Presidents Nathaniel T. Lupton, Josiah Gorgas, and William S. Wyman Records
Record Group
Identifier: RG-249
Scope and Contents
This record group contains one letterbook of correspondence sent or received by University of Alabama presidents Nathaniel T. Lupton and Josiah Gorgas and acting president William S. Wyman. The correspondence begins in 1871, with letters to and from William S. Wyman. Following this is the correspondence of Presidents Lupton and Gorgas from 1872 to 1879. The letterbook ends with correspondence of Wyman in the role of acting president in 1879. Portions of the letterbook are in poor condition.
Dates
- 1871 - 1879
Creator
- Wyman, William Stokes (Person)
Biographical / Historical
Nathaniel T. Lupton was born in Winchester, Virginia, on December 30, 1830. He graduated from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania in 1849 and began teaching chemistry. During the Civil War he was in charge of the Confederate Nitre and Mining Bureau in Selma, Alabama. Lupton served as professor of chemistry and president of The University of Alabama from 1871-1874. His time in office took place during the years when the university reopened after being destroyed by Union troops at the close of the Civil War in April 1865. Lupton and his wife, Ella Armstrong Allemong, had three children. He died in Auburn, Alabama, on June 11, 1893.
Josiah Gorgas was born in Running Pumps, Pennsylvania, on July 1, 1818. He was an 1841 graduate of the United States Military Academy and became a career military officer, serving in the Ordinance Corps for the both the United States Army and Confederate States Army. He became president of The University of Alabama in 1878 but stepped down in 1879 due to illness. He was then given the position of university librarian. Gorgas married Amelia Gayle, daughter of Alabama governor John Gayle. The couple had six children. He died in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on May 15, 1883.
William S. Wyman was born November 23, 1830, in Montgomery, Alabama. He received a BA degree in 1851 and an MA degree in 1853, both from The University of Alabama. After graduation he became a tutor and was appointed professor of Greek and Latin in 1855. Wyman served as interim president of The University of Alabama in 1879-80, 1885-86, and 1889-90, before serving as president from 1901-1902. Wyman and his wife, Melissa Dearing Wyman, had four children. He died in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on October 20, 1915.
Extent
.2 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Overview
This record group contains a letterbook with correspondence to and from three Unversity of Alabama presidents, Nathaniel T. Lupton, Josiah Gorgas, and William S. Wyman, from 1871 to 1879.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Unknown
Processing Information
Deborah Nygren; Tom Land; updated by Kevin Ray, 2021.
Creator
- Wyman, William Stokes (Person)
- Lupton, N. T. (Nathaniel Thomas) (Person)
- Gorgas, Josiah, 1818-1883 (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Presidents Nathaniel T. Lupton, Josiah Gorgas, and William S. Wyman Records
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid created by Kevin Ray, April 2020.
- Date
- July 2021
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the The University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections Repository