Editing Abraham Pierson (section)

==Biography==
He was born in [[Southampton, New York|Southampton]], [[Long Island]], where his father, the Rev. [[Abraham Pierson, the elder|Abraham Pierson (Sr.)]], was the pastor of the [[Puritan]] ([[Congregational church|Congregational]]) church. At that time, Southampton and much of eastern Long Island were administered as part of the [[Connecticut Colony]].

It is commonly stated that Abraham Pierson (Jr.) was born in [[Lynn, Massachusetts|Lynn]], [[Massachusetts Bay Colony]] in 1640 or 1641. This claim conflicts with his gravestone in present-day [[Clinton, Connecticut]], as well as the period he spent as a student at [[Harvard College]] (1664 to 1668).

Around 1647, Abraham's family moved from Southampton to Branford in what is now [[Connecticut]]. At that time, Branford was affiliated with the (unchartered) [[New Haven Colony]]. The plans to move from Southampton to Branford began in 1644 when Southampton chose to become affiliated with Connecticut instead of New Haven. Abraham's father was the pastor of the Puritan (Congregational) church in Branford from around 1647 to around 1667.

In 1667, Abraham's family moved to New Jersey where his father established the community of New Ark, present-day [[Newark, New Jersey]]. At that time, Abraham (Jr.) was a student at [[Harvard College]].

After graduating from Harvard College in 1668, Abraham was ordained a minister and he joined his father in New Ark. After his father's death in 1678, Abraham succeeded his father as pastor of the First Congregational Church in Newark. Abraham also inherited a library of over 400 books from his father.

In 1691, the Congregational Church in Newark apparently chose to become [[Presbyterian]]. At that time, Abraham moved to [[Greenwich, Connecticut]], to become the pastor of the First Congregational Church of Greenwich. In 1694, he moved to Killingworth (now [[Clinton, Connecticut]]).

Abraham Pierson was the minister of the Killingworth Congregational Church at the same time he started to teach the first classes of what would become Yale University. The new school was supposed to conduct its classes in Saybrook, but the Rev. Pierson could not be relieved of his duties as the pastor in Killingworth; thus, the classes were held in his parsonage.

Abraham Pierson is today interred in Clinton, Connecticut. Abraham Pierson School in Clinton, Connecticut (grades 4–5), was named for him; and a bronze statue of him is located on East Main Street in Clinton, Connecticut.