Wilbur Fisk
Encyclopedia
Willbur Fisk also known as Wilbur Fisk, was a prominent American Methodist minister, educator and theologian. He was the first President of Wesleyan University
. (Note that Fisk's first name is properly spelled with two Ls, as can be seen in his signatures, his grave marker, and the large hall on the Wesleyan campus named in his honor. However, numerous printed sources, including in his lifetime, give his name as 'Wilbur'.)
, (near Brattleboro
), Vermont
on August 31, 1792. His father, the Hon. Isaiah Fisk (1763–1859), was from Massachusetts
and descended from William Fisk who emigrated to America
from England
in about 1637. His mother, Hannah (née Bacon, c. 1760–1845) was also from Massachusetts and was descended from John Bacon who came to America in 1640. Isaiah and Hannah Fisk married on May 2, 1786 and moved to Guildford, where Isaiah’s father, Amos Fisk, had purchased land at the outbreak of the American Revolution
. Their first child, Isaiah Jr. was born in 1789, and died as a youngster in 1793. Polly, their second child, was born in Brattleboro in 1790. Wilbur, their third child, was born two years later in 1792. Unfortunate business interests caused a financial hardship for Isaiah and Hannah, and they moved with their children from Guilford to Lyndon, Vermont
in Caledonia County, about forty miles from the Canadian border. Isaiah Fisk became a respected citizen in Lyndon, and he was elected by his fellow citizens as Assistant Judge
, Caledonia County Court from 1808–1813 and Chief Judge, Caledonia County Court from 1815–1823. He was also a presidential elector in the 1816 presidential election
.
where he completed a course of instruction in two years. After leaving the Academy, he began attending Burlington College
in Vermont in 1812 (now the University of Vermont
). The outbreak of the War of 1812
, however, caused classes to be suspended. He then transferred to Brown University
in Providence
, Rhode Island
in 1814 and graduated in 1815.
While at Brown he determined to pursue a career in law
, and upon graduation returned to Lyndon where he began working at the law office of the Hon. Isaac Fletcher. Fisk was not known as a particularly devoted student while in college, but after a year or so decided that a career in law was at odds with his Christian
character. He left the legal profession behind and moved to Baltimore
where he was engaged as a tutor.
Fisk was plagued by respiratory problems throughout his life, and ill health in Baltimore caused him to move back home to Lyndon to recuperate. While in Lyndon, he came in contact with the great religious revival
sweeping the state of Vermont. His mother, Hannah, had forsaken her New England
Calvinist roots to become a Methodist, and her home was a center of Methodist activity in northern Vermont. After much contemplation, Fisk decided to become a Methodist minister and was appointed an itinerant
minister in the Methodist Episcopal Church
in 1818. He only served as a minister for three years in Vermont and Massachusetts before becoming interested in furthering educational opportunities in New England. In about 1820 he suffered a relapse in his health and did not resume his preaching until about 1822.
(and renamed the Wesleyan Academy
), he was appointed to the position of principal in 1826. The success of the Academy under his direction was noted by many Methodists, and he was then offered the presidency of the new Wesleyan University
which was being established in Middletown, Connecticut
. He accepted that position and remained as its first president from its opening in 1831 until his death in 1839. As an indication of the high esteem with which he was regarded by his contemporaries, he was elected to the office of Bishop in 1835, which he declined to devote his energies to educational matters. In 1851, Wesleyan Academy (now Wilbraham & Monson Academy
) erected Fisk Hall in his honor.
Under his leadership the university became an important center for Methodist education in New England. Many of his ideas were regarded as unusual in his day: admission was not dependent on religious affiliation, he encouraged the “bodily health” of students, and he regarded modern languages as being as important as classical languages. His views may be summed up with this quote from his writings: “The great object which we propose to ourselves in the work of education is to supply, as far as we may, men who will be willing and competent to effect the political, intellectual, and spiritual regeneration of the world.” To that end, he worked to insure the physical, moral and intellectual developments of his students.
. His physician advised him to take a sea voyage to try and regain his health. The Trustees of the Wesleyan University were anxious for him to make a complete recovery and offered to let him take a year off to travel to Europe
to acquire books and laboratory
equipment for the University. Wilbur and Ruth left New York
in the company of a faculty member and friend, Wilbur B. Lane, in 1835. Before their departure in 1835 the Board of Fellows of Brown University awarded him a Doctor of Divinity
degree.
