St. Clair County, Illinois - Chapter 5 (1 of 2 so headed), 1928

Chapter 5

more experienced of these men realized that it did not afford adequate training for men who are called to important positions of leadership as most Methodist preachers are. So far as can be determined at this time not a single member of that group of Methodist preachers, not even the bishop, had a college education. But many of them realized the handicap of this deficiency and were anxious to provide educational opportunities for their successors. In the afternoon session of Friday, September 2 1 , Peter Cartwright, who had then served more than a score of years in the ministry, had been a delegate to the General Conference, was one of the original members of the Illinois Conference, and at that time presiding elder of the Illinois District, arose in his place and presented a petition from "certain citizens of Greene County, Illinois" on the subject of establishing a conference seminary for the Illinois Conference. On motion this petition was referred to a committee of three with instructions to report before the close of the present conference. The committee was composed of John Dew, Allen Wiley, and John Fox. On Tuesday, September 25, this committee made a report recommending that a committee of five be appointed "to obtain all the information they can on the subject of a conference seminary and report to the next conference." The committee appointed by the bishop was as follows, John Strange, James Armstrong, Charles Hoi- Iiday, Peter Cartwright, and William Shanks. The petition from Greene County was not copied into the minutes, and since the document itself is lost we have no means of knowing who signed it, or exactly what they asked the conference to do. At any rate this shows the existence at that early day of a sentiment among the people that there ought to be a Methodist institution of learning in Illinois.

The minutes of the conference for 1828 contain several references to the "Seminary Committee." Following is a verbal extract from the minutes under date of October 14, 1828:

"The president called for a report of the committee appointed at the last annual conference to take into consideration the subject of a conference seminary. Whereupon the committee asked and obtained further time; and on motion resolved that the vacancy in that committee occasioned by the absence of Peter Cartwright, be filled. The president appointed S. H. Thompson to fill the vacancy."

conference seminary, be discharged from any further consid' eration of the subject. This motion did not prevail. It was then moved that said committee have leave of absence for one hour to make out their report. Which motion was lost. On motion resolved that a certain memorial with accompanying documents, now in the hands of S. H. Thompson, be read to this conference. The said memorial and accompanying documents, concerning a seminary at Lebanon, Illinois, were read, and on motion referred to a committee of three who shall report as soon as convenient. The President appointed S. H. Thompson, John Strange, and John Dew as that committee. The committee appointed to take into consideration the address of the committee of Illinois Circuit on the subject of the Lebanon Seminary, submitted their report which was read and on motion accepted. On motion the conference reconsidered the vote by which the report of the committee on the above named address was accepted. On motion resolved that the report of the above named committee be amended by striking out so much of the said report as recommends that this conference, at its present session, proceed to appoint trustees to said seminary; and on motion the report as amended was accepted. On motion resolved that this conference unite in requesting the stockholders of the Seminary at Lebanon to meet as soon as convenient and so to alter and amend their constitution as to designate the number of trustees for said institution, and the manner of their appointment, more definitely. On motion resolved that the secretary of this conference be instructed to furnish the committee of the Illinois Circuit with a copy of the resolutions of this conference on the subject of the Lebanon Seminary."

In the meantime let us see what had been taking place at Lebanon between the sessions of conference of 1827 and 1828. At that time Lebanon was a village of about two hundred people on the stage route between St. Louis and Vincennes. At that date it did not have a place in the list of conference appointments, but presumably it was a part of the Shoal Creek Circuit. For that year the preacher in charge was Thomas Randle. Lebanon Methodists, knowing of the action of the conference and believing that the seminary would certainly be established at no distant date, determined to secure its location in their own town. The matter was talked up during the winter and on February 20, 1828 a meeting was held to take definite action regarding the founding of a seminary. This action indicates the splendid enterprise and zeal for education of these pioneer Methodists who were determined that their children should have opportunities for mental .md religious culture.

The available records do not give the names of those present at this meeting, but it is fair to suppose that they were the leading citizens of Lebanon and they are doubtless all included in the list of subscribers to the fund raised for founding the institution.

