Thomas Bowman Elected University's Fourth President

June 29, 1858

June 29, 1858, Greencastle, Ind. — The Reverend Thomas Bowman was today elected the fourth president of Indiana Asbury by a vote of the University's Board of Trustees.  Bowman received 17 votes on a first ballot, compared to 7 for Cyrus Nutt, who had been serving as acting president.  Bowman was unanimously approved on a second vote.

According to DePauw: A Pictorial History, "Born in Berwick, Pa. in 1817, he was a member of the first graduating class of Methodist Dickinson College in 1837. He remained at Dickinson for a year studying law, then did some preaching and teaching in an elementary school related to the college. For a while he managed the family farm and flour mill and then for 10 years was principal of Dickinson Seminary (now Lycoming College). He became president of Indiana Asbury in 1858 just as he was about to begin a pastorate in Lewisburg, Pa."

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