Edward Mann Butler
Encyclopedia
Edward Mann Butler was one of Kentucky
's most prominent early educators. He is best remembered as being the first president of what would become the University of Louisville
and heading the first public school in Kentucky.
Butler was born in Baltimore. After graduating from St Mary's College
, Butler practiced law and served as a school teacher in various locations, including Maysville
, Lexington
, Versailles
and Louisville
. He was the president of the Jefferson Seminary (which later became the University of Louisville) from 1813 to 1816. In 1822 he became the head of the grammar department at Lexington's Transylvania University
, and then returned to head the Jefferson Seminary in 1829.
He is also considered Kentucky's first reliable historian
, with his first complete work being released in 1834. At the time of his death, he was working on a detailed history of the Ohio River
Valley. He was killed on November 1, 1855 in a St. Louis train wreck.
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
's most prominent early educators. He is best remembered as being the first president of what would become the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
and heading the first public school in Kentucky.
Butler was born in Baltimore. After graduating from St Mary's College
St. Mary's College of Maryland
St. Mary's College of Maryland, established in 1840, is a public, secular liberal arts college located in St. Mary's City, Maryland. It is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and designated as a Public Honors College . St. Mary's College is a small college, with about 2,000...
, Butler practiced law and served as a school teacher in various locations, including Maysville
Maysville, Kentucky
Maysville is a city in and the county seat of Mason County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 8,993 at the 2000 census, making it the fiftieth largest city in Kentucky by population. Maysville is on the Ohio River, northeast of Lexington. It is the principal city of the Maysville...
, Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
, Versailles
Versailles, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,511 people, 3,160 households, and 2,110 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,330 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.18% White, 8.67% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.35%...
and Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. He was the president of the Jefferson Seminary (which later became the University of Louisville) from 1813 to 1816. In 1822 he became the head of the grammar department at Lexington's Transylvania University
Transylvania University
Transylvania University is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college in Lexington, Kentucky, United States, affiliated with the Christian Church . The school was founded in 1780. It offers 38 majors, and pre-professional degrees in engineering and accounting...
, and then returned to head the Jefferson Seminary in 1829.
He is also considered Kentucky's first reliable historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, with his first complete work being released in 1834. At the time of his death, he was working on a detailed history of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
Valley. He was killed on November 1, 1855 in a St. Louis train wreck.