Thomas Foxcroft was a minister of the First Church in Boston

First Church in Boston

First Church in Boston is a Unitarian Universalist Church founded in 1630 by John Winthrop's original Puritan settlement in Boston, Massachusetts. The current building is on 66 Marlborough Street in Boston.-History:...

, Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

 in the 18th-century.

Biography

Foxcroft was born on February 26, 1697 in Boston to "Colonel Francis Foxcroft, warden of King's Chapel

King's Chapel

King's Chapel is "an independent Christian unitarian congregation affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association" that is "unitarian Christian in theology, Anglican in worship, and congregational in governance." It is housed in what was formerly called "Stone Chapel", an 18th century...

" and "Elizabeth Danforth, daughter of Governor Danforth

Thomas Danforth

Thomas Danforth was a judge for the 1692 Salem witch trials in early colonial America.-Early life:He was born in Framlingham, Suffolk, England as the eldest son of Nicholas Danforth and Elizabeth Symmes...

." He was educated at Harvard

Harvard University

Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...

.

He joined the ministry of Boston's First Church in 1717 and remained there for the remainder of his career. "In 1736 Mr. Foxcroft was attacked by paralysis, which left him in an enfeebled condition. He continued to preach until the day of his death, but by no means as effectively as before his illness."

He died in Boston on June 18, 1769. His children included Samuel Foxcroft (d.1807).

Works by Foxcroft

• The character of Anna, the prophetess, consider'd and apply'd. In a sermon preach'd after the funeral of that honourable and devout gentlewoman, Dame Bridget Usher; who deceas'd at Boston, N.E. May 25th. 1723. Being a widow of a great age. 1723.
• God the judge, putting down one, and setting up another. A sermon upon occasion of the death of our late sovereign lord King George
  George I of Great Britain
  George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
  
  , and the accession of His present Majesty, King George II
  George II of Great Britain
  George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
  
   to the British throne. 1727.
• The voice of the Lord, from the deep places of the earth. A sermon preach'd on the Thursday-lecture in Boston, in the audience of the General Court
  Massachusetts General Court
  The Massachusetts General Court is the state legislature of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name "General Court" is a hold-over from the Colonial Era, when this body also sat in judgment of judicial appeals cases...
  
  , at the opening of the sessions, Nov. 23. 1727. Three weeks after the earthquake. 1727.
• A brief display of Mordecai's excellent character. In a sermon preach'd on the Lord's-Day after the funeral of the Honorable Penn Townsend, Esq; one of His Majesty's Council for the province of the Massachusetts-Bay, &c. Who departed this life, Aug. 21. 1727. In the 76th year of his age. 1727.
• Observations historical and practical on the rise and primitive state of New-England : with a special reference to the Old or First Gather'd Church in Boston : a sermon preach'd to the said congregation, Aug. 23, 1730, being the last Sabbath of the first century since its settlement. 1730.
• Lessons of caution to young sinners. A sermon preach'd on Lord's-Day Sept. 23. 1733. Upon the affecting occasion of an unhappy young woman [i.e., Rebekah Chamblit
  Rebekah Chamblit
  Rebekah Chamblit lived in Boston, Massachusetts in the 18th-century. She was tried and executed in 1733 for infanticide.When she was 26 years old, the unmarried Chamblit became pregnant. In May, 1733, she gave birth to what was probably a stillborn...
  
  ] present in the assembly under sentence of death. 1733.
• Elisha lamenting after the God of Elijah. A funeral sermon preach'd at Boston, March 27. 1737. Occasion'd by the death of the Reverend Mr. Benjamin Wadsworth
  Benjamin Wadsworth
  Benjamin Wadsworth was an early American clergyman and educator. He was trained at Harvard College...
  
  , late president of Harvard-College in Cambridge, and formerly Pastor of the Old Church in Boston. Who departed this life on March 16th. Having just enter'd the 68th year of his age. 1737.
• The earthquake, a divine visitation. A sermon preached to the Old Church in Boston, January 8. 1756. Being a day of publick humiliation and prayer, throughout the province of Massachusetts-Bay in New-England: upon occasion of the repeated shock of an earthquake on this continent, and the very destructive earthquakes and inundations in divers parts of Europe, all in the month of November last. 1756.
• Grateful reflexions on the signal appearances of divine providence for Great Britain and its colonies in America, which diffuse a general joy. A sermon preached in the Old Church in Boston, October 9. 1760. Being the thanksgiving-day, on occasion of the surrender of Montreal, and the complete conquest of Canada, by the blessing of heaven on his Britannic Majesty's brave troops, under the auspicious conduct of that truly great and amiable commander, General Amherst. 1760.

Works about Foxcroft

• Charles Chauncy. A discourse occasioned by the death of the Reverend Thomas Foxcroft, M.A: late Colleague-Pastor of the First Church of Christ in Boston: who departed this life on Lord’s-Day forenoon, June 18. 1769. In the 73d year of his age. Delivered the Lord’s-Day after his decease. Boston: Printed by Daniel Kneeland, at his printing-office, in Hanover-Street, for Thomas Leverett, in Corn-Hill, 1769.
• William Allen. "Thomas Foxcroft." An American biographical and historical dictionary, 2nd ed. W. Hyde & Co., 1832.
• A. B. Ellis. History of the First Church in Boston, 1630-1880. Boston: Hall & Whiting, 1881.

External links

• WorldCat
• Princeton University. Thomas Foxcroft Correspondence, 1729-1759.
• Boston University. Foxcroft Papers (1690-1770).