Elijah Parish Lovejoy (November 9, 1802 – November 7, 1837) was an American Presbyterian minister, journalist and newspaper editor who was murdered by a mob in Alton, Illinois for his abolitionist views. He had a deep religious upbringing, as his father was a Congregational minister and his mother a devout Christian. He attended Waterville College in his home state of Maine, and graduated at the top of his class, with first class honors. Afterwards, he traveled to Illinois, and after realizing that the area was largely unsettled, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1827. There, Lovejoy worked as an editor of an anti-Jacksonian newspaper and ran a school. Five years later, influenced by the Revivalist movement, he decided to become a preacher. He attended the Princeton Theological Seminary and became an ordained Presbyterian preacher. Once he returned to St. Louis, he set up a church and became the editor of a weekly religious newspaper, the St. Louis Observer. He wrote a number of editorials, critical of other religions and slavery. In May 1836, he was run out of town by his opponents after he chastised Judge Luke E. Lawless, who had chosen not to charge individuals linked to a mob lynching of a free black man. is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1802 (MDCCCII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Presbyterianism is a Christian denomination following Jesus which is most prevalent within the Reformed branch of Protestant Western Christianity. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      For other types of... For other uses, see Journalist (disambiguation). ... Editing is the process of preparing language, images, or sound for presentation through correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications. ... Historic Alton Home Alton is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about 15 miles north of St. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... This article is about the abolition of slavery. ... Colby College, founded in 1813, is an elite liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. ... Official language(s) None (English and French de facto) Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 39th  - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²)  - Width 210 miles (338 km)  - Length 320 miles (515 km)  - % water 13. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Missouri Coordinates: , Country State County Independent City Government  - Mayor Francis G. Slay (D) Area  - City  66. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... For other uses, see Andrew Jackson (disambiguation). ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Revival in... The steeple of Alexander Hall Princeton Theological Seminary is a theological seminary located in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey in the United States. ...

Lovejoy moved to Alton, Illinois, where he became editor of the Alton Observer. On three occasions, his printing press was destroyed by pro-slavery factions who wanted to stop him from publishing his abolitionist views. On November 7, 1837, a pro slavery mob approached a warehouse belonging to merchant Winthrop Gilman that held Lovejoy's fourth printing press. Lovejoy and his supporters exchanged gunfire with the mob. The leaders of the mob decided to burn down Gilman's warehouse, so they got a ladder and set it alongside the building. They attempted to climb the ladder to set fire to the warehouse's wooden roof, but Lovejoy and one of his supporters stopped them. After the mob set up their ladder along the side of the building for a second time, Lovejoy went outside to intervene, but he was promptly shot five times with a shotgun, dying on the spot. Lovejoy was hailed as a martyr by abolitionists across the country, and he has since been immortalized through the naming of monuments or buildings in his honor. His brother, Owen, subsequently entered politics and became the leader of the Illinois abolitionists. Lovejoy also had a cousin, Nathan A. Farwell, who served as a U.S. Senator from Maine. The printing press is a mechanical device for printing many copies of a text on rectangular sheets of paper. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... A Glock 22 hand-held firearm with internal laser sight and mounted flashlight, surrounded by hollowpoint ammunition. ... For other uses, see Shotgun (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Martyr (disambiguation). ... Owen Lovejoy (January 6, 1811 – March 25, 1864) was an American lawyer, abolitionist, Republican and congressman. ... Nathan Allen Farwell (February 24, 1812 – December 9, 1893) was a politician, businessman and United States Senator from Maine. ...