They discussed the purposes of the school, the raising of funds, the purchase of a site, the kind of building to be erected, and fixed the date of their next meeting for March 1, at which time if the work of securing subscriptions had progressed favorably they would elect a building committee. They discussed three possible sites for the building, the first of which was eventually secured. It consisted of eight acres of land belonging to Richard Bradsby, which was purchased for three dollars an acre - a total of twenty-four dollars. This was the same as the original purchase price of Manhattan Island. While in real estate values Manhattan has outstripped McKendree, the moral values attaching to the latter are such that in the eyes of many they would outweigh the entire wealth of the borough of Manhattan in New York City.

Before they adjourned articles of organization were formulated and written on paper which is now yellow with age but still preserved in the archives of the college. We give here a complete copy of this document together with the names of all the signers.

Articles Of Organization

I. We, the undersigned, estimating mental improvement of the first importance to a commonwealth, as well as in a political, moral, and religious view, promise to pay the several sums annexed to our names for the purpose of creating an edifice in, or near, the town of Lebanon, St. Clair County, Illinois, for a seminary of learning, to be conducted as nearly as may be, on the plan of Augusta College, Kentucky, the hall of which shall be designed and used as a house of public worship, when this will not interfere with the design and object of the institution, and on the Sabbath day,

II. The property shall be deeded to the Methodist Episcopal Church for the purpose of safe keeping, and the benefits of incorporation, with this limitation, that it shall never be sold or appropriated to any other uses than as aforesaid, without the consent of all the shareholders.

III. Ten dollars shall be the amount of a share, and a certificate from the board, countersigned by the secretary, shall entitle the holder to the benefits of a stockholder, which certificate may be transferred and entitle the holder to all the benefits of the original owner as stockholder.

Facsimile of the minutes of the stockholders of Lebanon Seminary, now preserved in the College Archives Note the motion which changed the name to McKendree College, and Peter Cartwright's signature mittes and other officers elective by a stockholder, to send one scholar for each share, free from house rent and charge for the use of the public library, etc., and also shall be free from charge for fuel.

V. The lUinois annual conference is respectfully solicited to take the institution under its fostering care, and take such methods for increasing its funds, and endowing it with professors, and procuring other means for its advancement as may to them seem best; and it is very desirable that the Missouri annual conference should unite with the Illinois conference and make it a conference seminary for both conferences.

VI. Should the annual conference refuse to accept the institution, the quarterly conference of the Illinois Circuit is requested to act in conjunction with the quarterly conferences in this district in its support. Each circuit shall have a right to elect one manager, and the stockholders shall elect seven from among themselves whose duty it shall be to solicit donations and subscriptions. They, or a majority of them, shall constitute the board of managers for the governing of the institution, selecting professors and teachers, library, astronomical, chemical, and philosophical apparatus, elementary books, etc. They shall regulate the internal economy, fix the price of tuition, specify the terms of the sessions, recess, and vacation, and by their by-laws direct and ordain such rules as may tend to its advancement, good order and respectabiUty.

VII. The stockholders shall meet at the school house in Lebanon, on the ist day of March, ensuing, for the purpose of electing a building committee, secretary, and treasurer, defining their duty, and specifying compensation for their services, and to transact such other business as the interests of the institution may require.

VIII. The principal building shall not be less than j6 by 48 feet, with two wings of suitable dimensions for convenience, to be commenced as soon as $600 is subscribed. The subscription shall be paid to the treasurer in three installments, as follows: one fourth on the ist of June, one fourth on the 1st of September, and one half on the ist of December ensuing.

IX. In case the conferences do not signify, by special communication to the secretary of the institution, their intention to aid the institution by the ist of October, the stockholders shall, on notice, convene and elect a suitable number of managers and other officers, whose power and duties shall be delegated to them by the stockholders.

Amount

The names of the 105 subscribers to the Lehancn Seminary fund. These are the men who made possible the Lebanon Sen and who thus may be classed as the founders of McKendree College

Imc Kendree

The original draft of these articles, whose age is now past a full century, the paper yellow and crumbling, but the faded ink still legible, is sacredly preserved in McKendree's archives. The list of 105 subscribers is a veritable roll of honor. They deserve recognition as the friends and supporters of education at a time when their humble gifts were worth more to the cause than some of the princely gifts of more recent givers.

