John Clough Holmes | |
|---|---|
 John Clough Holmes, January 1883 | |
| Born | September 25, 1809 |
| Died | December 16, 1887 (aged 78)[citation needed] |
| Known for | Established Michigan State University |
John Clough Holmes (September 25, 1809 – December 16, 1887) was an American agriculturalist, educator, and co-founder of the Michigan State Agricultural Society. Holmes is also known as the founder of Michigan State University, established in 1855 as an agriculture college, the first of its kind in the United States.[1] Holmes Hall, the home of the Lyman Briggs College, is named in his honor.
Born in Massachusetts, Holmes moved to Michigan at age 26. He married into a merchant family and later got involved in both the Detroit Horticultural Society and the Board of Education. In 1849, his background in horticulture and education led him to co-found the Michigan State Agricultural Society, a group dedicated to establishing a state-funded agricultural college in Michigan. Holmes spent the next six years drafting legislation and gaining support for his cause, and in 1855, the Michigan state governor signed a bill establishing the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan.
Holmes was keenly involved with the details of the Agricultural College, influencing everything from the purchase of land for the campus, layout of the buildings, and even the placement of the chairs and tables. Once the college opened, he assumed the role of treasurer and later Professor of Horticulture. By 1861, Holmes had fallen out of favor with the other College administrators, and retired to his home in Detroit. Nevertheless, he continued to support and visit the college until his death in 1887.
- ^ Beal 1915, p. 401.