John Henry Barrows Presidential Papers

Collection

Identifier: RG 02-005

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The papers of John Henry Barrows and his family were allegedly destroyed by a fire in 1923 in Berkeley, California. Papers relating to Barrows' work for the Columbian Exposition in 1893 were inadvertently destroyed at the University of Chicago. Thus, what remains at Oberlin is all the documentation that exists relating to Barrows.

The Barrows Papers consist of seven small series: Correspondence, Donor Lists, Programs and Brochures, Writings by and about John Henry Barrows, Photographs, and Scrapbooks, and Miscellaneous Publications.

Dates

Creation: 1889-1905, undated
Other: Date acquired: 1966 January 1

Creator

Barrows, John Henry, 1847-1902 (1847-1902) (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Unrestricted.

Biographical Sketch

John Henry Barrows, Congregational clergyman and fifth President of Oberlin College, was born in Medina, Michigan, in 1847 to John Manning (d. 1891) and Catherine Moore Barrows (d. 1893), Oberlin College graduates of the classes of 1838 and 1839. Barrows received his BA from Olivet College in 1867 and obtained theological training at Yale Divinity School (1867-1868) and at Union Theological Seminary (1868-1869). After a period of preaching and traveling in the United States and abroad, he enrolled at Andover Theological Seminary, graduating without a degree in 1875. He was ordained to the Congregational ministry on April 29, 1875, and married Sarah Eleanor Mole (1852-1940) on May 6.

From 1875 to 1881, Barrows held pastorates at the Eliot Church in Lawrence, Massachusetts and at the Maverick Church, East Boston. In 1881, he accepted a call to become the sixth pastor of Chicago's First Presbyterian Church, where he remained until 1896. At First Presbyterian, he developed a reputation as one of the foremost preachers of his time. He conducted popular Sunday evening services in Central Music Hall and spoke at temperance and missionary meetings. He was a favorite speaker before gatherings at Chautauqua, New York and served on the advisory council of the Chautauquan system.

Barrows gained widespread recognition in 1893 as President of the World's Parliament of Religions held in connection with the World's Columbian Exposition. The Parliament brought together representatives of the world's historic religions for the expression of their similarities and differences. Barrows' impressive leadership of the Parliament stimulated interest in ethnic religions and led to several publications by Barrows himself: The World's Parliament of Religions (1893), A World Pilgrimage (1897), Christianity, the World Religion (1897), and The Christian Conquest of Asia (1899). Barrows' other publications include Henry Ward Beecher, the Shakespeare of the Pulpit (1893) and Spiritual Forces in American History (1889).

In November 1898, following two years of lecturing in India and the Orient for the Haskell Foundation, Barrows was elected to the presidency of Oberlin College; he assumed office in January, 1899. His administration was capable though brief. During his three and one half-year term, the college added $600,000 to its endowment, Warner Gymnasium and Severance Chemical Laboratory were built, and Oberlin achieved new prominence in the world of higher education. The community of Oberlin was shocked by Barrows' premature death from pleuropneumonia on June 3, 1902.

Note written by Valerie S. Komor.

Extent

1.50 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Method of Acquisition

These records are of uncertain provenance. They were brought together in the Oberlin College Archives and joined with the papers of other Oberlin College Presidents. The scrapbooks in series 6 were transferred to the College Archives from the College Library in September 2000. The church song book was transferred to the College Archives by the Library Special Collections in 2019. The scrapbooks were originally a gift of Mrs. John Barrows to the Oberlin College library with another scrapbook given to the College Archives by the Library Special Collections in 2021.

Related Materials

The Oberlin College Library and Special Collections contain Barrows' publications as well as 1,500 books and 1,000 pamphlets from Barrows' library, many relating to the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Consult the records of the Office of the Secretary for President Barrows' annual reports to the Board of Trustees. Related materials are housed with the records of the Treasurer's Office.

Letters of Barrows are located in 30/9, Metcalf Papers, Box 3; 30/28, Various Persons, Box 7; and 5/1/1, Office of the Secretary, Subgroup IV, Series 5, Box 3, Reunion 1900 Correspondence. In the papers of George Frederick Wright, 30/21, Series IV, Subseries 1, Box 18, a letter from I.W. Jones describes Jones' impressions of Barrows' letters, which he read in the Fall of 1902, prior to their destruction in 1923. The G.F. Wright Papers (30/21) also contains letters from Barrows; see index. Additional biographical information is contained in 28/3, Alumni and Development Records, in the files of former Faculty, Staff, and Trustees. (see also--Excerpts from diaries of Mrs. John Barrows.)

The College Archives holds microfilm (1 reel) of letters received by George D. Boardman, 1892-1897, concerning the World Parliament of Religions. Includes letters received from John Henry Barrows.