USA > Illinois > Ogle County > Mount Morris > Mount Morris : past and present, an illustrated history of the village of Mount Morris, Ogle County, Illinois > Part 12
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On June 3, 1841, a mortgage was filed by James B. McCoy for $5,000.00 which was released March 22, 1842. Mr. Mc- Coy was the contractor for the building of Old Sandstone.
On March 22, 1842, another mortgage was given to Contractor James B. Mc- Coy for $5,449.88. This was released April 18, 1844.
On March 25, 1845, a mortgage was given to Selvy Kidder, of the State of Ohio for $6,069.93. This was released September 14, 1852.
On September 14, 1852, a mortgage was given to John T. Allen, New York City, for $7,000.00. Payment of this mortgage was in default and the prop- erty was sold at a Master-in-Chancery sale to Edwin P. Smith, of New York City for the sum of $5,230.86, he being the highest bidder. However, this sale did not include the original 80 acres,
but approximately 121/2 acres, and in- cluded only the Seminary Square, con- sisting of four blocks.
On November 1, 1862, Edwin P. Smith agreed to sell the property back to a new organization, The Rock River Joint Stock Association, for the sum of $3,000.00 and on November 1, 1864, the property was deeded to Frederick B. Brayton, President of the Rock River Seminary Joint Stock Association. The property transferred was described as follows: "Northerly by Main Street 990 feet, Easterly by Wesley Avenue 574 feet, Southerly by Center Street 990 feet and Westerly by Mulberry Street 574 feet, containing 121/2 acres.
On September 13, 1866, this same property was deeded by Frederick B. Brayton, President of the Rock River Seminary Joint Stock Association, to F. B. Petrie, President of the Trustees of Rock River Seminary.
It appears that the name of the cor- poration owning this property was changed and on May 30, 1867, Frederick G. Petrie deeded the property to the Rock River Seminary and Collegiate Institute.
On April 1, 1868, the Rock River Seminary and Collegiate Institute Trus- tees issued a trust deed to Daniel Dow, of Rockford, for the sum of $2,000.00 and on February 18, 1870, this was in- creased to $3,000.00 with interest at 10%.
On August 12, 1872, this trust deed was transferred to Robert R. Hitt, who in turn gave a warranty deed dated January 1, 1875, to Newton C. Dough- erty. This transfer apparently included only the east half of the property com- prising the present college campus and Mr. Hitt retained ownership of the two blocks west of the campus. The con- sideration was $6,000.00.
On June 28, 1875, Newton C. Dough- erty gave a trust deed to Albert N. Newcomer for $5,000.00. This was re- leased June 3, 1878.
At this juncture Rock River Seminary was forced to close its doors and New- ton C. Dougherty deeded the property back to Robert R. Hitt for the sum of $5,000.00.
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THIS PICTURE was taken in 1893 and shows the original "Old Sandstone" being wrecked to make room for the new ladies' dormitory. This old building was built in 1839 and was the first permanent structure to be built in Mount Morris. The walls were of heavy masonry and covered with plaster. This building could have stood for centuries and it is regrettable that it was not
repaired and allowed to stand permanently as a monument to the founding of the village. There was plenty of space on the campus for the new building and it would appear from this perspective that a great mistake was made in wrecking this historic old building.
MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
Chapter 6 MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE
A S has been noted in the preceding chapter, Rock River Seminary, during the seventies, became in- volved financially and finally was forced to close her doors in 1878, after a glori- ous career of forty years. Hon. R. R. Hitt purchased the property and after standing idle for a year, Mr. Hitt dis- posed of the two east blocks of the property on which the two old buildings stood to Melchor S. Newcomer for the sum of $6,000. This marked the begin- ning of the movement to establish an educational institution for the Church of the Brethren, or Dunkards, as they were more commonly known. With the moral support of John H. Moore, M. M. Eshelman, Samuel C. Price, John Price, Daniel Wingert, and others, Elder New- comer associated with him J. W. Stein of Missouri and D. L. Miller, each tak- ing a third interest. Mr. Stein was elected president and Mr. Miller secre- tary and business manager. After ex- pending several thousand dollars in improvements, the three gentlemen re- opened the school under the name of Rock River Seminary and Collegiate Institute. A catalog and a circular were issued, a competent faculty engaged, and all preparations made to reestablish the institution.
