Grave marker for Ovid Butler (1801-1881) at Crown Hill Cemetery

Description:	A color photograph of the grave marker for Ovid Butler (1801-1881) in Crown Hill Cemetery, which is marked with his initials O. B. Ovid Butler was a lawyer, abolitionist, and journalist. He came to Indiana with his family in 1817, one year after Indiana attained statehood. Although he spent some time at common schools as a child, he was primarily self-educated. In 1836, Butler moved to Indianapolis and successfully practiced law until his retirement from the bar in 1849 due to ill health. In 1846 he purchased 25 acres of land just north of Indianapolis old Mile Square and constructed his home at the corner of what is now 13th Street and Park Avenue. He began working with the Disciples of Christ to create an institution of higher learning in Indiana and wrote the charter for North Western Christian University, which was approved by the Indiana General Assembly in 1850. Furthermore, Butler offered 20 acres of his own land to the University, which would become the Universitys College Avenue campus. North Western Christian University opened on November 1, 1855, with two professors and 20 students and did not segregate based on race, religion or gender. In fact, North Western Christian University was one of the first universities in Indiana to admit women on an equal basis with men. Ovid Butler served as the Universitys Board President for 21 years, with several short interruptions. He then held the position of Chancellor, a position specially created for him, for ten years, ending with his death in 1881. In his honor and over his protests, the board changed the name of the University to Butler University in 1877.
Origin:	2010-08-21
Created By:	Childs-Helton, Sally Carr, 1953-
Source:	http://palni.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/BldgsGrnds/id/175
Collection:	Butler University Buildings and Grounds Collection
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Copyright:	In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Geography:	Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 39.820226, -86.174637 39.820226 -86.174637
Subjects:	Sepulchral monuments Butler Ovid, 1801-1881--Tombs Crown Hill Cemetery (Marion County, Ind.) Gravestones Headstones Tombstones

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