USA > Iowa > Linn County > The history of Linn county, Iowa, containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, &t., a biographical directory of its citizens, war record of its volunteers in the late rebellion, general and local statistics history of the Northwest etc > Part 60
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465
HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
The location is beautiful and healthful, in the midst of one of the most fertile sections of Iowa. It lies eight miles south of Cedar Rapids, having its nearest railroad connection with Ely station, three miles east on the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota Railway.
It was incorporated under the name of "Western College," in March, 1856. The incorporators and first Trustees were : S. Weaver, D. Runkle, M. G. Miller, Jonathan Neidig, and W. H. Shuey. The powers usually vested in Trustees of colleges are given these Trustees and their successors, in these articles. The number of Trustees is not definitely fixed-each Annual Conference of the United Brethren Church, which may co-operate with the college, being required to elect five Trustees, whose term of office is five years-the term of one expir- ing each year. An Executive Committee, elected by the Board of Trustees, acts in its stead between the times of its annual sessions.
The first Executive Committee consisted of Rev. S. Weaver, Rev. J. Bow- ersox and W. H. Shuey, who were elected at the fourth session of the Board of Trustees, held in Shueyville, February 11, 1856.
The first meeting of the Board held at Western convened October 9, 1856. At this meeting were present : S. Weaver, D. Runkle, J. Bowersox and W. H. Shuey, of the Iowa Conference, and J. Hopkins and C. Witt of the Des Moines. This was the first meeting composed partly of Trustees from other than the Iowa Conference. At this session, Rev. Solomon Weaver was elected Presi- dent of the College for the ensuing year.
In the Fall of the same year, the main College building was completed, and on the first day of January, 1857, the school was formally opened in the pres- ence of a large audience from Western, Shueyville and the surrounding country.
An address was delivered by the first President, the Rev. S. Weaver. The Shueyville brass band and the Western choir furnished good music for this interesting occasion. The first Faculty, in addition to President Weaver, was composed of S. S. Dillman, Dr. J. C. Shrader and Mrs. Emily S. Dillman. There were thirty-eight students in the Preparatory Department, besides a pri- mary class of twenty scholars, making in all fifty-eight.
The first annual session of the Board of Trustees was held in the College chapel June 10, 1857. The members present were : S .. Weaver, D. Runkle, M. G. Miller, John Gooden, W. H. Shuey, Jonathan Neidig and J. Hopkins. Steps were taken toward the employment of persons to constitute a Faculty- salaries not to exceed $500.
During the first ten years of the operation of the College, its professors and lady teachers, with but few exceptions, were graduates of institutions under the control of other churches, and hence were not, in their prior denominational connections and training, of this sect. But these men and women, with breadth of views and prompted by motives higher than those of a personal or sectarian character, entered heartily and energetically upon the duties to which they were called. Amid discouragements and with sacrifices, they patiently labored with the church in her inexperienced efforts to found a college, and made its interests emphatically their own.
COLLEGE PAPER.
In July, 1856, the first number of the Western College Advocate, a monthly magazine, was issued, with Rev. S. Weaver and W. H. Shuey as editors and proprietors. One year from its starting, it passed into the hands of the Board of Trustees. Its publication was continued monthly, in magazine form and under this name, until about the year 1859, when the Board purchased a press,
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
changed the name to Western College Reporter, and began issuing it semi- monthly in quarto form. Its publication was continued-part of the time semi- monthly and part of the time weekly, some years a quarto and some years a folio sheet-until the latter part of the year 1874, when it was discontinued and the office subsequently sold. It was designed principally as a medium for advertising the College. During most of the time, its editorial management was either partially or entirely in the hands of W. H. Shuey, or some member of the College Faculty. It was a paper of quite a good degree of merit, and at times had a circulation of from 800 to 1,000. During most of its career it did valuable service for the College.
Through the most reliable sources from which testimony is obtained, it is quite satisfactorily established that there were no catalogues published sepa- rately, in regular pamphlet form, until the year 1867. Prior to the suspension of the college paper in 1864, it was customary to publish, at least occasionally, if not as a standing advertisment, the names of the officers of the college, the courses of study and rules ; and there seems to have been published regularly, at the close of each college year, a list of the students for the year. It is pos- sible to obtain but few of these papers, and being unable to find accurate regis- ters elsewhere, no complete summary of students can be made.
STUDENTS, ETC.