On Aug. 20, 1879, the first term of the school under the management of these Brethren was opened. Sixty students -a very encouraging beginning consid- ering all the circumstances-were in attendance. Prof. Stein displayed re- markable ability as president of the college and as an instructor, but in the year 1881 he became the principal of an escapade, the equal of which never oc- curred in Mount Morris before or since. On pretense of going to Europe for his health, he left his wife and family and eloped with his ward, Miss Delilah
Tombaugh, who had been living with the family and attending the college.
The desertion of the institution by President Stein was a hard blow on the infant school. The block of ground west of the college campus had been pur- chased, a new college building planned, a farm of 160 acres was being negotiated for, and the prospects for the success of the school were very bright. Then came the blow as a clap of thunder from a clear sky. And discouragements came not singly. At that time, at a conference of the Northern District of Illinois of the church, all the elders, save one, advised Newcomer and Miller to close the school. Under these most depress- ing influences, the entire burden resting on the two men, the building project was abandoned, the negotiations for the farm ended, and the block of ground, now built over with substantial resi- dences, was allowed to revert to the original owners.
After the departure of President Stein, D. L. Miller became president and also continued as business manager of the college, which rather dignified title the institution was then beginning to as- sume. Under his management the pat- ronage of the school rapidly increased, young men and women coming from all parts of the country where members of the Church of the Brethren were lo- cated.
In 1884, the trustees obtained a new charter for the school and changed the name to Mount Morris College. The capital stock at that time amounted to $30,000. In that year, Prof. J. G. Royer came here with his family from Indiana and invested considerable money in stock. He was then elected president, which position he filled with much credit for twenty years. From that time the advancement of the college was
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MELCHOR S. NEWCOMER, son of Isaac and Elizabeth Newcomer, was born in Washington County, Md., Jan. 28, 1842, and died Feb. 18, 1920, aged 78 years. At the age of 12, he came to Illinois with his parents, who settled on a farm six miles northwest of Mount Morris. He continued to reside in or near Mount Morris the remainder of his life. He was one of the organizers of Mount Morris College in 1879, after the close of Rock River Seminary. He was elected to the ministry of the Brethren Church in 1869, and served the West Branch congregation for a number of years. He was married in 1865 to Mary Eliza Hammer, and they had nine children. Four of them preceded the father in death and those remaining were Elizabeth Mertz, Ruth Shelly, Elva Cripe, Grace and John. Mrs. Newcomer died April 30, 1920, aged 77 years.
steady, and its development was noted with much pleasure by the citizens of Mount Morris. Each year new improve- ments were added and the equipment and facilities of the college greatly in- creased for the better accommodation of the young men and women who came from nearly all parts of the Union to develop their moral and intellectual capabilities.
During the latter part of the eighties, the two original seminary buildings be- came entirely inadequate for the grow- ing necessities of the college. Accord-
ingly, plans were set on foot for the erecting of a new building. About $20,- 000 were necessary for the erection of the desired building, and Pres. Royer started to solicit the amount by sub- scription throughout the Brotherhood. The canvass proved successful and the contract was given to N. E. Buser. Ground was broken for the building in
PROF. J. W. STEIN was the first presi- dent of Mount Morris College from 1879 to 1881, when he disappeared under very peculiar circumstances. It appears that when Prof. Stein and his family came to Mount Morris they were accompanied by Miss Delilah Tombaugh, who is said to have been a girl of strikingly handsome face and form. She came to Mount Morris to enjoy the educational advantages of the college. In intellect she was far the su- perior of Mrs. Stein, and she and Stein were constantly studying together, pos- sessing, it is said, an affinity of tastes. The result of this companionship can be conjectured. Though there was a differ- ence of twenty years in their ages, the president of the college and his pupil fell in love with each other. The vigilant public soon discovered this fact and Stein commenced to devise ways and means to evade the consequences of his guilty amour. He gave out that the duties of the presidency were weighing upon him to such an extent that it was imperative for him to take a trip to Europe in order to recuperate. He also represented that Miss Tombaugh was to be married to a young man named Petri, in Chicago, and he accompanied her thither, returning with a glowing account of the wedding. Later he started on his supposed trip to Europe. With the exception of a letter from New York and one from Vienna, nothing further was heard from him for two years. The Brethren became alarmed, and through Congressman Hitt, then As- sistant Secretary of State, inquiries were set on foot and search made by ministers and consuls in all the principal cities of Europe for six months, but without suc- cess. At last Stein was given up for dead. Two years later, however, a letter came from the missing man, who was living in Portland, Oregon. In his communication, Stein confessed that he had never been to Europe, but that he was living with Miss Tombaugh on a government claim in Oregon. The letter from Vienna was only a blind, he having given it at New York to a German tourist, who mailed it for him when he arrived at the Austrian capital. The news of Stein's duplicity came upon the Brethren like a thunder- bolt out of a clear sky. They had re- posed the utmost confidence in him as a reliable educator and a faithful min- ister of the gospel. Under the circum- stances, they were compelled to disown him.
