The professors at Arkansas Industrial Univeristy: Charles H. Leverett

Undated photo of Charles H. Leverett
From History of the Univeristy of Arkansas

Charles Hendee Leverett (b. November 30, 1833; d. November 12, 1897 )

Massachusetts.  White.
Education: Univeristy of South Carolina (A.B.)
Occupation: teacher

Charles H. Leverett was born in 1833 in Boston, MA to Frederic Percival and Matilda Leverett. The father Frederic was a prominent teacher. He served as principal of Boston Latin School and had published the Latin book The New Latin Tutor. The family was descended from prominent New Englanders. Their ancestors included the governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony John Leverett and Harvard Univeristy Presidents John Rodgers and John Leverett the Younger.

Tragically, both of Charles H.'s parents died when he was an infant, leaving him an orphan at age two. He and his brother Frederic Percival Jr. were then adopted by their uncle Charles Edward Leverett.

The uncle Charles Edward was originally from Boston, but by the time he adopted Charles H., he had moved to Beaufort, SC to serve as principal of Beaufort College. In South Carolina, he also served as an Episcopal clergyman and worked as a planter. He ran Canaan planation (in Beaufort) with the help of about 30 enslaved workers. In addition to the planation, Charles E. also maintained a home in Columbia. 

The son Charles H. attended the University of South Carolina (then South Carolina College) and graduated with an A.B. degree in 1852. After graduating, he worked as a teacher on Wadmalaw Island, in Cheraw, and in Fayetteville, NC. 

During the Civil War, the Leverett family served with distinction. Charles H.'s brother Frederic Jr. was a Confederate army surgeon. Charles H. joined a cavalry unit, although the records of his service are contradictory. A biography published in History of the University of Arkansas states that Charles joined Colock's brigade at the start of the war. The book states that he served with the brigade for three years and was also in Hampton's Legion.

A different account is given by extent war records. Those records document that Charles enlisted at the start of the war (in July 1861), but he first served in Hampton's Legion, rather than in Colock's brigade. Charles' initial enlistment was for one year, but in April 1862, he reenlisted and served in the 3rd Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry. He had enlisted for the duration of the war, but in February 1863, he fell seriously ill (diarrhea and "disease of the right lung") and was discharged for disability. 

After the Civil War, in 1868, Charles moved to Arkansas. He first moved to Searcy, AR and ran a high school. The next year he moved to Washington County to teach at the Ozark Institute (a private school for boys). He remained there until 1871 when he was elected as Professor of Ancient Languages and Literature at Arkansas Industrial University. He was one of the first professors hired.

Charles remained in the university position after Reconstruction and remained there for most of the next 20 years. The one gap in his employment started in 1885. That year, following conflict between the University President and some of the faculty, the state legislature passed a resolution reorganizing the university.  Acting in response to the resolution, the trustees vacated all professorships – including Charles' – in June 1885. The next month, they elected a new faculty. Initially, Charles was elected to his old professorship. However, only a few days later, the trustees reversed their decision and chose to not to reelect any of the former university professors.

Charles returned to the university in 1887. That year he was made an Adjunct Professor of Ancient Languages. He was made a full professor in 1891. Three years later (in 1894), the professorship of Ancient Languages was split into a Professorship of Latin and a Professorship of Greek. Charles received the later. 

Charles appears to have been well-regarded as a professor. An obituary published in The State newspaper said that Charles 

became one of the most successful and capable teachers in the State. Amiable, gentle, and humorous in disposition, scrupulously neat in person and dress, remarkably good looking and standing 6 feet in his stockings, he was a man of striking appearance and with great personal magnetism and a oright [sic] mind, he might well have reaped worldly honors and distinctions, but he was entirely unambitious, satisfied so long as he could gain a sufficiency for his family.

Charles died in Fayetteville in 1897. He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery. 

Sources

1.  History of the University of Arkansas. pp. 485-486.

2. 1850; Census Place: Columbia, Richland, South Carolina; Roll: 858; Page: 22a

2. 1870; Census Place: Prairie, Washington, Arkansas; Roll: M593_66; Page: 209A

3. 1880; Census Place: Fayetteville, Washington, Arkansas; Roll: 59; Page: 689C; Enumeration District: 215

3. "A former Columbian." The State (South Carolina), December 13, 1897. p. 5.