Fifty years and over of Akron and Summit County : embellished by nearly six hundred engravings--portraits of pioneer settlers, prominent citizens, business, official and professional--ancient and modern views, etc.; nine-tenth's of a century of solid local history--pioneer incidents, interesting events--industrial, commercial, financial and educational progress, biographies, etc., Part 102

Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department
Number of Pages: 1228

USA > Ohio > Summit County > Akron > Fifty years and over of Akron and Summit County : embellished by nearly six hundred engravings--portraits of pioneer settlers, prominent citizens, business, official and professional--ancient and modern views, etc.; nine-tenth's of a century of solid local history--pioneer incidents, interesting events--industrial, commercial, financial and educational progress, biographies, etc. > Part 102

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WESTERN RESERVE COLLEGE.

Western Reserve College was the outgrowth of the profound religious sentiment and educational aspirations of the earlier settlers of the eastern townships and counties of the Connecticut Western Reserve. As early as 1801, Rev. Joseph Badger, and sixteen other gentlemen of Cleveland, Hudson, Ravenna, Warren, Youngstown, etc., presented a petition to the Territorial Legisla- ture, for a college charter, in which David Hudson's name headed the list of the incorporators. But for some reason not now appar- ent, the prayer of the petitioners was not granted.

ERIE LITERARY INSTITUTE .- At the first session of the State Legislature, however, in the Spring of 1803, an act was passed incorporating the "Erie Literary Institute," Mr. Hudson's name

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WESTERN RESERVE COLLEGE.

heading the list, and Mr. Badger's name also being among the incorporators. Trumbull county then embraced. the entire Reserve, and after several meetings of the trustees, provided by the charter, the institution was located at Burton, now in Geauga county, and a suitable house erected and duly equipped with teachers, in 1805. The burning of this building, in 1810, suspended operations, until after the War of 1812, the institution finally resuming operations in a new building, in 1820, which, under the ·management of Professor David L. Coe, a graduate of Williams ·College, and his successors, maintained a fair standing until 1834, when, through a combination of untoward circumstances, it ·ceased to exist.

REV. CALEB PITKIN,-born in New Hartford, Connecticut, Feb- ruary 27, 1781; graduated at Yale College in 1806; studied theology with Rev. Asahel Hooker, of Goshen, Connecticut, and ordained as ininis- ter of

Milford Congregational Church, March 6, 1808; removed to Ohio' as a missionary in 1816, and installed as pastor of Charlestown (Portage county) Church, in April, 1817; was one of the founders of Western Reserve College, and for many years president of the board of trustees, removing to Hudson, where he resided until his death, February 5, 1864, at the age of 82 years, 11 months and 8 days. June 15, 1807, Mr. Pitkin was married to Miss Anna Henderson, of Milford, Connecticut, who died in Akron, December 6, 1882, at the age of 98 years, 3 months and 11 days. Their children were-Mara N. (Mrs. Rev. Charles M. Preston), born June 10, 1808, died July 14, 1839; Stephen H. (afterwards probate judge of Summit county), born October 5, 1810, died February 25, 1882; Caleb J. (Presbyterian minister), born Decem-

REV. CALEB PITKIN.

ber 4, 1812, died May 19, 1887 ; James, born March 12, 1815, now deceased, and Julia L. (Mrs. Lucian Case), born February 27, 1818, died September 24, 1849.

THEOLOGY AS WELL AS LITERATURE .- Meantime, in 1817, the Presbyterian and Congregational churches of the Reserve had organized a "Society for the education of indigent pious young men for the ministry," and an arrangement was made with the Burton school for them to study there; a joint committee from the several presbyteries interested, reporting in favor of establish- ing the "Literary and Theological Institute" which had been resolved upon, at Burton, under the charter of the " Erie Literary Institute," upon certain conditions to be accepted by that institu- tion, which were acceded to, and the theological school duly launched. This arrangement continued only about two years, · the managers becoming convinced that such an institution as they desired could not be maintained at Burton. Commissioners were appointed by the Grand River, Portage and Huron presbyteries, to select a location, taking into consideration all the points con- nected with the several competing localities -- character of inhabi- tants, healthfulness, accessibility, contributions, etc.

826°

AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

Propositions were submitted from Hudson, Cleveland, Burton, Euclid, Aurora, and perhaps other points, and after several meet- ings, and considerable discussion, the decision was made in favor of Hudson. The then munificent sum of $7,150 was subscribed by the people of Hudson, to secure the location of the institution to that town, of which amount Mr. Hudson, himself, contributed over $2,000, besided donating 160 acres of land to secure the location of the college buildings, where they were afterwards erected, rather than have them placed in what he regarded as a less favorable locality, south of the village.

