This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!
Founding of Oberlin credited to 19th century Elyria ministers
The town of Oberlin grew from the visions of Rev. John J. Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart who planned a faith based community west of Elyria in 1832 and opened the Oberlin Institute. Their efforts connected with the Second Great Awakening and anti slavery ideals, leading to a school for men and women and a push for racial equality in early Oberlin. The piece traces Shipherd’s Elyria ministry, the 1833 move to Russia Township, and the broader campus and abolitionist roots that shaped the college. It notes Shipherd’s letters, temperance advocacy, and the historical postal artifacts from Elyria.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Oberlin
John J. Shipherd
Philo P. Stewart
Elyria
Russia Township
Gary J. Kornblith
Carol Lasser
Oberlin College
Ohio
Shipherd
Stewart
Oberlin Institute
Kornblith
Lasser
Esther
Shelburne
Vermont
Providence
New York
Cleveland
First Presbyterian Church
Mississippi
Absalom Peters
American Home Missionary Society