Madison College (Pennsylvania) Explained

Madison College was an educational institution in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, operated by the Methodist Episcopal Church.^[1] The college was chartered by the Pennsylvania legislature in 1827, and it was operated by the Methodist Episcopal Church until 1832, after which it became associated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.^[2] Andrew Stewart was instrumental in its physical construction.^[3]

Henry Bidleman Bascom was the first president, 1827–29, and Charles Elliott (languages) and John H. Fielding (mathematics) were the first professors.^[4] After Bascom left, Fielding then served as president between 1829 and 1831, and John Clark took over Fielding's math professorship.^{[5] [6]} Among the students of the late 1820s were William Hunter and Rice G. Hopwood.^[7] Waitman T. Willey was the first graduate of the college, and the second graduating class contained six students: James H. McMechen, Alfred Sturgis, James A. Van Dyke, Philip Ross, Samuel Austin, and William Austin.^[8] Bishop Matthew Simpson, who gave the funeral speech at Abraham Lincoln's funeral, was an alumnus.^[9] Thomas Brownfield Searight,^{[10] [11]} William H. Barclay,^[12] and James F. Dayton^[13] also attended the college, and Wilton B. Goff was a professor of mathematics and natural science.^[14]

Richard H. Ball was inaugurated as president of Madison College on Sept. 1, 1851, at which time the college was under the auspices of the Methodist Protestant Church.^[15] Faculty members during the 1850s included J.F. Crocker (mathematics), W.J.T. Carroll (languages), J. Dawson (chemistry), J.B. Howell (law), Augustus Mot (modern languages), and G.B. McElroy (preparatory department).^[16] Francis Waters was selected as president in summer 1853 but left later that fall because of family illness; Samuel K. Cox became the interim president and then was named president in summer 1854.^[17] For the fall 1855 session, George Brown was president of the college, and the faculty consisted of P.S. Bancroft (mathematics and science), M.B. Goff (languages), and George B. McElroy (English and preparatory department).^[18] The college's final session occurred in fall 1857, with George Brown serving as president and John Deford (an alumnus of the college), William Campbell, and Amos Hutton serving as faculty for the several dozen students enrolled.^[19] The growing division between north and south over the issue of slavery, plus the establishment of some additional religiously affiliated colleges in the southern states that attracted southern money and students, contributed significantly to the demise of Madison College.^[20]

The facility was used as a school for orphans of soldiers after the Civil War.^{[21] [22]} In the late 1880s the buildings were used by the Gilbert Collegiate Institute, which was run by C.A. Gilbert.^[23]

External links

• Complete web archive copy of the Methodist History magazine article about Madison College

Notes and References

1. Book: Reynolds. G.T.. Haskins. Charles Homer. Hull. William Isaac. A History of Higher Education in Pennsylvania. 1902. Government Printing Office. 155–7. Madison College Pennsylvania.. Madison College.
2. Daniel . W. Harrison . Madison College, 1851-1858: A Methodist Protestant School . Methodist History . January 1979 . 17 . 2 . 91 . July 16, 2023.
3. News: A Worthy Example . July 22, 2023 . Raftsman's Journal (Clearfield, PA) . February 23, 1870.
4. Book: Cummings . A.W. . The Early Schools of Methodism . 1886 . Phillips & Hunt . New York . 62 . July 16, 2023.
5. Book: Hopwood . Robert F. . History of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Uniontown, Pa. . 1938 . Robert F. Hopwood . Uniontown, Pa. . 71 . July 15, 2023.
6. Book: Cummings . A.W. . The Early Schools of Methodism . 1886 . Phillips & Hunt . New York . 62 . July 16, 2023.
7. Book: Hopwood . Robert F. . History of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Uniontown, Pa. . 1938 . Robert F. Hopwood . Uniontown, Pa. . 22, 24, 96 . July 15, 2023.
8. News: A Leading Man Gone . July 23, 2023 . Wheeling (WV) Daily Intelligencer . January 15, 1889.
9. Book: Oberholtzer. Ellis Paxson. Philadelphia A History of the City and its People A Record of 225 Years (Volume 4). 1912. S.J. Clarke Publishing. 5–9.
10. Web site: Thomas Brownfield Searight . House Archives . Archives of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives . July 20, 2023.
11. Web site: Thomas Brownfield Searight . Senate Library . Library of the Senate of Pennsylvania . July 20, 2023.
12. News: The Pittsburg Candidate . July 22, 2023 . Pittsburg Dispatch . July 3, 1890.
13. News: James F. Dayton Dead . July 23, 2023 . Wheeling (WV) Register . September 12, 1895.
14. News: Tribute to Two Good Men . July 22, 2023 . Pittsburg Dispatch . November 16, 1890.
15. Book: Addresses Delivered at the Opening of Madison College, Uniontown, PA, September 1, 1851 . 1851 . Methodist Protestant Book Rooms . Baltimore . 6 . July 16, 2023.
16. Book: Circular of Madison College, Uniontown, Fayette County, Pennsylvania . 1852 . Sherwood & Co. . Baltimore . March 1, 1852 . July 15, 2023.
17. Daniel . W. Harrison . Madison College, 1851-1858: A Methodist Protestant School . Methodist History . January 1979 . 17 . 2 . 99 . July 16, 2023.
18. Daniel . W. Harrison . Madison College, 1851-1858: A Methodist Protestant School . Methodist History . January 1979 . 17 . 2 . 102-103 . July 16, 2023.
19. Daniel . W. Harrison . Madison College, 1851-1858: A Methodist Protestant School . Methodist History . January 1979 . 17 . 2 . 103-104 . July 16, 2023.
20. News: Annual Conference of the M.P. Church . 31 October 2023 . Daily Pittsburgh Gazette . 7 September 1857.
21. News: [A Branch of the School] ]. 23 July 2023 . Wheeling (WV) Daily Register . 14 December 1866.
22. News: [The Uniontown, Fayette county] ]. 31 October 2023 . Lancaster Intelligencer . 12 December 1866.
23. News: [Gilbert Collegiate Institute] ]. 22 July 2023 . New Dominion (Morgantown, WV) . 4 June 1887.