Eureka College LIBRARY OF THE U N I VERSUY Of ILLINOIS C fo7fc Cop. 3 ' f / 4 itr - ///^'. Superintendent E. A. Fritter, of Public ^cnooi.s. A HISTORY OF Eureka College WITH Biographical Sketches and Reminiscences. ILLUSTRATED. • St. Louis : CHRISTIAN PUBLISHING COMPANY, 1894. EXPLANATOKY. At their annnal reunion, June 16, 1892, the Alumni Association of Eureka College decided to publish a history of their Alma Mater. The work was placed in charge of a committee, consisting of Benjamin J. Kaclford, Clara S. Davidson, Carl Johann, Oliver W. Stewart, with El mira J. Dickinson as chairman. The chairman of the committee was chosen .(An editor of the book. Asa S. Fisher, the first teacher of the school that developed into Eureka College, who was associated with it nearly forty years, and •who is the only survivor of those who were promi- nent in starting the enterprise, was appointed histor- ian for the period extending from the beginning of it to the time of his leaving Eureka in 1886. From >- that time to the date of Carl Johann was « publication, more fully associated with all the interests of the -\ institution than any other person, and was therefore chosen to prepare the record of that period. NO Faithful effort has been made to procure photo- graphs of all who have been regular teachers in the (3) 3 4 EXPLANATORY. institution, with biographical sketches of them; and, although success in this has not been complete, it has been fairly good. It was hoped that the work might be brought out by Commencement, L893, and the committee strove hard to do this; hut in the preparation difficulties were encountered that made it quite impossible ex- cept at the sacrifice of merit. Therefore Longer time lias been taken and better work done. Hoping that the volume may receive a cordial wel- come from the present friends of the college, and be a means of winning for it many others, without fur- ther preface it is offered to its reader-. TABLE OF CONTENTS. HISTORICAL. CHAPTER I. Walnut Grove—The Old Spring—The "Burgoo"—Elder John T. Jones Opens a School— Walnut Grove Seminary—The Great Henderson Meeting- School Work Resumed— Walnut Grove Academy—Elder John Lindsey— Walnut Grove Literary Institute—Philosophical and Chemical Apparatus —An Appeal to the Missionary Convention. 13 CHAPTER II. Cholera Epidemic—Resignation of Elder Lindsey—Professor John H. Neville —The Abingdon Missionary Convention— Elders Lindsey and Davenport Appointed Canvassers—The Postofflee—The First Bequest—Organization of the Board of Education—Session of 1853-4—Report from the Board of Education—Received but not Adopted. 29 CHAPTER III. The Music Department—The College Charier— First Session Uuder the Char- ter—The College Campus—Endowment Fund—A College Building Erected —Failure of the Endowment—Prof. C. L. Loos Accepts the Presidency- Resignation of President Loos—Resignation of Prof. Neville—B. W. Johnson—Periclesian Society—Mathesian Society—Excelsior Society— A Contraction and Its Cause—The First Graduate—Faculty of 1860-1. 44 CHAPTER IV. The First Secretary—The First Treasurer—John Darst—Attitude in the Civil War—George Callender—B. W. Johnson— J. M. Allen—The College Aid Fund—H. O. Newcomb—H. W. Everest—The Endowment—A. G. Ewing—The Chapel—The $12,000 Loan—Resignation of President Everest —A. M. Weston-B. J. Radford. - - GO CHAPTER V. H. W. Everest Again President—The Boarding-House Company—Apparatus Replenished—Faculty of 1881-2—Endowment—Abingdon College Consoli- dated with Eureka College—The Alumni et Alumna". - 74 (5) 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. L'uion of Abiugdon College with Eureka College—The Mission Tabernacle- Faculty for 1885-6—Professor A. .S. Fisher—Session of 1886-7—Lida's Wood. 82 CHAPTER VII. Burgess Memorial Hall—Session of 1892 3—Session of 1893-t—The Present Condition and Needs of Eureka College. 92 BIOGEAPHICAL. CHAPTER I. PRESIDENTS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. John T. Jones—Ben Major— Elijah Dickinson—Albert G. Ewing — John Darst. 109 CHAPTER II. TEACHEKS FROM 1848 TO 1860. A. S. Fisher—Sue Jones Grant—John Lindsey—Sarah Fisher Conover—Caro- line Neville Pearre— Elmira J Dickinson—O. A. Burgess—K. A. Conover —C. L. Loos— George Callender— I. M. Allen— B. W. Johnson—Richard II. Johnson— J. H. Kowell—Mary Clark Hawk. .... 134 CHAPTER III. TEACHERS FROM 1860 TO 1880. II. \V. Everest-H. O. Newcomb—B. J. Radford—A. M. Weston—O. P. Hay— D. M. Blair—James Kirk— Carl Johanu—E. W. Dickinson—A. J. Voung- blood. ... - 1G5 CHAPTER IV. TEACHERS l-KOM 1880 TO 1894. N. L. Richmond—J. V. Coombs— F. M. Brunei- —Henry Lane Brunei — W. s. Errett—S. E. Meek—H. N. Herrick—G. W. Hootman—James Chalmers— Sina Stickel Thomas—H. A. Minassian—R. E. Conklin—B. C. Deweese— J. M. Atwater— R. E. Hieronymus. 183 CHAPTER V. MUSIC AND ART TEACHERS. Susie Smith Johnson— Belle Johnson Allen— Emma Smith DeVoe—Eugene Plowe—Eva M. Wright— Ella F. Taylor— Emma E. Page—W. w. Lauder— Mina Vandervoort Miller—J. W. Metcalf—Charlfcs \V. Campbell—Sarah Garrett Humphrey—Clara Hatch Stevens— May Irene Burrows— Jessie Bruner Minassian. 