Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/60

 34 A HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO Notwithstanding the discouraging nature of this letter it was felt that, considering the promise to "still further investigate," the case was not entirely hopeless. As a matter of fact, Mr. Rockefeller sought, without delay, the advice of one who was, he believed, well qualified to counsel him wisely, Dr. A. H. Strong, president of the Rochester Theological Seminary. This appears from the following letter of February 14, 1887: I enclose herein a letter to me from Dr. Goodspeed, dated January 7, and from Dr. Harper, of January n. Would be much obliged if you would at con- venient time to you say to me in confidence what you think of it. Augustus H. Strong, D.D., LL.D., who is to figure largely in these introductory pages, though with views at variance from those which finally prevailed, was born in Rochester, New York, in 1836, graduated from Yale in 1857, and from the Rochester Theological Seminary in 1859. From 1865 to 1872 he was pastor of the First Baptist Church of Cleveland, Ohio, where his acquaintance with Mr. Rockefeller, then a rising young business man of Cleveland, three years his junior, was begun. In 1872 Dr. Strong became president of Rochester Theological Seminary, then, and during Dr. Strong's entire administration of forty years, the chief strong- hold of Baptist orthodoxy. After Dr. Strong removed to Rochester the friendship between the two men continued, and Mr. Rocke- feller in his growing prosperity made generous contributions from time to time to the Seminary. The families of the two friends sustained intimate relations, and ultimately Dr. Strong's eldest son married Mr. Rockefeller's eldest daughter. Perceiving that the rapidly growing fortune of Mr. Rockefeller promised to reach vast proportions, Dr. Strong early conceived the hope that some twenty million dollars of it might be employed in the founding in New York City of a great graduate university under Baptist auspices. In due time he unfolded his plan to Mr. Rockefeller, and often urged it upon his attention. He accepted an invitation to tour Europe with Mr. Rockefeller in the summer of 1887, and naturally improved the opportunities daily association at leisure gave him of expounding his great theme and winning Mr. Rockefeller's adherence. When our narrative begins in 1886 Mr. Rockefeller was already familiar with Dr. Strong's plans which