# Stephen Olin

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American clergyman and academic

Stephen Olin President of Wesleyan University In office 1839–1841 Preceded by Willbur Fisk Succeeded by Nathan Bangs 3rd President of Wesleyan University In office 1842–1851 Preceded by Nathan Bangs Succeeded by Augustus W. Smith 1st President of Randolph Macon College In office 1834–1836 Preceded by Office created Succeeded by Landon C. Garland Personal details Born (1797-03-02)March 2, 1797 Leicester, Vermont Died August 15, 1851(1851-08-15) (aged 54) Middletown, Connecticut Resting place Wesleyan University Cemetery, Middletown, Connecticut Spouse Julia Matilda Lynch Relations Alice Olin Dows (granddaughter) Julia Lynch Olin (granddaughter) Parent(s) Henry Olin Lois Richardson Alma mater Middlebury College

**Stephen Olin** (March 2, 1797 – August 15, 1851) was an American educator and minister.[1]

## Early life

Oline was born in [Leicester, Vermont](/source/Leicester%2C_Vermont), on March 2, 1797. He was one of ten children born to [Henry Olin](/source/Henry_Olin) (1768–1837), a member of the [U.S. House of Representatives](/source/U.S._House_of_Representatives) from Vermont,[2] and Lois Richardson (d. 1814). His father was the nephew of [Gideon Olin](/source/Gideon_Olin) (1743–1823) and the cousin of [Abram B. Olin](/source/Abram_B._Olin) (1808–1879), both of whom also served as members of the House of Representatives from Vermont.[3]

In 1820, Olin graduated from [Middlebury College](/source/Middlebury_College) in 1820.[4]

## Career

Seeking a better climate for his poor health, Olin traveled to the southern United States, where he found employment as a teacher at Tabernacle Academy in Mount Ariel, in the [Abbeville area](/source/Abbeville_County%2C_South_Carolina) of [South Carolina](/source/South_Carolina).[5] After having a religious awakening at the age of 25, he gave up consideration of the practice of law and became ordained into the [Methodist Episcopal Church](/source/Methodist_Episcopal_Church);[6] Olin was recognized as a deacon by the Milledgeville, Georgia, conference in January 1826.[7] He then served a pastorate in Charleston, but his health prevented him from continuing in that capacity.[7] He became professor of belle-lettres at the [University of Georgia](/source/University_of_Georgia) in 1827. He was the first President of [Randolph-Macon College](/source/Randolph-Macon_College) (1834–1836) but resigned for health reasons and was succeeded by [Dr. Landon C. Garland](/source/Landon_Garland).[8] He later served as president of [Wesleyan University](/source/Wesleyan_University) (1842–1851).[6]

In 1844, at the general conference of the Methodists, Olin called on his friend, Bishop [James Andrew](/source/James_Osgood_Andrew), to resign his office, on the grounds the latter owned slaves. Olin himself was criticized because his first wife (Mary E. Bostwick, whom he married in 1827) had owned slaves.[4]

## Personal life

Stephen Olin married Mary Ann Bostwick, who died in Naples, Italy, during the couple's time in Europe after Olin resigned the presidency of Randolph-Macon College.[7]

He was later married to Julia Matilda Lynch (1814–1879), the daughter of James Lynch. Together, they were the parents of:[4]

- [Stephen Henry Olin](/source/Stephen_Henry_Olin) (1847–1925), who married Alice Wadsworth Barlow (1853–1882), daughter of [Samuel Latham Mitchill Barlow](/source/Samuel_L._M._Barlow_I) and Alice Cornell Townsend.[9]

Olin died on August 15, 1851, in [Middletown, Connecticut](/source/Middletown%2C_Connecticut).[4]

### Legacy

The [Williamsbridge](/source/Williamsbridge%2C_Bronx) neighborhood of [Olinville](/source/Olinville%2C_Bronx) in the [Bronx, New York](/source/The_Bronx), began as two towns named for him (founded in 1852).[4]

## Publications

- *Inaugural Address Delivered by the Rev. Stephen Olin, President of Randolph-Macon College, on the Occasion of His Induction into Office, 5th March, 1834* (1834) Richmond: Nesbitt & Walker.[10]

- *Travels in Egypt, Arabia Petræa, and the Holy Land* (1843) New York: Harper & Brothers.[11]

- *Resources and Duties of Christian Young Men: A Discourse to the Graduating Class of Wesleyan University, August 1845* (1846) New York: Lane & Tippett.[12]

- *The Relations of Christian Principle to Mental Culture: A Discourse to the Graduating Class of Wesleyan University, July 1848* (1848) New York: Lane & Scott.[13]

- *Early Piety, the Basis of Elevated Character: A Discourse to the Graduating Class of Wesleyan University, August 1850* (1851) New York: Lane & Scott.[14]

- *The Works of Stephen Olin* (1852) and *[Greece and the Golden Horn](https://books.google.com/books?id=B0cMAAAAYAAJ)* (1854) were edited by his second wife, Julia Matilda Olin, and published posthumously.