202 TABLE OF CONTENTS. REMINISCENCES. Reminiscences of Eureka. Mrs. Sue E. Grant. 217 Old Academy Days in Walnut Grove. B. )V. Johnson. - - - -226 Transitory Reminiscences of Walnut Grove and Eureka — 1851-1855. J. H. Pickrell. 232 Three Reminiscences. B. J. Radford. 242 - - - From a Student of 1855 and 1858. Henry A. Ford. - - • 248 Experiences of a Ministerial Student. W. F. Richardson. - - - 257 Story of a Newspaper Man. S. F. Davidson. 264 Bright Memories. Ella Myers Huffman. - 272 Some Recent Reminiscences. Ella Seass Stewart. 281 My Memories. J. Harvey Rowell. 287 MISCELLANEOUS. The Church at Eureka. 293 Amos Sutton Hayden. 298 John Garland Waggoner. - - - 300 William H. Cannon. - 308 Elder H. D. Palmer. 309 Mrs. O. A. Burgess. 311 Alumni Reunion. J. B. Radford. - 314 Historical Sketch of Abingdon College. J. C. Reynolds. - - - - 322 Abingdon College As I Saw It. J. Hopwood. 326 Recollections of Abingdon College. J. H. Garrison. ... - 336 The College Bell. A. S. Fisher. 343 " To Alma Mater. B. J. Radford. 345 Present Board of Trustees. --------- 346 Officers of Board of Trustees. - 346 Committees of the Board. ----- 346 Teachers of Eureka College. - 347 The Alumni. - 349 DIVISIONS. HISTORICAL. BIOGRAPHICAL. REMINISCENCES. MISCELLANEOUS. HISTORICAL History of Eureka College. CHAPTER I. Walnut Grove—The Old Spring—The "Burgoo "—Elder John T. Jones Opens a School—Walnut Grove Seminary—The Great Henderson Meeting—School Work Resumed—Walnut Grove Academy—Elder John Lindsey—Walnut Grove Lit- erary Institute—Philosophical and Chemical Apparatus—An Appeal to the Missionary Convention. WALNUT GROVE. The community known as Walnut Grove, Wood- ford county, Illinois, had its origin in the early 20's, while Central Illinois was practically a vast wilderness. It was rapidly promoted by emi- grants from the adjoining States, most of them hailing from Old Kentucky, bringing with them characteristics of that noble people, and soon the community became widely and favorably known for its hospitality and other social distinctions. THE OLD SPRING. At or near the head of a ravine, and not forty rods south of the present site of Eureka College, the early pioneers found a sparkling fountain (13) 11 HISTORY OF EUREKA COLLEGE. gargling up through broken strata and supplying the water of a rill winding its way over the roots and pebbles, leaves, twigs and other impediments to the creek near by. An excavation was here made which was walled up with fragments of rocks found in the vicinity, and the origin of the " little rill soon came to be known as The Sprii Here pedestrians and teamsters, those on horse- back and others, often halted to drink of the limpid water and to rest beneath the cool shade of the primeval forest. Xear the spring, also the early pioneers were wont to assemble beneath the noble forest trees in religious convocations, for the Fourth of July celebrations and for other pur- poses. But the "Old Spring" is no longer a prominent feature of Walnut Grove. Since cultivated fields and pastures have occupied the tracts formerly covered by dense forests and the luxuriant growth of the wild meadows of the prairies, the strata that formerly produced the famous little fountain have been so far modified by the evaporating power of the sun and other causes, thai the spark- Ling liquid no longer comes forth, and the famous "" "Old Spring exists only in history. THE " BUBG00." The early inhabitants of Walnut drove were free from all caste distinction. They all moved HISTORY OF EUREKA COLLEGE. 15 on the same social plane. Religiously, they were generally communicants of the Christian Church, and habitually addressed one another as brother " or sister. Annually they convened near the Old '' Spring to enjoy the rites of a popular feast " known in the locality as the Burgoo."* It was a feast to that was introduced peculiar people ; by Elder John T. Jones, formerly from Pennsyl- vania, and was held in the springtime, or early summer, when young squirrels were abundant. When all the surroundings appeared propitious, some of the recognized leaders would proclaim a day for the feast, when a general invitation would be circulated. In the morning of the appointed day, the old men and women, the young maidens and children would " start for the Spring," some going on foot, some on horseback, and others in wagons, all aiming to reach the place of rendezvous by nine o'clock of the forenoon. The young men and experts at hunting would traverse the forests in search of suitable game for the festival. Squirrels being numerous, the hunt- ers invariably secured an abundance on their way " to the Spring." It was always assumed that Elder Elijah Dick- " " inson—they called him Uncle 'Lijah —would *Probably a corruption of the French word Ragout, meaning a meat stew.