James Dascomb Papers, 1833-1850, n.d. | Oberlin College Archives

Dascomb, James (1808-1880)

James Dascomb was born on February 21, 1808 in Milton, New Hampshire, the son of a farmer from whom he learned the discipline, habits of manual labor, and rural tastes, which characterized his entire life.  He was educated at a New England Common School, with, perhaps, one or two terms at a nearby academy, before studying medicine at Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire.  He received the M.D. degree in 1833.  His favorite teacher and life-long mentor was the celebrated Dr. Ruben Dimond Mussey (d. 1866).

Upon graduation, Dr. Dascomb volunteered to go abroad as a medical missionary.  When no appropriate posting was available, he accepted the invitation of an Oberlin College recruiter, Dr. John Jay Shiperd, to teach botany, chemistry, physics, anatomy and physiology at the new college.  He would also serve as the colony’s only physician and druggist--all for an annual salary of $250.  Before departing for Oberlin, Dr. Dascomb married Marianne Parker (b. 1810) of Dunbarton, New Hampshire on April 14, 1834.  They arrived on May 10, three days after the opening of the college under regular instructors.

Dr. Dascomb immediately set to work gathering such scientific equipment and texts as he could and setting up a rudimentary laboratory in a corner of Oberlin Hall, the only college class building. Among his first students was James H. Fairchild (A.B. 1838), later (1866-89) the third President of Oberlin College.  The following year (1835), he secured a lecture room in the carpentry shop where he taught, practiced medicine and dispensed drugs.  In 1837, “the brick building,” the old laboratory, was constructed, and in its laboratory, Dr. Dascomb taught chemistry, botany, and physiology for forty years.  In addition, he was the first Oberlin College librarian, serving in that capacity from 1834 to 1846 and 1855 to 1874.

For two years (1834-36) he also practiced medicine, which for him included giving lectures on public health and serving as secretary of the county medical society.  But he soon realized that he could not be both physician and teacher.  He was trained as a physician and believed himself more qualified to practice than to teach.  However, he yielded to pressure from colleagues and chose teaching, relinquishing his practice to a successor in April 1836.

Well aware of his scanty preparation for teaching, Dr. Dascomb sought the advice of his former teacher and friend, Dr. Mussey, and soon after beginning his work in Oberlin returned East and studied for several months in the laboratory of Professor Benjamin Silliman, Senior (1779-1864) at Yale.  He also often spent the long winter vacations at Oberlin College working to improve his preparation.  As a teacher he never presumed to know what he did not know; he was thorough and methodical; he left nothing to chance and seldom was frustrated by accidents; he did not tolerate frivolity or nonsense.  Although he was patient and kind, students occasionally mistook his earnest demeanor for severity (Fairchild).

In addition to carrying out his teaching responsibilities, Dr. Dascomb served the college as an influential member of the Prudential Committee.  He was also involved with civic affairs, serving at one time as the Mayor of Oberlin.  He counseled and guided the planting of shade trees along public streets and on public grounds.  He suggested developing Westwood Cemetery.  He served his church regularly, leading a committee in its efforts to acquire the means and materials to build First Congregational Church.  A deeply religious man, his greatest concern was always the spiritual growth of its members.

Dr. James Dascomb became known for his conservative views.  Skeptical of early village reform enthusiam, he was described by one contemporary as “a conservative force in the midst of fervid and plastic mass at Oberlin.”  During a 1871 meeting on the issue of Darwin’s theories, he cautioned about the bad effect of evolutionary thought on morals and warned that “a person who reads Mr. Darwin’s books is very apt to be carried right along with them unless he is on his guard” (quoted by Geoffrey Blodgett).

Still, his influence was often felt and respected outside Oberlin, particularly during vacation periods.  He gave a course of lectures, at no charge, at the Ohio Agricultural College, Oberlin/Cleveland; for four years he lectured at Hillsdale College, Hillsdale, Michigan; and for ten he held the chair of chemistry and toxicology in the Charity Hospital Medical School in Cleveland, later the medical department at the University at Wooster.

Marianne Dascomb soon established her own presence in Oberlin: as Principal of the Oberlin Female Department (1835-36; 1852-70) and as a member of the Women’s Board of Managers (1836-79).  She also helped organize local female opposition to woman suffrage.  After many years of poor health, Mrs. Dascomb died on April 3, 1879. Dr. Dascomb died one year later on April 1, 1880.  Their funeral services were conducted in the congregational church he had helped to build; they are buried in the cemetery off Morgan Street he helped to plan.  In his honor and memory, former students and colleagues established a chair in chemistry, the Dascomb Professorship.  In 1956, a new college residence hall, Dascomb Hall, was named in honor of Marianne Parker Dascomb.

Sources Consulted

Blodgett, Geoffrey.  Oberlin Architecture.  1985.

Fairchild, James Harris.  Review of Dr. Dascomb’s Life Delivered at his Funeral.  The Oberlin College Alumni Magazine.  April 22, 1880.  n.p.

Jameson, George C.  “Medical Practice in Oberlin: 1834-1934.”  n.p.  n.d.

Author: Elizabeth Brinkman

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