Newspapers / Mars Hill University Student … / April 1, 1948, edition 1 / Page 6
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wood ■ nd th ;rs wil ng, Fr and Ja ogram sed CC 5 Hill: 3ta Kj , Wake )f Phi membe losen, dars H ians w ghest iris Pee 1 Rayn er stud cted las sarch id 1 lND^ A^ E S HILL There are many of us who live upon the campus of Mars Hill col lege and learn but little of the his tory of achievement that lies be hind this institution. Few of us know that Mars Hill college is the oldest educational institution in Western North Carolina, and still fewer of us know anything what soever about the men who have presided over the institution. These are the men who have given themselves, that today we might study at this great stronghold of learning. In the fall of 1856, a school was opened under the name of The French Broad Baptist Institute, receiving its name from the asso ciation in which it was located. The French Broad Baptist Insti tute was the seed from which sprouted the present Mars Hill col lege. William Albert Gallatin Brown, a graduate of what is now Carson-Newman college in Tennes see, came to this community ana served as the first president, re tiring in 1858. He was the father of the late Dr. A. E. Brown. Following the retirement of Mr. Brown, Mr. J. B. Marsh of Bing- HILLTOP—PAGE SIX hamton, N. Y. became the admin istrator and was destined to be the first president of Mars Hill college, for the school secured its charter and present name on February 16, 1859. Mr. Marsh was very much interested in the school and during his administration two new buildings, a dormitory and a teacher’s home were built. How ever, the Civil War swept down upon the nation and Mr. Marsh, because he was a Northerner, re signed. He did not leave the South but was active in revival services among the Confederate troops and . in Sunday School work in North Carolina. Mars Hill now found itself caught in the whirl of conflict. It was divided in loyalties, there be ing both Union and Confederate influence in the community. Pink ney Rollins, a local man, became president in 1861, but, because of war conditions, including the loss of almost all the men to the army, he was forced to close the school in 1863. He reopened Mars Hill college in June 1865; however, since he was a northern sympa thizer, he was forced to resign from his position in April 1866. In the dark years following the War, Mars Hill became practically forgotten, and it was a severe struggle to keep the institution alive. In April 1866, John Am mons, a local man who had at tended Mars Hill college, became the president. He was a pioneer Baptist minister and a staunch Baptist in every sense of the word. His administration lasted until February 1868. Next stepping into this position of leadership was Meriwether Lewis, a scholarly man from Vir ginia. He came to Mars Hill from the Burnsville Academy and was a Methodist. Because of Mr. Lewis’ religious affiliations, John Robert Sams, the son of the Mars Hill minister, was the nominal head of the college. After Mr. Lewis’ de parture in 1871, Mr. Sams became the president of the institution and served in that position until 1872 when, because of Klu Klux strife. Mars Hill college was again forced to close. Its buildings were occupied by a branch of the Ox ford Orphanage from 1873 until 1875.
Mars Hill University Student Newspaper
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April 1, 1948, edition 1
6
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