John Hiram Lathrop

John Hiram Lathrop (January 22, 1799 – August 2, 1866) was a well-known American educator during the early 19th century . He served as the first President of both the University of Missouri^[1] and the University of Wisconsin as well as president of Indiana University.

Contents 1 Early life 2 First term at the University of Missouri 3 University of Wisconsin 4 Second term at the University of Missouri 5 References 6 Links 7 See also

Early life

John Lathrop was born in Sherburne, New York in 1799. He attended Yale University, graduating in 1819 and teaching for three years at Farmington, Connecticut. He later became a tutor at his alma mater from 1822 till 1826 when he was admitted to the bar and practiced at Middletown, Connecticut. He also spent some time teaching in Norwich, Vermont and Gardiner, Maine. In 1829 he became professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York.

First term at the University of Missouri

The University of Missouri was founded in 1839 as the first public or state university west of the Mississippi River. Professor Lathrop was chosen as its first president in 1840, a position he held until 1849. He is credited with laying the foundations for the university's first century.

University of Wisconsin

In 1849, Lathrop was elected the first chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison. During his tenure as chancellor, he established the academic setting at the university, and he recommended the university's seal and motto, "Numen Lumen." He was nominated for the position of first President of the University of Michigan in 1852 after Henry Barnard declined the job, but Henry Philip Tappan was elected instead. He resigned in 1858 due to problems with the regents and legislature, but remained the acting chancellor until Henry Barnard officially became the chancellor in 1859.

Second term at the University of Missouri

After resigning the presidency of Indiana University in 1859 after only one year, he returned to the University of Missouri as a professor of English literature. He was re-elected president in 1865, the only president ever to hold two separate terms, and held that office until his death in Columbia, Missouri in 1866. He is buried in Columbia at the Columbia Cemetery^[2]

References

Links

• Chancellors and Presidents of the University of Wisconsin–Madison

See also

• History of the University of Missouri

Academic offices
New title First president	President of the University of Missouri 1841-1849	Succeeded by James Shannon
New title First chancellor	Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin–Madison 1849-1858	Succeeded by Henry Barnard
Preceded by William Mitchel Daily	President of Indiana University 1859-1860	Succeeded by Cyrus Nutt
Preceded by Benjamin Blake Minor	President of the University of Missouri 1865-1866	Succeeded by Daniel Read

Chancellors and Presidents of University of Wisconsin–Madison Lathrop Barnard Sterling Chadbourne Twombly Bascom Chamberlin Adams Birge Van Hise Birge Frank Sellery Dykstra Fred Elvehjem Harrington Fleming Sewell Kearl Young Clodius Weaver Pound Shain Cohen Shalala Ward Wiley Martin

Presidents of Indiana University Wylie Ryors Daily Lathrop Nutt Moss Jordan Coulter Swain Bryan Wells Stahr Sutton Ryan Ehrlich Brand Herbert McRobbie

Persondata
Name	Lathrop, John Hiram
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	January 22, 1799
Place of birth
Date of death	August 2, 1866
Place of death