NEW CHARTER GRANTED .- A petition, numerously signed, setting forth the objects sought to be attained by the proposed new educational institution, presented to the Legislature in the Winter of 1825, '26, was vigorously opposed by certain anti-ortho- dox members of that body, on account of its theological character .. This opposition, with perhaps some modifications of the original draft, was finally overcome and the act of incorporation duly passed on the 27th day of February, 1826. The first board of trustees, under the charter, were: David Hudson, Elizur Wright, Joshua Bradford Sherwood, Rev. John Seward, Rev. Caleb Pitkin, Henry Brown, Rev. Simeon Woodruff, Zalmon Fitch, Rev, Benja- min Fenn, Harmon Kingsbury, George Swift, Rev. Stephen Ingalls Bradstreet and Rev. Harvey Coe. The board organized on the first day of March, 1826, by electing Rev. Caleb Pitkin presi- dent; Rev. John Seward vice president; Rev. + William Hanford secretary, and Benjamin Whedon treasurer.

This was the fifth college charter granted in the State, not counting the Erie Literary Institute, at Burton. The board not only took, immediate and vigorous measures for the erection of a suitable building, but also for the organization of classes, admis- sion of students, etc. Mr. David L. Coe, late principal of the Burton school, then in charge of the academy at Tallmadge, was appointed tutor pro tem, for the examination of applicants. Orrin Cook Thompson, Charles Merriman Preston, Ellery Bascom and Joseph Welch Barr, were admitted to the freshman class in Decem- ber, 1826; the first regular tutor, appointed in 1827, being Ephraim T. Sturtevant, a graduate of Yale College, afterwards, for many years, principal of a select classical school in Tallmadge.

LAYING THE CORNER STONE .- The foundation of the first col- lege building was pushed with such vigor by the contractor, Captain Heman Oviatt, that the corner stone was laid on the 26th day of April, 1826, in the presence of a large crowd of people, and with imposing ceremonies by the Masonic Fraternity, the president of the Board of Trustees, Rev. Caleb Pitkin, delivering the oration in Latin. In the cavity of this corner-stone was deposited a metallic plate bearing upon one side the names of the president and secre- tary of the board of trustees, and on the other the name of the , grand master, by whom it was laid, date, etc .; one copy each of the Religious Intelligencer, Pittsburg Recorder, Masonic Register, and of the principal papers then published on the Western Reserve, together with a brief history of the rise and progress of the insti- tution, and a hymn, written for the occasion, by Mr. Asaph Whit- tlesey, of Tallmadge. Though of no special monetary value, dur- ing the succeeding night the stone was robbed of its contents, which were never replaced. The trustees and building committee

827

MANUAL LABOR A FAILURE.

were beset with innumerable hindrances-scarcity of money, difficulty in collecting subscriptions to the building fund, etc., so that the building-what has since been known as " Middle College" -was not ready for occupation until August, 1827.

COLLEGE GOVERNMENT .- The first president of the college was Rev. Charles Backus Storrs, a native of Longineadow, Mass. Though profoundly learned, Mr. Storrs was not a college graduate, but, while preaching in Ravenna, had, in 1829, been called to the chair of sacred theology, which he filled so acceptably that in August, 1830, he was unanimously elected to the presidency of the college. At that time the financial management was mainly in the hands of Rev. Caleb Pitkin, president of the Board of Trustees, and the administration of President Storrs, so far as the educa- tional interests of the college were concerned, would have proved a grand success, but for certain disturbing elements that were per- mitted, by the managers and faculty, to creep in.

F FREDERICK BALDWIN, -fourth

son of Stephen and Susannah Baldwin, born at Goshen,Connecticut, March 17, 1794; educated in Goshen district schools ; at 18, with his elder brother, Augustus, came to Hudson, arriving June 12, 1812, bringing with them a wagon load of goods, and opening the second store in the town- ship, under the firm name of A. Bald- win & Brother, Frederick continuing the business until about 1844, when he went into the cattle business on his farm, south of the center, where he resided until his death, July 12, 1880. February-12, 1828, Mr. Baldwin was married to Miss Saloma W. . Brownson, of Winchester, Connecti- cut, who bore him two children- Maria Louisa, who died in infancy, November 9, 1836, and Caroline A., born December 17, 1841, now the wife of Mr. Perry H. Babcock, formerly of Ravenna, now residing in Cleveland. United in life for over 52 years, Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin were not long sepa- rated in death, Mrs. Baldwin dying May 16, 1881. Frederick Baldwin was

FREDERICK BALDWIN.

well known as in every respect a just and honorable man, and honored most by those who most intimately knew him.

