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Manchester University Archives and Brethren Historical Collection

 

Full listing > Accession MC2003/119
Accession #MC2003/119
TopicStein, John W. : Mount Morris College, President,
TitleJ.W. Stein Papers
SubtitleFaculty/Staff Mount Morris College
Size1 file
LocationSmall boxes 31--Mt Morris - Box 31 moved into the Mt. Morris metal cabinet [lower shelf] by Jeanine Wine 18 November 2018.
CitationJ.W. Stein Papers, MC2003/119 , Archives and Brethren Historical Collection, Funderburg Library, Manchester University, North Manchester, Indiana.
AccessResearchers are responsible for determining copyright status of archived materials where this is relevant to their intended use of the materials.
ProvenanceUnknown
Scope and Content

Correspondence and editorial (July 1883) regarding the Stein-Tombaugh affair.

Letter from Grover Thomas to George Heeter, 25 August 1982.

Letter from Bob Bowman to George Heeter, 10 July 1986.

Transcribed letter from A.H. Cassel to J.W. Stein, 9 April 1884.

Transcribed letter from J.W. Stein to A.H. Cassel, 7 September 1884.

Copy of article outlining contents of 1881-2 issues of The Democrat [Mt. Morris newspaper?]

Copy of Mt. Morris Church of the Brethren records of Stein's expulsion and his wife's dismissal from the church; also, Silver Creek Church of the Brethren records of Sallie Stein's request for divorce and J.W. Stein's request to be received into membership.

Photocopy of information from Mount Morris: Past and Present.

Transcribed information from Brethren in Northern Illinois and Wisconsin.

Packet of materials gathered by George Heeter.

Packet of materials gathered by Grover Thomas.

Letter of inquiry to Marlin Heckman from George Heeter.  Letter donated to the Archives by Ferne Baldwin, September 2009, and added to collection by Jeanine Wine.

Additional materials sent to the Archives by Ferne Baldwin in the Fall of 2012 that probably duplicates some of the information above.

Materials collected from other researchers who have had an interest in the life of J. W. Stein.

Copy of a biography, "Abraham Harley Cassel and His Collection," by Donald F. Durnbaugh. Cassel was a contemporary and friend of Stein's.

Date of AccessionUnknown
Bio History Note

In 1881, J.W. Stein, then president of Mt. Morris College,  disappeared mysteriously, leaving behind his wife and children.  Eventually it was determined that he was living with a student, Miss Delilah Tombaugh, either on a government claim in Oregon or in Canada.  The pair eloped (although a divorce was not granted to J.W. and Sallie Stein) and had two children.  The Church of the Brethren expelled him for infidelity.

Mt. Morris College, Mt. Morris, Illinois, was founded by the Methodists as Rock River Seminary in 1839.  In 1879 it was purchased by the Church of the Brethren and evolved into Mt. Morris College.  A fire destroyed Old Sandstone, one of the college's main buildings, on January 15, 1912.  After raising money to rebuild, the college began to suffer enrollment and financial problems.  By 1931 these problems seemed to be improving, but a catastrophic fire on April 12, 1931, destroyed two buildings and heavily damaged two more.  The college was unable to survive, and on May 5, 1932, the decision was made to merge with Manchester College.

Archivist Note

Date of Accession: Unknown.

Description prepared 9 April 2003 by Sara L. Smith, updated 21 January 2004, and last updated 29 October 2009 by Jeanine Wine.

 


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