In the issue of the Western College Advocate for June, 1858, is found a fair substitute for a catalogue. This is the catalogue for the year closing June 10, 1858, the first full college year. It represents as co-operating conferences the Des Moines, Iowa, Rock River and Illinois. The Executive Committee are: J. E. Bowersox, W. H. Shuey, S. S. Dillman, Wm. Parmenter and Jacob Berger. Faculty : Rev. S. Weaver, President; Wm. Parmenter, A. M., M. D., Professor of Mathematics and Physiology; N. W. Bartlett, A. B., Professor of Ancient Languages : S. S. Dillman, A. B., Professor of Agriculture and Nat- ural Science; Mrs. E. S. Dillman, Principal of the Ladies' Department. This was the first regular faculty. Agents : Traveling, Rev. J. Wickard, Rev. J. Manning and L. C. Pope; Resident, Rev. S. Weaver. The summary of students is: Gentlemen, 69; ladies, 22; total 91.
Space may be taken to notice one other similar " catalogue," found in the issue of the Western College Reporter of June 15, 1864. The co-operating conferences are the Iowa, North Iowa, Rock River, Wisconsin, East Des Moines and West Des Moines. The names of five traveling agents are given. Stu- dents: Gentlemen. 71; ladies, 69; total, 140. In this .summary, it will be noticed at once that, widely different from the general rule, the number of ladies almost equals that of the gentlemen. This resulted from the war. This, as all other similar lists, makes no classification of students according to regular class standing. Hence, with the exceptions of Mr. W. T. Jackson and Miss Emma Neidig, known to be seniors, we know very little as to the standing of the students; hence very little also concerning the actual internal condi- tion of the school.
The pamphlet catalogue of the oldest date which can be found is of the college year 1867-8. It, however, was issued, not in the Spring of 1868, at the close of the college year, but in the Fall of 1867, at its opening; hence it contains an imperfect list of the students of the year for which it purports to be published. It takes its list principally from the registry of the previous college year. The summary gives a total of 128-90 gentlemen, 38 ladies.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
There were no gentlemen of higher standing than the senior preparatory- classical. Of the ladies there were two in the third or senior year-ladies' course. The catalogue of last year gives a summary of 210. The senior class of the present year, which graduates June 21st, numbers eight-five gentlemen and three ladies.
For several years from its founding, its course was steadily upward, and it attained a wide and well-earned reputation. Its halls were crowded and its classes filled with students, many of them of rare talent and promise. In the Spring of 1859, the number in attendance was 120. Its friends were active and full of hope. This was the position it occupied and from which it had its outlook in 1859 and 1861. Higher than this point, however, it then failed to rise, but, on the other hand, began a gradual decline. It reached its lowest point in the years 1866 and 1867. Since that time, it has been rapidly and per- manently advancing, and now stands higher and enjoys a more extensive pat- ronage than at any period of its history.
· It would have been difficult to find a community more intensely interested in the overthrow of the rebellion than were the Faculty and students of West- ern College. Squads of young men, from time to time, left its halls for the privations and perils of the camp and battle field. The response to calls for volunteers was so general, that at one time, it is said, there was left in the school but one able-bodied man of military age. Thus several interesting classes were entirely broken up, and the internal condition of the school was much demoralized. Many left for the tented field never to return, and others upon returning did not re-enter their classes.
PRESIDENTS.
Rev. Solomon Weaver was not a man of college training, hence he labored at much disadvantage. But he was a man of great energy and much natural ability. He did no work in the recitation room. Mr. Weaver came to Iowa from Ohio, where he had been connected in some capacity with Otterbein Uni- versity. His views respecting the question of the church establishing and building up institutions for the promotion of higher education, were far in ad- vance of the opinions entertained by most of his co-laborers in the church twenty years ago. He was the leading spirit in the movement for a college in the U. B. Church in Iowa. In his efforts in founding and laboring for Western College, he did a good work for the church and the world. Soon after his resig- nation, in 1864, he removed to Kansas, and subsequently founded “ Lane Uni- versity " at Lecompton. He afterward started the Kansas New Era, which paper he edited until his death, in December, 1874.
Rev. William Davis, one of the ablest members of the church, next filled the responsible position of President for one year.
Prof. N. W. Bartlett, a graduate of Dartmouth, took the chair of Ancient Languages in 1857, and continued till 1867. He was an excellent man and a most competent teacher, and became Principal of Denmark Seminary, in Lee County, Iowa. He acted as Principal during 1866 and the first term of 1867, after which H. R. Page completed the year. Mr. Page graduated in 1869, and became Professor of Natural Sciences. He afterward graduated in the Med- ical Department of the State University, and became located as a physician at New Sharon, Iowa.