While in England
, Fisk gave many sermons, and throughout his trip he was actively engaged in carrying out his assignment of acquiring supplies for the university. In addition to sightseeing, the European tour proved to be quite strenuous for his frail constitution. His health did improve, however, and after he returned to Middletown in 1836, he resumed his duties as president of the university. In 1838 Harper's published his book describing the European tour: Travels On The Continent Of Europe; Viz., In England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, And The Netherlands.
was one of the burning issues of the day, and one that often put Wilbur Fisk at odds with many of his fellow Methodists. He was a colonizationist who favored repatriating America's slaves to Africa
. He opposed the abolitionists within the church who sought to deny membership to any slaveholder or any supporter of slavery. Wilbur felt that the abolitionist approach would split the church and prevent those who needed Christian love and teachings the most from receiving it. He endorsed what he believed was a truly Christian, non-violent way of solving this social evil. Many felt his approach would not bring about emancipation. Toward the end of his life he regretted some of his arguments, but still stood on the principle that a unified church was the quickest way to emancipate slaves. Whether his way would have worked is open to debate, however, in one sense he was correct—in 1844 the Methodist church did split along exactly the lines that he predicted, and only twenty years after his death the nation was plunged into war as the time for talking about slavery ended.
Fisk was an early advocate for temperance
throughout the 1830s and often wrote and lectured on the "evils of alcohol." He believed that a person should abstain entirely and felt that "drinking rum and going to hell are synonymous terms." (Prentice p. 188)
Fisk was instrumental in securing funds for a translation of the Bible
into the Mohawk language
in 1831 (the project was completed in 1839).
, until they decided marry on June 9, 1823 in Providence. She was an Episcopalian
prior to her marriage. Prentice indicates that most friends believed that Wilbur and Ruth had an unhappy marriage, and her letters indicate dissatisfaction with her ability to have a harmonious relationship. Wilbur expected to outlive his wife, and did not prepare adequately for his early demise. He expressed concern for Ruth’s continuing welfare on his deathbed. In an expression of true friendship and Christian charity, faculty members and students of Wesleyan University helped Ruth for the remainder of her life. She lived in indigency in a small house on Foss Hill, near Foss House, (the house was later moved to the lower Union Street section of Middletown, where it was demolished in the 1960s).
The Fisks adopted a daughter, Martha S. Fisk, who was born on October 24, 1824. She lived with her parents in Middletown and then with her mother and grandmother, Lydia Peck, after her father’s death in 1839. Martha died at age twenty on April 25, 1844 in Middletown. She is buried in the Wesleyan Cemetery (on campus).
Ruth’s mother, Lydia (Lyon) Peck was born May 9, 1769 in West Woodstock, Connecticut and came to live with Wilbur and Ruth in her old age. She is mentioned in Prentice’s biography (though not by her first name) as living with them in Middletown. Lydia was the daughter of Amos Lyon (1733–1812). She died on June 25, 1843 in Middletown and is buried in the Wesleyan Cemetery.
Wilbur Fisk died after a long, painful illness in Middletown on February 22, 1839 with his wife by his side. He is buried in the Wesleyan Cemetery.
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
. (Note that Fisk's first name is properly spelled with two Ls, as can be seen in his signatures, his grave marker, and the large hall on the Wesleyan campus named in his honor. However, numerous printed sources, including in his lifetime, give his name as 'Wilbur'.)
Family background
Fisk was born in GuilfordGuilford, Vermont
Guilford is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for Francis North, 1st Earl of Guilford. The population was 2,046 at the 2000 census.- Geography :...
, (near Brattleboro
Brattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro, originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States, located in the southeast corner of the state, along the state line with New Hampshire. The population was 12,046 at the 2010 census...
), Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
on August 31, 1792. His father, the Hon. Isaiah Fisk (1763–1859), was from Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
and descended from William Fisk who emigrated to America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in about 1637. His mother, Hannah (née Bacon, c. 1760–1845) was also from Massachusetts and was descended from John Bacon who came to America in 1640. Isaiah and Hannah Fisk married on May 2, 1786 and moved to Guildford, where Isaiah’s father, Amos Fisk, had purchased land at the outbreak of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. Their first child, Isaiah Jr. was born in 1789, and died as a youngster in 1793. Polly, their second child, was born in Brattleboro in 1790. Wilbur, their third child, was born two years later in 1792. Unfortunate business interests caused a financial hardship for Isaiah and Hannah, and they moved with their children from Guilford to Lyndon, Vermont
Lyndon, Vermont
Lyndon is a town in Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. The population was 5,448 at the 2000 census. Lyndon is the home of Lyndon State College. The town contains one incorporated village, Lyndonville and three unincorporated villages: Lyndon, Lyndon Center, and East Lyndon.Lyndon is the...
