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[I posted the following to the ASK THE PROF archive after several messages 
on the HES list and information from Warren Samuels. Thanks to all who 
contributed. RBE] 
 
The first person named to a chair of political economy was Charles F. 
Dunbar, at Harvard College in 1871. Yale College appointed Francis A. 
Walker to a chair of political economy the following year. By 1890, there 
were 20 such chairs of political economy at colleges in the United States. 
 
Prior to 1870 (and after at many institutions), political economy was 
taught as a branch of moral philosophy at most North American colleges. 
Among professors of moral philosophers, there are several who could be 
identified as the first to teach political economy in the United States. 
The first of these would be John McVickar, who was appointed as professor 
of moral philosophy at Columbia College in 1817 and was a political 
economist (published Hints on Banking in 1827). Another would be George 
Tucker, who was appointed in moral philosophy at the University of Virginia 
in 1825 and regularly taught political economy. A third option would be 
Francis Wayland at Brown College, who also served as the institution's 
president from 1827 to 1855 (it was not uncommon for the college president 
to teach moral philosophy in the 19th century). Wayland introduced a course 
on political economy upon his arrival at Brown and wrote a textbook on the 
subject. (Wayland may have taught political economy at Union College during 
his one year there, in 1826-27, before he moved to Brown.) 
 
Ross Emmett 
 
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