Statue on Carter Road
Many years ago I was walking past the end of Carter Rd. (south of 341). The last house then was owned by Dean Martin. On the trail that extended from the paving I came across a bust of a man on a pedestal that I remember as being the president of Antioch College. Does anyone know anything about this statue and why it was there? I recently drove down the lane past the old Martin house but couldn’t find any trace of what I remember.
Larry Hendricks
March 10th, 2006 at 2:51 pm
Aug 2, 2003
Larry
Just read your note on the Warren web re “statue on Carter Road” What you are referring to is in fact on the end of Cunningham Road. There is a stone monument and bronze plaque dedicated to Reverend Charles Finney who was a very famous preacher of the mid 1800’s. He was the founder and first President of Oberlin College. He was born in the decaying homestead where the monument lies. A few years back I tried to drum up some interest in preserving this sight. Among other things I sent information including photos to a web site dedicated to his memory and was contacted by people from the mid west who very interested in this information as they had no idea that he had been born in Warren. I had them contact the owner of the Mountain Lake Bible Camp in Town that actually owns the land where the homestead and monument are located. Apparently everyone agreed that something should be done but…I believe money was an issue. Very soon all traces of this place will be gone. I would be happy to show it to you.
Rick Santorelli
March 10th, 2006 at 2:55 pm
Sep 2, 2004
Rick,
In the late 50’s and early 60’s I was a staff member at Mountain Lake Bible Camp and took campers on hikes to the Finney homestead. I am sorry to hear that it is in disrepair. Is Oberlin College at all interested in assisiting with restoration of the site?
Bill Hoyt - Sep 2, 2004
March 10th, 2006 at 2:56 pm
Nov. 28, 2004
Deanna Petkin wrote to Toni Richardson in response to the questions about Charles Finney. She enclosed several articles which refer to the Reverend Finney and his contributions to Oberlin College.
From the Oberlin College website in an article by Willard Warch: “In 1833 the Oberlin Collegiate Institute opened to 30 scholars , but, in just two years, the Institute went broke. Oberlin was rescued from this catastrophe by New York aboulistionist businessman Arthur Tappan on the conditions that revivalist Charles Grandison Finney be named professor of theology and that African=Americans b admitted as students on equal terms with whites.”
The article goes on to descibe Finney’s converison in 1821 to a “firey and extraordinarily effective evangelist-the Billy Graham of his Day.”
“Many people believe that Charles Finney was Oberlin’s first president, a distinction actually belonging to Asa Mahan. Finney followed Mahan as president of the College from 1851 until 1866.”
According to another article he was born in Warren CT on August 29, 1792 and moved to Oneida county, New York when he was about two years old. He apparently returned to Connecticut when he was around 20 years old forsome period which is not specified, but appears to have been brief.
The articles do not credit any special influence on his life as a result of his connection to Warren.