Cyrus Nutt

American academic (1814–1875)

Cyrus Nutt

5th President of Indiana University
In office
1860–1875
Preceded by| John Hiram Lathrop
Succeeded by| Lemuel Moss
Personal details
Born| (1814-09-04)September 4, 1814
Trumbull County, Ohio, U.S.
Died| August 24, 1875(1875-08-24) (aged 60)
Bloomington, Indiana, U.S.
Resting place| Forest Hill Cemetery
Greencastle, Indiana, U.S.
Academic background
Alma mater| Allegheny College
Academic work
Discipline| Greek, Mathematics
Institutions|

* Indiana Asbury College
* Fort Wayne Female College
* Whitewater College
* Indiana University

Ecclesiastical career
Church| Methodist Episcopal Church
Ordained| 1840

Cyrus Nutt (September 4, 1814 – August 24, 1875) served as the fifth president of Indiana University.

## Biography

[edit]

Cyrus Nutt was born in Southington Township, Trumbull County, Ohio on September 4, 1814. His father was James Nutt and his mother was Mary Viets who married in 1806. Cyrus was the second son, with one brother and two sisters who all lived in a log cabin on a piece of land next to a large farm belonging James father-in-law.[1]

Cyrus Nutt graduated from Allegheny College (B.A. 1836).[2] and became a professor of languages at Asbury (now DePauw) University (1837–1845), pastor of Methodist Episcopal church in Bloomington (1845), professor of Greek at Asbury University (1846–1849), president of Fort Wayne Female College (1849–1850), president of Whitewater College (1850–1855), professor of mathematics and acting president at Asbury University (1857–1860). [2]

In 1860, Nutt was elected president of Indiana University. During his presidency, the university attempted to create an agricultural and mechanical school under the terms of the Morrill Act, though by 1869 Purdue was established as the land grant college of Indiana. In 1867, the board of trustees voted to admit women to classes, and around the same time the university experienced the beginning of organized athletics with students embracing the game of baseball. The junior and senior-class-controlled newspaper The Student also was founded that year.

The final years of Nutt's presidency saw growing tensions with students, though the reasons are unknown. Students published a bogus newspaper in March 1873 titled The Dagger in which they attacked Nutt. In June 1875, Nutt retired from his position at the university and died on August 24, 1875, from remittent fever.[2][3] He was buried in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Greencastle, Indiana.[4]

## Works

[edit]

Several of Nutt's baccalaureate sermons were published.[2]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Nutt, Merle C. (1973). The Nutt Family. Phoenix, Arizona. pp. 28–83.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
2. ^ a b c d Wilson & Fiske 1900.
3. ^ "Death of the Rev. Dr. Cyrus Nutt". Lawrence Daily Journal. August 24, 1875. p. 2 - via Newspapers.com. "Indianapolis, Aug. 23. Rev. Cyrus Nutt, D.D., for fifteen years president of the Indiana University at Bloomington, died at that place this morning from remittent fever. Dr. Nutt was one of the most successful educators in this country, and long held a position in the front rank among prominent thinkers and writers of the M.E. church."
4. ^ Loong, Stephanie Yee (2003). "Cyrus Nutt". DePauw University: A Pictorial History. DePauw University.

## References

[edit]

* Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1900). "Nutt, Cyrus" . Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.

## External links

[edit]

* Indiana University President's Office records, 1857-1875

Academic offices

Preceded by

John Hiram Lathrop

|  President of Indiana University
1860 – 1875  | Succeeded by

Lemuel Moss

* v
* t
* e

Presidents of Indiana University

* Wylie
* Ryors
* Daily
* Lathrop
* Nutt
* Moss
* Jordan
* Coulter
* Swain
* Bryan
* Wells
* Stahr
* Sutton
* Ryan
* Ehrlich
* Brand
* Herbert
* McRobbie
* Whitten

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* FAST
* WorldCat

National|

* United States

Other|

* SNAC

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template