Professor E. C. Ebersole, mentioned among the Professors, acted as Prin- cipal in 1868.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
Rev. Ezekiel B. Kephart, A. M., for the past ten years and at present the incumbent of the President's Chair, is a graduate of Otterbein University, of Ohio. He is a member of much force of character and fine executive ability, and possesses tireless energy and ever-living faith and hope. He assumed the duties of his position when the condition of the college was anything but flat- tering. But he threw himself with all his soul into the work before him, determined to lift the institution from the mire. The history it has made, and is still making under his administration is evidence sufficient that in him it has a man who is equal to his task. He started Monday, July 15, 1878, for a European tour, which will occupy a period of about four months.
PROFESSORS.
Professor S. S. Dillman removed to Toledo in 1860; went into the army as a Lieutenant in the Twenty-eighth Iowa Infantry, and was killed in Sheridan's Shenandoah campaign, in Virginia. Mrs. Emily L. Dillman, his talented wife, and the first teacher in the Ladies' Department of the college, is now Postmistress at Toledo.
Dr. J. C. Shrader, who was among the first students, and for a short time assistant teacher, is now one of the leading physicians at Iowa City ; served in the army as Captain and then Surgeon, and became one of the Medical Pro- fessors in the State University.
Dr. William Parmenter, a graduate of Oberlin, an able and scholarly man, was connected with the Faculty from 1857 to 1861. He is now an eminent physician in Michigan. Mrs. H. H. Parmenter was an assistant teacher at the same time with her husband. She is remembered as an amiable and intelligent woman.
Miss S. J. Miller, a graduate of Otterbein University, had charge of the Ladies' Department from 1861 to 1864. She was an excellent teacher. She died in 1864.
The Rev. H. A. Thompson, D. D., President of Otterbein University, was a Professor from 1861 to 1862. He is one of the best and most eminent scholars and divines in his church.
The Rev. D. A. Tawney, a graduate of Otterbein University, filled a Pro- fessor's chair in 1862-63. He was a gentleman of more than ordinary talents, and is now engaged in the ministry in Pennsylvania.
Prof. E. C. Ébersole taught from 1863 to 1865, and a half year in 1868. Prof. Ebersole is a graduate of Amherst, is a thorough scholar and a strict disciplinarian. He was afterward Greek Professor in the Iowa State Univer- sity ; then Principal of one of the High Schools of Cedar Rapids, and then he became a lawyer at Toledo.
Miss Spencer, afterward Mrs. Ebersole, was a teacher in the Ladies' Depart- ment, from 1863 to 1865.
Perhaps one of the most talented women that ever taught in the Ladies' Department of the College was Miss Hattie Hillis, a graduate of Oberlin. She was employed from 1865 to 1867.
Miss Juan R. Kumler, a graduate of Otterbein University, taught from 1866 to 1867, and returned to Ohio.
Miss Emma Neidig taught from 1866 to 1868. She was a graduate of Western College; was a good teacher, and is now Mrs. Steele, of Savannah, Nebraska.
Prof. William Langham, a graduate of Otterbein University, took the Chair of Ancient Languages in 1867, and resigned in 1870 to fill the office of County
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
Superintendent of Schools, in Linn County. Prof. Langham is a shrewd, intelligent man ; was one of the ablest teachers the College ever had.
Mrs. Emma G. Bookwalter, another graduate of Otterbein University, was Principal of the Ladies' Department from 1868 to 1871. She was an efficient and accomplished teacher, and is the wife of Prof. Lewis Bookwalter, in the present Faculty.
Prof. J. G. Accman, a graduate of an Ohio College, taught in 1870-71, and is now at Lebanon Valley College, Penn.
Prof. F. Kien, a graduate of Vienna, Europe, and one of the best linguists in the country, was Professor of Ancient Languages from 1870 to 1872.
In 1871, Rev. I. L. Kephart was elected Professor of Natural Sciences, a place he filled well. He is a Pennsylvanian, was educated at Otterbein Uni- versity, served three years as a Chaplain in the army, and was Superintendent of Public Schools in Greene County, Iowa, when elected to a Chair in the Col- lege. He was succeded by Byron O. White, Ph. B.
Prof. A. W. Drury, a graduate of Western College, filled the Chair of Ancient Languages very acceptably in 1872-73, but owing to ill health was compelled to resign. He is a son of the Rev. M. R. Drury, of Castalia, Iowa, and is a young man of more than ordinary promise.
