The Rev. George Fisher Linfield (1846–1890) was an American

clergyman Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

and

educator A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. w ...

. Linfield College (now

Linfield University Linfield University is a private liberal arts college with campuses in McMinnville, and Portland, Oregon. Linfield Wildcats athletics participate in the NCAA Division III Northwest Conference. Linfield reported a total of 1,755 students after ...

) in

McMinnville, Oregon McMinnville is the county seat of and the most populous city in Yamhill County, Oregon, Yamhill County, Oregon, United States at the base of the Oregon Coast Range. The city is named after McMinnville, Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States cens ...

, was named in his honor. Linfield was born September 6, 1846, at

Randolph, Massachusetts Randolph is a suburban city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. At the 2020 census, the city population was 34,984. Randolph adopted a charter effective January 2010 providing for a council-manager form of government instead of the ...

. He was the son of John Porter Linfield and Louisa Fisher, both descended from early New England colonists. Linfield graduated from the

University of Rochester The University of Rochester is a private university, private research university in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded in 1850 and moved into its current campus, next to the Genesee River in 1930. With approximately 30,000 full ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, in 1873 and from the Rochester Theological Seminary in 1876. He was ordained as a

Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...

minister January 4, 1877, in

Moline, Illinois Moline ( ) is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. With a population of 42,985 in the 2020 census, it is the largest city in Rock Island County and the List of municipalities in Illinois, ninth-most populous in Illinois outside ...

, where he served as pastor from 1876 to 1881. He was pastor at Muscatine,

Iowa Iowa ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the upper Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west; Wisconsin to the northeast, Ill ...

, in 1881 and 1882. He served as the principal of Wayland Academy in

Beaver Dam, Wisconsin Beaver Dam is a city in Dodge County, Wisconsin, United States, along Beaver Dam Lake (Wisconsin), Beaver Dam Lake and the Beaver Dam River. The population was 16,708 at the 2020 census, making it the largest city primarily located in Dodge Co ...

, from 1882 to 1890. Linfield married Frances Eleanor Ross December 4, 1878, in Moline, Illinois. They had had one son, Ross Linfield, who died in infancy. Linfield died April 30, 1890, in Beaver Dam and was buried there in Oakwood Cemetery. During their tenure at Wayland Academy, George and Frances agreed that they should dedicate their life savings to promote Christian education. This purpose was realized in 1922, when Mrs. Linfield gifted real estate she owned in

Spokane, Washington Spokane ( ) is the most populous city in eastern Washington and the county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It lies along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south o ...

, valued at $250,000, to McMinnville College in McMinnville, Oregon, a Baptist institution. In honor of the gift, the college changed its name to

Linfield College Linfield University is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college with campuses in McMinnville, Oregon, McMinnville, and Portland, Oregon. Linfield Wildcats athletics participate in the Northwest ...

.Jonasson, Jonas (Steine). Bricks Without Straw: The Story of Linfield College. Caldwell, Id.: The Caxton Printers, 1938.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Linfield, George Fisher 1846 births 1890 deaths University of Rochester alumni People from Randolph, Massachusetts Linfield University people Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School alumni