Special Collections Department
403 Parks Library
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011-2140

RS 13/22/10
O. H. (Orange Howard) Cessna
Papers, 1871-1940, undated


Descriptive summary

creator: Cessna, O. H. (Orange Howard) (1852-1932)
title: Papers
dates: 1871-1940, undated
extent: 2.94 linear feet (6 document boxes and 1 half-document box)
collection number: RS 13/22/10
repository: University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

 

Administrative information

access: Open for research
publication rights: Consult Head, Special Collections Department
preferred citation: O. H. Cessna Papers, RS13/22/10, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

 

Abstract

O. H. (Orange Howard) Cessna was a professor of history and psychology and the college chaplain at Iowa State College (University). He was a member of Iowa State's first graduating class (1872) and returned to Iowa State to teach after spending 15 years as a Methodist minister in Illinois. This collection contains biographical information, addresses and orations, correspondence, notebooks, and notes and meditations. The bulk of the collection consists of notebooks, notes and meditations related to Cessna's work as professor and college chaplain and include preparatory notes for lectures and sermons, drafts of correspondence, and personal reflections. Copies of his column, "Chaplain's Corner", which was published in the student paper, can also be found in the collection.

 

Biographical note

Orange Howard Cessna was born to of Jonathan Wilson and Elizabeth Jane Matthews Cessna on July 31, 1852, near Kenton, Ohio. Cessna enrolled at Iowa State Agricultural College (Iowa State University) in 1869 and graduated as a member of Iowa State's first graduating class with a B.S. (1872). He later went on to earn his B.D. (1885) and D.D. (1900) at Garrett Biblical Institute (Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary) and his A.M. (1901) at Cornell College [Iowa].

Upon graduation from Iowa State, Cessna was named deputy county treasurer (1872-1874) for Story County [Iowa] and later worked as the bookkeeper (1877-1891) at Baldwin and Maxwell's General Store in Iowa Center (State Center, Iowa). While a student at Iowa State, Cessna realized he was interested in ministry, but it wasn't until 1878 that he finally enrolled in the Garrett Biblical Institute located on the campus of Northwestern University. After his ordination, he served as a pastor at Methodist churches in Elgin, Illinois (1891-1893), Dixon, Illinois (1893-1898), and Chicago, Illinois (1899-1900).

Cessna returned to Iowa State in 1900, this time as Professor (1900-1932) of history and psychology and, for a time, as Head (1900-1922) of the departments. Following the death of President Beardshear in 1902, Cessna also took on the duties of college chaplain (1902-1929). Cessna was a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Tau Theta.

Cessna married Lillian May Wheeler on August 31, 1881, and they had two children: Ethyl and Frank Wheeler. O. H. Cessna died on October 22, 1932.

 

Collection description

This collection (1871-1940, undated) contains biographical information, addresses and speeches, correspondence, notebooks, and personal writings. The biographical material includes Cessna's diploma from Iowa State, news clippings, and some brief reminiscences. Files related to his orations and addresses can be found in the collection. These include funeral addresses (General James Rush Lincoln, S. A. Beach, Julia Stanton, and George MacKay); "Chaplain's Corner" articles for the student paper; and a notebook of writings from his student days. The rest of the collection consists of correspondence and a series of notebooks and personal writings related to his work as college chaplain and professor. These writings include drafts of correspondence, preparatory notes for class lectures and sermons, ideas for radio talks, and personal meditations.

 

Organization

The collection is organized alphabetically with biographical information at the front.

 

Container list

Box

Folder

Title

Dates

1

1

Biographical Information

1909-1937, undated

Map

Case

Biographical Information: Diploma, Bachelor of Science, State Agricultural College, November 13, 1872

1872

1

2

Addresses: Funeral Addresses

1922-1928, undated

1

3

Addresses: General Addresses and Meditations

1920-1940

1

4

Addresses: Orations and Addresses

1871

1

5

Addresses: "Chaplain's Corner" - Manuscripts

undated

1

6

Addresses: "Chaplain's Corner" - Newspaper Clippings

1929-1931

1

7

Correspondence: General Correspondence

1900-1931, undated

1

8

Correspondence: Family Correspondence and Notes

1922-1932

1

9

Correspondence: Williams, Ira A.

1913-1931

1

10

Correspondence: Williams, Milo B.

1911-1923

2

1

Notebooks: Talks and Meditations

1924

2

2

Notebooks: Talks and Meditations

1925, undated

2

3

Notebooks: Ames and Boone Sermons

undated

2

4

Notebooks: Chapel

1926-1927

2

5

Notebooks: Class Lectures

1927

3

1

Notebooks: Faculty Talks

1923-1927

3

2

Notebooks: Faculty and Students

1926

3

3

Notebooks: Freshman

1927

3

4

Notebooks: Homes and Family

undated

3

5

Notebooks: Meditations

1925-1927

3

6

Notebooks: Ministers and Miracles

undated

4

1

Notebooks: Miscellaneous Dated or Titled Notebooks

1926-1927

4

2

Notebooks: Prayer

1926-1927

4

3

Notebooks: Radio Talks

1926-1927

4

4

Notebooks: Sin

1926

4

5

Notebooks: Vespers

1925-1927

4

6

Notebooks: Young People

undated

4

7

Notes and Meditations: May and December

1928

5

1

Notes and Meditations: March 14, 1929-July 13, 1929

1929

5

2

Notes and Meditations: July 13, 1929-August 29, 1929

1929

5

3

Notes and Meditations: August 29, 1929-November 6, 1929

1929

5

4

Notes and Meditations: November 21, 1929-January 12, 1930

1929-1930

5

5

Notes and Meditations: January 15, 1930-April 16, 1930

1930

5

6

Notes and Meditations: May 24, 1930-July 25, 1930

1930

5

7

Notes and Meditations: July 25, 1930-September 10, 1930

1930

6

1

Notes and Meditations: October 1, 1930-December 30, 1930

1930

6

2

Notes and Meditations: December 30, 1930-April 10, 1931

1930-1931

6

3

Notes and Meditations: April 10, 1931-August 25, 1931

1931

6

4

Notes and Meditations: August 27, 1932-October 27, 1932

1932

6

5

Notes and Meditations: Loose Notes

1928-1932

6

6

Notes and Meditations: Loose Notes

1928-1932

6

7

Notes and Meditations: Class Notes, Psychology 105, 106

1929

7

1

Notes and Meditations: Undated and Untitled Notebooks

undated

7

2

Notes and Meditations: Undated and Untitled Notebooks and 3 Printing Blocks

undated