This document, formulated chiefly by Rev. A. W. Casad, contains several points worthy of notice. In the first place, the seminary was to be conducted "as nearly as possible on the plan of Augusta College." From this it appears that these founders intended that the institution should eventually grow into a real college. Then the property was to be "deeded to the Methodist Episcopal Church for safe keeping." This indicates that they intended it to be a Methodist college. And the fact that the building was to be designed and used as a "house of public worship when this will not interfere with the design and object of the institution" shows that they expected it to be a religious institution. Both the Illinois and Missouri Conferences were invited to become its patrons, and to a certain extent its managers, because they felt that a church seminary could be more successfully operated with the widest possible cooperation of the church. But in case the conferences did not see fit to take it "under their fostering care" it was to be placed in part at least under church control in the district in which it was located.

The conferences were given until October i to signify their intentions in reference to the enterprise, but the Illinois Conference did not convene until October 9 that year, and when the question of a conference seminary was taken up there did not seem to he a feeling of perfect cordiality toward the Lebanon enterprise. In fact the committee asked to be excused from further service without making any report at all, even tho one member had in his possession a document setting forth the plan of the Lebanon Seminary and asking the conference to elect trustees for it. The conference finally required the committee to make a report, and then instead of electing trustees they passed a motion requesting the stockholders of the seminary to meet and determine more definitely the number of trustees the institution should have and the manner of their election.

During the summer of 1828 some progress was made in the construction of a building. The building committee appointed at the meeting of March i, was Rev. A. W. Ca.sad, George Lowe, and Nathan Horner. These men were all enthusiastic supporters of the enterprise, but there were some difficulties to overcome. Altho $i,j85 had been subscribed it was not paid promptly. In fact by the terms of the subscription it was not all due until December i. It was a larger building than any that had yet been undertaken in the village of Lebanon, and it was not easy to secure mechanics sufficiently skilled to work on such a superior sort of building as this was felt to be. So when October came the building was still far from completion. The March meeting had elected eight trustees, namely, Samuel H. Thompson, Nicholas Horner, George Lowe, Theophilus M. Nichols, Joshua Barnes, John Thomas, Sr., Samuel C. Stites, and David S. Witter. After conference the circuit preacher brought word of the action taken there. The responsibility of the next step was not left to the trustees alone, but a meeting of all the stock-holders was called. We have no means of knowing just how many came, but there was evidently a quorum and they proceeded to do business- The meeting was held in Lebanon on November 8. After discussing the whole situation they elected a Board of Managers consisting of thirty-three members, chiefly but not entirely chosen from the list of stock-holders. Every one who had subscribed ten dollars was considered a stock-holder. But a few of those chosen managers were from a wider area and had probably not been solicited. Of this board the Rev. Samuel H. Thompson was made president, David S. Witter, Secretary, and Nathan Horner, Treasurer. Following is the list with their residences From St. Clair County, Rev. John Dew, Joshua Barnes, Colonel Andrew Bankson, James Riggin, Thomas Ray, David L. West, Colonel E. B. Clemson. Rev. Samuel Mitchell, William Padfield, and William Bradsby ; from Sangamon County, Rev. Peter Cartwright and Rev. Charles R. Matheny; from Madison County, Rev. Washington C. Ballard, Hall Mason, John C. Dugger, and Major Isaac Ferguson; from Mt. Carmel, Rev. Aaron Wood; from Kaskaskia, Hon. Shadrach Bond; from Kaskaskia Circuit, Rev. Smith L. Robinson; from Hillsboro, John Tillson: from Bond County, Peter Hubbard; from Carlyle, Charles Slade and Pomeroy Easton; from Jackson County, John Logan; from Washington County, Major John Phillips; from Vandalia, Colonel E. C. Berry; from Waterloo. Dr. Thomas Stanton; from Jefferson County, Rev. Zadoc Casey; from St. Louis, Rev. Andrew Monroe, Major John OTallon and George W. Kerr; from St. Louis County, Rev. Alexander McCallister; from Missouri District, Rev. Jesse Green.

