Lived: 1607-1638 An army may move on its stomach, but a university lives or dies on its endowment. John Harvard, one of the earliest investors in education in the English colonies, gave his name, as well as much of his wealth, to one of the earliest institutions of learning in that burgeoning region. Harvard University would grow from its humble beginnings with the aid of such grants, from a university known for educating Native Americans in scripture to one of the most respected bodies of learning in the world, thanks in no small part to the donations of John Harvard.