John Witherspoon went to College at the age of 13.

The eldest child of Pastor James Alexander Witherspoon and Anne Walker, a lineal descendant of John Welsh of Ayr and John Knox, John Witherspoon was born in Yester, Scotland. Despite its ancient beginnings, the latter theory regarding Knox's origin has been debunked for a long time and is poorly supported. He attended Haddington Grammar School and graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a Master of Arts degree in 1739. He stayed on campus to pursue his studies in divinity. He received an honorary degree from the University of St. Andrews in 1764 goes to theology.

Witherspoon is very bright and is considered quite tall for his age. At the age of 13, he was accepted into the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, one of the interesting facts about John Witherspoon. He studied Latin, Greek, Latin, and Logic there. He not only entered college early, but he also completed it in just three years. Witherspoon earned a Master of Arts degree at the age of 16. After completing his theological studies at the University of Edinburgh, he was granted a preaching license in 1743.

Finally, Witherspoon accepted their new invitation (rejected in 1766) to become president and Head Professor of the little Presbyterian College of New Jersey at Princeton at the persuasion of Benjamin Rush and Richard Stockton, whom he had met in Paisley. Witherspoon and his family moved to New Jersey as a result in 1768.