MANUAL LABOR INTRODUCED .- At that time, so-called manual labor schools were largely in vogue, by which indigent young men, desiring an education, could, by working a certain number of hours per day, pay their board, tuition fees, etc. Unfortunately, the managers of the college adopted this hobby, not only permit- ting those who desired to do so, but requiring of all students a given amount of work (two hours per day) on the ground of pro- moting their physical as well as their mental development.

To this end a wagon-shop, a carpenter shop, a cooper-shop and a farm, with tools, machinery, superintendents, etc., were provided at considerable expense. At first, while the novelty was on, the thing worked smoothly enough; but it was soon discovered that a good many of the students (like a good many outsiders), were disinclined to manual labor-duties were shirked, rules were

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

evaded, exemptions were obtained, jealousies aroused, caste dis- tinctions engendered, and the general interests of the college interfered with, and after a few years of friction and dissatisfac- tion the project was abandoned.

THE SLAVERY QUESTION .-- But the most disastrous cause of dissension in college circles, about this time, was the agitation of the slavery question. President Storrs, and several of the profes- sors, as well as quite a number of the students, had not only adopted extreme Abolition views, but engaged earnestly in the discussion of the question, in the class-room, in fraternity meet- ings and in public lectures, both in Hudson and elsewhere. Others of the faculty and students, taking the opposite ground, and the Board of Managers also being divided upon the question, not so much, perhaps, in principle, as in regard to the propriety of its agitation in an institution open alike to Abolitionists, Coloniza- tionists and Slaveholders, a majority of the Board finally passed a resolution against the innovation.

These discussions, with attendant criminations and recrimi- nations, participated in by the people of Hudson, generally, and the hitherto warm friends of the college, elsewhere, tended to promote withdrawals, prevent accessions, diminish subscriptions, donations and endowments, and to greatly retard its usefulness and prosperity; (anti-slavery people believing, from the action of the Board, that the institution was pro-slavery in sentiment and purpose; and pro-slavery people believing from the utterances of the president and other members of the faculty and students, that it was thoroughly anti-slavery in its aims and tendencies); in fact, with the death of President Storrs at this time (Septem- ber 15, 1833), and the resignation of several of the professors, entirely broke up the faculty.

AN HISTORIC GUIDE-POST .- Ohio was at that time-in the early and middle thirties-decidedly pro-slavery in sentiment, with cer- tain rare exceptions, like Hudson, Tallmadge, and perhaps a few other towns on the Western Reserve, and in most places it was quite risky for an anti-slavery man to appear upon the rostrum as. a lecturer upon that subject. Thus, towns suspected of the taint of Abolitionism, were largely held in contempt by the outside world, and made the butt of many unkind remarks, practical jokes, etc.

In the early Spring of 1835, the writer paid his first visit to Ohio, sojourning for several weeks in Aurora, with his friend, Colonel Artemas W. Stocking, afterwards for many years a citizen of Painesville. Colonel Stocking was a carriage-maker by trade, but did such occasional jobs of painting, sign-writing, etc., as the neighborhood required. One of the township trustees was talking with the Colonel, one day, about placing guide-posts, at the several road crossings of the town. Aurora, at that time, was largely pro- slavery in sentiment, and the writer, having spent the previous year and a half in the South, had also become somewhat impreg- nated with slave-holding notions. Hudson having often been spoken of as a rabid abolition town, the writer being something of an "artist," in connection with Colonel Stocking's younger brother, "Sam," also quite a "genius," proposed to the trustee to get up a guide-board for the diagonal road to Hudson, free of expense, if he would permit us to carry out the little design we had concocted,

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PRESIDENT PIERCE'S ADMINISTRATION.

which he assented to. We accordingly built a strong, heavily banded and cleated board, about three feet square, upon which, on a white back-ground, we painted the bust of a stalwart young negro, with expanded optics, broad nostrils, and protruding lips, his broad grin disclosing a couple of rows of ivory teeth, and with the index finger of his right hand pointing in the proper direction, saying : "Dis de road to Hudson !"

Bolting this board firmly to a solid oak post, aided by the numerous "Young America" of the neighborhood, we planted it on the south angle of the road in question. We had supposed that the anti-slavery people would take umbrage at it, and take meas- ures for its summary removal, but they seemed to enjoy the joke, as well as their pro-slavery neighbors, and the Aurora-Hudson guide-board remained standing for many years, eliciting many a guffaw from the passing traveler, and attaining almost a State- wide notoriety.

