Francis Andrew March

Background

Francis Andrew March, Jr was the eldest son of Francis Andrew March and Margaret Mildred Stone (Conway) March. He was born on March 2, 1863 and brought up in Easton, Pennsylvania, and lived there all his days.

Education

His education was gained under the best possible auspices, since he was trained by his father, one of the most notable Anglicists of the day and professor of English in Lafayette College. Young March was graduated from Lafayette with the B. A. degree in 1881; later he received the degrees of M. A. and Ph. D. (1889) from the same institution.

Career

He began his professional career in 1882, when he was appointed tutor in his Alma Mater. In 1884 he was promoted to an adjunct professorship of modern languages, and in 1891 he was made professor of English literature, a chair which he exchanged in 1905 for that of professor of the English language. This professorship he held until his death. March also took an interest in the local political scene, and served from 1905 to 1909 as mayor of Easton. He served his apprenticeship in this field as an assistant in the etymological department of The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia, the most ambitious lexicographical enterprise ever undertaken on American soil. When the staff of the Standard Dictionary was made up, March was invited to join it as editor in charge of the etymological department, and his services in this capacity had no little to do with making the dictionary standard in fact as well as in name.

Achievements

• March undertook, in collaboration with his father, the editorship of a thesaurus dictionary. This work came out in 1902, under the title, A Thesaurus Dictionary of the English Language, and proved a great success; it has run to five editions. The connection of the elder March with this dictionary was little more than nominal, and to the younger must go the credit for its successful execution. March's interests, in his later years, seem to have shifted over to the historical field, for he wrote two books (popular rather than learned, it is true) about the World War: History of the World War (1918) and America's Part in the World War (1919), both in collaboration with R. J. Beamish.

Works

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• book

  • History of the World War; an authentic narrative of the world's greatest war

    (This reproduction was printed from a digital file created...)

  • America's Part In The World War: A History Of The Full Greatness Of Our Country's Achievements (1919)

    (This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of th...)

Personality

His loyalty expressed itself, not only in a lifetime of service as a teacher, but also in a lifetime of devotion to the athletic activities of the institution. Himself an outstanding athlete in his student days, March became in 1890 the member of the teaching staff entrusted with the supervision of the athletic side of student life, and his interest in these matters culminated in a study of the athletic history of the school, published in book form in 1926 under the title, Athletics at Lafayette College. But his chief contribution to American life was to be in the lexicographical field.

Connections

He was married on September 4, 1889, to Alice Youngman, daughter of Robert B. Youngman, professor of Greek in Lafayette College. They had three children. The younger like the elder March was first of all a faithful servant of Lafayette College.

Father:

Francis Andrew March

25 October 1825 - 9 September 1911 Educator, Linguist.

Mother:

Margaret Mildred Stone Conway March

25 January 1837 - 11 February 1911

Brother:

Dr John Lewis March

11 March 1873 - 3 December 1952

Brother:

Thomas Stone March

26 February 1868 - 13 January 1939

Brother:

Alden March

29 September 1869 - 14 September 1942

Brother:

Gen Peyton Conway March, Sr

27 December 1864 - 13 April 1955 Chief of Staff, US Army.

Brother:

Moncure C. March

13 July 1872 - 22 November 1945

Sister:

Margaret Daniel March

11 March 1877 - 31 January 1923

Sister:

Mildred March

10 January 1875 - 20 August 1959

Wife:

Alice Gray Youngman March

12 April 1869 - 25 November 1954

Daughter:

Katherine March Thomas

5 November 1890 - 2 January 1976

Son:

Francis Andrew March, III

2 November 1895 - 2 November 1967

Son:

Robert Peyton March

28 August 1903 - 27 December 1984

References

• The Biography of a College, Being the History of the First Century of the Life of Lafayette College, Volume II