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ELDER D. L. MILLER, one of Mount Morris' most distinguished citizens, was born near Hagerstown, Md., Oct. 5, 1841, and died June 7, 1921, aged nearly 80 years. His boyhood was spent in his father's mill in Maryland, and he came to Ogle County in 1860. In 1868, he married Elizabeth Talley, and they located in Polo, where Mr. Miller engaged in business for 13 years. In 1879, he came to Mount Morris to become part owner and business manager of Mount Morris College. He was also the principal owner of the Brethren Publishing Company and for many years editor of the Gospel Messenger. In later years he gave his holdings in both institutions to the Brethren Church. He was elected to the ministry of the church, and before his death was given the title of bishop. He was doubtless the most prominent and best known figure in the church, because of his many lecture tours among the churches, concerning his fre- quent trips to the Holy Land, and his several trips around the world. He wrote a number of books on his travels, among them being "Wanderings in the Bible Lands," "Seven Churches of Asia," "Girdling the Globe," and "The Eternal Verities." Mrs. Miller, who accompanied him on most of his travels, died in 1926. They had no children.
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PROF. J. G. ROYER, for twenty years president of Mount Morris College, died January 25, 1917, aged 79 years. He was the son of Jacob and Susan (Myers) Royer, and was born in Union County, Pa., on April 22, 1838. At the age of 16, he began to teach school, and taught in various places in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana, and in 1884 he identified himself with Mount Morris College. He served as president of the institution for a pe- riod of twenty years, and thousands of young people came under his influence. He gave himself wholly to the cause of Christian education, and the college pros- pered under his guidance. He was also a minister of the Brethren Church. In 1861, he was married to Elizabeth Reiff, to whom were born one son and seven daughters as follows: Galen B. Royer, Susie (Mrs. E. S. Young), Nettie (Mrs. J. A. Brubaker), Lillie (Mrs. James Fo- gerty), Ida (Mrs. J. M. Myers), Josephine (Mrs. G. W. Brumbaugh), Myrtle (Mrs. M. R. Myers) and Mary Royer. Mrs. Royer died Nov. 21, 1927, aged 89 years.
March, 1890, and it was completed and ready for occupancy at the beginning of the fall term of 1891. This building is a plain substantial, brick-veneered building with 72 feet front and, includ- ing a spacious chapel, 122 feet long. It was built on the north side of the cam- pus and was known as "College Hall."
In the year 1893, a new dormitory for the ladies was found to be a necessity, and the historic "Old Sandstone," which had been used for that purpose for so many years, was leveled to the ground and a larger and more modern structure erected. The new dormitory cost in the neighborhood of $10,000, and was erected by N. E. Buser, who also erected College Hall. The building was a fine three- story brick-veneered structure, with a basement; its dimensions were 30 x 80 feet. It was situated several rods to the west of the old seminary building. The greater part of the basement was taken
JOHN EZRA MILLER was president of Mount Morris College from 1904 to 1915, following the long term of service of Prof. J. G. Royer. Prof. Miller was born near Milledgeville, Ill., March 13, 1865. He entered Mount Morris College in 1884 and graduated in 1892 with the B.L. degree. He then entered the University of Michigan and received his B.A. degree in 1894. For six years he taught Latin and Greek in Mount Morris College and in 1900 went to the University of Illinois, taught Latin and Greek for four years and received his Master's degree in 1902. In 1904, he accepted the position of president of Mount Morris College, which he held until 1915, when he resigned and accepted an editorial position with the Brethren Publishing House at Elgin where he is now located. In 1912, he re- ceived the degree of LL.D. from Mount Morris College.
MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE
-- -
AARON L. CLAIR COMMERCIAL DEPT.
WW.L.EIKENBERRY.
U.C.WEAVER PRINCIPAL ART DEPT.
