RICHMOND COLLEGE.

In the year 1851, the ynod of the Presbyterian Church of Missouri realizing the importance of establishing a first-class college to be under its control, resolved, "That the time is come to arise and build,” and appointed a committee composed of elders from different parts of the state, to examine such places as should offer inducements for its location and report at the next meeting of synod.

In 1852, the committee reported, and four places were put in nomination, Booneville, Richmond, Fulton and St. Charles.

For some months preceding the meeting of synod in Fulton, October, 1852, the most vigorous efforts were put forth in Ray county to raise a large subscription in money and land in order to secure the location of the college at Richmond.

The county was thoroughly canvassed by able speakers, who set forth the great advantages that would result, not only to Richmond, but the county, by securing the location of this institution of learning at our county

seat.

The Richmond Herald, the only newspaper published in the county at that time, the publication of which commenced in March, 1852, in a number of able and spirited editorials and articles urged the great importance of this movement, and called upon the people of Ray county to present a liberal subscription to the synod that was to meet at Fulton in the ensuing October.

After a thorough canvass the subscription realized from the county was $15,000 in money and ten acres in land within the limits of the city of Richmond. The subscription in money was subsequently increased to $18,000. This was regarded as the best subscription made by any of the contending points.

A delegation of citizens was selected to represent the county, and present its claims for the location of this institution of learning at Richmond, to the Presbyterian synod of Missouri that was to meet at Fulton, Callaway county, Missouri, on Tuesday, October 12, 1852.

The delegation consisted of Dr. George W. Buchanan, Joseph S. Hughes, William Boyce, Dr. Henry C. Garner, James W. Black, and Captain William M. Jacobs.

Reverend David Harbeson, Hon. Austin A. King, who was then governor of Missouri; Hon. E. M. Samuel, of Clay county, Missouri; Reverend T. A. Bracken, and a number of other prominent citizens from western Missouri, were present advocating the claims of Richmond as being the most eligible place for the location of this institution of learning. The claims of the other contending points were also ably presented, especially those of Fulton and Booneville. Hon. John Jameson, of Callaway county, and other prominent citizens, made the most earnest efforts

in behalf of Fulton. Considerable influence was exerted by the citizens in Fulton and vicinity with whom the Presbyterian clergymen were quartered during the session of Synod. The delegation of citizens from Richmond, it is proper to state here, were all quartered at Hackady's hotel and most hospitably entertained, but met with no Presbyterian clergymen entertained at this hotel from other portions of the state than western Missouri.

Hon. John G. Miller, then a member of congress from the third district of Missouri, made a most eloquent and impressive speech in favor of Booneville, presenting its claims with great clearness and vigor of thought. The ingenuity of his arguments, in showing that Booneville was the most elegible point for the college, and the most flourishing central city of Missouri, was highly complimented by many in the audience.

On taking the vote, after all the contending points had been duly heard, Fulton received a majority of the votes of the synod, and was consequently declared to be the most eligible place for the location of the Presbyterian College. Richmond received a large number of votes, being the only strong contending point against Fulton. Booneville and St. Charles received but a few votes.

The Reverend Hiram P. Goodrich, after the question of the location of the college had been decided, suggested the name, Westminster, as the most appropriate name for the college, which was adopted by the synod.

Considerable disappointment was manifested by the friends of Richmond, who had advocated its claims for the location of the college. An effort was therefore soon made by the Presbytery of Upper Missouri, to establish a Presbyterian College at Richmond, Missouri, on the endowment plan from scholarship. Vigorous efforts were at once made to place the projected scheme on a proper basis. The citizens of Ray county agreed to guarantee the building fund of $15,000, and the Presbytery of Upper Missouri to guarantee the endowment fund of $40,000.

The act giving Richmond College its charter of incorporation was passed by the seventeenth general assembly of Missouri, February 23, 1853.

