Title: Silas F. Millikan Papers, 1814-1960

ID: RG 30/084

Extent: 0.4 Linear Feet

Predominant Dates: 1830s-1864

Silas Franklin Millikan, son of Daniel Franklin and Sally Aurelia (Pease) Millikan, was born 8 February 1834, in Freedom, Ohio. His mother Aurelia was the sister of Peter Pindar Pease, the first colonist of Oberlin. The Pease and Millikan families originating in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, were closely associated by the shoemaking apprenticeship of Daniel Franklin Millikan to Aurelia’s father, Phineas Pease.

The Millikan family moved from Freedom, Ohio, to Lyndon, Illinois, in 1838. Their home was a station on the Underground Railroad. According to a biographical sketch included in the collection, this influenced Silas’ participation in the Oberlin-Wellington slave rescue as one of the men who went from Oberlin to Wellington to rescue a slave from his captors in 1858. At age fifteen, Silas entered Knox College. He studied there for two years, then transferred to Oberlin College in 1853. He received his A.B. degree from Oberlin in 1855, earned an M.A. in 1858, and in 1859 he graduated from the Seminary. During his time at Oberlin, Silas enrolled in courses taught by Dr. James Dascomb and George Nelson Allen. President Charles G. Finney, John Morgan, and James H. Fairchild were also at the College during that time.

Millikan was ordained a minister of the Congregational Church in Crete, Illinois, in 1860, and subsequently held pastorates in Illinois, Iowa, and Kansas. He published only one paper, and, according to his answer for the Alumni Catalogue Survey of 1899, his publications were “[S]ermons. More sermons! More sermons!” The 1936 Alumni Catalogue notes that he was a strong supporter of “the missionary, anti-slavery, temperance and social purity causes.”

In 1864 he married Mary Jane Andrews (Oberlin College, Lit. 1857) in Rochester, New York. Mary was Principal of the Ladies Department of Olivet College in Michigan until their marriage. The couple had six children, and Silas and Mary were intent on giving the children the best education possible. Silas’ income as a pastor and money earned by the children financed each child’s education. The older children, after graduating, helped support the education of their younger siblings. All of the Millikan children graduated from Oberlin College: Allan Fairchild, Ph.B. 1890; Robert Andrews, A.B. 1891, A.M. 1893, Sc.D. 1911; Max Frank, A.B. 1894; Mary Grace (Behr), A.B. 1895; Marjorie Avis (Johnson), A.B. 1898; and Mabel Aurelia (Brown), A.B. 1901. Robert A. Millikan became a physicist and won the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physics. Mabel Millikan married Rev. Robert E. Brown (Oberlin College, A.B. 1901), who was a member of the Board of Trustees, 1920-29, and an Oberlin College professor, 1929-38.

Silas Millikan retired in 1905 after 46 years of ministerial work and lived with his children in Iowa until his death in 1915 in Rochester, NY.

SOURCES CONSULTED

Student File and Papers (RG 30/84) of Silas F. Millikan. “Family Trails and Tales” by Mabel Millikan Brown, Oberlin Alumni Magazine (Feb. 1965): 18-21.

Author: Rebecca Deeb

Forms of Material (links to similar genres)

Languages of Materials

Administrative Information

Scope and Contents:

The papers of Silas F. Millikan primarily document the lives of his immediate family and relatives. The bulk of the material, especially the correspondence, concerns Silas’ parents, Daniel and Aurelia Millikan, and his mother’s family, the Peases. The first series, Biographical Material, contains the bulk of the information about Silas F. Millikan, particularly in a biographical sketch of the minister. The biography, written by an unknown author, includes quotes by Millikan, as well as substantial excerpts from papers that he wrote. The biography also mentions his involvement in the Oberlin-Wellington slave rescue. Also in this series is an article about Silas and Mary’s 50^th wedding anniversary that includes biographical information concerning their six children.

Series 2, Correspondence, contains letters written by, and regarding, the Pease and Millikan families. Some of the letters were hand-copied by Marjorie (Millikan) Johnson. Among the letters are correspondence discussing the early death of S. Aurelia Pease’s brother Phineas and a letter from Silas Millikan’s mother to all of her children, scolding them for their quarrelling. Later letters from the 1950s and 1960s briefly discuss the genealogies and histories of the Franklin (by way of the Millikans), Millikan, and Andrews families. Series 3, Writings, contains a variety of writings, most notable of which is an essay about 100 years of co-education at Oberlin College. This piece, written by an unknown author, was hand-copied by Marjorie Millikan and is an interesting summary of the early years of Oberlin College’s education of women.

The fourth series, Miscellaneous, includes lecture notes made by Silas Millikan during his years at Oberlin College from lectures about physiology by Dr. James Dascomb, moral philosophy by President Charles G. Finney, mineralogy by Professor George N. Allen, and a French class. An annotated copy of Silas’ hymnbook from his pastorate in Crete, Illinois, is also in this series. This book and biographical information represent the extent of the documentation concerning his ministry. Series 5, Photographs, contains pictures of Mary Andrews Millikan and a photograph of the Pease family house in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

The collection is divided into 5 series: 1. Biographical Material, 2. Correspondence, 3. Writings, 4. Miscellaneous, and 5. Photographs.

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series 1. Biographical Material, 1853, 1914, c. 1950, 1958, n.d.

This series contains materials relating to the life and family history of Silas F. Millikan. Consists of the congregational index of the Stockbridge, Massachusetts Congregational Church with the Pease family members marked, an article about Mr. and Mrs. Silas F. Millikan’s 50th wedding anniversary, an article about the founding of Oberlin that mentions the Pease family, and a biographical sketch of Silas F. Millikan that includes quotations from him.