Early life

Lovejoy was born at his grandfather's frontier farmhouse near Albion, Maine as the first of the nine children of Reverend Daniel Lovejoy and Elizabeth Pattee.^[1] Lovejoy's father was a Congregational preacher and farmer and his mother, a devout Christian. Daniel Lovejoy named his son "Elijah Parish" in honor of his close friend and mentor, the Reverend Elijah Parish.^[2] Due to his own deprived education, he encouraged his sons — Daniel, Joseph Cammett, Owen, John and Elijah — to become educated men. As a result, Elijah was taught to read the Bible and other theological texts at an early age. After completing his early studies in public schools, Lovejoy attended the Academy at Monmouth and China Academy. After becoming proficient enough in Latin and mathematics, he enrolled at Waterville College (now Colby College) in Waterville, Maine as a sophomore in 1823.^[3] He excelled in his studies, and upon faculty recommendation, he became a teacher at the college's preparatory division. Lovejoy received financial support from Reverend Benjamin Tappan to continue his attendance at Waterville College.^[4] Albion is a town located in Kennebec County, Maine. ... Official language(s) None (English and French de facto) Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 39th  - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²)  - Width 210 miles (338 km)  - Length 320 miles (515 km)  - % water 13. ... Owen Lovejoy (January 6, 1811 – March 25, 1864) was an American lawyer, abolitionist, Republican and congressman. ... For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... For other meanings of mathematics or uses of math and maths, see Mathematics (disambiguation) and Math (disambiguation). ... Colby College, founded in 1813, is an elite liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. ... Waterville is a city in Kennebec County, Maine in the United States on the west bank of the Kennebec River. ... Official language(s) None (English and French de facto) Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 39th  - Total 33,414 sq mi (86,542 km²)  - Width 210 miles (338 km)  - Length 320 miles (515 km)  - % water 13. ... Benjamin Tappan (May 25, 1773 - April 20, 1857) was a Democratic politician from Ohio. ...

Despite his academic success, Lovejoy had a number of emotional troubles, and at one point, he even contemplated committing suicide.^[5] Although he was able to overcome these thoughts, he was still deeply affected by a feeling of isolation. He had been brought up in a simple atmosphere, in which he learned to think of religion as the most important aspect of his life. However, the atmosphere of the world outside his home was very complex, and he found himself alienated by people, many of whom did not adhere to his religious beliefs.^[4] For other uses, see Suicide (disambiguation). ...

In September 1826, Lovejoy graduated from Waterville College with first class honors^[6] at the top of his class.^[7] During the winter and spring, he taught at China Academy. Unsatisfied with the mundane teaching environment, Lovejoy contemplated moving to the South or Western United States. His former teachers at Waterville College advised him that he would best serve God in the West.^[8] Lovejoy agreed with their words, and in May 1827, he said goodbye to his family and went to Boston. He searched for a job to fund his journey to Illinois, his chosen destination, but was unsuccessful.^[9] He left the city and headed to Illinois on foot. He stopped in New York City in mid-June, with the intention of again trying to find employment to fund his travels. Lovejoy had difficulties searching for a job, but was eventually able to land a position with the Saturday Evening Gazette as a newspaper subscription peddler. For nearly five weeks, he walked up and down streets, knocking on peoples' doors and wheedling passersby, in hopes of getting them to subscribe to the newspaper.^[10] Lovejoy was still struggling with his finances, and so, he wrote a letter to Reverend Jeremiah Chaplin, the president of Waterville College, explaining his situation. Chaplin unhesitatingly sent the money that his former student so desperately needed.^[10] Lovejoy promptly embarked on his journey to Illinois, reaching Hillsboro, Montgomery County in the fall of 1827. Lovejoy did not think he could maximally his potential in Illinois's scantly settled land, so he headed for St. Louis.^[11] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... In the United States and Canada, the title of valedictorian (an anglicized derivation from the Latin vale dicere, to say farewell) is given to the top graduate of the graduating class (the Australia/New Zealand equivalent being dux, although some Australian universities use the American term) of an educational institution. ... Historic Southern United States. ... Regional definitions vary from source to source. ... Nickname: City on the Hill, Beantown, The Hub (of the Universe)1, Athens of America, The Cradle of Revolution, Puritan City, Americas Walking City Location in Massachusetts, USA Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas M. Menino(D) Area    - City 232. ... New York, New York and NYC redirect here. ... Hillsboro is a city located in Montgomery County, Illinois. ... Montgomery County is a county located in the state of Illinois. ...