in Caledonia County, about forty miles from the Canadian border. Isaiah Fisk became a respected citizen in Lyndon, and he was elected by his fellow citizens as Assistant Judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, Caledonia County Court from 1808–1813 and Chief Judge, Caledonia County Court from 1815–1823. He was also a presidential elector in the 1816 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1816
The United States presidential election of 1816 came at the end of the two-term presidency of Democratic-Republican James Madison. With the Federalist Party in collapse, Madison's Secretary of State, James Monroe, had an advantage in winning the presidency against very weak opposition...
.
Early life
Wilbur Fisk was raised in Lyndon, and at age 16 he was admitted to the Peacham Academy in VermontVermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
where he completed a course of instruction in two years. After leaving the Academy, he began attending Burlington College
Burlington College
Burlington College is a private liberal arts college located in Burlington, Vermont that offers Associate, Bachelor's, and Masters degrees, as well as several professional certificate programs...
in Vermont in 1812 (now the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
). The outbreak of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, however, caused classes to be suspended. He then transferred to Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
in 1814 and graduated in 1815.
While at Brown he determined to pursue a career in law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, and upon graduation returned to Lyndon where he began working at the law office of the Hon. Isaac Fletcher. Fisk was not known as a particularly devoted student while in college, but after a year or so decided that a career in law was at odds with his Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
character. He left the legal profession behind and moved to Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
where he was engaged as a tutor.
Fisk was plagued by respiratory problems throughout his life, and ill health in Baltimore caused him to move back home to Lyndon to recuperate. While in Lyndon, he came in contact with the great religious revival
Religious revival
Religious revival may refer to:* Christian Revivalism* Revival meeting* Islamic revival...
sweeping the state of Vermont. His mother, Hannah, had forsaken her New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
Calvinist roots to become a Methodist, and her home was a center of Methodist activity in northern Vermont. After much contemplation, Fisk decided to become a Methodist minister and was appointed an itinerant
Itinerant
An itinerant is a person who travels from place to place with no fixed home. The term comes from the late 16th century: from late Latin itinerant , from the verb itinerari, from Latin iter, itiner ....
minister in 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...
in 1818. He only served as a minister for three years in Vermont and Massachusetts before becoming interested in furthering educational opportunities in New England. In about 1820 he suffered a relapse in his health and did not resume his preaching until about 1822.
Wesleyan Academy and Wesleyan University
While still engaged in his ministerial duties, Fisk became actively involved with the New Market Academy in New Market, New Hampshire and in 1824 was appointed to the Board of Trustees. When it was relocated to Wilbraham, MassachusettsWilbraham, Massachusetts
Wilbraham is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is also a suburb of the City of Springfield, Massachusetts and part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,868 at the 2010 census...
(and renamed the Wesleyan Academy
Wesleyan Academy
The Wesleyan Academy of Guaynabo is a private, non-profit, college-preparatory school, affiliated with the Evangelical Wesleyan Church of Puerto Rico. The academy specializes in English teaching with emphasis on spiritual life...
), he was appointed to the position of principal in 1826. The success of the Academy under his direction was noted by many Methodists, and he was then offered the presidency of the new Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
which was being established in Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. In 1784, the central...
. He accepted that position and remained as its first president from its opening in 1831 until his death in 1839. As an indication of the high esteem with which he was regarded by his contemporaries, he was elected to the office of Bishop in 1835, which he declined to devote his energies to educational matters. In 1851, Wesleyan Academy (now Wilbraham & Monson Academy
Wilbraham & Monson Academy
Wilbraham & Monson Academy is a prep school located in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1804, it is one of the fifteen oldest schools on the eastern coast of the United States. It is a four year boarding and day high school for students in grades 6-12 and postgraduate. The academy is located in...
) erected Fisk Hall in his honor.
Under his leadership the university became an important center for Methodist education in New England. Many of his ideas were regarded as unusual in his day: admission was not dependent on religious affiliation, he encouraged the “bodily health” of students, and he regarded modern languages as being as important as classical languages. His views may be summed up with this quote from his writings: “The great object which we propose to ourselves in the work of education is to supply, as far as we may, men who will be willing and competent to effect the political, intellectual, and spiritual regeneration of the world.” To that end, he worked to insure the physical, moral and intellectual developments of his students.