The preamble to the act of incorporation is in the following language: WHEREAS, The presbytery of Upper Missouri, (O. S.) in view of the rapidly increasing population of that portion of the state, denominated Upper Missouri, and the existing and prospective necessity of educational institutions of a high order, desire to locate, erect and endow, a college of said character, in or near the town of Richmond, in Ray county, to meet said necessities; therefore,

Be it enacted by the general assembly of the state Missouri as follows: That William Dickson, R. S. Symington, A. V. C. Schenck, T. A. Bracken, Robert Scott, I. W. Canfield, J. B. Harbison, James Young, A. H. McFadden, A. W. Hutchins, John G. Taylor, J. B. Slaughter, E. M.

Samuel, W. M. Paxton, Robert Sevier, James L. McCoun, R. H. Smith, Robert Clark, D. F. Green, N. Davis, J. R. Allen, and George W. Dunn, shall be, and they and their successors in office, are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate, by the name, "The Trustees of Richmond College."

The first meeting of the board of trustees of Richmond College, was in the city of Richmond, on Thursday, the 29th of December, 1853. The following trustees were present: George W. Dunn, William Dickson, A. V. C. Schenck, Thomas A. Bracken, J. B. Harbison, I. W. Canfield, James L. McCoun, Lewis Green, Nathaniel Davis, George I. Wasson, Robert Sevier (resigned).

Soon after the complete organization of the board of trustees was effected, arrangements were made for building the college. The contract for building it was let to William Hunter, in the year 1856. The site selected for it was in the southern suburbs of the city of Richmond, on a beautiful eminence called College Hill, surrounded by a delightful and inviting "campus."

The work of the building had progressed so far, and was so near completion by September, 1856, that the lower stories could be occupied for the purposes intended by the board of trustees. Richmond College was therefore formally opened in September, 1856, for students. Reverend John L. Yantis, D. D., a distinguished Presbyterian divine, was duly installed as president of it. Prof. Oliver Cunningham, a teacher of great experience and ability, was selected as professor of languages. Professor Rufus B. Finley, a teacher of high standing, and a thorough mathematician, was chosen for the position of professor of mathematics. There were also assistant teachers in the different departments. The college opened with the most flattering prospects; a large number of students was soon in attendance, and everything connected with this young institution of learning seemed to progress most admirably, in every respect, for about two years. About this time it was ascertained that the resoures and liberality of the presbytery of Upper Missouri had been overestimated. The friends of Westminster College, at Fulton, charged a want of good faith, on the part of the presbytery of Upper Missouri, that had been one of the contestants for the synodical college; that having failed in obtaining it, it should have acquiesced in the decision of synod in establishing the college at Fulton, in October, 1852; that it should not have engaged in an enterprise and movement that placed it in an opposing attitude to the interests of the synodical college at Fulton. This was the prominent cause of the enthusiasm waning for establishing a Presbyterian College at Richmond, and in a great measure caused the enterprise to give way. It was also ascertained at this time, that the financial scheme for endowing the college from scholarships, was far from being a

success, and fell far behind the expectation of the friends of the college. At the end of two years it was found that the fund realized from the endowment plan by scholarships was only $13,000 of the $40,000 promised, and agreed upon. Failing, therefore, to realize a sufficient amount from the endowment fund to meet the annual expenses of the college, and that a debt was rapidly accumulating, the presbytery of Upper Missouri submitted to the board of trustees of Richmond College the proposal that the presbytery would assume the entire indebtedness, not only the debt to the teachers, which had become a considerable one, but to relieve it of indebtedness of every kind, and cancel the guaranty bond of the citizens of Ray county for the building fund of $15,000 for Richmond College, on condition that the guaranty bond of the presbytery of Upper Missouri, for the endowment fund for $40,000, should also be canceled, and the college building revert to the people of Ray county. This proposition was accepted. The agreements were not fully complied with until some years afterward. The presbytery of Upper Missouri relinquished all claim to the college building and grounds, which reverted to the people of Ray county, Missouri.

