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Historical records matching Henry Fairchild
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About Henry Fairchild
Edward Henry Fairchild
Fairchild was born in Stockbridge, Massachusetts on November 29, 1815, the son of Grandison Fairchild (1792-1890) and Nancy Harris Fairchild (1795-1875). He was one of ten children, six daughters and four sons, three of whom became college presidents: James Harris of Oberlin College, George Thompson of Kansas Agricultural College (now Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas) and Edward Henry of Berea College (Kentucky). Joining the westward migration into the “Great Valley” and Western Reserve, the family moved to Brownhelm, Ohio, nine miles from Oberlin, when Edward Henry was an infant.
He entered Oberlin College as a member of the first freshman class, graduating from the college with an A.B. degree in 1838. In 1836, as a 21 year-old undergraduate, he was commissioned as an anti-slavery lecturer and spent three months in Northern Pennsylvania. The following year he taught for three months in a black school near Cincinnati, Ohio and then served the Anti-Slavery Society by lecturing throughout Ohio, often garnering the hostility of both clergy and lay persons. He then entered the Oberlin Theological Seminary and graduated in 1841. On August 24 of that year he was ordained at Oberlin and the following week, on August 31, married Maria Ball Babbitt (d. 1888; Lit. 1840).
Following ordination, Edward Henry Fairchild served the church for twelve years (1841-1853): in Cleveland (1841-42); in Birmingham, Michigan (1842-49); in Elmira, New York (1849-50); and in Hartford, Ohio (1850-53). He then returned to Oberlin to serve his alma mater. From 1853 to 1869 he held the post of Principal of the Preparatory Department where he had been an assistant teacher during his undergraduate days. While Principal, he wrote a pamphlet, Historical Sketch of Oberlin College (Springfield, 1868). In 1868 and 1869 he also served as the Financial Agent of the College, raising $80,000 dollars, a success that lead to his being offered the presidency of four colleges. He chose Berea College in Kentucky, becoming its first president; previous heads of the college had been called principals. Fairchild was uniquely prepared for this position of leadership by his experience as an anti-slavery lecturer as well as his financial acumen.
He assumed the Presidency of Berea College five years after the end of the Civil War. Kentucky had been a slave state, but President Fairchild insisted that white and black, as long as they were “persons of good moral character,” must be received into Berea College.” At his death, the author of a memorial tribute wrote: “It is needless to say that his work in Berea College has been well done. In the midst of every danger he stood at his post.” The Bulletin of Berea College (1934-35) adds: “An educator and administrator of great ability, President Fairchild guided the institution through reconstruction times and added materially to the equipment of the College in buildings, endowment, and faculty... . [He was] a promoter of the democratic ideals in education, religion and government.”
Edward Henry and Maria Babbitt Fairchild had six children, four of whom studied at Oberlin. They included Charles Grandison (1843-1933; A.B. 1866, Sem. 1869, A.M. 1869), Edward Henry, Jr. (d. 1876; enr. 1860-64 prep., 1864-66 coll.), Julia Maria (Mrs. C. F. Hall, 1847-1936; Lit. 1868) and Arthur Babbitt (1852-1927; Sem. 1887). The names of the other two children remain unknown.
Edward Henry Fairchild died on October 2, 1889, while awaiting the appointment of his successor.
Fairchild's son Charles Grandison Fairchild became a distinguished educator and college president as well. Other children included:
Edward Henry
Julia Marie
Arthur Babbitt
Eugene Plumb
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Henry Fairchild's Timeline
| 1815 |
November 29, 1815
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Stockbridge, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States
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| 1843 |
September 10, 1843
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BIRMINGHAM, MI
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| 1845 |
August 28, 1845
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MI
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| 1847 |
August 15, 1847
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MI
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| 1852 |
November 16, 1852
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Hartford, Licking County, Ohio, United States
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| 1854 |
March 5, 1854
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Oberlin, Lorain County, Ohio, United States
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| 1889 |
October 2, 1889
Age 73
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Berea, Madison County, Kentucky, United States
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| ???? |
Berea Cemetery, 500 Oak Grove Ct, Berea, Madison County, Kentucky, 40403, United States
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