Faculty and tutor salaries, 1794-1804, undated

Following the Revolutionary War, the depreciating value of money in Massachusetts and the increase in the cost of living created by inflation affected Harvard faculty. In the late 18th century, Harvard faculty salaries came from appropriated and unappropriated funds, as well as government grants. Between 1756 and 1778, salaries tripled in response to inflation but were still considered inadequate, and President Willard and the faculty regularly petitioned the Corporation for salary increases. On December 16, 1794, Professors David Tappan, Samuel Webber, and Eliphalet Pearson presented a memorial requesting a salary increase to a joint Corporation and Board of Overseers committee appointed to inquire into the state of the College Treasury. Through the end of the 18th century, the Corporation would periodically allocate additional money to the faculty and staff, but the increases were continually insufficient to relieve the personal financial strains created in the post-Revolutionary New England economy.

On January 30, 1799, the Corporation petitioned the General Court to appropriate some of Harvard's state-allocated income from the West Boston Bridge tolls towards the support of a permanent tutor position at the College, and in February 1800, the General Court approved a bill establishing a permanent tutor with the funds. The position of permanent tutor was distinguished by the right of the tutor to marry, and in such case, to live outside the College walls, with a Regent appointed to assume his residential responsibilities. Regulations for the permanent tutorship were approved by the Corporation on June 27, 1800, and on October 31, 1800 Levi Hedge (1766-1844; Harvard AB 1792) was chosen for the position. In May 1801, Hedge submitted a memorial to the Corporation requesting a salary increase, and in October 1801, Professors David Tappan and Samuel Webber submitted a similar petition to the Corporation. On December 2, 1801, the professors submitted a second, longer memorial to both the the Corporation and Board of Overseers requesting that because of the depreciated state of currency and the "increasing claims of their families," Harvard professors should receive a salary increase as well. While the professors' demands were pecuniary, much of their memorial criticized the appearance of "equality" between professors and tutors suggested by Hedge's salary increase. Tappan and Webber explained that the "superior labor of originating & composing courses of Lectures," was much more demanding than the responsibilities of the tutors, and the professorial duties "which most resembles ye instruction of a Tutor, is far ye lightest." On October 26, 1802, the Corporation and Board of Overseers created a committee to review the salary requests of both Hedge and the professors, and on May 3, 1803 they voted that "the permanent Tutor receive a salary of $800 for a year, and that each of the three resident Professors receive a salary of $1000 a year."

Even with an increase in salary, both the tutors and professors continued increased costs of living. On July 24, 1805, Samuel Webber, Levi Hedge, and four tutors signed a petition to the Corporation requesting an additional increase. By 1810, inflation had begun to decrease in Massachusetts, and the repeated requests for salary increases by Harvard faculty and staff ceased.