The Portland daily press., 1883-02-24


teTment win be at Willamstown, Mass.
president Chadbourne was native of North
Berwick, Me-, and was born Oct, 21, 1923. His
early experiences were such as to develop in
him that spirit of self-reliance and persever-
ance which made him successful man in his
later career He worked ON farm in summer
and in a carpenters shop in winter to support
himself until he was II years old. Then he
studied pharmacy and medicine, was engaged
some time in the drug business in Great Falls,
N. H., and finally, with a capital OF 1928, en-
tered the Phillips Academy at Exeter to fit for
college, and paid his current expenses by copy
Ing law documents and other papers In 1S4S
ne graduated at Williams College, taking the
highest honors of his class. After this he
taught school year at Freehold, N. j., enter
Ing &C the same time upon the study of theolo-
gy. A severe Illness attacked him at about
this period. and he came out of it with the loss
OF portion of one lung. Subsequently he en-
tered the Theological Institution of Connecti-
cut t Windsor, now the Hartford Theological
Seminary and then became principal of the
high school in Great Falls, N. H., whence he
was called to the position OF tutor in Williams
q hfar rozaft to 4fa<N
East Windsor Hill Academy in Connecticut,
of which he was principal, until in 1858 he re-
turned to Williams College as professor of
chemistry and natural history. In 1859 he was
called to fill the same chair in Bowdoin College.
He was also professor in the Berkshire
Medical College three years durir this time,
an was chemical lecturer in Mount Holyoke
Seminary thirteen years. In addition to his
labors in connection with these several most
important positions, DIR. Chadbourne did
great amount of general lecturipg and travel
ing, making an exploration in Newfoundland
in 1865, leading scientific expedition to Flori-
da in 1857 and leading similar expedition to
Greenland in 1860. In 1859 he visited Europe
and Ireland to make personal study of vol
canoes and geysers.
DR.. Oh aobourne always took deep and ac-
tive interest in public affairs, and has been
prominent in both State and national politics,
acting steadily with the Republican party
since it was formed. In 1865, and again in
1866, he represented North Berkshire in the
Massachusetts Senate. In 1866 he was pre-
sid ent of the Board of Trustees of the Massa-
chusetts Agricultural College, and tLen be-
came the first president of the institution. In
the first year Of his service he was again at
tacked with severe affection OF the lungs, and
was obliged to leave New England While in
the West he was again called. in the summer
OF 1866, to the presidency of the Madison Uni
versity, in which was included the Agricul1
tural College of Wisconsin. He accepted the
Office, and in three years succeeded in placing
the institution upon firm basis. In 1872 he
accepted the position of president OF Williams
College, and continued nine years therein and
then resigned, feeling that his work in the in
stitution had been accomplished.
He did not intend returning again to the
educational field, but in January. 1882 he was
unanimously elected president of the Massa-
chusetts Agricultural College, and accepted
the position, and occupied it at the time of his
death.
DR.. Chadbourne held no political offices in
Massachusetts after his service in the Senate
except those of presidential elector-at-large in
1880 and that Of prison commissioner which
he held at the time q his death.
President Chadbourne was an effective
speaker and was always listened to with pleas
nre. He was successful author and the writer
of anumber Of books on natural theology, in
stinct. relations Of natural history etc., and
m any pamphlets, essays and addresses. He re
ceived the degree of NJ. d. from the Berkshire
Medical College in 1859, that of LII d. from
W illiams College in 1863 and that of D. D.
from Amherst College in 1872. He was a
member of a number of societies, including the
Royal Society of Northern Antiquaries of
Copenhagen and the Massachusetts Historical
Society