- *College Life: Its Theory and Practice* (1867) New York: Harper & Brothers.[15]

## References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Stephen Olin](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Stephen_Olin).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-nypl_1-0)** ["Stephen Olin and Julia Olin letters"](http://archives.nypl.org/mss/4208). *archives.nypl.org*. Manuscripts and Archives Division | [New York Public Library](/source/New_York_Public_Library). Retrieved August 25, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-HObioguide_2-0)** ["OLIN, Henry - Biographical Information"](https://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=O000068). *bioguide.congress.gov*. [Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress). Retrieved August 25, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Brown, John Howard (2006). [*The Cyclopedia of American Biography V6: Comprising the Men and Women of the United States Who Have Been Identified with the Growth of the Nation*](https://books.google.com/books?id=TH9AEMwOuSYC&pg=PA61). Kessinger Publishing. p. 61. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781428640511](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781428640511).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Olin1852_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Olin1852_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Olin1852_4-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Olin1852_4-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Olin1852_4-4) Olin, Stephen (1852). [*The Works of Stephen Olin*](https://archive.org/details/worksstephenoli02churgoog). Harper & Brothers. Retrieved August 25, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-EarlySchools_5-0)** Cummings, A.W. (1886). [*The Early Schools of Methodism*](https://archive.org/details/earlyschoolsofme00cummrich/page/84/). New York: Phillips & Hunt. p. 84. Retrieved June 17, 2020.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-wesleyan_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-wesleyan_6-1) ["Stephen Olin, Office of the President"](http://www.wesleyan.edu/president/pastpresidents/olin.html). *www.wesleyan.edu*. [Wesleyan University](/source/Wesleyan_University). Retrieved August 25, 2017.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-GeorgiaMethodism_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-GeorgiaMethodism_7-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-GeorgiaMethodism_7-2) Smith, George G. (1913). [*The History of Georgia Methodism from 1786 to 1866*](https://archive.org/details/historyofgeorgia00smit/page/178/). Atlanta, GA: A.B. Caldwell. pp. 178–179. Retrieved June 17, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-rmcPres_8-0)** ["College Presidents :: Randolph-Macon College"](http://www.rmc.edu/offices/president/college-presidents). *www.rmc.edu*. Retrieved August 25, 2017.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Starr2007_9-0)** Starr, Leslie (2007). [*Welcome to Wesleyan: Campus Buildings*](https://books.google.com/books?id=hi2MXDemgpAC&pg=PA36). [Wesleyan University Press](/source/Wesleyan_University_Press). p. 36. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780819568557](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780819568557). Retrieved December 20, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** Olin, Stephen (1834). [*Inaugural Address Delivered by the Rev. Stephen Olin, President of Randolph-Macon College, on the Occasion of His Induction into Office, 5th March, 1834*](https://archive.org/details/inauguraladdress00olin). Richmond: Nesbitt & Walker. Retrieved June 9, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Olin, Stephen (1843). [*Travels in Egypt, Arabia Petræa, and the Holy Land*](https://archive.org/details/travelsinegyptar01olin). New York: Harper & Brothers. Retrieved June 9, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Olin, Stephen (1846). [*Resources and Duties of Christian Young Men: A Discourse to the Graduating Class of Wesleyan University, August 1845*](https://archive.org/details/resourcesdutieso00olin). New York: Lane & Tippett. Retrieved June 9, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Olin, Stephen (1848). [*The Relations of Christian Principle to Mental Culture: A Discourse to the Graduating Class of Wesleyan University, July 1848*](https://archive.org/details/relationschrist00olingoog/). New York: Lane & Scott. Retrieved June 9, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** Olin, Stephen (1851). [*Early Piety, the Basis of Elevated Character: A Discourse to the Graduating Class of Wesleyan University, August 1850*](https://archive.org/details/earlypietybasis00olingoog). New York: Lane & Scott. Retrieved June 9, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Olin, Stephen (1867). [*College Life: Its Theory and Practice*](https://archive.org/details/collegelifeitsth00olin). New York: Harper & Brothers. Retrieved June 9, 2020.

- *Appletons' Cyclopaedia of American Biography* James Grant Wilson & John Fisk, eds. (1888) New York, Appleton.

- *The History of Methodism in Georgia and Florida: From 1785 to 1865* George Gilman Smith (1877) J. W. Burke & Co.

Academic offices Preceded by Office created President of Randolph-Macon College 1834–1836 Succeeded by Landon Cabell Garland Preceded by Nathan Bangs President of Wesleyan University 1842–1851 Succeeded by Augustus William Smith

v t e Presidents of Wesleyan University Fisk (1831–1839) Bangs (1841–1842) Olin (1842–1851) Smith (1852–1857) Cummings (1858–1875) Foss (1875–1880) Beach (1880–1887) Raymond (1889–1908) Shanklin (1909–1923) McConaughy (1925–1943) Butterfield (1943–1967) Etherington (1967–1970) Campbell (1970–1988) Chace (1988–1994) Bennet (1995–2007) Roth (2007– )

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States Israel People Trove Other Open Library SNAC Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Stephen Olin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Olin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Olin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.