Buildings: Copley Hall (1884-1918)

A framed structure, Copley Hall, located above and to the north of Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel on Park University's flagship Parkville, Mo., campus, was the first building erected and constructed on the campus with the assistance of student labor The dormitory was named for Josiah Copley (1803-85), a longtime friend of Dr John McAfee and an early benefactor to what was then Park College.

Copley married Margaret Chadwick Haas in 1826 and from this union had nine children. The couple was married for 59 years

Following the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in May 1854, which established the Kansas and Nebraska territories, Copley, a conservative abolitionist, advocated for no extension of slavery, for repeal of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, and for restoration of the Missouri Compromise

Eventually, four of his sons would serve in the Union Army during the Civil War:

Pvt. John Sibbet Copley (1832-62) was killed at the Battle of Antietam, Md.

Pvt Albert Copley (1834-63) was wounded at the Battle of Stone River, Tenn , and later died in a Union hospital in Knoxville, Tenn.

Pvt Josiah,Copley, Jr (1836-1916) was captured at the Battle of Chickamauga (Ga /Tenn , 1863) and held, for 17 months, at: Libby Prison (Richmond, Va ), Castle Thunder Prison (Richmond, Va ), Danville Prison (Danville, Va ), and Andersonville (Ga ) Prison

Pvt Henry Weldon Copley (1844-99) enlisted too late for active service

Copley was a prominent newspaper editor of the Kittanning (Pa ) Gazette and Pittsburgh Gazette However, due to health reasons, he went into farming and the manufacturing of brick. He was a staunch Presbyterian and published a collection of religious articles for the Presbyterian Banner and United Presbyterian In 1877, he published "Gatherings in Beulah," a collection of religious articles. In 1866, following his death, Copley's daughter, Mary Sibbet Copley Thaw (benefactor to the current Copley-Thaw Hall on the Parkville Campus) published "Gathered Sheaves," which contained 69 of his articles related to religious subjects

Copley's association with Park College began as he was a member of the Highland (Kan.) University Board of Trustees and McAfee's position at Highland as chairman of the faculty, president, and operator of the Hufford Home. Highland's Board of Trustees, in 1870, hired McAfee "to develop a university program. " [1] McAfee had dreamed of educating youth by permitting them to work for an education Doniphan County, Kan , was decimated by the Panic of 1857 and the events of "Bleeding Kansas" (1854-1861), the Civil War (1861-1865), and agricultural droughts and plaques Thus, there were little to no financial resources to pay college tuition

McAfee, by 1873, had recruited 30 young men to attend Highland and compose themselves as a "family " By the end of the year, they had constructed Hufford House where the McAfee family and the students resided. However, the "family" program was not fiscally viable and Highland continued to struggle even though additional students were attending. Eventually, "Because of the financial problems, many members of the board became unhappy with McAfee, some also felt he was spending too much time working with the students at Hufford Home In the summer of 1874, he (McAfee) was asked to resign as president Finally, in March 1875, the executive committee of the board 'resolved that the chair recently held by professor McAfee be declared vacant.'" [2]

One board member continued to support McAfee and his "family" program--Josiah Copley--who pledged to support McAfee if he desired to continue in some other location. The turmoil at Highland provided an opportunity for McAfee, via Rev Elisha B Sherwood, to be introduced to George S Park and his dream for an educational institution on the American Frontier.

Following Copley's death in 1885, the Park College Record, in 1885, re-printed an article he had written for the Presbyterian Banner related to his association with McAfee and Hufford Home

"As these young people were all too poor to bear the cost of board and tuition, he (McAfee) gathered them into one family and gave them employment at gardening and other industries, to defray the cost of living. His house was large enough to accommodate fifty or sixty students who all lived as one family, and a more cheerful, harmonious family I never saw At the same time, these young people were regular students in the college But from my observation-and I was there frequently-these inmates of Hufford Home, under the kind, genial rule, instruction, and influence of Mr McAfee and his excellent wife, who was one with him in spirit, acquired more of that which molds, improves and develops character than they did in the college. This I attributed to the singularly magnetic power of that extraordinary man and the joyous power of his faith and piety. But there was a jar between him and the (Highland) college authorities, in relation to Hufford Home It was something like a wheel within a wheel It was like sewing a piece of new cloth into an old garment Indeed, it grew to be regarded as a rival institution, so the authorities of the college felt bound to break it up or cut off the connection between it and the parent institution About ten years ago (1875) the writer-then a resident of Kansas-was one of the Board of Trustees of Highland University. One day, while this question of Hufford Home was under discussion, Mr. McAfee asked leave to express his own views in relation to the matter to the assembled Board No others were present His address was calm and eloquent, and intensely impressive He spoke with such positive assurance that God had called him to the work which he was laboring to do in the Hufford Home-the training of choice young people in indigent circumstances as Christian workers, whether as ministers, evangelists, teachers, or heads of families-that he felt constrained to go on with it either there or elsewhere-that must be his life work. I listened in amazement, for I knew that he was himself utterly destitute of means, and for anything I could see, were he put out of his professorship, he must give up his work. He, however, expressed his assurance that God, who had given him this work, would open up the way and provide the means As I gazed at the calm and heroic speaker, the question rose in my mind, 'Is this man beside himself, or is this a degree of faith to which I have not attained ' Subsequent reflection led me to the latter hypothesis, although his way at that time seemed to be completely hedged up, for a majority of the Board voted that his connection with the college should cease. " [3]