FON. SYLVESTER H. THOMP- SON,-son of Dr. Moses and Elizabeth (Mills) Thompson, among the very earliest settlers of Summit county, was born in Hudson, July 28, 1808; educated in pioneer district schools; raised to farm life, at 22 began farming for himself; May 14, 1833, was married to Caroline D. Peck, of Waterbury, Connecticut, who bore him seven children - Charles S., deceased ; Sherman P., now a pros- perous farmer of Hudson; Martha E., now Mrs. P. G. Clark, of East Cleveland ; Theodore F., now a prom- inent dealer in carriages, implements, etc., in Ravenna ; Albert S., carpenter and builder in Cleveland ; two dying in infancy. Active in all public affairs, he held many positions of trust in his native township, resign- ing the office of justice of the peace to accept the appointment of asso- ciate judge of Summit county, on the resignation of his old neighbor, Judge John B. Clark, in 1846, which office he ably filled till the taking effect of the new constitution in February, 1852; in 1859 was elected representative to the State Legisla- ture, serving two years; in 1864, was

HON. SYLVESTER H. THOMPSON.

appointed commissioner; was con- nected with City National Bank of Akron, and its president thirteen . years. Mrs. Thompson died Noven- ber 23, 1876, the Judge himself dying January 15, 1883, aged 74 years, 5 months and 17 days.

REORGANIZATION, NEW PRESIDENT, ETC .- For a full year, after the culmination of these dissensions, the college was without a proper head, though the management had become so far harmonized as to provide instruction for the several classes, and gradually fill the chairs made vacant by the resignation of the professors, as above stated. In March, 1834, Rev. George E. Pierce, a graduate of Yale and of Andover Theological Colleges, then the successful pastor of the Congregational Church of Harwinton, Conn., was elected pres- ident, but not inaugurated until commencement of that year.

President Pierce, in addition to being a fine scholar, and an able preacher, was a man of large stature, commanding presence, and untiring energy. Hitherto, the financial affairs of the college

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

had been largely, if not wholly, under the control of the Board of Managers or Trustees. But President Pierce immediately entered upon the work, by personal effort, of increasing the endowments and enlarging the facilities of the college-erecting new buildings, creating new professorships, increasing the apparatus, library and cabinets, elevating the standard of scholarships, etc., so that in two or three years, the effects of the late "onpleasantnesses" began to disappear, and the college entered upon a new era of efficiency and prosperity ; by an amendment to the charter a Medical Depart- ment being established, at Cleveland, in 1844.

PROSPERITY, ADVERSITY, ETC .- Our limited space will not permit us to minutely follow the fortunes and misfortunes of the college, through the twenty-one years of President Pierce's administration. The first ten years had been decidedly auspicious and prosperous, both in attendance, efficiency of professors and tutors, and profi- ciency of pupils, as well as financially successful, considering the general monetary stringency of the last half of that decade. But the last eleven years of President Pierce's incumbency were marked by much that was annoying and unpleasant, both to the president, the faculty and the board of trustees, and detrimental to the interests of the college, generally. The large expenditure for new buildings, and in maintaining the new professorships which had been established, (although no excessive salaries were paid,) had created a large permanent indebtedness (at one time as high as $28,000 ) which the natural income of the college, and the annual subscriptions to the general fund did not meet. Portions of other funds were from time to time used to meet emer- gencies, which, though done in good faith, and with the most honest intentions, served, in the absence of a thorough system of keeping the accounts, to complicate the financial affairs of the college, and to engender distrust, and create grave differences between the president, the faculty and the trustees, finally extend- ing to outside friends and patrons of the college, and almost resulting in the financial, professional and scholastic bankruptcy of the institution; in 1852-3, the president, one professor, one tutor and twenty-three students comprising the entire roster of the college for those years, without a single graduate in 1853.

PRESIDENT HITCHCOCK'S ADMINISTRATION. - Thus matters remained, until May 3d, 1855, when President Pierce resigned, and Rev. Henry L. Hitchcock, then preaching in Columbus (son of the venerable Peter Hitchcock, one of the pioneer settlers of Burton) was elected as his successor, entering upon his duties at com- mencement, July 12th, 1855. President. Hitchcock, then 42 years of age, small of stature, but big with energy and enthusiasm, not only assumed control of the educational affairs of the college -- thor- oughly reorganizing and harmonizing the several departments --- and the pastorate of the college church (organized during the administration of President Storrs, in 1831), but also took upon his own shoulders the herculean task of paying off the college indebt- edness (then about $22,000) and of securing an ample permanent and general fund for the proper running of the college, without the financial friction and embarrassment which had hitherto hampered its progress and impaired its usefulness.

