The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-04-14
NOTED PHILANTHROPIST
NINETY YEARS Old TODAY
DR.. Daniel M. Pearsons Spends
the Day Receiving Many
Congratulations.
STILL STRONG AND VIGOROUS


vigorous physically and mentally in
spite OF his age DIR. Daniel NJ. Pear
sons, the noted philanthropist. cele-
brated his ninetieth birthday today at
his charming home at Hinsdale.~ he
had been invited TO spend his birth
day at Berea College. Kentucky. one
of the small colleges of the west that
have received substantial gifts from
his munihcence, but he preferred 70
spend the day at home, reading the
numerous letters and kilograms or
congratulation from private ind.vid-
uals and various colleges and other m
stitutions he has helped in the past.
ID. Daniel NJ. Pearsons occupies a
rather singular position among the
philanthropic millionaires of the Unit
ed States. Other multi-millonaires
have given away for philanthrooic or
educational purposes more millions In
a single year than DIR. Pearson'5 en-
tire wealth amounted TO, yet In pro-
norton DR.. Pearsons gave a much
larger share of his wealth than they.
The wealth of other millionaires was
enever materially diminished by their
gifts. i'm fact. represented only frae-
ton of their annual income. while DR..
| pearsons. whose total wealth was es-
timated at about 81 100000 gave away
| more than fve-sevenths of his fortune
| during the last twenty or Twenty-Five
years and, in accordance with his
avowed intention will complete the
distribution of his entire remaining
fortune during his life time. reservinG
| merely enough to insure himself
comfortable old age.
| DIR. Pearsons was born in Bradford,
VT. April IA, 1920 and grew up among
| the granite hills in poverty. He be-
| came a school-teacher and then
physician, but not being able to make
| money rapidly in the east. he moved TO
| Ogle County, H., where he engaged in
| farming. In 1860, at age of forty. he
came to Chicago with his wife. who
was Miss Marietta Chaplin of Massa-,
chusetts. He had $4,000 i'm cash and
began business as a real estate dealer.
j His honesty and reliability soon won
him many friends and his business
rapidly increased. Living economical
ly. he soon amassed fortune, which
he increased still further by judicious
investments.
| DR.. Pearsons and his wife had neith-
er children nor near relatives and the
constantly increasing wealth did not
appeal to their frugal habits. Mrs.
Pearsons had established a college in
Turkey and become interested in mis-
sions and DIR. Pearsons had given to
the deserving poor in an unostenta-
tious way. before they decided TO get
ria of their wealth by distributing 1t
among small colleges in poor or
sparsely settled localities. They decid-
ed not to give money to the large and
already literally endowed colleges and
other institutions, but to confine their
gifts to such institutions as were OF
the greatest benefit 20 the poor. Al
the age of seventy, DR.. Pearsons re-
tired from business and since then ne
has devoted practically all his time
and energy to the welfare of the de-
serving poor. During the last twenty
or twenty-five years, DIR. Pearsons dis
tributed fully five -sevenths of his en-
tire wealth among forty-seven colleges
and other institutions located I'm twen-
-ty-four states. He made a careful
! study of the situation and the condi-
tions surrounding each college he in
tended to help and selected those In
stitutions which i'm his opinion were
2 of the greatest benefit to the Door
Most of the colleges which Mr.. Pear
sons selected for his gifts are located
in poorer and less populous sections
of the west and south.
Among the numerous colleges and
I other institutions to which DIR. Pear
] sons made gifts ranging from $4,000
To $3.50 OOO arc Beloit College Chicago
theological Seminary, Whitman Col
lege. Colorado College Berea College
Kentucky; Mount Holyoke College
: Lake Forest College. Knox College
: Drury College. Yankton College. Garle-
: ton College Fargo College, Pomona
College. Fairmount College. Wichita
Kas.: Mccormick Theological Semi
: nary: Pacific University. Forest Grove
ore; Illinois College, Jacksonville
H.: olivet College. Michigan; Mariet-
+ Ia College. Sheridan College. WSom'
l ing: McKendree College. California
e Anatoro College. Turkey; Northwest
\ ern University. Evanston. ILL.,; Mont
1 pelier Seminary Vermont; Guilford
:. College. Greensboro. n. c.; Piedmon
I College, Washington College. Tennes
= see: Grand University. Chattanooga
d West virginia Seminary. Morgan
! town w. Va. and Parkville College
! Parkville. Mo. DIR. Pearson who's
o wife died three years ago. is fully de
IS termined TO be his own executor an
d distribute the rest of his wealth befor
& he Joins the silent majority