The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Adams, Herbert Baxter

ADAMS, Herbert Baxter, American historical student and educator: b. Shutesbury, Mass., 16 April 1850; d. 1901. He was graduated at Amherst in 1872; took Ph.D. at Heidelberg; and on the opening of Johns Hopkins in 1876 was made fellow in history, 1878 associate in history, 1883 associate professor in history, and in 1891, full professor. In 1901 he resigned on account of ill health, and died shortly after. In 1884 he was a leader in organizing the American Historical Association, and was secretary till 1900, then becoming first vice-president. He edited the ‘John Hopkins Studies in History and Political Science’ from the start, also the ‘Contributions to American Educational History’ published by the United States Bureau of Education. His chief publication is ‘The Life and Writings of Jared Sparks’ (2 vols., 1893). Among his historical monographs are the ‘The College of William and Mary,’ ‘Thomas Jefferson and the University of Virginia,’ ‘The Germanic Origin of New England Towns,’ and ‘Maryland's Influence in Founding a National Commonwealth.’ But his best work was not in writing history, but in training others to write it, and he was a powerful influence in creating the new school of historical research.