Jonathan Baldwin Turner facts for kids
Jonathan Baldwin Turner (born December 7, 1805 – died January 10, 1899) was a very smart person who studied old books, plants, and worked to change society. He played a huge part in a movement in the 1850s that led to the creation of land-grant universities. These were new kinds of public colleges that made higher education available to more people in the United States. Turner also helped start the University of Illinois.
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About Jonathan Baldwin Turner
Turner went to Yale University to study classic literature. He wanted to be a missionary. After he graduated in 1833, he moved to the wild areas of Illinois. In 1833, Turner became a professor at the new Illinois College in Jacksonville, Illinois. There, he met Pottawatomie Native Americans and saw terrible outbreaks of a sickness called cholera.
Fighting Against Slavery
In Jacksonville, Turner soon got involved in the fight against slavery. He became the editor of a local newspaper that supported abolitionism, which meant ending slavery. He also helped the Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. In his classroom, he spoke out strongly against slavery.
Helping Farmers with Plants
While he was a professor at Illinois College, Turner started looking for a plant. He wanted a plant that could grow into a strong hedge or fence. This would help farmers divide and manage the huge open prairies. In the late 1830s, Turner chose the Maclura pomifera, also known as the Osage orange, for this purpose. He even invented a machine to prepare the soil and plant these seeds. Turner sold Osage Orange seeds, and they were used a lot as hedges. This was before barbed wire was invented between 1867 and 1874.
Working for Better Education
Turner's religious views were questioned by a church group. Also, his strong views against slavery caused more and more arguments. So, in 1848, Turner left his teaching job at Illinois College.
After leaving, Turner did more research on farming. He also created the Illinois Industrial League. This group wanted a public system of education that would teach "industrial" skills. This kind of education was meant for working people.
Turner faced a lot of opposition from traditional colleges. Some people also didn't like the idea of schools that weren't connected to a specific church. In 1853, his farm was even burned down. But Turner, who was a very religious person, kept pushing his ideas. He created a lot of excitement for his education plan.
In 1862, a law called the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act was passed. After the American Civil War, this law helped make Turner's ideas come true. It created public land-grant universities across the United States.
Some people have debated how important Turner's role was in creating these universities. Senator Justin Morrill from Vermont, who sponsored the law, didn't always give Turner full credit. Some people think Morrill's role as a senator was more important.
Turner was not happy with where the University of Illinois was built. It was first called "Illinois Industrial University." He wanted it closer to the working people in Chicago. But it was built in Urbana, Illinois. Turner spoke at the ceremony when the University's first stone was laid. His words, "Industrial education prepares the way for a millennium of labor," are still carved in stone above the University's main quadrangle.
Later Life
In his later years, Turner worked on other important causes. He became a strong opponent of large companies. He also spoke up for the rights of people with mental illnesses. These people often suffered in terrible conditions in the asylums of the 1800s. He also wrote religious papers. In these, he supported the more open and modern teachings of Christ. He also criticized some traditional religious groups.
Death and Legacy
Jonathan Baldwin Turner died when he was 93 years old. He is buried in Diamond Grove Cemetery in Jacksonville, Illinois.
Several buildings and schools are named in his honor:
- Jonathan Baldwin Turner Hall at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
- Turner Hall at Illinois State University
- Turner Hall at Illinois College
- Jonathan Turner Junior High School in Jacksonville
Turner's important papers are kept at the Illinois History and Lincoln Collections at the University of Illinois Library.
