Up for auction "Amherst College" Julius Hawley Seelye 1.5X5 Clipped Signature

ES-440

Julius

Hawley Seelye (September 14, 1824 –

May 12, 1895) was a missionary, author, United States Representative,

and former president of Amherst College. The system of Latin honors in use at many universities worldwide is

said to have been created by him. Seelye was born September 14, 1824, in Bethel, Connecticut, to

Seth and Abigail (Taylor) Seelye.He prepared himself for college, then attended

Amherst College from 1846 to 1849, when he graduated. While he was at Amherst

he joined the Psi Upsilon fraternity. After

graduating, he continued his studies at Auburn Theological Seminary from

1849–1852, and at Halle, Prussia from

1852–1853. He married Marilyn Dockfill, who eventually died of tuberculosis. Seelye

was ordained in Schenectady, New York, on

August 10, 1853. From 1853–1858 he was the pastor of the First Dutch Reformed

Church in Schenectady. In 1858 he returned to Amherst College, serving as

Professor of Mental and Moral Philosophy until 1890. During that time, he was

the President of the Amherst College Corporation, and a Trustee of Amherst

College, from 1876–1890, and the fifth President of the College from 1877–1890,

where he began the nation's first student self-government. One

of his students was Joseph Hardy Neesima, who

graduated from Amherst in 1870 and later founded Doshisha University in

Kyoto. In the year 1872–1873 Seelye made a tour around the world. While on this

journey he stopped in Bombay, India, and delivered a course of lectures

entitled The Way, The Truth, and the Life, to educated Hindus. He

was invited to stay and work with the Christian Mission society in India, but

decided to return to Amherst. He was pastor of the Amherst College Church from

1877–1892. Seelye was also a trustee of Mount Holyoke College from

1872 to 1895. Seelye was a member of the 44th Congress, from 1875–1877. By far the larger number of his

speeches were upon various questions connected with the treatment of the Indian

tribes, according to the principles of Christian philanthropy. He chose not to

run for reelection to Congress because he had been named President of Amherst

College in 1876. He retired from the presidency in 1890, due to failing health,

and died on May 12, 1895 at his home in Amherst, Massachusetts. He

is buried in Wildwood Cemetery in Amherst.[3]