The professors at Arkansas Industrial Univeristy: Nicholas B. Pearce

Nicholas Bartlett Pearce
History of the University of Arkansas

Nicholas Bartlett Pearce (b. July 20, 1828; d. March 8, 1894 )

Kentucky.  White.
Education: United States Military Academy
Occupation: farmer, manufacturer, merchant

Nicholas B. was born in 1828 in Caldwell County, KY to Allon and Mary Pearce. Little is known about his parents. 

Nicholas attended Cumberland College, a now-defunct private college in Kentucky that was affiliated with the Presbyterian church. After gradating from the college, Nicholas matriculated to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He graduated from the academy in 1850.

After graduating, Nicholas was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 7th U.S. Infantry Regiment. He remained with the 7th Infantry for most of the 1850s. During this time, the regiment saw service in Arkansas and Indian Territory (modern Oklahoma).

In August 1858, while stationed in Arkansas, Nicholas resigned from the army. He moved to Osage Mills in Benton County and helped run his father-in-law's general store and mill. 

During the Civil War, Nicholas fought against the federal army. Nicholas had opposed the secession of Arkansas. However, shortly after the state seceded, he was elected as one of three commanders of the state military, reorganized as the "Army of Arkansas." Nicholas held the title of brigadier general and commanded the First Division of Arkansas Army. In July 1861, he led the army into Missouri and defeated federal forces at the Battle of Wilson's Creek. 

Despite the victory, Nicholas played only a limited role in the war after Wilson's Creek. In August of that year, officials tried to transfer the troops under Nicholas's command from the Arkansas state government to the Confederacy. Nicholas opposed the transfer, but this had limited impact. By the end of the year, essentially all Arkansas state troops had either been mustered out or transferred east to join the Confederate Army.

After his troops were transferred, Nicholas served in the Confederate Commissary Department. He was first stationed in Arkansas, but around April 1862, he was moved to Texas and continued working as a commissary. He would remain in Texas for the remainder of the war.

After the Civil War (in 1865), Nicholas received a pardon from President Johnson for having supported the rebellion. In 1867, he returned to Benton County, AR and worked to rebuild the businesses he'd run before the war.

In December 1872, Nicholas was appointed Professor of Mathematics and Engineering. He only remained in the position for two years, until around the end of Reconstruction. His professorship was given to O. C. Gray.

Nicholas left Arkansas Industrial Univeristy to return to Benton County. He served as the postmaster for Osage Mills during the late 1870s. 

During this time, Nicholas began involved in state politics. He was elected assistant secretary for the 1874 state Constitutional Convention. In 1876, he unsuccessfully ran as a Democratic candidate for Secretary of State.

In 1879, he moved to Kansas City, MO. He first worked as a commercial traveler for the firm of S. H. Benedict & Co. He later worked as an examiner for the Lombard Investment Company.

While living in Kansas City, Nicholas' wife began to experience ill health. She and Nicholas moved to Texas around 1884 in hope that the climate would improve her health. By 1891, Nicholas was living in Dallas and continuing to work for the Lombard Investment Company. 

Nicholas died in Dallas, TX in 1894. He is buried in Oak Wood Cemetery.

Undated photo of Nicholas B. Pearce
From Wikipedia

Sources

1. 1850; Census Place: Cornwall, Orange, New York; Roll: 573; Page: 171b

2. 1860; Census Place: Anderson, Benton, Arkansas; Page: 427; Family History Library Film: 803037

3. 1870; Census Place: Osage, Benton, Arkansas; Roll: M593_47; Page: 304B

4. 1880; Census Place: Anderson, Benton, Arkansas; Roll: 38; Page: 366A; Enumeration District: 010

5. Texas, U.S., Death Certificates. 

6. Reynolds, John Hugh and Thomas, David Yancey. History of the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville: Univeristy of Arkansas. (1910) pp. 507-508.

7. Dallas, Texas, City Directory, 1891

8. Kansas City, Missouri, City Directory, 1881, 1882, 1887.

9. The daily union, March 20, 1851, p. 3.

10. The daily union, July 28, 1855, p. 2.

11. "Resignation of an Army Officer" Evening star, March 26, 1858, p. 2.

12. "Regnant Populi." Daily Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock,  AR). July 15, 1874. p.1 . 

13. "Meeting of the Constitution Makers." Fayetteville Weekly Democrat (Fayetteville, AR). July 18, 1874. p.1

14. "Personal." Fayetteville Weekly Democrat (Fayetteville, AR). December 25, 1875, 1874. p. 5.