Series 2. Correspondence, 1814-1960 (span), n.d.

Consists of correspondence of the Pease and Millikan families. Includes letters to Phineas Pease regarding the death of his son Phineas (Aurelia’s brother) and correspondence by the Pease sisters and the Millikan family describing journeys and family matters. Also extends to Silas’ children, including Robert A. Millikan (Oberlin College, A.B. 1891).

Series 3. Writings, c. 1937, n.d.

Series consists of an essay, “A Century of Co-education,” regarding the centennial celebration of co-education at Oberlin College, a copy of inscriptions in Daniel Franklin’s Bible, a poem copied by Silas’ brother Robert D. Millikan, and an essay written by Martha A. Millikan.

Series 4. Miscellaneous, 1855, 1857

This series is comprised of various materials of Silas and Mary Millikan. Includes a bound notebook of lecture notes by Silas F. Millikan. Also includes Silas’ annotated copy of a hymnbook and a ribbon presented to Mary Jane Andrews (Millikan) from her grammar school classmates.

Series 5. Photographs, 1864, n.d.

This series consists of two photographs of Mary Andrews Millikan and a photograph of the Pease house in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

INVENTORY

Series 1. Biographical Material, 1853, 1914, c. 1950, 1958, n.d.

Box 1

“Historical Sketch” of the Congregational

Church in Stockbridge, Mass., 1853

“The Oak Park, Illinois, Event,” re: Mr. & Mrs.

Silas F. Millikan’s 50^th Wedding

Anniversary, 1914

“The Literary Spotlight” column, re: “The

Autobiography of Dr. Robert A.

Millikan,” c. 1950

“Shipherd’s Rocket: In Orbit for 125 Years,

Has Oberlin Failed?” unknown

author, c. 1958

Biographical sketch of Silas F. Millikan,

unknown author, n.d.

Series 2. Correspondence, 1814-1960 (span), n.d.

Box 1 (cont.)

Pease family letters, 1814-18

Various acquaintances of his son

Phineas to Phineas Pease,

hand copy, 1818

Phineas Pease, to his family, excerpts of

letters, hand copy, 1814-17

Letters from Pease sisters to S. Aurelia Millikan

and Family, 1830s-1851, n.d.

Amanda Pease to “My dear Friends”

(Daniel F. Millikan Family), 2 hand

copies, 1832

Martha Pease to “My dear sister” (Aurelia

Pease Millikan), hand copy, 1830s

Amanda (Pease) Patterson to “My Dear

Sister,” 1837, with later letter on

back: To “My Dear Child” from

“A.M.” (Aurelia Millikan?), her

mother, original and copy, n.d.

Unknown author to “Dear Sister,” original,

1848

Amanda P. Patterson to “My Dear Sister”

(Aurelia Pease Millikan),

original, 1851

Amanda P. Patterson to “My Dear Sister

Aurelia (Millikan),” original, n.d.

Letters from S. Aurelia Pease Millikan, 1819-1863

Acrostic to Daniel F. Millikan, original and

copy, 1819

“Dear cousin”—Noah, original and

copy, 1819

Daniel F. Millikan, hand copy, 1833

Children of Daniel & Aurelia Millikan,

original, 1863

Miscellaneous Millikan correspondence,

1855-1960, n.d.

Martha (Millikan?) to “My Dear Father,”

original and copy, 1855

“Frank” to unknown addressee, partial letter,

and quotation from Mary Sweeney,

original, 1859

Unknown author (Silas F. Millikan’s sister)

to “My Dear Parents” (Daniel &

Aurelia Millikan), original, 1859

“Mother” (niece of Mary J. Millikan on

Andrews side) to “Dear Howard”

(C. Howard Hall), original, 1915

Postcard, unknown author to Mrs.

Robert E. Brown, 1916

“Aunt Sarah” to “Dear Niece” (Martha

Whallon), probably re: Mary Jane

Millikan’s death, original, 1918

Robert A. Millikan to “Dear Mable”—Mrs.

Robert E. Brown (Mabel [Millikan]

Brown), original, 1924

Robert A. Millikan to “Dear Cousin

Jennie”—Mrs. Jennie (Andrews)

Hall, original, 1950

A. Ross Eckler (descendent of Franklin

family) to “Dear Mrs. Brown” (Mabel

Millikan Brown), original, 1960

A. Ross Eckler to “Dear Mrs. Brown” (Mabel

Millikan Brown), original, 1960

“Quotations from father’s letters to mother”

(Silas to Mary Millikan), hand

copy, n.d.

Marjorie (Millikan) Johnson to unknown

addressee, partial, original, n.d.

Series 3. Writings, 1937, n.d.

Box 1 (cont.)

“A Century of Co-education,” unknown author, c. 1937

Inscription in the Daniel Franklin Bible, hand copy, n.d.

“The scar of Lexington,” poem by H.F. Goud, Robert D.

Millikan’s copy, n.d.

“The stream of Death,” essay by Martha A. Millikan, n.d.

Series 4. Miscellaneous, 1855, 1857

Box 1 (cont.)

Lecture notes, probably by Silas F. Millikan,

1855, 1857

100^th Edition of the Golden Wreath, belonged to

Silas F. Millikan, 1857

Ribbon, 17.5” x 2.5”, white, “Presented to Miss M.J.

Andrews by the following members of her

Grammar Class. Oberlin, Aug. 21, 1857”

Series 5. Photographs, 1864, n.d.

Box 1 (cont.)

Mary Andrews Millikan, 1864

Mary Andrews Millikan, n.d.

Pease house, n.d.