CHAPTER XI.
Locating in Palmyra.—Building up.—Palmyra Female Seminary a Private Enterprise.—Bro. Knowles Shaw.—Bro. J. J. Errett.—Bro. Creath.—Bro. L. B. Wilkes, Associate Principal.—Palmyra Seminary Incorporated.—Encouraging Prospects.
After mature deliberation and consultation with prominent brethren, he determined to locate at Palmyra and build up a college for young ladies.
There was already a male school, under the auspices of the Episcopal Church, under the able management of President Corbyn. The opening for the Doctor's enterprise was very favorable. We had a large brotherhood up and down the Mississippi River able to support the institution.
He commenced school in our church the 1st of June, 1852, and soon had sixty girls and twenty little boys. In a short time applications came in for him to take young ladies from a distance, with a request that we board them.
He found the church was not suitable for his school, but hesitated to purchase a building, as he had but a few hundred dollars to advance, but finally decided to do so. He bought a two-story frame house opposite the church, and in a month had four rooms arranged in it for his school. The lot, half of which he purchased was 100 feet wide. The man of whom he made the purchase was very anxious for the Doctor to buy the whole lot
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with the other building, a one-story frame containing three rooms. He wanted very little money and would give as long time as the Doctor desired, so he kept up the interest.
With the very flattering prospects of the school, the Doctor felt secure in closing the trade, and at once put another story on the house, made a basement, and when the school opened, Sept. 15, 1852, we moved into the house and began the boarding department with seven young ladies.
The sessions of '52 and '53 were very successful, and before spring we had application for room for thirty boarders. He began, in March, a building to fill in the space between the two, of forty feet, three stories high, including basement. This was finished in time to receive the boarders in September.
During the vacation we visited Dubuque, Iowa, and secured several pupils; also, Batavia, Ill., where we had three promised. All came. He held a meeting at Paynesville, Pike county; Louisville, Lincoln, Mexico and Frankford. At the last named place he met Bro. Knowles Shaw for the first time. The Doctor was on his way to Louisville to attend the State Convention, and Bro. Shaw was anxious for him to present his name to the convention, to see if the brethren would not send him to Bethany College. The Doctor said to him "Brother Shaw, nature has made you a better preacher than any college ever can. You have a peculiar gift that art can never bestow. I will give you a list of books that will furnish you all the Greek and Latin you will ever need, without a teacher. If you are not satisfied with my advice, in another year you shall go to Bethany." Bro. Shaw thanked the Doctor, took his
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advice, and, so far as ever known to the Doctor, never regretted the step.
Bro. J. J. Errett was living in Palmyra at the time we moved there. He was in the harness and saddlery business, and preaching as opportunity offered, and receiving but a small remuneration for it. He was one of the loveliest characters I ever knew, as simple-hearted and childlike as John and as bold in defense of right as Paul.
Dr. Hopson soon grew to love him like a brother, and told him he must give up his business and devote himself to the ministry. He was so modest, and had so low an estimate of his talents, it was difficult to persuade him to take the step. The Doctor told the brethren at Paynesville, Pike county, to call Bro. Errett to their church, and he felt sure both parties would be satisfied with the arrangement. The matter was settled satisfactorily. Bro. Errett went to them, and for more than twenty years he went in and out before those people, and never left them till Death, envying them their treasure, stole him away.
Brother Creath had his home in Palmyra, also, but was almost always away, holding meetings in different parts of the State. Their intercourse, so far as the engagements of both allowed, was pleasant. Dr. Hopson always regarded Bro. Creath as one of the most intellectual and grandest of men.
In the fall of 1854 the Doctor associated Bro. L. B. Wilkes with him as an equal partner, Bro. James Meng, who had been with him, giving himself up to preaching. The school opened with between fifty and sixty boarders and a full corps of Professors. The Doctor added to the institute a good philosophical and chemical apparatus, costing between $600 and $700.
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Palmyra Female Seminary was incorporated by an act of the Legislature, February 5, 1855, and "was authorized to grant such literary honors as are usually granted by colleges or universities in the United States." We copy the following comment on the act from the secular paper:
"The reputation of this school is so well established as to render any notice at our hands almost superfluous. We consider it one of the best established and best conducted institutions of learning in the West, and this mark of favor at the hands of the Missouri Legislature was well merited.
"The course of instruction is liberal, thorough, and calculated to bring into harmonious development all the intellectual and moral qualities of the female heart. The success of the institution is no longer to he questioned. It has struggled through infancy to mature growth, without any extraneous influence, and has demonstrated its excellence and vitality by that standard to which men are wont to attach so much importance-success.
. . .Of the learned gentlemen connected with the school, we have had occasion heretofore to speak, and at present simply remark, that in point of fitness, skill, and adaptation to their several posts, their superiors can rarely be found. We trust they will be well repaid for their labors, and that they maybe cheered and strengthened on all sides in their high vocation."
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