Pesident John H. Twombly 1871-1874
On June 30, 1871, the regents name the university's fifth president, the Rev. Dr.
John H. Twombly, formerly public school superintendent of Charlestown, Mass., and
pastor of its Methodist church. A strong proponent of both coeducation and temperance,
he assumes office that fall, but soon falls out of favor with the board over governance
issues and personalities. When Twombly is finally forced out on January 21, 1874,
the regents immediately announce his replacement -- Williams College professor John Bascom.
John Twombly was born in Rochester, New Hampshire on July 19, 1814. After working at
various jobs and mostly educating himself, he graduated from Wesleyan University in 1843
and was ordained a Methodist minister. During the next thirty years Twombly was a pastor
at various churches in Massachusetts, an overseer of Harvard College (1855-67), secretary
of the New England Education Society (1857-71), director of the American Institute (1868-70),
and superintendent of the Charlestown, Massachusetts public schools (1866-70). The regents
elected Twombly president of the University of Wisconsin on June 30, 1871, and he took office
with the start of the school year in September. During most of his presidency Twombly had
good relations with faculty and students and was an outspoken proponent of co-education. The
latter issue brought him into conflict with the regents, however, as did their reluctance to
give him much real executive authority. In June of 1873 the regents asked Twombly to resign,
but he refused. Over the next several months the conflict between Twombly and the regents
intensified and the issue even was taken to the legislature. Finally, on January 21, 1874,
Twombly resigned. He returned to the ministry, and served as pastor at several churches in
the northeast. He died on January 1, 1893, in Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts.
--------
John H. Twombly, president, 1871-1874: A Methodist minister, Twombly was anadvocate of co-education. His poor relationship with the regents hastened hisresignation.