J.G.ROYER PRESIDENT -
MRS. FLORA E. TELUCE. STENDURAPHY
JOSEPHINE ROYER E. OEL TION
a.W. FORREY MATHEMATICS
-
Heber M.Hays LATIN AND GREEK
LUCIA M CONH
THE ABOVE GROUP represents the faculty of Mount Morris College for the school year 1900- 1901. Pres. Royer and Profs. Furrey, Weaver and Clair have been dead some years. Lucia McCosh married L. R. Maltbie and lives in New York City. Josephine Royer married and later passed away.
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O.R.MYERS MULDERALANG LEE ANDPSYCHO
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MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
PROF. J. S. NOFFSINGER, who was president of Mount Morris College from 1915 to 1918, is a man of large experience and high attainments in the field of edu- cation. He was the son of Amos and Fianna (Neidech) Noffsinger, and was born Dec. 21, 1886, at Dayton, Ohio. He graduated from the Dayton High School in 1904 and attended Bethany Biblical Seminary in Chicago from 1906 to 1908. He attended Mount Morris College from 1908 to 1913, receiving his A. B. degree. He continued his education at the Univer- sity of Chicago, with A. M. degree in 1915, and Columbia University with Ph.D. degree in 1925. His wide experience as an educator started as a teacher in the public schools at Dayton, Ohio; for two years he was superintendent of schools in Bayombong, Philippine Is- lands; two years superintendent of schools at Ashton, Ill .; 1915-1918, President of Mount Morris College; 1918-1921, pastor, Church of the Brethren, Brooklyn, N.Y .; 1918-1924, inspector, Federal Board for Vocational Education, New York City; 1924-26, member staff, Carnegie Corpor- ation of New York; 1921-1934, secre- tary, General Education Board, Church of the Brethren, and since 1926 has been executive director of the National Home Study Council. He is also author of a number of books. Prof. Noffsinger mar- ried Florence M. Wieand in 1912 and they have a daughter, Pauline J. (Mrs. E. A. Joliet). Their present address is 3635 Ordway St., N.W., Washington, D.C.
up for the college dining-hall. With the exception of several parlors, the upper three stories were divided into rooms for the accommodation of about seventy of the fair sex.
A year or so after the erection of the two new buildings, a number of changes
in "Old Sandstone" No. 2 became nec- essary, there being a demand for more rooms for young men. Consequently, the building was given a thorough over- hauling. Every floor and partition was torn out; in fact, everything was changed except the walls.
President J. G. Royer continued at the head of the college for a period of twenty years, during which time he had the pleasure of seeing College Hall erected in 1890, Ladies' Dormitory in 1893 and Old Sandstone remodeled in 1896. He retired from the presidency in the spring of 1904 and engaged in evangelistic work until his death in 1917.
In casting about for a new president, the trustees selected John Ezra Miller, a former student, and he took charge in 1904 and successfully conducted the in- stitution until 1915 when he resigned. During this period, the new auditor- ium-gymnasium was erected in 1908.
On Jan. 15, 1912, at 2 p.m., "Old Sand- stone," crowded with students at the time, was found to be on fire, and by
PROF. LEVI S. SHIVELY served as pres- ident of Mount Morris College from 1918 to 1921. He was born near Cerro Gordo, Ill., and came to Mount Morris to attend the college. He was professor of Mathe- matics in Mount Morris College from 1908 to 1928, except for two years in Chicago. He did graduate work in the University of Chicago from 1915 to 1917 and received his A.M. degree in 1916 and Ph.D. in 1917. In 1928, he became associate professor of mathematics in Ball State Teachers Col- lege at Muncie, Ind., and at present is serving as acting dean of that school.
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THIS IS ALL that was left of historic "Old Sandstone" after the disastrous fire of Jan. 15, 1912. The thick heavy walls were found to be solid and were used in rebuild- ing the structure. The new floors were made of reinforced concrete which resisted the fire of April 12, 1931.
nightfall only the outer walls of the building were left standing. The walls were found to be uninjured and with the generous response of townspeople and former students, the building was rebuilt with reinforced concrete floors. This work was completed for the open- ing of school in the fall of 1913.
During the regime of Pres. J. E. Miller, from 1904 to 1915, the college continued to develop rapidly. Pres. Miller had associated with him, as a Board of Management, D. D. Culler, M. W. Em- mert, George W. Furrey, and N. J. Miller. Upon the resignation of the latter two, M. M. Sherrick, I. R. Hend- rickson and L. S. Shively were added to the board.
