William Jewell (educator)

William Jewell

William Jewell (1789-1852) was a politician, physician, and educator from Columbia, Missouri and namesake of William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. He served as Columbia's second mayor.

Life

Jewell initially wanted the Baptist school to be in Boonville, Missouri. However after Alexander William Doniphan argued that the offer of a larger parcel of undeveloped land in Liberty, Missouri was worth more than the developed land in Boonville, the Liberty site was chosen and Jewell donated $10,000 to start school in 1849. Though William Jewell had a full life of public service, he was also quite influential in Baptist life in Missouri. William Jewell was perhaps the leading force behind organizing the First Baptist Church of Columbia and its most influential member for almost forty years. He is buried in Columbia's Jewell Cemetery.

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