The professors at Arkansas Industrial Univeristy: Oliver Crosby Gray

Oliver C. Gray

Oliver Crosby Gray (b. December 30, 1832; d. December 9, 1905)

ME.  White.
Education: Colby College (A.B., honorary A.M., honorary LL.D.), St. John's College (honorary LL.D.)

Occupation: professor, teacher

O. C. Gray was born in Jefferson, Maine to Peter and Rachel Kennedy Gray. The father Peter was a noted Harvard-trained physician. 

Gray was first educated at the Waterville Classical Institute. Starting in 1849, he attended the institute's preparatory program for two years and then matriculated at Waterville College (now Colby College). He received an A.B. degree from the college in 1855. 

After receiving his degree, Gray began attending Dartmouth College. However, he only attended the briefly. In 1856, he moved west to Minneapolis, MN. There he worked as a principal for public schools. He remained in Minneapolis until 1857 when he moved south to Arkansas.

In Arkansas, Gray first served as principal at Monticello Academy. After about two years, he left to serve as principal of Princeton Academy (in Princeton, AR). 

When the Civil War broke out, Gray enlisted in the Confederate army. He began the war as a private in the Third Arkansas Cavalry but was later promoted to captain. Gray was at the battles of Shiloh and Chickamauga. In 1864, while returning home on furlough, Gray was captured by federal troops and imprisoned in New Orleans and on Ship Island (in Mississippi). He was later released in a prisoner exchange. He returned to military service, and was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. By the end of the war, he been assigned to General Armstrong's staff.

After the war, Gray returned to Arkansas and continued to teach. He first served as principal of the Princeton Female Academy. However, after a year in that position, he accepted the position of math professor at St. John's College in Little Rock. There he taught math from 1868 to 1871. In 1871, he was elected college president. He remained in that position until 1874 when he moved to the Arkansas Industrial University.

Gray moved to the university to serve as Professor of Mathematics and Civil Engineering. He remained at the univeristy until 1886. He then left for a year to serve as principal of Fayetteville public schools. During this time, he was also elected mayor of Fayetteville. Gray returned to his university professorship in 1889 and remained there until 1895.

After leaving the university in 1895, Gray moved to Little Rock to serve as principal the Arkansas School for the Blind. In 1899, he let Little Rock for Searcy where he served as principal of the Speers-Langford Military Institute at Searcy. Gray returned to the School for the Blind in 1901 and remained their for the rest of his career.

During the winter of 1905, Gray fell ill with cerebra-spinal-meningitis. Six weeks later the illness took his life. He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Fayetteville.

Sources Cited

1. "Gray, Oliver Crosby." The National Cyclopedia of American Biography, Volume VIII. New York,  James T. White & Company (1924).  pp. 303-304.

2. "Col. O. C. Gray has passed away." Daily Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock, AR). December 10, 1905. p. 1. 

3. "Goes to Searcy." Semi-weekly graphic (Pine Bluff, AR). August 19, 1899, p. 6.

4. 1850; Census Place: Waldoboro, Lincoln, Maine; Roll: 259; Page: 205b

5. 1870; Census Place: Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas; Roll: M593_62; Page: 245B

6. 1880; Census Place: Fayetteville, Washington, Arkansas; Roll: 59; Page: 683C; Enumeration District: 215

7. 1900; Census Place: Searcy, White, Arkansas; Page: 2; Enumeration District: 0149; FHL microfilm: 1240080

8. Minnesota Historical Society. Minnesota State Population Census Schedules, 21 Sept 1857. St. Paul, MN, USA: Minnesota Historical Society, 1977. Microfilm. Reels 1-47 and 107-164.

9. History of the Univeristy of Arkansas

The professors at Arkansas Industrial Univeristy: James Mitchell

James Mitchell
History of the University of Arkansas

James Mitchell
From Linda Davis via findagrave.com

James Mitchell (b. May 8, 1832; June 26, 1902)

AR. White.
Education: Cane Hill College (honorary B.A.)

Occupation: editor, farmer, publisher, school teacher

James Mitchell was born in Cane Hill, Arkansas in 1832 to James and Mary Ann Mitchell. The father was a farmer. His parents had moved to Arkansas from the midwest shortly before James was born.

Growing up, James had to help out on the family farm but attended school when could, for example during winters. His formal education concluded with attending Cane Hill College for the 1855-56 academic year. 

