Doctor John Witherspoon, (sculpture).

Doctor John Witherspoon, (sculpture).

Couper, William, 1853-1942, sculptor.

Roman Bronze Works, founder.

Doctor John Witherspoon, (sculpture).

John Witherspoon, (sculpture).

Dedicated May 20, 1909.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze; Base: Stoney Creek granite.

Sculpture: approx. 8 ft. x 2 ft. 2 in. x 2 ft. 2 in.; Base: approx. 9 x 7 x 7 ft.

Wm. Couper, New York / Roman Bronze works, NY (Plaque on front of base:) 1722/Scotland/John/Witherspoon/Princeton/1794 (West side of base:) Signer of/the/Declaration/of Independence (East face of base:) Presbyterian/Minister (Black on back of base:) For my own part, of property/I have some, of reputation more/that reputation is staked,/that property is pledged on/the issue of this contest; and although these gray hairs must/soon descend into the sepul-/chre, I would infinitely rather/that they descend thither by the hand of the executioner/than desert at this crisis the/sacred cause of my country. signed Founder's mark appears.

Standing portrait of John Witherspoon wearing Colonial dress consisting of a long coat, knee breeches, and a vest. He stands with his proper right leg slightly forward. A copy of the Bible is tucked into his proper right hand and his proper left hand is extended slightly at his side. Behind him, his cloak is draped over a pedestal. His long hair is brushed back away from his face and he stares straight ahead. The sculpture is installed on a stepped stone base adorned with two plaques, one on the front and one on the back. The inscription on the front plaque is surrounded by a wreath.

Portrait male -- Witherspoon, John -- Full length

Occupation -- Political -- Statesman

Occupation -- Medicine -- Doctor

Occupation -- Religion -- Clergy

Occupation -- Education

Object -- Written Matter -- Bible

Dress -- Historic -- Eighteenth Century Dress

Outdoor Sculpture -- District of Columbia -- Washington

Administered by United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service, Washington, District of Columbia

Located Connecticut Avenue & N Street, N.W., Washington, District of Columbia

Formerly located National Presbyterian Church, Washington, District of Columbia until 1966.

John Witherspoon (1722-1794), a Presbyterian clergyman, immigrated to the United States from Scotland and went on to become a leader in the Presbyterian Church and later president of the College of New Jersey at Princeton (Princeton University). In 1774 he became involved in American politics and served in the Second Continental Congress during the Revolutionary War. He signed the Declaration of Independence and helped to ratify the Federal Constitution in 1787.

This sculpture was erected by the Witherspoon Memorial Association organized by Dr. George Graham, pastor of the National Presbyterian Church. Sculpture was authorized by an act of Congress on May 29, 1908. The sculpture was installed in front of the National Presbyterian Church until the church was torn down in 1966. The sculpture was then installed in its present site, although members of the National Presbyterian Church have lobbied to relocate the sculpture to the front of their new church on Nebraska Avenue, N.W. The opposition to the relocation notes that there must be an act of Congress to move the sculpture. IAS files contain an excerpt from Jannelle Warren-Findley's Aug. 1, 1985 report for the National Park Service entitled, "A Guide to Selected Statues, Monuments and Memorials," National Capital Parks - Central, National Park Service, Washington, D.C. (RFQ 3-4-1919) which includes a brief maintenance history, a list of bibliographic sources, and notes to additional information found in National Park Service files. The report also notes that the sculpture was move east in 1928 when Connecticut Avenue was widened. The SOS! volunteer notes that the National Park Service applied wax to the sculpture in October 1993.

Index of American Sculpture, University of Delaware, 1985

National Park Service, American Monuments and Outdoor Sculpture Database, DC0060, 1989.

Goode, James M., "The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, D.C., A Comprehensive Historical Guide," Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1974, pg. 104.

Monumental News, Jan. 1910, pg. 22.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, District of Columbia survey, 1993.

Michael Richman, SAAM curatorial assistant, 1967-1969.

Goode, James M., "Washington Sculpture: A Cultural History of Outdoor Sculpture in the Nation's Capitol," Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008, no. 2.5.

Goode, James M., "Washington Sculpture: A Cultural History of Outdoor Sculpture in the Nation's Capitol," Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008, no. 2.5

Goode, James M., "The Outdoor Sculpture of Washington, D.C., A Comprehensive Historical Guide," Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1974, B-4.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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