Knox College Honorary Degrees, 1849-1899

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1849-1899

Commencement speakers are indicated, where known, in italics; Knox alumni in bold.

1899

James Alonzo Adams ('67), Clergyman and editor "Advance," Conglomerated Mag., Chicago; trustee, Knox College
Isaac A. Cornelison, Clergyman, Washington, Illinois
John Finley, Knox graduate and president of the college; later, a Knox trustee and editor of The New York Times
W. Hamilton Spence, Clergyman, Galesburg; later at Uniontown, Pennsylvania

1898

John Lauderdale Kennedy ('83), Lawyer and banker, Omaha, Nebraska. Member of Congress from the 2nd District of Nebraska

1897

William C. Gray, Editor "The Interior," a religious paper, Chicago
William E. Holyoke ('46), Clergyman, Farmington; trustee, Knox College. Made the first Knox Commencement Address, Class of 1846
Sheldon Jackson, Pioneer Presbyterian missionary in Alaska; founder of churches and schools; U.S. General Agent Education of Alaskan Natives; introduced reindeer to Alaska. Moderator of the 1897 Presbyterian General Assembly
William White Leete, Clergyman, Rockford. Later at New Haven, Connecticut as field secretary, Congregational Church Extension Board
Fridtjof Nansen, Norwegian Arctic explorer
Edwin G. Smith ('46), Clergyman and Superintendent, American Bible Society for Indiana and Illinois

1896

Horace Mervin Carr ('56), Clergyman, Cambridge, Illinois
George Churchill ('51), Mathematician and Civil Engineer.; Principal of the Knox Academy for 40 years
Newton C. Daugherty, Educator, Peoria
James H. Eckels, Comptroller, U.S. Finance Department, Washington, D.C. Later President of the Commercial National Bank, Chicago
Caleb Frank Gates, President of Euphrates College, Harput, Turkey; later President of Roberts College, Istanbul, Turkey
Peter Stenger Grosscup, Jurist, Chicago. U.S. District Court, No. Illinois
John Lindsey Withrow, Clergyman, Chicago. Moderator of the 1896 Presbyterian General Assembly

1895

Harriet Hurd McClure

Alfred Craig, chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court
W.S. Davis, Clergyman, Aledo
Casper Wistar hiatt, Clergyman, Peoria
Harriet Hurd McClure (pictured), Knox graduate and editor of McClure News Syndicate
William Stevenson Marquis, Clergyman, Rock Island, and President of the Chicago Historical Society
Edward G. Mason, Clergyman, Chicago

1894

Henry Allen Bushnell, Clergyman, Galesburg
Marshall Curtiss Hazard ('61), Lawyer and editor of the Conglomerated Periodicals. Chicago

1893 (Lombard College)

John Houston Finley, Knox graduate, president of Knox 1892-1899, later editor of The New York Times

1893

Eugene Field, Knox alumnus and author and columnist for the Chicago Daily News

1892

Albin Putzker, M.A. Professor, German Literature at the University of California, Berkeley, California
Frank Goodrich Woodworth, Clergyman and President at Tougallo University, Tougallo, Mississippi

1891

Edwin Augustus Adams, Clergyman, Bohemian Mission Conglomerate Chicago

1889

Joseph Joachim Lampe ('64), Clergyman, New York. Later Professor, Hebrew and Old Testament History, Presbyterian Thological Seminary, Omaha, Nebraska
Matthew B. Lowrie, Clergyman. Former Trustee, Knox. Later President, Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Omaha, Nebraska

1888

Edward Chittenden Ray, Clergyman and Secretary, Board of Aid to Presbyterian Colleges and Academies, Chicago

1887

Edward Harvey Curtis ('63), Clergyman, Lincoln, Nebraska; Trustee, Knox, 1875-1874
Stephen Van Culen White ('54), Lawyer and stock broker, New York. Representative member, 50th Congress; Trustee, Knox

1886

George W. Lilley ('74), Mathematician; President of South Dakota Agricultural College. Later, President of Washington St. Pullman, Washington and Professor of Math, Oregon University, Eugene, Oregon

1885

Luther Halsey Gulick, Clergyman, Hanover, N.H.
Frank Mathews, Superintendent of Schools, Pekin

1884

Philip Atkinson ('53), Manufacturer, electrical supplies, Chicago; lecturer and author

1883

John Williston Cook, Professor and later president, Northern Illinois, St. Teachers College, DeKalb
Robert Gibson McNiece, Clergyman. Dean, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah
Simon John McPherson, Clergyman. Headmaster, Lawrenceville (N.J.) School
Joseph Ward, Professor and President, Yankton College, Yankton, South Dakota

1882

Samuel Willard (also spelled "Wilford"), Educator

1880

Horatio Miller Case ('71), Clergyman, Winterset, Iowa
Henry Eaton Hitchcock ('46), Professor, Mathematics, Knox College 30 years. Later at Lincoln University, Lincoln, Illinois and Acting Chancellor, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska

1879

Joseph A. Sewall, (First Ph.D. Awarded), President, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
John Van Ness Standish, President, Lombard University, 41 years. Builder of Standish Park. Established Standish Fund for the Knox Library

1876

Charles Wesley Leffingwell ('66), Clergyman, editor; founder and rector of St. Mary's School, Knoxville; also founder of St. Alban's School, Knoxville
John Knox McLean, Clergyman, California. Later president of the Pacific Theological Seminary, California
William S. Robertson ('52), Physician on staff, Medical School, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

1875

Harlan Page Case ('71), Clergyman, California
Lucius Harwood Foote ('46), Lawyer and judge, Sacramento, California. Later U.S. diplomat in Chile and Korea
Hiram Irving Nancy ('74), Physician, Los Angeles, California

1874

James Henry Warren, helped found predecessor of the University of California-Berkeley
Arthur T. Pierson, Clergyman and Author, Detroit, Michigan

1873

Josiah J. Blaidsdell, Clergyman. Professor, Beloit College, Wisconsin

1872

Alexander McKay, Clergyman, Elmira

1871

George Duffield, Knox trustee and composer of church hymns
George Thatcher, Clergyman, President of the University of Iowa
Fredrick Howard Wines, Clergyman, Springfield. Secretary, Illinois Board of Public Charities. Later an assistant director of the U.S. Bureau of Census

1870

James Mason Hopin, Clergyman, New Haven, Connecticut, Professor of Art, Yale University
Edwin L. Hurd ('53), Clergyman, President of Blackburn College, Carlinville; Knox Trustee
Joseph Edwin Roy ('48), Field Superintendant, American Home Mission Society, Chicago. Later Knox Trustee