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olin

Emeline Harriman Dodge Olin ( - 1938) widow of William Earl Dodge and daughter of Oliver Harriman of New York, became the second wife of  Stephen Henry Olin, (Wesleyan class of 1866) in 1903.  Upon Stephen Olin’s death in 1925, Mrs. Olin donated the funds for the construction of Olin Memorial Library, designed by Henry Bacon and dedicated in 1928. Mrs. Olin was very involved in the construction of her husband’s legacy and lived, during that time, in an apartment above what are now the Campus Safety offices. 

 


davison George W. Davison (1872 - 1953) was an 1892 graduate of Wesleyan University and a member of Wesleyan’s Board of Trustees from 1912 until his death.  After graduating from Wesleyan University he did graduate work in law at New York University and opened a private law practice.  He later became interested in corporate finance and in 1912 left his practice to become vice-president of the Central Trust Company of New York and later the president of the Central Union Trust Company.  Mr. Davison and his wife, the former Harriet Rice Baldwin of Middletown, Connecticut, collected rare books and art prints.  In addition to donating the funds for the Davison Health Center and prints and funds for the Davison Art Center, the Davison’s donated the funds to build the Davison Rare Book Room in Olin Library.  It houses Davison’s splendid collection of rare books.  Mr. Davison left most of his estate to Wesleyan University and is one of Wesleyan’s largest benefactors.
   
winchester Caleb Thomas Winchester (1847-1920) was a member of the Wesleyan class of 1869. He was awarded an M.A. in 1872 and held honorary degrees from Dickinson College and Wesleyan. He was a professor at Wesleyan from 1873-1920, teaching rhetoric and English literature. He also served as the University's Librarian from 1869-85. In 1904, he was a member of the committee that revised the Methodist Hymnal. Winchester wrote Five Short Courses of Reading, Some Principles of Literary Criticism, The Life of John Wesley, and A Group of English Essayists.  He edited the Wesleyan Alumni Record, Addison's Roger de Coverley Papers, and The Athenaeum Press Series. Winchester was married twice, in 1872 to Julia Stackpole Smith (who died in 1877) and in 1880 to Alice Goodwin Smith. His son, Julian Caleb, was born in 1877.  Wesleyan's head librarian position, an endowed post, is named the Caleb T. Winchester University Librarian, in his honor.
   

bacon

 American architect Henry Bacon (1866-1924) began his architectural career as a draftsman and served in the office of McKim, Mead & White in New York City, probably the most widely known architectural firm of its time.  Well known for designing the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., Bacon prepared a master plan for the development of Wesleyan’s campus.  He also designed many buildings on campus, including Clark Hall, Van Vleck Observatory, Eclectic House, the Skull and Serpent building, and Olin Memorial Library.  The Special Collections and Archives department of Olin Library at Wesleyan is the repository of Bacon’s collection of books and papers.
   

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 Eugenia M. Henry
   
chase Daniel Chase (1814-1905) entered Wesleyan University as a junior in 1832, transferring from Columbia University.  During the first year at Wesleyan University there were five other students.  Chase recalls studying in his North College dormitory to the light of a whale-oil lamp.  In July 1833 he delivered Wesleyan’s first valedictory address and was handed the first diploma ever conferred by Wesleyan.  In the fall of 1833 President Fisk called Chase back to campus to teach and assist in the Mathematics and Latin and Greek departments.  In 1835 he left Wesleyan, telling President Fisk that he would work to supply Fisk with better students.  He opened Middletown Institute in 1835 and a female seminary in 1841.  He retired in 1870 and remained in Middletown until his death.