David Brainerd (1718-1747) was born in Haddam, Connecticut. At the age of 14, he was orphaned. He studied for nearly three years (1739-1742) at Yale but was expelled for criticizing the spiritual depth of one of the tutors. He prepared for the ministry and became licensed to preach in 1742. Early in 1743, he decided to devote himself to missionary work among the Indians. Supported by the Scottish Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, he worked first at Kaunaumeek, an Indian settlement near Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and later among the Delaware Indians in Pennsylvania (near Easton) and New Jersey (near Cranbury). His frail health and tireless efforts as a missionary led to his early death. He died at the home of his friend, Jonathan Edwards, in Northampton, Massachusetts. His Journal was published in two parts in 1746. In 1749 Jonathan Edwards published An Account of the Life of the Late Reverend David Brainerd, which has become a missionary classic. His brief but inspiring life and his writings have roused countless young people to dedicate their lives to mission work.
