If you are fascinated by history, this week’s column is for you. To be fully transparent, I ran this column in 2022 when I completed reading Oscar Lambert’s 1955 book titled Stephen Benton Elkins. The bulk of the content that follows is compliments of the author.

Davis & Elkins College owes its name to two prominent West Virginia Senators: Henry Gassaway Davis and Stephen Benton Elkins. Senator Davis, who built Graceland on our campus, is the more widely known. His son-in-law, Senator Elkins, who built the campus’ Halliehurst mansion, lived a truly amazing life. The following is a brief overview.

Elkins, the future United States Senator, was born in Ohio in 1841 to parents of very modest means. He grew up in Westport, Missouri and spent considerable time in Kansas City. He was among the fortunate of his day to attend college at The University of Missouri at Columbia and taught for a brief time following graduation.

With a deepening national divide over the evil of slavery in the 1850’s, young Elkins had family and friends on both sides of the issue. He attended one of the famous debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas and participated in many intense discussions on the topic during his college years. Ultimately, he sided with the cause of the Union. As frequently occurred in the border states, his father and brothers sided with the Confederacy. Stephen Elkins served as a captain in the Union Army where he participated in numerous regional skirmishes.

Upon being discharged from the Army, Elkins chose not to return to his hometown, still polarized from the war. Having watched covered wagons from the days of his boyhood depart Missouri to head west, he decided to follow the pioneers trekking across the Santa Fe Trail to the New Mexico Territory. During the long and arduous trip, he devoted himself to learning the Spanish language which would serve him well throughout his career. He made his way to Mesilla, New Mexico, and began the practice of law. Later, he would relocate to Santa Fe.

Quickly, Elkins began amassing wealth through his legal work. Later he began a bank, purchased large swaths of inexpensive land, and sold much of it to the railroad as it was being constructed in the territory. Within a few years, his name had become prominent. His political career began with his election to the territorial legislature in New Mexico, then New Mexico Attorney General, and finally, in 1873, a delegate to the United States Congress. He had voice but not vote representing a territory. He entered Congress as a Lincoln Republican.

As a result of political connections in Washington, he met Hallie Davis, the daughter of West Virginia Senator Henry Gassaway Davis. Their courtship resulted in marriage in Baltimore in 1875.  With his marriage, a move to the newly formed state of West Virginia ensued. His remaining years in his newly adopted state spent in business and politics had far reaching consequences for what we now know as the town of Elkins and Davis & Elkins College.  More on the fascinating life of Stephen B. Elkins next week.

This story, and our journey, continues….


Chris A. Wood
President
Davis & Elkins College