Levi Stockbridge
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Levi Stockbridge (1820 – 1904) was a farmer from Hadley, Massachusetts. He was the founder of Massachusetts Agricultural College now known as the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. After helping to clear land for the school he was also its first full time employee.
He held the following postions with the college:
- Farm Superintendent: 1867-1869
- Professor: 1867-1879
- Acting President: 1876
- Fifth President: 1880-1882
He held patents for pioneering experiments in; fertilizer development, nutrient leaching and soil mulching. In 1876 he published Experiments in Feeding Plants. Stockbridge served three terms in the Massachusetts Sate Legislature, 12 years on the state board of agriculture and for 32 years was a state cattle comissioner. In 1880 he ran for Congress on the Labor-Greenback Party ticket and lost.
The Boltwood-Stockbridge House in Amherst, Massachsetts is probably the first house built in Amherst and is certainly the oldest remaining and was originally built as the home of Samuel Boltwood. Evetually the Boltwood house and the 111 acre farm surrounding the house became the Mass Agricultural College. Henry Flagg French, MAC's first president, resided there until he resigned in 1967, Stockbridge made it both his home and office, hence the name. Baring hisa name and remaining on the campus of UMass Amherst today are the house; the Stockbridge School of Agriculture and the road to the school all bare Stockbridge's name.
The town of Stockbridge, Georgia is also named after him.
[edit] References
- Cleary, Vince. Who Was Levi Stockbridge? UMass, Amherst: The Magazine for Alumni & Friends. Winter 2007
