History of Oberlin, (Lorain County) Ohio United States of America

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Biographies:

John Henry Barrows, educator, was born in Medina, Mich., July 11, 1847; son of John M. and Catherine (Moore) Barrows. He was graduated at Olivet college, Mich., in 1867; studied theology at Yale, 1867-'68; at Union, 1868-'69; at G?ttingen, Germany, 1869-'74; at Andover, 1874-'75; was ordained a Congregational minister, April 29, 1875; was pastor at Lawrence, Mass., 1875-'80; at East Boston, 1880-'81; and of the First Presbyterian church, Chicago, Ill., 1881-'95. He proposed, organized and was president of the World's parliament of religion held at Chicago in 1893. He resigned his pastorate in 1895 and made a prolonged visit to Europe and the East. On Nov. 29, 1898, he accepted the presidency of Oberlin college, Ohio, assuming the office Jan. 4, 1899. Lake Forest university, Ill., conferred on him the degree of D.D. in 1882. He is the author of "Seven Lectures on the Credibility of the Gospel Histories" (1891); "Henry Ward Beecher, the Shakespeare of the Pulpit" (1893); "I believe in God, the Father Almighty" (1893); "The Parliament of Religions" (2 vols., 1894); "Christianity; the World Religion" (1898). He died at Oberlin, Ohio, June 3, 1902.

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

Alexander Davidson, inventor, was born in Pruntytown, Va., Sept. 23, 1826; son of Alexander and Dorothy (Burdett) Davidson; grandson of John and Sarah (Larue) Davidson, and of James and Mary Burdett, and a descendant of Alexander Davidson, who came to America from Scotland early in 1700. He studied at Oberlin, Ohio, paying his way by mechanical work, and later taught school for several years, showing his inventive genius by making appliances for illustrating the studies pursued. In 1864 he formed an alliance with W. D. Rutledge of Springfield, Ill., in the management of a commercial school. Their offices were fitted up with desks representing cities and these were connected by a miniature electric railway, with miniature freight for transportation. This method of teaching became at once popular and increased the patronage of the school. He disposed of his interest in this school in 1869 and entered the United States revenue service, at the same time continuing his inventions which included a paddle-wheel patented in 1881. About 1875 he saw the first Remington typewriter and spent much time in improving that instrument. His chief work in this connection was determining a scale of value of the letters of the alphabet and thus establishing the universal keyboard. He made important additions and improvements to the Densmore and Yost machines and in 1887 sold his patents to the Yost writing-machine company. He is the author of a History of Illinois (1873), an edition of which was published for use in schools. He died at Fort Wayne, Ind., Oct. 12, 1893.

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

John Keep, clergyman, was born in Long Meadow, Mass., April 20, 1781. He was graduated from Yale in 1802, studied theology with the Rev. Asahel Hooke of Goshen, Conn., and was ordained to the Congregational ministry in 1805. He was married in that year to Lydia Hale, of Goshen. He was pastor at Blanford, Mass., 1805-21; and Homer, N.Y., 1821-33. He then removed to Cleveland, Ohio, where he became pastor of a newly organized Presbyterian church and where he remained until 1836. He was elected trustee of Oberlin college in 1834, and in 1837 was appointed agent to raise funds for the college, heading the list with his private subscription of $10,000. He cast the deciding vote, Feb. 9, 1835, which admitted colored students into the college; and raised funds in England in 1838-39 to carry the college through a crisis. He was pastor respectively at Wooster, Ohio, Lockport and Albion, N.Y., Mansfield and Hartford, Ohio, Arcade, N.Y., and Litchfield, Ohio, 1840-50, and then made his home in Oberlin, Ohio. He was financial agent and a trustee of Oberlin college, 1850-70; a trustee of Hamilton college, Clinton, N.Y., 1827-34; and of Auburn Theological seminary, Auburn, N.Y., 1832-34; and was one of the founders of the A.B.C.F.M. He died at Oberlin, Ohio, Feb. 11 or 12, 1870.

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