Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/106

 JEWETT

JEWETT

of directors. He was also president of the Little Miaiiii, Columbus and Xenia railroad and of the Cincinnati and Muskingum Valley railroad. He retired to his home in Zanesville, Ohio, in 1884, and died in Augusta, Ga,, March 6, 1898.

JEWETT, Joshua H., representative, was born at Deer Creek, Md., Sept. 13, 1812. He studied law and removed to Kentucky where he prac- tised his profession in Elizabethtown. He was a representative in the 34th and 35th congresses, 1855-59, serving as chairman of the committee on invalid pensions. He died at Elizabethtown, Ky.

JEWETT, Luther, clergyman and representa- tive, was born in Canterbury, Conn., Dec. 24, 1773. He was graduated at Dartmouth college, A.B., in 1795. He studied medicine and commenced its practice in St. Johnsbury, Vt., in 1800. He re- ceived the degree of M.B. from Dartmouth in 1810 and continued to practice medicine during his lifetime. He was licensed to preach by the Coos association, and he supplied the pulpits of Newbury and other towns for ten years. 1821-31. He was a member of the state legislature for sev- eral years, and represented the northern district of Vermont in the 14th congress, 1815-17. He established the Farmers' Herald on July 2, 1825, the first newspaper published in St. Johnsbury, which he continued for four years; also the Friend, to help support the Masonic and Whig cause, which completed two volumes under his direction. He was the author of a thanksgiving sermon delivered Dec. 3, 1818, relating to the early eccle- siastical history of the town of St. Johnsbury, Vt. His brother, Calvin Jewett, M.D., Dartmouth, 1821, was also a physician of St. Johnsbury, and died there in 1853. Dr. Luther Jewett died in St. Johnsbury. Vt.. March 8, 1860.

JEWETT, nilo Parker, educator, was born in St. Johnsbury, Vt., April 27, 1808; son of Dr. Calvin Jewett (1782-1853), Dartmouth, M.D., 1821; and nephew of the Rev. Luther Jewett (q. v.). He prepared for college at Bi-adford academy, Vt., and was graduated from Dart- mouth, A.B., 1828, A.M., 1831. He was principal of Holmes academy, Plymouth, N.H., 1828-29 and studied law in the office of Josiah Quincy, Rum- ney, N.H., 1829-30. Abandoning the law he entered the Andover Theological seminary and was graduated in 1833. He lectured on the com- mon school during his vacations, and these lec- tures started the movement which resulted in the common school system adopted by the state of New York. Upon his graduation at Andover he decided to teach rather than preach, and accepted a professorship in Marietta collegiate institute. He helped to raise funds for the college, founded the next year, and was professor of rhetoric and political economy at Marietta college, 1834-38. He was a member of the convention which led to the

establishment of the common school system in Ohio in 183G and was sent abroad by the state to investigate the school systems of Europe, and his report created universal interest throughout the United States. He united with the Baptist church in January, 1839, resigned his professor- ship at Marietta college, and became a Baptist minister. He established and was principal of Judson Female institute at Marion, Ala., and con- ducted, in connection with this school, the Alabama Baptist. In 1855 he returned north and establislied Cottage Hill seminary for girls at Poughkeepsie, N.Y., and was its principal 1855- 61. While in Poughkeepsie he met Matthew Vassar and suggested to him the plan of a thorouglily equipped and endowed college for the higher education of young women. Mr. Vassar adopted the plan, and wlien Vassar college was established in 1861, Professor Jewett was

VASSAR COLt-EQE.

made its first president, serving 1861-64. In 1862 he visited Europe to inspect its universities, libraries and art galleries on which he made a report on his return, and at the same time made a report on the organization of Vassar college. He was attacked with almost total blindness, and resigned the presidency of Vassar in 1864. He subsequently settled in Milwaukee, Wis., where he was made honorary president of the Female college; chairman of the board of visitors of the University of Wisconsin; president of the board of health, of the State Temperance society, of the County Bible society; and chairman of the Baptist Educational association. The University of Rochester conferred upon him the honorary degree of LL.D. in 1861. He is the author of: Jeioett on Ba^otism (1840); Report of the Presi- dent's Visit to Europe (1863); Report on the Or- ganization of Vassar College (1863); Relation of Boards of Health to Intemperance (1874); A Plea for Academies (1875); The Model Academy (1875. ) He died in Milwaukee, Wis. . June 9, 1882. JEWETT, Sara, actress, was born in Buffalo, N.Y.,inl847. She was educated at a scJiool in Lenox, Mass., and privately in Cambridge, Mass., where she made a marked success in amateur theatricals. Meeting with financial reverses she adopted the stage as a profession and studied in New York with Fanny Morant, through whom she