Jefferson County Online A part of the IAGenWeb and USGenWeb Projects Parsons College

Lewis B. Parsons, Sr., was the fourth son of Capt. Charles Parsons, an officer in the Revolutionary war. He was a merchant of most decided character, and Christian from his youth, he carried his religious convictions into his business. With him it was a Christian duty to work; and, at the close of an active life, which terminated at Detroit, Mich., December 21, 1855, while visiting a son, he had acquired what was considered in those days a fortune. Such sums as he could spare from his mercantile operations, he invested in wild Iowa lands. He was at all times impressed with the importance of education and Christianity as above all things needful in the development and progress of the new State.

As indicitave of the character of the founder of Parsons' College, we quote that portion of his will, to which the institution owes its present existence:

Item 7.--Having long been convinced that the future welfare of our country, the permanency of its institutions, the progress of the divine religion and an enlightened Christianity greatly depended upon the diffusion of education and correct moral and religious influence, and having, during my life-time, used, to some small extent, the means given me by my Creator, in accordance with these convictions, and being desirous of still advancing objects so worthy as far as in my power lies, I do, therefore, after the foregoing bequests and the reasonable expenses of administration, give and bequeath the residue of my estate, together with my Natural History of New York and my small cabinet of minerals to my said executors and the survivors or survivor of them in trust, to be, by them, used and expended in forwarding and endowing an institution of learning in the State of Iowa, or to be expended -- if it shall be deemed best by my said executors -- in aiding and endowing an institution which may have been already established. And while I would not desire said institution to be strictly sectarian in its character, yet, believing its best interests reqire it should be under the control of some religious denomination, I therefore direct that it shall be under the Trustees, Presbytery or Synod, connected with that branch of the Presbyterian Church distinguished as the New School, or Constitutional General Assembly of said Church, until such time (which, I trust, may speedily come) when a union of the two branches of said Church shall be honorably accomplished; then to be made the care of said United Church.

The adoption or location of the insititution, with the general regulations and proper restrictions to be connected therewith, I confide to the sound discretion of my executors, with the full assurance that, as they know my general views and statements, they will take pleasure, when my spirit shall have departed hence and my memory alone remains with them, in using their best endeavors to carry out my wishes and make most effectual and useful of this bequest.

The will was executed Dedember 5, 1855, and was probated in the County Court of Lee County July 21, 1856.

At the meeting of the Synod of Iowa, South, held in Des Moines October 17, 1874, a committee of three from each Presbytery was appointed to examine the field and determine the grade of institution provided for by the will, and secure a location.

The committee consisted of Rev. John Armstrong, Chairman; Rev. W. G. Craig, D. D., and Rev. Carson Reed, who opened correspondence with Gen. Lewis B. Parsons, Jr., representing the executor of the will, and also with those towns in the State desiring the location of the institution.

The Executive Committee met Gen. Parsons at Ottumwa December 2, 1874, and, together, the proposed sites were inspected. That at Fairfield seemed most desirable, and a proposition was submitted to the citizens agreeing to locate the Synodical College here, provided the sum of $27,000 was raised and the refusal of the several parcels of land obtained at the prices which had been named by the respective owners.

The sum mentioned was demanded in negotial notes payable in four equal installments, at the expiration of three, six, twelve and eighteen months from the date of the incorporation of the Board of Trustees.

This proposition was accepted by the citizens of Fairfield Dec. 11, 1874, and its requirements fulfilled within the specified time.

Parsons College was thereupon incorporated Feb. 24, 1875, with a government of thirty Trustees, the first of whom were as follows: James F. Wilson, Willis G. Craig, Benjamin F. Allen, Charles Negus, Lewis B. Parsons, Charles Parsons, John Armstrong, William Elliott, G. A. Wells, Carson Reed, James F. Robertson, George B. Smythe, William W. Jamison, Thomas H. Cleland, Jr., Samuel M. Osmond, C. C. Cole, Matthew L. P. Hill, Hiram H. Kellogg, Alexander Scott, Samuel Noble, John H. Whiting, William Bradley, Henry B. Knight, Thomas D. Wallace, Warren S. Dungan, Charles D. Nott, James D. Mason, John Calvin McClintock, Thomas Officer and James H. Potter.

The Articles of Incorporation provide that the President of the College and sixteen out of the thirty Trustees shall always be members of the Presbyterian Church.

The legacy transferred to the Board of Trustees consisted of about thirty-eight hundred acres of unimproved land, and about $4,000 in notes. The College has realized from the sale of lands about $27,000, with 1,329 acres remaining unsold with an estimated value of $12,000.

The site selected was what was known as the "Jordan property," to the north of Fairfield, but now within the city limits. The price paid for the twenty acres with the improvements was $13,300. The College was opened Sept. 8, 1875, in the building on the ground at the time of purchse, but, in December following, the present new building was ready for occupancy. The institution is now in successful operation.

The following compose the Faculty: Rev. John Armstrong, A. M., President, Professor of English Literature, History and Moral Philosophy; Rev. S. T. Boyd; Rev. Alex G. Wilson, A. M., Professor of Latin and Greek Languages and Literature, Rector of Academical Department; Rev. Albert McCalla, A. M., Professor of Mathematics and Physics, Secretary of the Faculty; Richard J. Mohr, M. D., Lecturer on Anatomy, Physiology and Hygiene; Cyrus Lee Stevens, A. C., Tutor, Librarian; Henry G. Behoteguy, Instructor in French.