James Millikin

James Millikin (born 1827, in Ten Mile, Pennsylvania – February 25, 1909, in Orlando, Florida) is the founder of Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. He was born in Ten Mile, Pennsylvania.

He began his business career in driving herds of livestock to the mid-west for sale, at the same time buying up land for re-sale. He became known as a livestock breeder and seller. Millikin moved to Decatur in 1856 and made his new home there, getting married the next year.

Later, Millikin became a local banker and helped found Millikin University. When the college opened in 1903, the inaugural address was made by President Theodore Roosevelt.

He died in Orlando, Florida, on February 25, 1909. His funeral was held at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois, and he was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Decatur.

Famous quotes containing the word james:

    If we remembered everything, we should on most occasions be as ill off as if we remembered nothing. It would take us as long to recall a space of time as it took the original time to elapse, and we should never get ahead with our thinking. All recollected times undergo, accordingly, what M. Ribot calls foreshortening; and this foreshortening is due to the omission of an enormous number of facts which filled them.
    —William James (1842–1910)