Rev. Charles Burt Sumner, D.D.

Dr. Charles Burt Sumner

• Find A Grave Memorial ID # 10447114
• Dr. Charles B. Sumner's Wikipedia Page
• Guide and Index to the Papers of Charles Sumner (PDF)
• The Story of Pomona College by Dr. Charles Burt Sumner, 1914

One of the founders of Pomona College. Dr. Sumner settled with his family in Pomona in the 1880's and became the first pastor of Pilgrim Congregational Church. As a community leader, he supported the creation of a Christian college that would provide superior education for Southern California families, and soon began full-time work in developing Pomona College, a 40-year endeavor. In earlier years in served in the Union Army in the Civil War in the 45th Massachusetts Infantry (Militia).

What originally began as Pomona College is now seven (7) separate institutions of higher education, known as The Claremont Colleges.

• Pomona College - https://www.pomona.edu
• Claremont Graduate University - https://www.cgu.edu
• Scripps College - https://www.scrippscollege.edu
• Claremont McKenna College - https://www.cmc.edu
• Harvey Mudd College - https://www.hmc.edu
• Pitzer College - https://www.pitzer.edu
• Keck Graduate Institute - https://www.kgi.edu

NOTE: His grandson, Dr. George Charles Sumner Benson, was the founding President of Claremont McKenna College.

Father, George Sumner, a farmer; son of John and Abigail (Pease) Sumner; descendant of William Sumner, who came from England to Dorchester, Massachusetts, in 1636. Mother, Julia (Fisk) Sumner; daughter of Nathan and Abigail (Lyon) Fisk; granddaughter of Daniel Fisk, who was one of the first two settlers of Sturbridge, Massachusetts in 1731; descendant of Nathan Fisk, who came to this country from Weybred, England, in 1638 and settled in Watertown, Massachusetts.

Charles E. Sumner, '63

Preparatory training received at Southbridge High School under Nathan Upham, LL.B. 1853, and at Williston Seminary 1856-58. Dissertation appointments Junior and Senior years; speaker at Yale Commencement; third prize in Brothers in Unity Sophomore debate; member Kappa Sigma Epsilon, Psi Upsilon and Phi Beta Kappa.

Enlisted and was enrolled in Company A, 45th Massachusetts Regiment (a nine-months regiment); in September, 1862, promoted to Sergeant; took part in several engagements in North Carolina; discharged July 7, 1863; next week recalled and during the riots of 1863 was stationed with his regiment in Faneuil Hall, Boston; taught at Monson (Massachusetts) Academy 1863-65 and during last year there also took the first year studies at Andover Theological Seminary, completed his theological course at Andover in 1867, and subsequently acted as principal of Monson Academy for a few months; ordained to Congregational ministry January 2, 1868, at Monson, where he held a pastorate until October, 1879; subsequent pastorates: West Somerville, Massachusetts, 1880-82, Tucson, Arizona, 1882-84, Pilgrim Congregational Church, Pomona, California, 1887-88 and Claremont, 1891-92; superintendent of home mission work in Arizona and New Mexico under American Missionary Society (now Congregational Home Missionary Society), with his residence in Las Vegas, New Mexico, 1884-86; moved to Los Angeles, California, November, 1886, and to Pomona March, 1887; one of the founders of Pomona College (1887), to which he devoted nearly forty years of his life as teacher and administrator (professor of Biblical literature 1888-1899; general and financial secretary 1888-1896; member of board of trustees 1887-1897 and 1898-1927 and secretary of board 1887-1897 and 1900-1927; also secretary of executive committee and of committee on buildings and grounds); charter member of Pomona chapter of Phi Beta Kappa in 1914; LL.D. Pomona 1910 (only honorary degree conferred by the college in first twenty-three years of its existence); interested in orange and lemon growing and served as president of Indian Hill Citrus Association and San Dimas Orange Association and as director of San Dimas Lemon Association; active in cooperative business movements in Southern California as director of Pomona Valley Telephone & Telegraph Union and San Dimas Mutual Water Company; vice president of Yale Club of Southern California 1918-19, acting secretary of Class of 1862 during 1925-26; author: The Story of Pomona College (1914); member of Claremont Congregational Church at time of death.

From the Pomona Progress-Bulletin July 13, 1927

DR. SUMNER IS LAID TO REST

Founder of Pomona College Receives Last Tribute of Valley Residents

Claremont-Three hymns, favorites of Dr. Charles Sumner, who passed away at his home Monday night following an illness of several weeks, were selected by his son Dr. George Sumner of Pomona College, to be sung at the simple funeral services held this afternoon in the Claremont church for the beloved founder of the college.

"Rock of Ages" "Lead Kindly Light" and "Sun of My Soul" were the hymns, sung by a quartet composed of Mrs. A.D. Stauffacher, Mrs. J.G. Born, Ralph Lyman and Warner Bently. The services held before hosts of grieving friends who had known Dr. Sumner since the time he moved to Pomona valley in 1887 as pastor of the Pilgrim Congregational Church, were simple and avoided addresses, as the life and work of the pastor is known to every person in the valley.

The services were conducted by the Rev. A.D. Stauffacher, assisted by Dean Norton of the college. Floral tributes to the sterling character and kindliness of Dr. Sumner marked the final resting place in Claremont cemetery, forming a tall monument at the grave.

Married (1) October 7, 1869, in Southbridge, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Mary Louisa, the daughter of John Porter Stedman.

Children: Helen (B.A. Pomona 1894), the wife of the Rev. Eugene Huntington Benson (B.A. Pomona College 1894, MA. University of California 1898); and George Stedman (B.A. Pomona College 1894, Yale University 1895, Ph.D. Yale University 1897).

Mrs. Sumner died July 21, 1893.

Married (2) January 26, 1904, in New York City, Mrs. May Frost Cole, who died October 29, 1905.

Death due to bronchial pneumonia. Buried in Oak Park Cemetery, Claremont, California. Survived by daughter, son and seven grandchildren.

Name: Charles Burt Sumner
Enlistment Age: 25
Birth Date: about 1837
Enlistment Date: 15 September 1862
Enlistment Rank: Corporal
Muster Date: 26 September 1862
Muster Place: Massachusetts
Muster Company: A
Muster Regiment: 45th Infantry
Muster Regiment Type: Infantry
Muster Information: Enlisted
Rank Change Date: 16 January 1863
Rank Change Rank: Serge.
Muster Out Date: 7 July 1863
Muster Out Place: Readville, Massachusetts
Muster Out Information: Mustered Out
Side of War: Union
Survived War?: Yes
Residence Place: Southbridge, Massachusetts
Occupation: Student

Title: Massachusetts Soldiers, Sailors and Marines in the Civil War