Page:The part taken by women in American history.djvu/580

Rh New Orleans and Mississippi. While on their voyage down the Mississippi River they lost a daughter with cholera; later, they lost a son, their only surviving child.

In 1834 Mr. Garrett moved to Chicago, and became one of the prominent men and early pioneers of that city. After Chicago became a city Mr. Garrrett was elected mayor. In December, 1848, his death occurred. Mrs. Garrett became possessed of one-half the entire estate. Of a strong religious faith, her influence was always exerted for a Christian life and Christian principles. She was always benevolent, and now decided to carry out her desires to aid in some educational enterprise. She believed the future of the church and country demanded a thorough intellectual training for the young under the auspices of Christianity. She realized that ministerial education was by no means receiving a corresponding share of attention, and that for various reasons it was not likely soon to be provided for in the ordinary way. To this, therefore, she directed her thoughts. She saw in her own church (Methodist) a growing denomination of Christians, then numbering seven hundred thousand communicants, and requiring for its ordinary pastoral care not less than five thousand ministers, while the claims made upon it for missionaries throughout the United States and distant lands were unlimited. Besides, it was lamentably true that many who were engaged in ministerial work left it prematurely, unable, with an imperfect preparation, to bear up under its weighty responsibilities. The want of an institution which should provide for ministerial students ample libraries and all appropriate apparatus of thorough and extended study, in which teachers of ability and experience would be ever ready to welcome, guide and instruct those desiring to profit for such opportunities, was badly felt. After due reflection and investigation, Mrs. Garrett decided to found such an institution. Her will, executed December, 1853, gave, after some personal legacies, more than one-third of her estate—"all the rest and residue—that is to say, the rents, issues, profits and proceeds thereof," to the erection, furnishing and endowment of a "theological institution for the Methodist Episcopal Church, to be called the Garrett Biblical Institute." Said institution was to be located in or near Chicago, and was to be perpetually under the guardianship of the church.

This will, also, with a wise reference to the distant future, contained this proviso: "In case at any time the said trust property, the rents, issues and proceeds thereof, shall exceed the amount necessary to build, fit, furnish, endow and support said Biblical institute as aforesaid, I direct and devote the surplus to accumulate, or otherwise to be invested for accumulation, for the erection within the city of Chicago, or its* vicinity, of a female college, as soon as my said executors, the survivors or survivor of them, or the trustees of said trust property, as herein provided, shall deem the same adequate therefor; the said female college to be under the same control and government, and the trustees to be elected in the same manner, and to possess the same qualifications as are provided for said Biblical institute."

At the time when Mrs. Garrett's will was executed, it was not supposed by herself or her friends that the benevolent designs she contemplated could be accomplished from the avails of her estate for some years to come. Her property had been rendered, by fires, mostly unproductive, while it was to some extent incumbered with debts. At this point a fact should be stated most honorable to