ladies, Alice M. Robinson and Catherine Hall, received MC diplomas and gold medallions at the first commencement in school history in December 1831. That’s believed to be a first among America’s co-educational institutions! About three years later, the town of Clinton (population 3,500) was established in 1834. Dr. Comfort resigned as president on January 1, 1842.
