Presidents of Iowa Wesleyan University Reverend Charles Elliott, D.D., LL.D
ď‚–
Reverend George B. Jocelyn, A.B., A.M., D.D
IWC Newsom Archives Raymond J. Chadwick Library Iowa Wesleyan College Mount Pleasant, Iowa
Reverend Charles Elliott Charles Elliott was born May 16, 1792, in Donegal County, Ireland. He came to the United States in 1814 where he first settled in Ohio.
Reverend Charles Elliott was elected president of Iowa Wesleyan University on November 26, 1857. He served two terms: the first was from November 26, 1857, to June 22, 1861 and the second was from June 23, 1863 to September 26, 1866.
Before he was president of the university he was a Professor of Ecclesiastical History and Biblical Literature.
In the months that he was not president he was the editor of the Central Christian Advocate in St. Louis. He supported the Union during the Civil War.
Reverend Charles Elliott During Dr. Elliott’s time as president of Iowa Wesleyan University, Lucy W. Kilpatrick graduated and became the first woman to graduate from the institution with a Bachelor’s Degree. Dr. Elliott gave her a special diploma noting this achievement.
During his presidency, he designed a commencement program with a Latin title page in 1860, and he opened a department of foreign languages which included courses in French and German. He also presented honorary degrees to several important figures.
Elliott has written several books and booklets and was also very well known around the nation.
Reverend Charles Elliott Dr. Louis A. Haselmayer wrote the following about Reverend Elliot in his book The Presidents of Iowa Wesleyan College:
“Charles Elliott’s presidency was marked by the struggles to find funds for annual operations, the mortgage payments on Old Main and necessary building repairs. The Civil War caused a great falling off in student enrollments and, when he took up the presidency again in 1863, he had to combine professorships to enable the school to survive. But Elliott did live to see a new influx of students in 1865 and the rebirth of college life and activity.”
Reverend Charles Elliott Elliott retired from his presidency in 1866 due to poor health and age. He resided in Mt. Pleasant until his death on January 6, 1869. He is buried in Forest Home Cemetery.
Elliot’s ties with the college continued through his children. His son Simon Charles Elliott married Franc Roads who graduated in 1869. Roads was one of the seven founders of the P.E.O Sisterhood.
(Sources: Iowa Wesleyan College: Its History and Its Alumni, 1842-1917 and “Presidents of Iowa Wesleyan College by Louis A. Haselmayer.)
Reverend George B. Jocelyn
George B. Jocelyn was president for two years between the terms of Charles Elliott. Jocelyn was born in New Haven, Connecticut on January 3, 1824. He held previous positions at several colleges, including the Preparatory Department at Vincennes University. He started the DePauw College for Young Ladies in 1848. He was president at Whitewater College and also served as a professor of Mathematics and Natural Science. He had previously left the ministry to pursue educational work but returned to the ministry in 1857 for the Iowa Annual Conference. In 1859, he was admitted as an elder and appointed to the Old Zion Church in Burlington. From there he was elected President of Iowa Wesleyan University on June 22, 1861.
Reverend George B. Jocelyn
His presidency was difficult due to the Civil War. After he resigned as president in 1862, he stayed in Mount Pleasant for another two years as a pastor. Jocelyn then became the president of Albion College in Albion, Michigan. Several Iowa Wesleyan University faculty members followed him to Albion College and were also granted honorary degrees later. Two faculty members from Albion received honorary degrees from Iowa Wesleyan University as well. Jocelyn died in Albion, Michigan on January 27, 1877. (Sources: Iowa Wesleyan College: Its History and Its Alumni, 1842-1917 and “Presidents of Iowa Wesleyan College by Louis A. Haselmayer.)
The Old Year was written by Reverend George B, Jocelyn and published in Readings and Exercises in Elocution: Containing Explanations and Illustrations of the Principles of Reading and Oratory by Allen Ayrault Griffith. It was printed by E.G. Edwards, Mount Pleasant, Iowa in 1860. A copy of this book is located in the IWC Newsom Archives.