Following conversations between McAfee and Park, Park agreed to provide McAfee the use of Park's Missouri Valley Hotel (known as "Old Number One") in Parkville to begin "Park College for Training Christian Workers " The first classes began on May 12, 1875, and the first graduating class occurred in 1879 Copley's initial support was by writing letters and visits to Presbyterian church leaders and wealthy Pennsylvanians One such Pennsylvanian and Presbyterian was bank, canal, and railroad millionaire William Thaw and Copley's son-in-law who had married his daughter Mary.

The continued increase in student enrollments brought issues of adequate housing on and off campus The housing concerns increased on Dec 29, 1883, with the "burning of the 'Rock House' which furnished lodging to our more than one hundred young men and three of our Professors. (U)tter destruction of the building upon which has been expended so much of thought, time, means, and skilled labor." [4]

McAfee immediately sought financial resources to replace the lost building Over the next weeks and months, McAfee took to the columns of the weekly Park College Record, "Now, friends, we expect to ask you to help us in this extremity"; [5] "Park College wants the raw materials with which to rebuild its recently burnt building-the boys will do the work"; "The new dormitory is not only to be built by the students' hands but all the plans and specifications have been made by a student"; and "On Jan. 29th the first load of lumber was deposited on the site of the new dormitory." [6] By Feb. 21, 1884, McAfee reported that "The-building is provided for" with $4,065 37 in the Building Fund [7] Weekly donations recorded in the Park College Record were by name and state only, without monetary amounts Though Copley's name is not listed, the Pennsylvania donations in January 1884 totaled $1,650 59 and the February 1884 donations totaled $1,008 25 [8]

The new dormitory was to house 80 men. The first floor included 10 student rooms, a head resident apartment (two rooms), two washrooms, a study lounge, and a linen closet; the second floor had 21 student rooms, one washroom, and an area for wash basins; the third floor held 22 students rooms and one washroom

Progress was noted in the Park College Record which offered opportunities for readers to suggest names for the new dormitory The most suggested name was "Phoenix" as a representation of the former "Rock House" rising from the ashes. Located on campus north of the current Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel. McAfee ultimately decided to name the new dormitory "Copley Hall."

"Years ago, when Hufford Home-an early and partial development of this family idea-was working in connection with Highland University there was a member of the board who-saw with concern the difficulties that were developing and about to destroy, the work there He foresaw that if success was to be obtained at all it must be in some other place. His warnings and friendly advice were of incalculable value and helped us to meet the pressure and demands of conservation which threatened the House. What he saw of promise in the plans of the Home attached him to it as a friend and supporter, while his clear judgment and ripe experience soon taught us to appreciate and love him, who has ever since been known to us as Father Copley

As a slight expression of our respect and love for this aged servant of our Master and as a monument to his fatherly concern and never failing interest in this family, we have taken the liberty of his name with the first house built by students' hands." [9]

Copley did not see his commitment to Park College; he died on March 4, 1885 Copley Hall opened in late fall 1885 and served hundreds of male students until 1918 By 1917, the structure had become unsafe and a replacement was needed

Scan the QR code for a detailed timeline of Copley Hall.

End Notes

[1 ] Arlyn John Parish, History of Highland Community College (n c : A J Parish, 1983), 24

[2 ] Ibid , 32

[3 ] Park College Record, Vol VII, No 2, March 28, 1885, 2 Frances Fishburn Archives and Special Collections, Park University, Parkville, Mo

[4 ] “Editorial,” Park College Record, Vol 5, No 1, January 3, 1884, 1 Frances Fishburn Archives and Special Collections, Park University, Parkville, Mo The “Rock House” was located at Main and Mill Streets in Parkville

[5 ] Ibid

[6 ] Park College Record, Vol 5, No 4, January 31, 1884, 2-3 Frances Fishburn Archives and Special Collections, Park University, Parkville, Mo

[7 ] Park College Record, Vol 5, No 7, February 21, 1884, 1 Frances Fishburn Archives and Special Collections, Park University, Parkville, Mo

[8.] The January 1884 figures were reported in the Park College Record, Vol. 5, No. 5, February 7, 1884, Frances Fishburn Archives and Special Collections, Park University, Parkville, Mo. The February 1884 figures were reported in the Park College Record, Vol. 5, No. 9, March 6, 1884, Frances Fishburn Archives and Special Collections, Park University, Parkville, Mo. The January 1884 figure of $1,650.59 equals $51,107 in 2023, while the February 1884 figure of $1,008.25 equals $31,203 in 2023.

[9.] “Copley Hall,” Park College Record, Vol. VI, No. 25, August 21, 1884, 2. Frances Fishburn Archives and Special Collections, Park University, Parkville, Mo.

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Date: August 2023

By: Dr Timothy C Westcott Professor of History, Associate University Archivist, and Director, George S Robb Centre for the Study of the Great War at Park University c Unknown