Shawnee County KS Archives Biographies.....MacVicar, Peter 1829 - 1903
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Author: James L. King (1905)

REV. PETER MacVICAR.

    REV. PETER MacVICAR, deceased, who became president of Washburn College,
Topeka, in 1871, and held that office for many years, was one of the leaders in
educational work in Kansas. He was born June 15, 1829, at St. George, New
Brunswick, Canada, and was a son of George and Christiana MacVicar.

    Rev. Mr. MacVicar came of Scotch ancestry and possessed many of the leading
traits of character which placed his ancestors, in years gone by, in the front
rank of professional eminence. His father was a farmer and he grew up in
healthful country surroundings but his tastes did not lead in the direction of
agriculture. In his boyhood the family removed to the Territory of Wisconsin,
settling near Waukesha, where the youth was able to attend school and in 1852
became a student at Beloit College. When he graduated four years later, as
valedictorian of his class, his friends predicted for him a bright and
successful future. They never had occasion to change their opinions, for his
whole subsequent life demonstrated on what a firm foundation his early success
was founded.

    After one year as a member of the faculty of Beloit College, he entered
Union Theological Seminary and completed his theological course at Andover, in
1860.

    In the fall of 1860, Rev. Mr. MacVicar came to Topeka and accepted a call to
the pastorate of the First Congregational Church. In the changes brought about
by the Civil War, his energies were diffused in many directions, and he was a
member of the State militia during the period when troops were called out to
repel the advances of the Confederate forces.

    In 1866 our subject accepted the superintendency of the Department o£ Public
Instruction for the State of Kansas, although, at that time, no suitable
provision had been made for the carrying on of the work. It was at this time
that his influence was shown, by which the school land in the Osage. Indian
Reservation was secured as a part of the school fund. He was one. of the leaders
in securing this great public service to the State, and during his whole
incumbency, lasting until 1870, his efforts were never relaxed.

    One of the great results of the united efforts of a body of educators, who
were also practical business men, was the establishing at Topeka at the close of
the Civil War of an educational institution which, in its scope, was far beyond
any other school in the State. Thus Washburn College came into existence in
1865. Rev. Mr. MacVicar had much to do with the drawing up of its charter, and
remained closely identified with its interests until his death, which occurred
January 5, 1903. To-day the institution stands as an an enduring monument to his
disinterested public spirit, to his great executive ability as well as to his
persistence, courage and culture.

    From nothing tangible has arisen a magnificent group of buildings which have
been erected at a cost of $150,000, surrounded by a campus of 160 acres. Every
opportunity for educational development is given here where great libraries
offer their store of the wisdom of the past and present, and equipped
laboratories invite scientific research. Its faculty has been called from other
great institutions, and its finances are in such shape that its future progress
is well assured.

    In September, 1863, President MacVicar was married to Martha Porter Dana, of
Waukesha, Wisconsin, who is a lineal descendant of Gen. Israel Putnam. Our
subject was survived by his widow and two children: Dana C., an attorney, of
Topeka; and Mary (Mrs. W. H. Morris), of Topeka.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS
AND
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

EDITED AND COMPILED BY
JAMES L. KING
TOPEKA, KANSAS 

"History is Philosophy Teaching by Examples"

PUBLISHED BY
RICHMOND & ARNOLD,
GEORGE RICHMOND; C. R. ARNOLD.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,
1905.

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