Mrs. Sallie J. Light, the present Principal of the Ladies' Department, is also a graduate of the College, was elected to the position in 1872, and is a very popular teacher and a most worthy woman. Her husband, the Rev. E. F. Light, another graduate, has been for the last two or three years, Instructor in German and Penmanship. He then studied theology at Yale.
The Rev. Lewis Bookwalter, who graduated with high honors in the class of 1872, was elected this year to the Chair of Ancient Languages. This is regarded as a most excellent selection. He is a man of more than ordinary acquirements, is a fine speaker, and will make an efficient and popular teacher. He has been intimately connected with the College as Treasurer, Agent and Steward of the Boarding Hall, and knows well what are the wants of the institution.
Mr. Henry Sheak, who has been the official short-hand law reporter of Judge Rothbrock's district, taught phonography for a number of years, being succeeded by A. N. Ferris.
ALUMNA.
William T. Jackson, of Jones County, and Miss Emma Neidig, of Musca- tine, graduated in June, 1864. She received the first diploma of the College. Mr. Jackson became Principal of Westfield College, Illinois, six years; of Greene Hill Seminary, Ind., two years ; then became a student of the Theological Department at Yale.
Miss Neidig, a daughter of Jonathan Neidig, of Western, taught nearly two years in the College, and married F. B. Steele, of Savannah, Neb.
Jacob A. Shuey, of Shueyville, graduated in June, 1865, and became a merchant at Grant, Montgomery County, Iowa.
Miss Mary A. Beam, daughter of Rev. Charles Beam, of that place, and Miss Millie Grove, daughter of the late Rev. L. S. Grove, graduated in the class of 1868. Miss Beam became Mrs. Emerson, of Ely Station. Miss Grove became a successful teacher at Ainsworth, Iowa.
H. R. Page, of New Sharon, Joseph B. Overholser, of Coleta, Ill., and Mrs. E. A. Cook graduated in the class of 1869. Mr. Overholser has since
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
been admitted to the practice of law at Vinton, and was connected for a time with the Cedar Rapids Republican.
Miss Mattie Allison, who was a student of more than ordinary talents, grad- uated in 1870. As a teacher, she is first-class, and taught for some time in a Baptist college at Wilton, Iowa.
A. D. Collier graduated in 1871. Mr. Collier became a successful lawyer at Cedar Rapids, of the firm of Whitam & Collier. He is a man of more than ordinary energy, and knows no such word as fail.
The class of 1872 numbered ten, as follows, with the business in which they first engaged : Rev. Lewis Bookwalter, of Minnesota, now Professor of Ancient Languages in Western College; W. H. Custer, now in a printing office in Indiana ; Prof. A. W. Drury, of Castalia; Rev. M. R. Drury, an able and successful preacher of the North Iowa Conference of the U. B. Church ; F. R. Fry, a teacher at Hamilton, Iowa; Miss Sallie S. Perry and Miss Anna E. Shuey, of Western ; Miss Lou Strother, now Mrs. Williams, of Philomath, Oregon ; Miss Sallie J. Surran, now Mrs. Light, Principal of the Ladies' Department of Western College, and Rev. R. E. Williams, President of Philo- math College, Oregon.
The graduating class of 1873 numbered eight, as follows : H. G. Bowman, of Western, a teacher in Green Hill Seminary, Indiana ; Milo Booth, of Albany, Ill. ; Rev. T. J. Bauder, of Western, a preacher of the Iowa Conference, U. B. Church ; Miss Eva Drury, of Castalia; Rev. E. F. Light, entered the Theological Department of Yale; W. K. Riggs, of Castalia ; J. W. Surran, Principal of a High School in Indiana, and Henry Sheak, of the Commercial Department of the College.
The following are the more recent graduates : 1873-Henry G. Bowman, Thomas J. Bauder, Enoch F. Light, Eva M. Drury, Milo Booth, Henry Sheak, W. K. Riggs, John W. Surran. 1874-Francis M. Washburn, Cyrus J. Kep- hart, William B. Arble, L. M. Conn, A. L. Marshall. 1875-J. H. Albert, Lou Hopwood, Millie Gambrel. 1876-A. M. Beal, Sophia Bookwalter, Belle Hopwood, Mary C. Hedges, William I. Beatty, W. H. Kaufman, Frank S. Smith. 1878-John W. Bumgardner, Arthur M. Moore.