European Travel
In 1835, Fisk suffered another relapse in his battle with what appears to have been some sort of chronic respiratory diseaseChronic Respiratory Disease
Chronic Respiratory Disease is a peer-reviewed academic journal that publishes papers four times a year in the field of Palliative Medicine. The journal's editors are Mike Morgan , Carolyn Rochester and Sally Singh...
. His physician advised him to take a sea voyage to try and regain his health. The Trustees of the Wesleyan University were anxious for him to make a complete recovery and offered to let him take a year off to travel to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to acquire books and laboratory
Laboratory
A laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
equipment for the University. Wilbur and Ruth left New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the company of a faculty member and friend, Wilbur B. Lane, in 1835. Before their departure in 1835 the Board of Fellows of Brown University awarded him a Doctor of Divinity
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....
degree.
While in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Fisk gave many sermons, and throughout his trip he was actively engaged in carrying out his assignment of acquiring supplies for the university. In addition to sightseeing, the European tour proved to be quite strenuous for his frail constitution. His health did improve, however, and after he returned to Middletown in 1836, he resumed his duties as president of the university. In 1838 Harper's published his book describing the European tour: Travels On The Continent Of Europe; Viz., In England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, And The Netherlands.
Slavery, temperance and Indian missions
The question of slaverySlavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
was one of the burning issues of the day, and one that often put Wilbur Fisk at odds with many of his fellow Methodists. He was a colonizationist who favored repatriating America's slaves to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. He opposed the abolitionists within the church who sought to deny membership to any slaveholder or any supporter of slavery. Wilbur felt that the abolitionist approach would split the church and prevent those who needed Christian love and teachings the most from receiving it. He endorsed what he believed was a truly Christian, non-violent way of solving this social evil. Many felt his approach would not bring about emancipation. Toward the end of his life he regretted some of his arguments, but still stood on the principle that a unified church was the quickest way to emancipate slaves. Whether his way would have worked is open to debate, however, in one sense he was correct—in 1844 the Methodist church did split along exactly the lines that he predicted, and only twenty years after his death the nation was plunged into war as the time for talking about slavery ended.
Fisk was an early advocate for temperance
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
throughout the 1830s and often wrote and lectured on the "evils of alcohol." He believed that a person should abstain entirely and felt that "drinking rum and going to hell are synonymous terms." (Prentice p. 188)
Fisk was instrumental in securing funds for a translation of the Bible
Bible translations
The Bible has been translated into many languages from the biblical languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Indeed, the full Bible has been translated into over 450 languages, although sections of the Bible have been translated into over 2,000 languages....
into the Mohawk language
Mohawk language
Mohawk is an Iroquoian language spoken by around 2,000 people of the Mohawk nation in the United States and Canada . Mohawk has the largest number of speakers of the Northern Iroquoian languages; today it is the only one with greater than a thousand remaining...
in 1831 (the project was completed in 1839).
Marriage and Family
Fisk most likely met his wife, Ruth Peck of Providence, at some point while he was in Rhode Island. They carried on a seven year engagement, primarily through correspondenceCommunication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
, until they decided marry on June 9, 1823 in Providence. She was an Episcopalian
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
prior to her marriage. Prentice indicates that most friends believed that Wilbur and Ruth had an unhappy marriage, and her letters indicate dissatisfaction with her ability to have a harmonious relationship. Wilbur expected to outlive his wife, and did not prepare adequately for his early demise. He expressed concern for Ruth’s continuing welfare on his deathbed. In an expression of true friendship and Christian charity, faculty members and students of Wesleyan University helped Ruth for the remainder of her life. She lived in indigency in a small house on Foss Hill, near Foss House, (the house was later moved to the lower Union Street section of Middletown, where it was demolished in the 1960s).
The Fisks adopted a daughter, Martha S. Fisk, who was born on October 24, 1824. She lived with her parents in Middletown and then with her mother and grandmother, Lydia Peck, after her father’s death in 1839. Martha died at age twenty on April 25, 1844 in Middletown. She is buried in the Wesleyan Cemetery (on campus).
Ruth’s mother, Lydia (Lyon) Peck was born May 9, 1769 in West Woodstock, Connecticut and came to live with Wilbur and Ruth in her old age. She is mentioned in Prentice’s biography (though not by her first name) as living with them in Middletown. Lydia was the daughter of Amos Lyon (1733–1812). She died on June 25, 1843 in Middletown and is buried in the Wesleyan Cemetery.
Wilbur Fisk died after a long, painful illness in Middletown on February 22, 1839 with his wife by his side. He is buried in the Wesleyan Cemetery.