Bates College - Mirror Yearbook (Lewiston, ME)

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OREN BURBANK CHENEY. PI4 FOUNDER AND FIRST PRESIDENT OF BATES COLLEGE. 'I+ Born December 10th, 1816-Halfferness, N H Deed December 221111, I9'03-Lewzlvfofz, Me. As a boy worked in paper-mill. Fitted for college at New Hampton, N. H., and Parsonsfield, Me. At New Hampton he allied himself with the cause of abolition of slavery. At Parsonsfield he was President of what is believed to be the first total abstinence society ever organized in a school. Taught school vacations while in college. Changed his college connection from Brown University to Dartmouth College in order to be associated with those who, at that time, were more in sympathy with the black race. Graduated from Dartmouth College in I839. Principal of academies at Farmington, Me., Strafford, N. H., Green- land, N. H., and Parsonslield, Me. Studied for the ministry at Whitestown, N. Y., in the seminary which was subsequently brought to Lewiston, was united with Bates College and became Cobb Divinity School. Held pastorates at West Lebanon, Me., and Augusta, Me. While at West Lebanon was elected to the Legislature by the Free Soil Party to represent the towns of Lebanon and Sandford. Voted for the original prohibitory law, which was enacted at that time C1 85 zj, under the advo- cacy and supervision of Neal Dow. Obtained a charter for the establish- ment of Lebanon Academy. Was delegate to the National Free Soil Convention at Pittsburg in 1852, which nominated John P. Hale for the Presidency. e Pastor at Augusta 1852-1857. On hearing of the burning of Parsons- tield Seminary in September, 1852, conceived the idea of founding a sem- inary for Free Baptists in a more central location. Obtained a charter for Maine State Seminary, March 16, 1855. Laid the corner-stone of Hathorn Hall June 26, 1856. September 1, 1857, opened Maine State Seminary as Principal. This was chartered as Bates College on January 19, 1864, and the first class graduated in 1867. President Cheney received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Wesleyan University in 1863. He secured a pledge of 510,000 from Capt. John Storer, a Maine man, a grant of buildings and land from the United States Government, and wrote himself the bill 'which created Storer College at Harperls Ferry, W. Va., an institution for the education of negroes. He was sought for and trusted in the counsels of his denomination and held many offices of honor and usefulness, three times being President of General Conference. He won friends, funds and students for the college which he founded and, without losing courage, when others did, guided her interests through periods of financial panic and great perplexity and uncertainty. He opened the first co-educational college on the Atlantic seaboard and conferred the degree of A. B. on the first woman graduate. . He was tactful, resourceful, persevering and sagacious. He gathered about him faculty and friends who have, with him, set for Bates College her high ideals and have enabled her so fully to attain unto them.

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