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Oscar Clute

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Oscar Clute
Oscar Clute
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Subjects: Faculty, Presidents, Civil War
Description: Oscar Clute
M.S., 1865, LL.D. 1893
Served as president of MAC 1889-1893
He served briefly in Howlett's Engineers during the civil war.

Oscar Clute was born near Albany, NY on March 11, 1837. In 1868, he married Miss Mary Merrylees, sister of the wife of President Abbot, by whom he had six children. He died in the Soldier's Home, near Los Angeles, California, on January 27, 1902.

Until 17 years of age, he was on the farm or in school and was always strenuously active in mind and body. At seventeen, he was elected principal of the Binghampton schools, Shiawassee county, a position which he held for two years. He then was elected principal of the Ionia (Michigan) schools; he would resign from this position to enter the sophomore class of the Michigan Agricultural College. He graduated from the College in 1862. During his senior year at MAC, he taught classes in the preparatory department, and upon graduation, was engaged as an instructor. The next year, he was elected to a professorship. He served the College for four years until he resigned to take a course in theology at Meadville, Pennsylvania. On graduation from the Theological Academy, he accepted a call from the First Unitarian Church at Vineland, NJ where he remained for six years. He ministered in the same capacity at Newark, NJ for two years, at Keokuk, IA for four years, at Iowa City, IA for seven years, and at Pomona, CA for one year. From this last church, he was called to the presidency of the Michigan Agricultural College; he held this position for four years. In 1889, he resigned and assumed the same duties at the Agricultural College of Florida, where he remained for four years. Soon after accepting his resignation the State Board conferred on him the degree of LL.D. His health at this time became greatly impaired and he returned to his old church in California. However, he was forced to resign his pastorate because of ill-heath only after a few months of service. He remained in Pomona, California, until 1891, when he entered the Soldiers' Home, where he died.

William J. Beal describes Clute as a man of good size, well proportioned, slightly stooping, rather slow of motion, dignified, full dark beard, streaked with gray, exact in speech, with a positive air, not particularly jolly or easily approached, not demonstrative, sometimes giving offense through objections made to a course pursued.
Format: Image/jpg
Original Format: Black and white photograph
Resource Identifier: 648.JPG
Language: English
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Contributing Institution: University Archives & Historical Collections
Relation: MSU Photograph Collection
Contributor: MSU Archives and Historical Collections
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