Some time, however, before this arrangement had been consummated, James R. Allen, of Ray county, had completed the Richmond college edifice, at his own expense, and received the grateful acknowledgments of the synod of upper Missouri in a resolution passed in session at Lexington, Missouri, September 29, 1860. The synod of Upper Missouri was organized some time after the presbytery of Upper Missouri had engaged in the work of locating, erecting, and endowing the Richmond college. This explanation is made to show the connection of the synod of Upper Missouri with the Richmond College, and all matters pertaining to it.

Some of the original trustees of the college having resigned, the follow ing board of trustees were elected, and classed as required in the charter by the synod of Upper Missouri, at the session held at Lexington, September 29, 1860: First class, composed of Judge George W. Dunn, Rev. Robert Scott, George I. Wasson, Lewis Green, and Rev. Ralph Harris; second class, Rev. I. Canfield, Dr. B. A. Rives, Preston Dunlap, James Furguson, and A. W. Hutchins; third class, Benjamin J. Brown, Geo. W. Buchanan, D. F. Green, Rev. D. Coulter, D. D., and Dr. I. M. Keith, any seven of which to constitute a quorum.

After it was ascertained that Richmond College could no longer be sustained on account of the reasons already mentioned, private schools were organized, and taught in the college building, one by Rufus W. Finley, and one by George B. Turner. These schools were well patronized, and admirably conducted, until the spring of 1861, when the blast of "grim-visaged war" was heard in the land, they ceased to exist.

Richmond College building from the commencement of the great civil war until its close, instead of being the temple of learning, the home of star-eyed science, became, from necessity, a fortress bristling with bayonets, and arrayed in all the fierce panoply of war.

From 1862 till 1865 large bodies of troops were quartered in it at different times, and as a natural consequence the injuries it sustained were considerable. As soon as practicable after the close of the war, repairs were made to the college building by the board of trustees, and it was put in as good condition, if not better, than it was before the commencement of the war. In September, 1867, a tier of lots on the east and west sides of the college ground, extending entirely across it from north to south, was sold, in accordance with legal process, and the amount realized from said sale was appropriated to the liquidation of a portion of the debt against the trustees of the college building. James R. Allen instituted suit against the trustees of Richmond College, in 1862, in Ray county circuit court, for the amount of money advanced by him to complete the college building in the year 1858, but dying before the suit was determined, the administrators were substituted as plaintiffs in the case. Failing to obtain judgment in the circuit court, the cause was appealed to the 5th district court of Missouri, held at St. Joseph, Missouri, and on being heard, resulted in a reversal of the judgment of the Ray county circuit court.

This claim was afterward fully satisfied by the trustees of the college. Public schools were taught in the college building in 1867, by B. F. Winfrey, Mrs. Hannah Cunningham and others.

In 1868 one session of school was taught in it by Prof. J. W. Lewis, Prof. B. F. Winfrey and Mrs. Hannah Cunningham and assistant teachers. In September, 1868, Rev. Samuel J. Huffaker opened a high school in the college building, for the co-ordinate education of male and female pupils. The faculty for the collegiate year of this school, from 1868 to 1869, were as follows: Rev. S. J. Huffaker, principal and teacher in the several schools; Lafayette W. Groves, professor of ancient languages, and assistant teacher in the several schools; Frank G. Gibson, professor of pure and mixed mathematics, French, and assistant in the several schools; Miss Mattie Steele, mistress of primary school; Miss Docia Smith, assistant in library school; Miss Ruth B. Colgan, principal of music school. College home, Mrs. S. J. Huffaker and S. J. Huffaker.

The board of trustees at this time, 1868 to 1869, were: Judge G. W. Dunn, president; Dr. W. W. Mosby, C. T. Garner, Esq., G. I. Wasson, Esq., treasurer; Judge Walter King, Joseph S. Hughes, Esq., J. C. Cates Esq.

In the year 1869, the presbytery of Upper Missouri, relinquished all claim to the college building and grounds in compliance with an agree