At this time also an elaborate constitution was formulated, defining in detail the powers and privileges of the organization; also rules and by-laws were adopted. The nature of the work both elementary and advanced was indicated, pnd the

Facsimile of a page of the original draft of the Articles of Confederation of Lebanon Seminary These articles are now preserved in McKendree's Archives importance was emphasized of employing teachers who were able not only to teach the common branches but also the higher branches of mathematics, natural and moral philosophy, and the Latin and Greek languages. This was in keeping with the provision contained in the original articles, that the seminary should be conducted "as near as may be on the plan of Augusta College, Kentucky," which had then been in operation for about five years. Following is a copy of the constitution :

Article

Agreeable to the design of the original projectors of the aforementioned seminary of learning, said institution shall be placed under the control and management of the Illinois and Missouri Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, or either of said conferences, under the limitations and on the condition hereinafter named: provided said conferences, or either of them, shall at any future period accept the same and make it a conference seminary.

ARTICLE n. All the property now belonging to the seminary, including the buildings and lands appropriated to the same, or which may be hereafter received by purchase or donation, that has not already been conveyed, shall be conveyed to trustees for the use and benefit of the Methodist Episcopal Church in manner and form as near as may be, agreeable to the deed of settlement contained in the discipline of said church securing the privileges of churches and meeting houses; provided the property aforesaid shall never be sold or appropriated to any other use or uses, than specified by the articles of association, to which the original subscriptions were appended, and provided further that all individual privileges granted and guar' anteed to share-holders shall by this constitution be secured

Article Iii

For the better organization of said institution and with a view to carry into immediate effect the designs of its patrons and friends, there shall be appointed by the stock-holders, a board of managers, consisting of thirty-three members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who shall have authority to make by-laws to regulate their own proceedings, and whose duty it shall be to regulate the internal concerns of the institution, to appoint the times of sessions and vacations, fix the terms of tuition, elect a president and professors, procure and appoint competent teachers, regulate their salaries, take such measures as to them may seem best, to increase the funds of the institution, and in connection with the professors, attend the public examinations of the students and adopt as they may think proper a system of salutary discipline, and make an annual report of their proceedings and doings as also of the fiscal concerns of the institution. ARTICLE IV.

The first meeting of the board of managers under the provision of the foregoing article shall be held on Monday, the loth of November instant.

Article Vi

There shall be a president, secretary and treasurer, appointed by the stock-holders, who shall be ex-officio members of the board of managers; and at all meetings of the board of managers, seven members shall constitute a quorum to transact business, and the president or in his absence, such person as shall be chosen for the time being, shall preside in all meetings of the stock-holders, or of the board of managers. ARTICLE VI.

The secretary shall keep a regular journal of all the proceedings of the board of managers, and a regular account of all the receipts and expenditures of the institution, which shall be published with the annual report of the board of managers, signed by the president and countersigned by the secretary.

Article Vii

It shall be the duty of the treasurer to receive and account for all moneys which may be collected for the benefit of the institution, including tuition fees and donations or subscrip' tions, and to open and to keep a regular account with the board of managers, and whenever called upon to exhibit a report of the fiscal concerns, etc., and to honor and pay all orders drawn on him by the board, which orders, when presented shall always be signed by the president and countersigned by the secretary.

Article Viii Article Ix

The board of managers shall meet once every quarter, or oftener if they deem it necessary, and shall always, on a call of the professors, having ten days previous notice. ARTICLE IX.

The provisions made in the third article of this constitution, for the appointment of managers and defining their powers and duties, shall continue in force until the next annual conference of Missouri and Illinois, and if neither of the conferences at their next sessions should agree to make the above mentioned seminary their conference seminary, then the above regulations contained in the third article aforesaid shall continue in force until altered by the stockholders.

ARTICLE X. This constitution, except the first and second articles, may be altered or amended after the next meeting of the above named conferences, by a majority of the stock-holders present, should the conferences refuse or neglect to accept the conditions proposed in the first article.