To this end, firm but kindly efforts were made to collect the delinquent dues upon former pledges, and the most untiring

831

RESIGNATION AND DEATH OF PRESIDENT HITCHCOCK.

personal effort was made by President Hitchcock to obtain new subscriptions to both the general and the permanent funds. This effort, notwithstanding the severe stringency of the times immediately preceding the war, and the business and financial derangement caused by the war, was so magnificently successful, that at the time of his death, in 1873-a little less than eighteen years-he had not only extinguished the debt above alluded to, but had added $67,000 to the permanent fund, and $99,000 to the general fund-all, except the trifling amount of about $6,000, being raised by his own personal solicitation and influence. No wonder that he broke down, in the prime of his ripe manhood (60 years); a sacrifice to the educational, spiritual and pecuniary interests of Western Reserve College.

Owing to the strain upon his physical system, President Hitch- cock finally tendered his resignation, which was reluctantly accepted, in 1871, though he still continued to discharge the duties of professor and pastor, and to manage the finances, until his somewhat sudden and unexpected death, July 6th, just previous to commencement in 1873.

UDGE VAN RENSSELAER HUM-

PHREY,-born in Goshen, Con- necticut, July 28, 1800; common school education ; at 17 engaged in teaching, at the same time studying law under Theodore North, Esq., being admitted to the bar, September 26, 1820, while yet under 20 years of age; April 17, 1821, was married to Miss Stella Beach, of Goshen, the fol- lowing June emigrating to Ohio, after a short sojourn in Norton and Twinsburg, settling in Hudson, where he acquired a large practice in Portage, Medina and adjacent coun- ties ; in 1828 was elected representa- tive to the State Legislature, and re-elected in 1829; in 1837 was appointed by the Legislature presi- dent judge of the third judicial dis- trict, serving with great ability for the full term of seven years, on retir- ing from the bench, in 1844, resuming his law practice, which he success- fully followed until his sudden death from apoplexy, September 5, 1864, at the age of 64 years, 1 month and 7 days. Mrs. Humphrey dying April 8, 1832, he was again married, August 22, 1839, to Mrs. Laura Maria (Pease) Tallmage, of Warren, who still sur- vives. By his first marriage, Judge Humphrey was the father of two daughters and two sons, two of whonl

JUDGE VAN RENSSELAER HUMPHREY.

are now living-Stella (now Mrs. ex- U. S. Senator Conger, of Michigan), and James Kent, of St. Paul, Minne- sota, and by his second marriage of two sons-Calvin Pease Humphrey, now a successful attorney in Akron, and Clarence, now of Chicago.

THEOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT ABOLISHED .- Though the establish- ment of Western Reserve College, as a distinct institution, grew out of dissatisfaction with the arrangement which had been made by the "Society for the education of indigent pious young men for the ministry" with the trustees of the "Erie Literary Institute," át Burton, as above set forth, and though theology was sought to

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AKRON AND SUMMIT COUNTY.

be made the prominent feature of the college, the fond anticipa- tions of its founders, in that regard, were never fully realized .. Though supplied with earnest and faithful professors and teachers, and though students in that department were nearly as numerous. as in others, there was such a dearth of subscriptions to its endow- ment fund, that it was utterly impossible to pay the requisite salaries, and the several chairs were vacated about 1859, and never- again filled, though the general religious purpose and character of the college was thenceforth continuously and consistently main- tained.

PRESIDENT CARROLL CUTLER .- On the acceptance of President Hitchcock's resignation, in 1871, Professor Carroll Cutler was. promoted to the presidency, immediately assuming its duties, though not formally inaugurated until commencement, 1872. Not burdened with the financial management of the college, the presi- dent had comparatively fair sailing for about two years, when the death of Doctor Hitchcock devolved upon President Cutler the business management of the college, also. During these two years. of exemption from triple duty, the discharge of his double duty as- president and professor had been in every way satisfactory, which success, even with the additional burdens placed upon him, was. co-extensive with his incumbency.

But the old adage about "too many irons in the fire," holds. good in educational as well as in mechanical affairs. Increased professorships, and necessarily constantly increasing expenditures on buildings, apparatus, etc., and the forced lack (by reason of his scholastic duties) of that personal application and energy given to the financial and business department by his predecessor, at length caused the monetary affairs of the college to tighten up again, necessitating a vigorous agitation of the question among the alumni and other friends of the college, in regard to ways and means to place the institution on an endowment basis commensurate with its present and future necessities.

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Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905 Publication date: 1892 Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department Number of Pages: 1228

Author: Lane, Samuel A. (Samuel Alanson), 1815-1905
Publication date: 1892
Publisher: Akron, Ohio : Beacon Job Department
Number of Pages: 1228