Rev. Charles Backus Storrs (May 23, 1794 – September 15, 1833) was an American minister,

abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...

, and the first President of Western Reserve College and Preparatory School, now Case Western Reserve University and

Western Reserve Academy , motto_translation = Light and Truth , address = 115 College Street , city = Hudson , state = Ohio , zipcode = 44236-2999 , country = United ...

. Storrs was born in

Longmeadow, Massachusetts Longmeadow is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, in the United States. The population was 15,853 at the 2020 census. History Longmeadow was first settled in 1644, and officially incorporated October 17, 1783. The town was originally farm ...

on May 23, 1794. First studying at the College of New Jersey, present day Princeton University, from 1810 to 1813, Storrs had to drop out due to poor health. Eventually following his father and both grandfathers who were clergyman, Storrs graduated from

Andover Theological Seminary Andover Theological Seminary (1807–1965) was a Congregationalist seminary founded in 1807 and originally located in Andover, Massachusetts on the campus of Phillips Academy. From 1908 to 1931, it was located at Harvard University in Cambridge. ...

in 1820. Two years later, in 1822, he moved into the

Western Reserve The Connecticut Western Reserve was a portion of land claimed by the Colony of Connecticut and later by the state of Connecticut in what is now mostly the northeastern region of Ohio. The Reserve had been granted to the Colony under the terms o ...

region of northeastern Ohio, where he became pastor of a church in

Ravenna, Ohio Ravenna is a city in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It is located east of Akron. It was formed from portions of Ravenna Township in the Connecticut Western Reserve. The population was 11,323 in the 2020 Census. It is the county seat of Por ...

. In 1828, he became a professor at the newly formed Western Reserve College and Preparatory School, in

Hudson, Ohio Hudson is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,110 at the 2020 census. It is a suburban community in the Akron metropolitan statistical area and the larger Cleveland–Akron–Canton Combined Statistical Area, t ...

. Two years later, in 1830, he was appointed as its first president. During his tenure, influenced by David Garrison's writings, he became known as a vocal

, collaborating with Western Reserve professors Elizur Wright and

Beriah Green Beriah Green Jr. (March 24, 1795May 4, 1874) was an American reformer, abolitionist, temperance advocate, college professor, minister, and head of the Oneida Institute. He was "consumed totally by his abolitionist views". He has been described as ...

. Storrs held the office until 1833, when he had to resign due to failing health. He died on September 15, 1833, at his brother's house in

Braintree, Massachusetts Braintree (), officially the Town of Braintree, is a municipality in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a towBraintree is a city, with a mayor-council government, mayor-council form of government, and ...

. John Greenleaf Whittier wrote a poem, s:To the Memory of Charles B. Storrs.

References

External links

Case Western Reserve University bio
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Storrs, Charles Backus 1794 births 1833 deaths American abolitionists Andover Newton Theological School alumni People from Hudson, Ohio People from Ravenna, Ohio Princeton University alumni People from Longmeadow, Massachusetts American Congregationalist ministers Western Reserve College and Preparatory School faculty Presidents of Case Western Reserve University Congregationalist abolitionists 19th-century American clergy

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