History of Fayette, (Lafayette County) Wisconsin United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Fayette, (Lafayette County) Wisconsin, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

James Whitford Bashford, educator, was born in Fayette, Lafayette county, Wis., May 25, 1849. His father was a Methodist minister, and he was reared on a Wisconsin farm, receiving a good common-school education and was graduated with honor from the University of Wisconsin, with the class of 1873. He had to contend with financial difficulties and a protracted illness during his college course, serving during the time as principal of the Fayette high school and also teaching one season during his sophomore year, by reason of which he did not complete his course until the age of twenty-four. He projected and was editor of the University Press, while in college, the pioneer college weekly of the state, by which he paid his debts, and after completing his studies was made tutor of Greek in the university. During his freshman year at college he united with the Methodist Episcopal church, and decided to adopt the ministry as a profession. Accordingly he entered the school of theology of Boston university in 1874, to prepare for his life work, and having completed the prescribed course in 1876, he continued his studies in the same university, and graduated in the school of oratory in 1878, and in the school of all sciences in 1879, securing the degree of Ph.D. He then officiated as pastor of the Harrison Square church, Jamaica Plain (Boston), until 1880. In that year he married Jane Field and with his wife travelled in Europe, and again in 1887 they made an extensive tour of Italy, Greece and Germany. He subsequently filled pastorates at Auburndale, Mass., Portland, Me., and, Buffalo, N.Y., and delivered courses of lectures on systematic theology in the University of Denver and De Pauw. Owing to his exceptional ability and attainments, he was offered the presidency of several leading colleges, and, in 1889, left his pastorate to accept the presidency of the Ohio Wesleyan university, where an annual attendance of nearly twelve hundred students gave him a broad field for the use of his literary and pedagogic powers. In 1890 the Northwestern university conferred on him the degree of D.D. As a member of the board of trustees of the Ohio anti-saloon league he exerted a powerful influence in the temperance cause. He contributed liberal articles to the periodical literature of the church, and is the author of "The True Church," "Christianity and Education," "The Bible Women," and a course of lectures on "Systematic Theology."

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

History of Fayette, (Lafayette County) Wisconsin

Biographies: