The Geauga Seminary (also known as Western Reserve Labor Seminary) was a

Free Will Baptist Free Will Baptists or Free Baptists are a group originating from General Baptists that emphasizes the teaching of free salvation and free will. The movement can be traced back to the General Baptists in 17th century England. In 1702, Paul Palm ...

school in

Chester Township, Geauga County, Ohio Chester Township is one of the sixteen townships of Geauga County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2020 census the population was 9,957 . Geography Located in the northwestern corner of the county, it borders the following townships and municip ...

. President

James Garfield James Abram Garfield (November 19, 1831 – September 19, 1881) was the 20th president of the United States, serving from March 1881 until Assassination of James A. Garfield, his death in September that year after being shot two months ea ...

attended the Seminary.

History

The school was founded in 1842 by the Western Reserve Free-Will Baptist Society and the first building was constructed in 1843. Its charter prohibited any discrimination based upon race or gender. Early professors at the school included George H. Ball and Ransom Dunn, both Free Baptist clergymen from New England. President

met his wife

Lucretia Garfield Lucretia Garfield ( Rudolph; April 19, 1832 – March 14, 1918) was the first lady of the United States from March to September 1881, as the wife of James A. Garfield, the 20th president of the United States. Born in Garrettsville, Ohio, Gar ...

(Randolph) while attending Geauga. When the school closed in 1853, most of its assets were acquired by

Hillsdale College Hillsdale College is a Private university, private, Conservatism in the United States, conservative, Christian liberal arts college in Hillsdale, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1844 by members of the Free Will Baptists. Women were admi ...

in Michigan, another Free Will Baptist institution. The Seminary building was demolished in 1927.Chester Township: Gateway to Geauga, Nov 8, 2012 by Ty Pilarczyk http://geauganews.com/chester-township-gateway-to-geauga/

Notable people affiliated with Geauga

James A Garfield and Lucretia RudolphRevise

* George H. Ball, Freewill Baptist pastor and teacher at Geauga Seminary * George T. Day, principal of Geauga Seminary, writer, professor at

Bates College Bates College () is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Lewiston, Maine. Anchored by the Historic Quad, the campus of Bates totals with a small urban campus which includes 33 Victorian ...

* Orlando J. Hodge, Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives * Ransom Dunn, Freewill Baptist pastor and teacher at Geauga Seminary * Charles Gordon Ames, Unitarian clergyman, editor and lecturer. * Robert Vaughn (Australian politician) * Stephen A. Walker, principal of Geauga Seminary for a year, lawyer,

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York The United States attorney for the Southern District of New York is the chief federal law enforcement officer in eight contiguous New York counties: the counties (coextensive boroughs of New York City) of New York (Manhattan) and Bronx, and th ...

, 20th President of the United States *

, First Lady

References

{{authority control Defunct private universities and colleges in Ohio Educational institutions established in 1842 Free Will Baptist schools Seminaries and theological colleges in Ohio Educational institutions disestablished in 1927 1842 establishments in Ohio