History of Columbia, (Boone County) Missouri United States of America

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Biographies:

Joseph Ficklin, mathematician, was born at Winchester, Ky., Sept. 9, 1833. He was graduated at the Masonic college, Lexington, Mo., in 1838. He was principal of the high school of Trenton, Mo., 1854-59; professor of mathematics in the Female college, Bloomington, Ill., 1859-60; professor of mathematics in the Christian female college, Columbia, Mo., 1864-65; and professor of mathematics, astronomy and mechanical philosophy in the University of Missouri, 1865-79; after that holding the chair of mathematics and astronomy until his death. The University of Wisconsin conferred upon him the degree of Ph.D. in 1874 and that of LL.D. in 1884. He published: The Complete Algebra and Key and Algebra Problems and Key (1874); First Lessons in Arithmetic; Elementary Arithmetic; Table-Book and Primary Arithmetic; Practical Arithmetic; National Arithmetic, with a Key, and Elements of Algebra (1881). He died in Columbia, Mo., Sept. 6, 1887.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

John Hiram Lathrop, educator, was born in Sherburne, Chenango county, N.Y., Jan. 22, 1799; son of John and Prudence (Hatch) Lathrop; grandson of Melatiah and Mercy (Hatch) Lathrop and of Eleazer and Thankful Hatch, and great grandson of Hope and Elizabeth (Lathrop) Lathrop. He attended Hamilton college, and was graduated from Yale, A.B., 1819, A.M., 1822; taught school, 1819-22; and was a tutor and student of law at Yale, 1822-26. In 1826 he was admitted to the practice of law. He was principal of the Lyceum at Gardiner, Maine, 1827-28; professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Hamilton college, 1828-34; Maynard professor of law, civil polity, and political economy, 1835-37, and professor of political and historical jurisprudence, 1837-40. He was married, Aug. 15, 1833, to Frances E., daughter of John H. Lathrop, of Utica, N.Y. He was the first president of the University of the State of Missouri, Columbia, 1840-49; chancellor of the University of Wisconsin, 1849-59; president of the Indiana State university, Bloomington, 1859-60; professor of English literature at the University of the State of Missouri, 1860-65; and was again its president, 1865-66. He was president of the African Colonization society for several years, and a member and secretary of the board of examiners for the U.S. Military academy in 1851. He received the honorary degree of LL.D. from Hamilton college in 1845. He died at Columbia, Mo., Aug. 2, 1866.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

St. Clair McKelway, journalist, was born in Columbia, Mo., March 15, 1845; son of Dr. Alexander J. and Mary A. (Ryan) McKelway. His father was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1812, came to America in 1817; became medical director, U.S. volunteers, Army of the Potomac; and died in 1885. His mother, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., 1813, died in 1899. The family removed from Missouri to New Jersey in 1853, where St. Clair McKelway was educated by private teachers. He wrote for papers in Trenton and was correspondent of the New York Tribune, 1863-65; and was admitted to the bar in New York city in 1866, but at once resumed journalism. He was connected with the New York World as associate editor and Washington correspondent, 1866-70; was associate editor of the Brooklyn Eagle from January, 1870, to August 15, 1878, and editor-in-chief of the Albany Argus thereafter till December, 1885. He then returned to the Brooklyn Eagle as editor-in-chief. He was elected by the legislature a regent for life of the University of the State of New York in 1883. He received the honorary degrees of A.M. from Colgate in 1883; LL.D. from Syracuse in 1890; L.H.D. from Union, in 1897; and D.C.L. from St. Lawrence in 1898. He was elected an honorary member of the Long Island and Suffolk County historical societies, the Society of Medical Jurisprudence, and the Albany Institute; a director of the American Social Science association, and a member of the American Institute of Arts and Letters. He became a voluminous writer and a frequent lecturer on educational, economic and ethical subjects. He was married in 1867 to Eleanor Hutchison of Boonville, Mo., who died in 1884; and secondly in 1888 to Virginia Brooks Thompson, daughter of Samuel W. Thompson of New York city.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor