RS 2/5

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

Special Collections Department

403 Parks Library

Ames, IA 50011-2140
515 294-6672
http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/spcl.html

RS 2/5

William Miller Beardshear (1850-1902)

Papers, 1884-1980, n.d.

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Descriptive summary

creator: Beardshear, William Miller (1850-1902)

title: Papers
dates: 1884-1980, n.d.
extent: 1.68 linear feet (4 document boxes)
collection RS 2/5
number:
repository: University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State
University.

Administrative information
access: Open for research
publication Consult Head, Special Collections Department
rights:
preferred William Miller Beardshear Papers, RS 2/5, Special Collections
citation: Department, Iowa State University Library.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

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Biographical note

Born in Ohio in 1850, William Miller Beardshear joined the Union Army at the age of 14
and served throughout the Civil War. He studied for the ministry at Otterbein College
and Yale Divinity School. He filled several pastorates before coming to Iowa in 1881 as
the President of Western College in Toledo. In 1889, he was appointed Superintendent
of Schools in West Des Moines.

In 1891, Beardshear was appointed President of Iowa State, and during his tenure, ISC
truly came of age. Beardshear developed new agricultural programs and was
instrumental in hiring premier faculty members such Anson Marston, Louis B. Spinney,
J.B. Weems, Perry G. Holden, and Maria Roberts. He also expanded the university
administration, and the following buildings were added to the campus: Morrill Hall
(1891); the Campanile (1899); Old Botany (now Catt Hall) (1892); and Margaret Hall
(1895).

While Beardshear was President, the following events also occurred at Iowa State: the
school colors of cardinal and gold were named, Iowa State became known as the
Cyclones (1895), and the first Bomb (the university yearbook) was published in 1893.

He died in 1902 of complications following a heart attack. In his honor, Iowa State
named its central administrative building (Central Building) after Beardshear in 1925.

Collection description

This collection (1884-1980, n.d.) contains reports, biographical data, newspaper

clippings, family materials, correspondence, published items, ISC catalogs and a Bomb,
and a Bible.

Included are Beardshear’s annual reports to the Board of Trustees for Iowa State;
correspondence with Iowa State faculty, staff, and students about a variety of topics,
such as finances, excuse from military drills, and the resignation of faculty members;
and newspaper clippings which describe an accusation against Beardshear for
plagiarism. The remainder of the collection consists of biographical information about
Beardshear and Beardshear family members, Iowa State ephemera, and 2 publications
by Beardshear.

Organization

This collection is currently unarranged.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

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Container list

Box Folder Titles Dates

1 1 Report to the Board of Trustees n.d.
1 2 Report to the board of Trustees 1891
1 3 Report to the Board of Trustees 1892
1 4 Report to the Board of Trustees 1893
1 5 Report to the Board of Trustees 1894
1 6 Report to the Board of Trustees 1895
1 7 Report to the Board of Trustees 1895
1 8 Report to the Board of Trustees 1896
1 9 Report to the Board of Trustees 1897
2 1 Report to the Board of Trustees 1898
2 2 Report to the Board of Trustees 1899
2 3 Reports from Professors 1899
2 4 Report to the Board of Trustees 1900
2 5 Reports – 5-Year Department Needs 1900
2 6 Report to the Board of Trustees, Jan – Jun 1901
2 7 Report, to the Board of Trustees, Sep – Dec 1901
2 8 Report to the Board of Trustees 1902
2 9 Report to the Board of Trustees 1902
3 1 Addresses 1902
3 2 Biographical Data 1884-1982,
n.d.
3 3 Obituaries, Memorials 1902
3 4 Presentation of Portrait 1938
3 5 Correspondence 1891-1900

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

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3 6 Correspondence 1901-1903
3 7 “Plagiarism” Clippings 1900
3 8 Josephine Mundhenk – Wife 1902, 1904,
1939
3 9 Metta Beardshear-Burt – Daughter 1936
3 10 William M. Beardshear – Son 1913-1957
3 11 Charles L. Beardshear – Son 1930
3 12 Constance (Beardshear) Moye – Daughter 1915-1980,
n.d.
3 13 Ralph A. Moye – Son-In-Law 1937
3 14 Charles Mundhenk – Brother-In-Law 1907, 1962
3 15 Papers 1893, 1896,
1898, 1899,
1900, n.d.
3 16 The Three H’s In Education by W.M. Beardshear 1902
3 17 A Boy Again, And Other Prose Poems by W.M. 1904
Beardshear, published by Republican Printing Co.
3 18 Wesleyan College, Commencement Program 1889
(President Beardshear Gave Address/Sermon)
4 1 ISC Catalog, 1900-1901 – Personal Copy 1901
4 2 The Century Bomb – Personal Copy 1900
4 3 Bible 1871
4 4 Iowa State College Catalog – Personal Copy, 1899-1900

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY