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96
ful year there, he yielded to the urgent calls of his
church, and took the presidency of the Holston
Conference Female College at Asheville, N.C. He
then devoted himself to pastoral duties as an itin¬
erant minister in the Methodist Church, becoming a
member of the Annual Conference in 1837, but for
most of the time occupied stations in some of the
colleges of his church. Early in 1866, he became
the President of the South Carolina Female College
at Sportanburg, South Carolina.
In a short time after he was invited to accept a
professorship in the old State University at Columbia,
and, by the choice of the faculty, he became the
President of that University, chartered in 1801, and
had for three-fourths of a century educated most of
distinguished men of South Carolina. From its
classic halls had gone out the Harper’s, Middleton’s,
Butler's, Hamptons, O’Neal’s, Barnwell’s, Rhett’s,
Simmses’ and others, famous at the State and
National Capitols, as well as in the world of letters
and at the courts of foreign nations. Here he re¬
mained until the University was virtually suspended
by the failure of the State to make the accustomed
annual appropriation for its support.
purely a political measure. Dr. Cummings was
ordained to the Christian Ministry in 1839 by the
Venerable Bishop Hedding.
This was
Through the influence of his old teacher and friend
Dr. Taribee, in 1850, he received the title of Doctor
in Divinity from Ashbury University of Indiana,
while the distinguished Rev. M. Simpson, D.D. (now
Bishop Simpson, D.D., L.L.D.) was its President.
Dr. Cummings has been three times married.
First, to Adeline, second daughter
Bissell, late of Augusta.
lady died Gouverneur,
New York. Second, to Florilla Alexander, of St.
Lawrence County, New York. She died at Mc¬
Kendree College, in 1852. She left twosons. The
elder, P. A. Cummings, M. A., L. L. B., is one of the
leading lawyers at the bar of North Carolina. His
last marriage was to Mrs. Isabella H. Sheldon.
By this marriage he has a daughter, Belle, yet in
school, and three sons. Charles W. Cummings,
L.L.B., is a lawyer in South Carolina. F. A. Cum¬
mings is the steward and business manager at
Riverside Seminary, in which O. F. Cummings,
B.A., is professor of music and ancient and modern
languages. Dr. Cummings’ career has never been
questioned, and no where is he more esteemed than
where best and longest known. He has often
visited his old Canadian home, and never without
receiving new manifestations of the high esteem in
which he is held,
of Zenas
This excellent, christian
without children at
Industry and good management has enabled him
to provide for the autumn and winter of life. He is
the owner of the Riverside Seminary, near Wells¬
ville, Allegany Gounty, New York, to which he has
retired from the more responsible positions formerly
held. Then, as principals, with members of his
family as associate teachers, he can enjoy as much
of rest and seclusion as he may prefer. He presents
a distinguished example to our Canadian youth.
THE BURRITT FAMILY.
This ancient and honorable family is of Welsh
descent, William and Stephen Burritt emigrating
from that country about the year 1600.
Stephen and Adaniram Burritt were both engaged
on the Royalist side at the battle of Bennington,
Vermont. After the engagement, they found a
wounded American, and took him to a place of
safety, where he was kindly nursed, and finally
recovered. the Burritts were
arrested by the Continental authorities, and thrown
into Bennington gaol.
One year after,
By chance, the young
American whose life they had saved was placed
on guard over the prisoners. Recognizing his
benefactors, he devised a scheme for their escape,
which was successful. After escaping from gaol,
Stephen made his way to St. John, Quebec, where
he joined the British army. The remainder of the
family did not come to Canada until the close of
the war. After Stephen received his discharge, he
came up the St. Lawrence on a trading voyage,
buying furs from the Indians. Asa U. E. Loyalist,
he drew Lot No. 29, in the sst Concession of
Augusta. Returning to St. John, he met his father
(Daniel) and family, all of whom removed to
Augusta, where Daniel died, about 1856, aged 97
years and g months. Stephen went out to the
Rideau on an exploring expedition, striking the
;
river at Cox’ Bay, where he constructed a raft,
and floated down to Burritt’s Rapids, where he
chose a spot for settlement, in the Township of
Marlborough. It was there that Colonel Edmund
Burritt was born, the first white child on the Rideau,
the date being December 8th, 1793. Stephen was
at one time elected a member of Parliament. He
died at Burritt’s Rapids, in the 84th year of his age.
Edmund Burritt raised a family of six children:
Martha, married Joseph Lonsdale; Mary, married
Aaron Merrick; Olive, married Charles Collins;
Henry Osgood, married a daughter of Judge
Strong, of New York; Edmund, born March 28th,
1828, married Hester, daughter of John L, Read, of
Merrickville ; and Alexander, who is the Registrar
of the City of Ottawa, married Sarah Foster, of