When Pres. Miller resigned in 1915 the Board of Management was discon- tinued and a Board of Trustees as- sumed control and directed the affairs of the school for the six cooperating church districts in Illinois, Iowa, Wis- consin, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and eastern Montana.
During the period following the resig- nation of Pres. Miller and the closing of the school in 1932, six different men
served the college as presidents for periods of from one to four years. All of these men were competent, con- scientious educators, but the increasing difficulty of financial problems made it impossible to operate the college suc- cessfully. The support of the church gradually waned and it became inevit- able that sooner or later the college would be forced to close.
In 1915, the Board of Trustees se- lected J. S. Noffsinger, a former stu- dent, as president and he served ac- ceptably for three years. He was fol- lowed by Levi S. Shively, also a former student and instructor, who served as president until 1921. A. J. Brumbaugh then became president for a four-year term and was followed by W. W. Peters, who came from Manchester College, and who made a supreme effort to put the school on a firm foundation, but he found it an impossible task and re- signed in 1928. O. W. Neher served as president the following year and in 1929, C. Ernest Davis came from Cali- fornia and assumed the presidency, only to encounter fresh financial diffi- culties due to the great depression. He
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THIS PICTURE shows the burning of Old Sandstone on Jan. 15, 1912. This building was used from the time of its erection in 1853 as a dormitory for men, and at the time it was burned was occu- pied by 84 students. The heavy stone walls were not injured by
the fire, although the entire interior was gutted. Students found lodging in private homes about town until the new men's dormi- tory was built in 1912-1913.
MOUNT MORRIS: PAST AND PRESENT
MOUNT MORRIS COLLEGE
THIS PICTURE shows, in comparison to the picture on the oppo- site page, how Old Sandstone was beautified and improved in appearance when rebuilt after the fire of Jan. 15, 1912. Samuel H.
Brubaker, a former student, was the architect who planned the repairs. The floors were built of reinforced concrete and resisted the fire of 1931, although the roof burned off.
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PROF. A. J. BRUMBAUGH served as president of Mount Morris College dur- ing the school years of 1921 to 1925. He came to Mount Morris as a student in 1910 and graduated with the class of 1914. He continued his education at the Uni- versity of Chicago, receiving his M. A. degree in 1918 and his Ph. D. degree in 1929. At present he is professor of educa- tion and dean of the college in the Uni- versity of Chicago. Prof. Brumbaugh is the son of Francis and Frances (Gehman) Brumbaugh and was born in Stark Coun- ty, Ohio, Feb. 14, 1890. In 1914, he married Ruth Sherrick, daughter of Prof. M. M. Sherrick, and they have two children, Robert S. and Dorothy June.
fought valiantly against overwhelming odds and finally in the spring of 1932 the Board of Trustees decided to close the school and merge with the Brethren school at North Manchester, Ind.
Mount Morris College made valuable contributions to the work of the world through her students and alumni. Her representatives are in every continent. More than thirty-five missionaries of the Church of the Brethren have re- ceived at least part of their training at Mount Morris. She has given two hundred sixty-five ministers, besides other religious leaders, to Christian service in the home land. She counts among her former students many of national importance in education, busi- ness and government. To thousands of men and women the names of "Mount Morris" and "Old Sandstone" awaken pleasant memories of the institution
that gave them new visions, great ideals and a spirit of service.
In its closing years Mount Morris put on a program that showed ag- gressive leadership. The great fire of April, 1931, which took three of the five campus buildings, quickly mani- fested the loyalty of her friends and the buildings were restored within a few months.
An important adjunct in the life of Rock River Seminary and Mount Morris College were the Amphictyon and Phil- orhetorian Literary Societies. Scores of men who have achieved fame in the various avenues of life derived their power of oratory from their early at- tempts at speaking and debating in these literary societies. The halls of our na- tional Congress have often rung with the stirring oratory of men who attrib- ute much of their success to the early training which they received from their society work. The history of both the societies extends further back than that
PROF. W. W. PETERS came to Mount Morris as president of Mount Morris College in September, 1925. He is a native of Virginia and secured his education at Manchester College and Ohio State Uni- versity where he was granted his Mas- ter's degree in 1922. He also did graduate work at Columbia University in New York City. He resigned as president of the college in 1928 to study at the Uni- versity of Illinois. At present he is dean and professor of education at Drury Col- lege, Springfield, Mo.
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