Lewis R. Fiske
Encyclopedia
Lewis Ransom Fiske was an educator from the U.S. state
of Michigan
. He served as president pro tempore of the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan (now Michigan State University
) from 1859 to 1862 and as president of Albion College
from 1877 to 1898. Fiske sometimes spelled his name Fisk.
, the sixth child of ten born to James and Eleanor (née Ransom) Fiske. The ancestors of the Fiske family left England to settle in Wenham, Massachusetts
, in 1637. Lewis' father, James Fiske, was born in New Hampshire
, August 4, 1788, and was a cousin to Levi Woodbury
, a prominent politician from New Hampshire who served as a justice of the United States Supreme Court.
The family moved to a farm in Coldwater, Michigan
, in 1835. In the school year 1845–46, Fiske attended the Wesleyan Seminary of Albion (now Albion College
). He went on to graduate in 1850 with an A.B.
from the University of Michigan
. He began to study law, but in the fall of 1850 accepted a position as professor of Natural Science at the Albion Female Collegiate Institute and Wesleyan Seminary.
On September 19, 1852, Fiske married Elizabeth Ross Spence (d. February 25, 1879). Spence was the cousin of Scottish author and poet George MacDonald
. In the summer of 1880 Fiske married Helen M. Davis of Detroit (d. 1896). Fiske had one daughter and one son with his first wife and three sons with the second.
In 1853, Fiske received an A.M.
degree from the University of Michigan and also accepted a professorship at the Ypsilanti State Normal School (now Eastern Michigan University
). In 1856, he became professor of Chemistry at the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan (now Michigan State University
). He served as President pro tempore of the Agricultural College from 1859 to 1862 and also acted as the chaplain of the State Reform School in Lansing
.
In 1863, Fiske entered the ministry for the Methodist Episcopal Church
, served as pastor of the Methodist Episcopal in Jackson
, 1863–66; of the Central Methodist Episcopal Church in Detroit
, 1866–69; and of the First Methodist Church in Ann Arbor
, 1869–72. In 1872 he was the Presiding Elder of the Ann Arbor District. In 1873, he was awarded the D.D.
from Albion College
and returned for another three years to his former pastorate in Detroit. From 1876 to 1877, he was in charge of the Tabernacle Methodist Episcopal Church in Detroit. For some time, beginning in January 1875, he was editor of the Michigan Christian Advocate, the organ of Michigan Methodism.
In 1877, Fiske became president of Albion College, in which position he remained for 22 years until his retirement in 1898. In 1878, he was honored with an LL.D. from the University of Michigan. He was elected six times as a delegate to the quadrennial general conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, held respectively in Brooklyn, Baltimore, Philadelphia
, New York City
, Omaha
, and Cleveland
.
Fisk was president of the State Teachers Association of Michigan in 1889. He was appointed a member of the Ecumenical Council of the Methodist Episcopal Church the met in Washington D.C., in October 1891. For sixteen years he was a trustee of the board of education of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Fisk published several works, among them: "Echos from College Platform", "Among the Professions", "Today and Tomorrow", "Choosing a Life-work", and Man Building: A Treatise on Human Life and Its Forces (ISBN 1417953152).
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. He served as president pro tempore of the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan (now Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
) from 1859 to 1862 and as president of Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
from 1877 to 1898. Fiske sometimes spelled his name Fisk.
Biography
Lewis Ransom Fiske was born in Penfield, New YorkPenfield, New York
Penfield is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 36,242 at the 2010 census.The town was incorporated in 1810 by the proprietor, Daniel Penfield, who purchased the town lands in 1795 and moved to the area in 1809. Penfield is a suburb of Rochester, New York...
, the sixth child of ten born to James and Eleanor (née Ransom) Fiske. The ancestors of the Fiske family left England to settle in Wenham, Massachusetts
Wenham, Massachusetts
Wenham is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,875 at the 2010 census.The Town of Wenham was originally settled in 1635 and has retained much of its unique historic character and tranquil rural scenery...
, in 1637. Lewis' father, James Fiske, was born in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, August 4, 1788, and was a cousin to Levi Woodbury
Levi Woodbury
Levi Woodbury was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, a U.S. Senator, Governor of New Hampshire and cabinet member in three administrations. He was the first Justice to have attended law school....
, a prominent politician from New Hampshire who served as a justice of the United States Supreme Court.
The family moved to a farm in Coldwater, Michigan
Coldwater, Michigan
Coldwater is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 10,945. It is the county seat of Branch County....
, in 1835. In the school year 1845–46, Fiske attended the Wesleyan Seminary of Albion (now Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
). He went on to graduate in 1850 with an A.B.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
. He began to study law, but in the fall of 1850 accepted a position as professor of Natural Science at the Albion Female Collegiate Institute and Wesleyan Seminary.
On September 19, 1852, Fiske married Elizabeth Ross Spence (d. February 25, 1879). Spence was the cousin of Scottish author and poet George MacDonald
George MacDonald
George MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister.Known particularly for his poignant fairy tales and fantasy novels, George MacDonald inspired many authors, such as W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, E. Nesbit and Madeleine L'Engle. It was C.S...
. In the summer of 1880 Fiske married Helen M. Davis of Detroit (d. 1896). Fiske had one daughter and one son with his first wife and three sons with the second.
In 1853, Fiske received an A.M.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degree from the University of Michigan and also accepted a professorship at the Ypsilanti State Normal School (now Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University
Eastern Michigan University is a comprehensive, co-educational public university located in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Ypsilanti is west of Detroit and eight miles east of Ann Arbor. The university was founded in 1849 as Michigan State Normal School...
). In 1856, he became professor of Chemistry at the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan (now Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
). He served as President pro tempore of the Agricultural College from 1859 to 1862 and also acted as the chaplain of the State Reform School in Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
.
In 1863, Fiske entered the ministry for the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
, served as pastor of the Methodist Episcopal in Jackson
Jackson, Michigan
Jackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
, 1863–66; of the Central Methodist Episcopal Church in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, 1866–69; and of the First Methodist Church in Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, 1869–72. In 1872 he was the Presiding Elder of the Ann Arbor District. In 1873, he was awarded the D.D.
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
from Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
and returned for another three years to his former pastorate in Detroit. From 1876 to 1877, he was in charge of the Tabernacle Methodist Episcopal Church in Detroit. For some time, beginning in January 1875, he was editor of the Michigan Christian Advocate, the organ of Michigan Methodism.
In 1877, Fiske became president of Albion College, in which position he remained for 22 years until his retirement in 1898. In 1878, he was honored with an LL.D. from the University of Michigan. He was elected six times as a delegate to the quadrennial general conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, held respectively in Brooklyn, Baltimore, Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, and Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
.
Fisk was president of the State Teachers Association of Michigan in 1889. He was appointed a member of the Ecumenical Council of the Methodist Episcopal Church the met in Washington D.C., in October 1891. For sixteen years he was a trustee of the board of education of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Fisk published several works, among them: "Echos from College Platform", "Among the Professions", "Today and Tomorrow", "Choosing a Life-work", and Man Building: A Treatise on Human Life and Its Forces (ISBN 1417953152).