In the sixteen years' existence of Western College, hundreds of young ladies and gentlemen have gone out from her walls to adorn and benefit society by active and useful lives, and it would be pleasant to follow them in individual history. Eternity itself will only reveal the influence for good that is exerted by a well conducted college.
It will be noticed that a large number of the graduates have chosen the ministry of the United Brethren denomination.
An Alumni Association was organized on the evening of commencement of June 18, 1873, by electing Prof. W. T. Jackson, of New Haven, Conn., Presi- dent, and Mrs. M. E. Emerson, of Ely Station, Secretary.
At the session of the Board of Trustees held in June, 1875, an amendment to the articles of incorporation, allowing the Alumni Association of the college a representation of five in the Board of Trustees, was proposed. This amend- ment was duly submitted to the co-operating conference for ratification, and having been approved, is recognized as a part of the fundamental law of the institution. The first representatives of the Alumni Association will take their seats at the next session-June, 1876. This is a new departure with the col- lege of this church, but its originators and friends see many reasons why, in their judgment, it will prove highly beneficial to the college.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
FRIENDS AND PATRONS.
The largest donation received was from Ira Lane, of Illinois. This gift was made years ago, mostly in land, from which the college realized between $3,500 and $4,000. Remarks are not necessary to give Mr. Lane a place with the valued friends of the school. He is now advanced in years ; is living near Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois.
Jacob Shuey, Jonathan Neidig and Adam Perry each made donations which aggregate between $2,000 and $2,500.
Jacob Shuey donated the greater part of the land constituting the town plat, and besides gave liberal sums of money. Mr. Shuey was deeply interested in the efforts of the church of Iowa to establish a school, and was a fast friend to Western College, in the initial steps toward the founding of which he did more financially than any other man. He died at his home in Shueyville, Iowa, in October, 1867.
Jonathan Neidig, one of the first Trustees, made his donations principally at the starting of the institution, these donations consisting of lands and money. At an early day, he removed from Muscatine, Iowa, to Western for the twofold purpose of securing to his family the benefits of the College and of identifying himself more actively with the efforts to build it up. He was a member of the Executive Committee for years. He was one of the " pillars " during the try- ing and dark days of the school's early history. He died in Western, February, 1868.
Adam Perry donated the north part of the town plat and some money at the founding of the college. He has since added to these, more liberal dona- tions. Also Mrs. Perry holds a life insurance policy for $1,000 in the United Brethren Mutual Aid Society, of Lebanon, Pa., in favor of the College. He has acted on the Executive Committee many years. The college has not a friend who is in heart more interested in its welfare than Mr. Perry. He removed from his old home in Western to Cedar Rapids in the Fall of 1875, but returned, and now lives at Western.
Rev. M. S. Drury has given quite liberally, in more recent years, in sums amounting to between $1,000 and $1,500. For the last ten years Mr. Drury has been one of the most active and progressive members of the Board of Trust- ees. The educating of his entire family of four children at the institution sig- nifies alike his appreciation of higher education and interest in the college. He also has a policy for $1,000 in the U. B. M. A. Society of Pennsylvania, in favor of the college. He has recently removed from his former home, near Castalia, Iowa, to Western.
Among the donors of sums aggregating $500 and upward may be mentioned A. B. Hisey, who was a student in the early history of the college and a donor at that time, not now a resident of this State; W. H. Shuey, whose name has frequent mention elsewhere, now a resident of Western; Benjamin Tallman, who was for years intimately connected with the College as Farm Agent, Resi- dent Agent and member of the Executive Committee, residing in Western ; Rev. D. Runkle, one of the incorporators and first Trustees, and subsequently for years a valuable member of the Board of Trustees, residing in Lisbon, Iowa ; Rev. M. Bowman, one of the active men in the first movement in the interest of the college at the Iowa Annual Conference of 1855 at Muscatine, and subse- quently one of the most efficient members of the Board, now residing in Western and Pastor of the station here ; H. A. Dilling, formerly of Benton County, Iowa, now a resident of this place, and a member of the Executive Committee ; John Neidig, some years deceased ; and others.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY.
None of the amounts are large compared with the gifts that are frequently made to colleges ; but these men gave liberally, and some of them exceedingly so, in proportion to their ability. This can also truthfully be said of the many donors, whose amounts are less and not mentioned here.
In many cases besides those so mentioned, the gifts were in the form of lands, situated in Illinois and Iowa, and of town lots in various places. These lands were sold years since, at the low rates then prevailing, which lands, had the College been able to retain them, would now be, collectively, of immense value.
CO-EDUCATION.
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