Professors of Alabama: John C. Loomis

John Calvin Loomis (b. November 26, 1822; d. Abt. 1890)

Connecticut.  White.
Education: Western Reserve College (A.B.), New York University (A.M.)
Occupation: editor, teacher

J. Calvin Loomis was born in Connecticut to Rev. Hubbel and Jerusha Burn Loomis in 1822. His brother older brother was Elias Loomis, who became a prominent professor of astronomy and mathematics at Yale College.

When Calvin was born, the family was living in Willington, Connecticut where his father was serving as pastor for a Congregational church. The family remained there until 1829 when they moved to Illinois. They settled in Upper Alton, and the Hubbel helped found a seminary that developed into Shurtleff College. Hubble also served as vice-president of the state Anti-Slavery Society.

Calvin took classes at Shurtleff College, but in 1838, he moved to Ohio to attend Western Reserve College  (now Case Western Reserve University). His brother Elias had been elected professor at Western two years earlier. Calvin graduated from the college in 1840. 

It's unclear exactly what Calvin did after graduating from Western. An 1982 obituary for Hubbel states that the family experienced financial difficulties, and Calvin moved to the south and found work as a teacher. By 1857, he had moved to Alabama. He remained in the south after the Civil War broke out, although he does not appear to have served in the military. 

Calvin was elected as professor of ancient languages in 1869. He left the university in 1870, although he continued to teach in the south. By 1880, he had moved to Georgia and started a school in near the the town of Summerville. He remained there until his death in 1890. 

Sources

1) Year: 1880; Census Place: Summerville, Chattooga, Georgia; Roll: 139; Page: 32C; Enumeration District: 016