Marion College (Missouri)
It was opposed by proslavery residents of northeastern Missouri, who were particularly critical of founder and president David Nelson, an antislavery activist.[1] In 1835, William S. Potts, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, Missouri agreed to serve as president after Nelson stepped down.[1] The first yearbook for Marion College appeared in 1835 and lists 80 students, 52 of whom were from other states such as New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Virginia.[1] Marion College initially received a pledge for $10,000 from the education board of the Presbyterian Church to purchase land, but the agreement was dissolved after a misunderstanding.[1] In April 1833, founders Nelson, Muldrow and Clark borrowed $20,000 from a bank in New York City which they used to purchase nearly 5,000 acres of land.[1] A major donor to the school was Reverend Ezra Stiles Ely, who joined the faculty and invested between $60,000 to $100,000 of his own money.[1] Hervey H. Hayes, the principal of the preparatory school, became the owner of the upper and lower campus buildings and 1,350 acres of land, which was then purchased by the Masonic Grand Lodge of Missouri for $9,500 on September 12, 1842.