Adonijah Welch
Encyclopedia
Adonijah Strong Welch was a United States Senator
from Florida
and the first president
of Iowa State Agricultural College (now Iowa State University
).
Born in East Hampton, Connecticut, Welch moved to Jonesville, Michigan
in 1839 and graduated from the University of Michigan
in 1846. Welch was admitted to the bar
in 1847 and became a high school principal in 1849. He spent about a year participating in the California Gold Rush
of 1849. Welch served as the first principal of Michigan State Normal School (now Eastern Michigan University
) from 1851 to 1865. In 1859, he married Eunice P. Buckingham and they had three children.
In 1865, Welch moved to Pensacola, Florida
and eventually to Jacksonville, Florida
for unspecified health reasons. There, he established a lumber mill and engaged in orange growing. His wife, Eunice, died in 1867 and, in 1868, he married Mary Beaumont Dudley with whom he had two more children.
As part of the post-Civil War Reconstruction, Florida was readmitted to the United States
in 1868 and Welch was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Republican
. He served in the Senate for less than nine months but declined renomination, opting instead to become the first president of Iowa State Agricultural College. He served as college president from 1869 to 1883 before resigning.
From 1885 until his death, Welch served as a psychology
professor
at Iowa State. In 1889, he died at his summer home in Pasadena, California
. Adonijah Welch is interred at Iowa State College Cemetery in Ames, Iowa
.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and the first president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Iowa State Agricultural College (now Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
).
Born in East Hampton, Connecticut, Welch moved to Jonesville, Michigan
Jonesville, Michigan
Jonesville is a village in Fayette Township, Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,337 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
in 1839 and graduated 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...
in 1846. Welch was admitted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in 1847 and became a high school principal in 1849. He spent about a year participating in the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
of 1849. Welch served as the first principal of Michigan 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...
) from 1851 to 1865. In 1859, he married Eunice P. Buckingham and they had three children.
In 1865, Welch moved to Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
and eventually to Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
for unspecified health reasons. There, he established a lumber mill and engaged in orange growing. His wife, Eunice, died in 1867 and, in 1868, he married Mary Beaumont Dudley with whom he had two more children.
As part of the post-Civil War Reconstruction, Florida was readmitted to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1868 and Welch was elected to the U.S. Senate as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. He served in the Senate for less than nine months but declined renomination, opting instead to become the first president of Iowa State Agricultural College. He served as college president from 1869 to 1883 before resigning.
From 1885 until his death, Welch served as a psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at Iowa State. In 1889, he died at his summer home in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
. Adonijah Welch is interred at Iowa State College Cemetery in Ames, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
.
See also
- List of United States Senators from Florida
- United States congressional delegations from FloridaUnited States congressional delegations from FloridaThese are tables of congressional delegations from Florida to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.Unlike many smaller states that generally have continuity in their districts when reapportioned every 10 years after the United States Census, Florida has seen a great...
- Iowa State University notables
External links
- Adonijah Strong Welch at PoliticalGraveyard.com
- Adonijah S. Welch at Iowa State e-Library
- Adonijah Strong Welch at American National Biography, published by Oxford University