Alpheus Spring Packard, Sr.

Alpheus Spring Packard was born on December 23, 1798, in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. He attended Phillips Exeter Academy prior to enrolling at Bowdoin College, from which he graduated in 1816.

Packard initially trained as a minister and later pursued a career in academia. He became associated with Bowdoin College, where he served in various roles over more than four decades. His early position at the college was as a tutor from 1819 to 1824. Subsequently, he was appointed as a professor of ancient languages and classical literature, serving from 1824 until 1865. During the final years of his life, he held the position of acting president of Bowdoin College in the academic year 1883–1884, until his death.

He was actively involved in the Maine Historical Society from its founding in 1822 until 1884. Additionally, Packard was a prominent member of the Peucinian Society at Bowdoin College. His scholarly contributions include over a dozen publications, as listed by the Bowdoin College George Mitchell Special Collections. Among these works are the jointly authored and edited "The History of Bowdoin College, with Biographical Sketches of its Graduates" (1882), the edited collection "Works of the Rev. Jesse Appleton" (1836–1837), and a translation and notes on Xenophon’s "Memorabilia of Socrates" (original edition 1839, third edition 1843).

Packard was married twice. His first wife was Frances Appleton (1804–1839), the daughter of Jesse Appleton, the second president of Bowdoin College. Through this marriage, he became the son-in-law of Jesse Appleton. Together, they had four sons and one daughter: Alpheus Spring Packard Jr. (1839–1905), William Alfred Packard (1830–1909), Charles A. Packard, George Packard, and Frances Appleton. Packard’s son Alpheus Jr. graduated from Bowdoin in 1861, served as a surgeon during the Civil War, was an entomologist who corresponded with Charles Darwin, and contributed as a professor at Brown University with 25 publications. After his first wife’s death, he married Mrs. C. W. McLellan, with whom he had a fifth son, Robert L. Packard, who graduated from Bowdoin in 1868.

His residence, known as the Packard–Smyth House, was originally built in 1827 at 6 College Street in Brunswick, Maine. In 1836, Packard sold half of the property to William Smyth, a professor of mathematics. The house was later referred to as the Mitchell–Little House, named after subsequent owners.

Alpheus Spring Packard passed away on July 13, 1884, in Squirrel Island, Maine, and was interred at Pine Grove Cemetery in Brunswick, Maine.

In honor of his long-standing service to Bowdoin College, the Alpheus Spring Packard Gateway was constructed along College Avenue between Coles Tower and the main quad.