Article Xl

Should the conferences above named accept the above conditions, there shall be thirty-three managers appointed, one third by the Illinois, and one third by the Missouri Annual Conference, and the other third by the stock-holders, or a majority of those present, convened for the purpose, after twenty days notice.

Or in case but one of the above-named conferences should accept the conditions above-named, then said conference so accepting shall have the power to appoint seventeen managers, and the stock-holders shall appoint the remaining sixteen, a majority of whom shall always be members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, whose powers and duties shall be the same as those prescribed in the third article of this constitution.

Article Xii

Whenever, in the judgment of the board of managers, the interests of the institution shall require it, they shall have power to call a meeting of the stock-holders, and the secretary shall be required to give at least ten days previous notice of such meeting, with the objects for which it is called, in as public a manner as possible.

The responsibility of the enterprise was now upon the managers. After due deliberation they decided that to have the school in operation was a matter of too great importance to wait for the completion of the building. There were in Lebanon at that time two buildings that had been used for school purposes when some teacher maintained a subscription school. The Illinois Legislature had passed a free school law in 1821, but in 1827 they passed another providing that no citizen should be taxed for education without his written consent. So the free school law was practically nullified. Immediately after their meeting of November 8 the Board of Managers proceeded to rent the two small buildings abovementioned and to employ two teachers. Within the space of two weeks the teachers were secured, Mr. Edward R. Ames and Miss McMurphy, and on November 24, 1828 the Lebanon Seminary was formally opened for public patronage.

During the first term there were seventy-two students enrolled, five of whom were girls. The tuition charge for the lower branches was fixed at five dollars per session. For the higher branches, including mathematics, natural and moral philosophy, Latin, and Greek, the rate was seven dollars per session. This first school year ran for a period of five months, closing in the latter part of April. This was the first chapter in an educational serial which is still running. It will be noted that McKendree's opening antedates that of any other college, now in existence, founded by American Methodism. Dickinson College, founded in 1785, and Allegheny College, founded in 181 5, both in Pennsylvania and both Methodist institutions now, were both established by the Presbyterians and passed to Methodist control the same year, 1835. So that neither can yet show a century of Methodist history. The original Wesleyan University at Middletown, Connecticut, was first opened in 183 1. The other Methodist colleges of earlier date have all passed out of existence, thus leaving McKendree the oldest Methodist college in America.

Of the other Illinois schools that lay claim to antiquity Illinois College at Jacksonville was founded m 1829, the next year after McKendree's beginning, and Alton Seminary, which later developed into ShurtlefF College, was opened in 1832. Accordingly McKendree may justly lay claim to being the first college in Illinois to complete a century of continuous existence in the same location in which it had its origin.

IT WILL BE seen from the preceding chapter that the institution was not founded by direct official action of the church, but independently by the citizens of Lebanon, most of whom were Methodists, and they fully expected that the Illinois Conference would accept it as an institution of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

As already stated the Conference at the session of 1828, for reasons that do not appear in the record, did not immediately take the infant enterprise "under its fostering care." So the founders proceeded to execute the plans already formed independently of the conference. This led to the opening of the institution in November, 1828.

At the next session of the Conference, at Edwardsville, in September, 1829, a joint committee from the Illinois and Missouri Conferences, made report on the subject of a conference seminary, declaring the two conferences able to establish and maintain a seminary superior to any "now in operation west of the Wabash River." This remark seems to be a sort of thrust at the institution already founded and in actual operation at Lebanon. The conference accepted the report, approved the plan, and instructed the committee to proceed to select a location for the proposed institution.

A communication was read from Mt. Carmel in reference to the site of the seminary. Two days later, September 24, 1829, the committee reported, recommending either Lebanon, Illinois, or Mt. Salubria, Missouri, one mile west of St. Louis.

Articles Of Confederation

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION Between the Illinois and Missouri Annual Conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church, for the purpose of establishing a joint seminary of learning for both conferences, made and entered into at Edwardsville, Illinois, September 24, 1829, by the Illinois conference on its own part, and by Alexander McAllister, Andrew Monroe, and Jesse Green, delegates empowered to act on the part of the Missouri Conference.