William Caldwell Anderson (August 18, 1804 – August 28, 1870) was an American Presbyterian minister who served as the fourth president of

Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public research university in Oxford, Ohio. The university was founded in 1809, making it the second-oldest university in Ohio (behind Ohio University, founded in 1804) and the ...

Oxford, Ohio Oxford is a city in Butler County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,035 at the 2020 census. A college town, Oxford was founded as a home for Miami University and lies in the southwestern portion of the state approximately northwest ...

. He was the oldest son of Rev. John Anderson, and was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania. He graduated in 1824 from

Washington College Washington College is a private liberal arts college in Chestertown, Maryland. Maryland granted Washington College its charter in 1782. George Washington supported the founding of the college by consenting to have the "College at Chester" name ...

where his father served as chairman of the board and then studied theology under his father. His entire adult life was spent in the ministry with the exception of a short period (1843-1844) when he was professor of rhetoric and belles-lettres at

Hanover College Hanover College is a private college in Hanover, Indiana, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Founded in 1827 by Reverend John Finley Crowe, it is Indiana's oldest private college. The Hanover athletic teams participate in the H ...

Hanover, Indiana Hanover is a town in Hanover Township, Jefferson County, southeast Indiana, along the Ohio River. The population was 3,546 at the 2010 census. Hanover is the home of Hanover College, a small Presbyterian liberal arts college. The "Point," locate ...

, and later when he was president of Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, from 1849 to 1854. He was a popular president at Miami, following the turbulent and unhappy presidency of Erasmus D. MacMaster. In 1869 Anderson moved to Kansas and settled in Junction City where he occasionally preached in the Presbyterian church. Sermons were also delivered in Abilene, Kansas, when that town was at the height of its cattle shipping activities. Anderson died and was buried at Junction City. Anderson was the father of

John Alexander Anderson John Alexander Anderson (June 26, 1834 – May 18, 1892) was a six-term U.S. Representative from Kansas (1879–1891), and the second President of Kansas State Agricultural College (1873–1879). Anderson was born in Washington County, Pen ...

who was a U.S. Congressman, president of Kansas State University and ambassador to Egypt during the administration of

Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833March 13, 1901) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 23rd president of the United States from 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia–a grandson of the ninth pr ...

who had been a college roommate of Anderson's at Miami University during the time William C. Anderson was president. Anderson's brother was Civil War officer and railroad executive John Byers Anderson.

Anderson Hall Anderson Hall may refer to: Turkey * Anderson Hall at Boğaziçi University Boğaziçi University ( tr, Boğaziçi Üniversitesi), also known as Bosphorus University, is a major research university in Istanbul, Turkey. Its main campus is locat ...

, a dormitory, is named in Anderson's memory at Miami.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, William Caldwell 1804 births 1870 deaths Presidents of Miami University American Presbyterian ministers Hanover College People from Washington County, Pennsylvania Washington & Jefferson College alumni People from Junction City, Kansas 19th-century American clergy