James Wilber Holton was born in Bellevue, Ohio, on April 21, 1854, to James Harvey (O.C. ’49) and Rebecca Bebout (O.C. ’50) Holton. Four siblings died at birth. His father died in 1863 when James was nine years old, and his mother earned a living, as many in Oberlin did, by boarding students in their home.
Holton attended school in Savannah (1869) before enrolling in the Oberlin Preparatory School, 1869-73 ( college and cons. 1873-75; prep. 1876-77; college and cons. 1877-79; cons. 1883-85, 1888-91). During the winter of 1874, he taught a class in Four Corners, GA. He attended medical college in Atlanta, Ga. from which he received his degree in 1880, and won a gold medal for his thesis. He practiced medicine in Lincoln, Nebraska and Fitchville, Ohio through 1883. He assisted in the publication of a Guide to Oberlin (1883).
Holton returned to Oberlin to study music (1883). He then began teaching music in Litchfield, Minnesota (1884-85), the first of a series of teaching positions; Amity College in College Springs, Iowa (1886-87); Concord Normal School in West Virginia (1891-92); American University, Harrison, Tennessee (1893-94); and public schools in Lorain and Medina Counties, Ohio (1900-02). Music positions were not always full time and usually not well paying, and money was always a concern.
From 1888-91, Holton worked in a clerical position for the Prohibition State Central Committee in Lincoln, Nebraska. He married Alice H. Renik (enrolled Oberlin College, 1891-92) on September 22, 1891. During these same three years (1881-1891), Holton published The Exponent News Edition in Oberlin.
During the years 1898-1900, Holton was on the road covering much of the mid-west, lecturing on and securing agents to sell separators. Again, these were very hard years financially, as he and his wife had two daughters, Lucille and Thelma, during this time. In 1898, he wrote the Year Book of "Presto" (a music trade journal) in Chicago. From 1903 to 1907, Holton operated a stereopticon business in Cleveland and Chicago. He died in 1920 at age sixty-six.
SOURCES CONSULTED
Student file (RG28) of James Wilber Holton; Student file (RG28) of Rebecca Bebout; and, Papers of James Wilber Holton (30/41).
Author: Prue Richards
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