In 1856, the year after his formal education ended, James received an appointment as a U.S. deputy surveyor. This job took him to the Kansas and Nebraska territories for the next two years. 

In Fall 1859, shortly after after he'd returned from working as a surveyor, he opened a school in Evansville, AR. The next year was elected to the state legislature. He served in the house and was elected as a Democrat. As a legislator, he chaired the House Education Committee.

When the Civil War broke, James enlisted in the army and fought for the Confederacy. In 1861, he served as a private in an independent cavalry company. The next year he entered 34th Arkansas Infantry Regiment as a lieutenant. He was transferred to Crawford's 1st Arkansas Cavalry Regiment around December 1863 and was appointed quartermaster. He served until the end of the war. 

The Civil War came to an end for James in May 1865, when his unit surrendered near Corsicana, TX. His family was also living in Texas at this time, as they had fled wartime disruptions in Arkansas. The family lived for a year in Bonham, TX while James taught to earn money. 

In 1866, after he'd spent a year in Texas, James returned to Cane Hill, AR. He soon began teaching at Cane Hill College. While he was teaching there, the college awarded him a B.A. degree, although the degree was presumably honorary. He taught at the college for about 6 years. 

James left Cane Hill to teach at the Arkansas Industrial University in 1874. He was elected Professor of History and English Literature. James was hired around the time that A. W. Bishop was made univeristy president. At a July 1874 inaugural ceremony, James gave a speech about education in Arkansas. In his speech, he promoted education as a way to improve the state:

What do we need in Arkansas? Do we not need more trained and cultivated intellects, more trained workers, in all classes and ranks of society? Do we not need them in our courts, in our Legislatures, at the bar, at the bedside of the sick, in the schoolroom, in the pulpit, in private life, in public life – everywhere? Looking back at the dark past of Arkansas, and forward to our future by no means bright, we are constrained to say that we need a better, higher and purer culture among all our people. It is said of Themistocles that when he was laughed at on account of his ignorance of certain accomplishments held in much esteem by many of the Athenians, he replied: "It is true that I never learned to tune a harp, or play upon a lute; but I know how to raise a small and obscure State to greatness and renown." Oh, that from the multitude of her public servants – that from the horde of politicians that now afflict the body politic, there would arise, in the near future, but one Themistocles to lead Arkansas to glory and renown!

The reference to "the horde of politicians that now afflict the body politic" is likely a reference to the state Republican politicians which dominated Arkansas at the time. James was giving his speech shortly after the state governorship had been violently contested in the Brooks-Baxer war. 

James taught at the university until 1877. That year he resigned his professorship to move to Little Rock.

James moved to Little Rock to assume the editorship of the Little Rock Gazette. After about two years, he left the Gazette to become part owner of the Arkansas Democrat. In 1890, ownership of the newspaper was transferred to the Arkansas Democrat Company. James was made president of the company and editor-in-chief of the newspaper. In that capacity, James advocated for improving education and promoted Democratic politics. 

In addition to his newspaper work, James served as Little Rock's postmaster during President Cleveland's second administration (from 1893-97).

James died in Little Rock in 1902 after a short illness. He is buried in Mount Holly Cemetery. His papers are held by the Univeristy of Arkansas.

James Mitchell
From NoBody via findagrave

Sources cited

1. 1850; Census Place: Cane Hill, Washington, Arkansas; Roll: 31; Page: 417a

2. 1860; Census Place: Cane Hill, Washington, Arkansas; Page: 565; Family History Library Film: 803052

3. 1870; Census Place: Cane Hill, Washington, Arkansas; Roll: M593_66; Page: 89B

4.  1880; Census Place: Little Rock, Pulaski, Arkansas; Roll: 54; Page: 300A; Enumeration District: 143

5. 1900; Census Place: Little Rock Ward 2, Pulaski, Arkansas; Page: 14; Enumeration District: 0073

6. Reynolds, John Hugh and Thomas, David Yancey, History of the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville, University of Arkansas. (1910).

7. Ross, Frances Mitchell, and James Mitchell. "Civil War Letters from James Mitchell to His Wife, Sarah Elizabeth Latta Mitchell." The Arkansas Historical Quarterly 37, no. 4 (1978): 306-17. 

8. Ross, Frances Mitchell. "James Mitchell, Spokesman for Women's Equality in Nineteenth Century Arkansas." The Arkansas Historical Quarterly 43, no. 3 (1984): 222-35.