Demarest was born on May 12, 1863, in
Hudson, New York to
David D. Demarest and Catharine Louisa Nevius. Having been educated at the
Rutgers Grammar School (now the
Rutgers Preparatory School), Demarest graduated with high honors from
Rutgers College with a
baccalaureate degree in 1883. From 1883 to 1886, Demarest taught at the
Rutgers Preparatory School. In 1888 he graduated from the
New Brunswick Theological Seminary, and that same year was
ordained to the ministry of the
Dutch Reformed Church, where he served until 1901 at which time he returned to the Seminary, and was appointed Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Church Government to replace retiring professor
Samuel Merrill Woodbridge (1819–1905). In 1905, Demarest was named as acting President of the College, and was elected by the Trustees to succeed
Austin Scott as President in early 1906. During his tenure, the New Jersey College for Women (now Douglass College) was established in 1918, through private donors and increased appropriation from the State of New Jersey, new facilities were constructed for instruction in Engineering,
Chemistry,
Entomology, and
Ceramics and dormitories were built to accommodate the increased enrollment. Following his resignation as President in 1924, Demarest served for ten years as president of the
New Brunswick Theological Seminary and remained active in the affairs of the University. In 1924, he published
History of Rutgers College. ==Legacy==