In St. Louis, Lovejoy quickly established himself as the editor of the anti-Jacksonian newspaper, the St. Louis Times, and as the headmaster of a coeducational private school. In 1832, upon influence of the Christian revivalist movement led by abolitionist David Nelson, he decided to became a preacher.^[12] He then studied at the Princeton Theological Seminary, and upon completion, went to Philadelphia, where he became an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church in April 1833. Upon returning to St. Louis, he set up a Presbyterian church and also became editor of a weekly religious newspaper, the St. Louis Observer. In 1835, Lovejoy married Celia Ann French, who would later bear him two children.-1... Coeducation is the integrated education of males and females at the same school facilities. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Revival in... The steeple of Alexander Hall Princeton Theological Seminary is a theological seminary located in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey in the United States. ... Emblem of the PC(USA) The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) or PC(USA) is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. ...

As a journalist and editor

As editor of the Observer, Lovejoy wrote a number of pieces, expressing his affiliation with New School Presbyterianism and social reform movements. In his writing, Lovejoy attacked Roman Catholics, Baptists, Campbellites and pro-slavery advocates. He sided with the anti-Catholicism views of Lyman Beecher and harshly criticized the influence of the religion in St. Louis. He supported the emancipation of slaves, to the disapproval of many Missourians. Despite threats of violence against the newspaper, Lovejoy maintained that he was expressing his right to free speech. Catholic Church redirects here. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Baptist is... The Disciples of Christ, also known as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) or simply as the Christian Church, is a denomination of Christian Protestantism based on the teachings of Thomas Campbell and Alexander Campbell of Pennsylvania and Barton W. Stone and Virginia Stone of Kentucky. ... Lyman Beecher (October 12, 1775 – January 10, 1863) was a Presbyterian clergyman, temperance movement leader, and the father of several noted leaders, including Harriet Beecher Stowe, Henry Ward Beecher, Charles Beecher, Edward Beecher, Isabella Beecher Hooker, and Catharine Beecher, and a leader of the Second Great Awakening of the United... For other uses, see Emancipation (disambiguation). ... This article is about the general concept. ...

In May 1836, Lovejoy cried out against the mob lynching of Frank McIntosh, a free black man who was in jail on suspicion of murder. Luke E. Lawless, the judge presiding over the grand jury investigation of the lynching, told jurors that a insane frenzy gripped the mob. Lawless went on to say that legal action should not be sought against any particular individuals, because the jury was not familiar with the captivating mania of mob mentality. Lovejoy chastised Lawless for essentially turning a cold shoulder to the lynching, calling him a "Papist". The day after Lovejoy's comments appeared in the Observer, a mob, presumably the same one that orchestrated the McIntosh lynching, destroyed his printing press. Lovejoy responded by announcing that the paper would be moved to Alton, Illinois. However, another mob destroyed the press before it could reach Alton. Once there, Lovejoy became the editor of an abolitionist paper, the Alton Observer. Papist is a term, usually disparaging, referring to a member of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Historic Alton Home Alton is a city in Madison County, Illinois, United States, about 15 miles north of St. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (140,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ...

On three different occasions, Lovejoy's printing press in Alton was seized by states-rights/pro-slavery factions and thrown into the river. He received another printing press from the Ohio Anti-Slavery Society (or possibly the Anti-Slavery Society of Illinois—records conflict). When local pro-slavery elements heard about the arrival of the new printing press, they decided to destroy it. In October 1837, Alton's leaders asked Lovejoy to leave town, but he refused. He argued that he had as much right to be in Alton as anyone else. The printing press is a mechanical device for printing many copies of a text on rectangular sheets of paper. ...

Death

Wood engraving of the pro-slavery mob burning down Gilman's warehouse.

On November 7, 1837, pro-slavery partisans congregated and approached Gilman's warehouse, where the printing press had been hidden. According to the Alton Observer, shots were then fired by the pro-slavery advocates, and balls from muskets whizzed through the windows of the warehouse, narrowly missing the defenders inside. Lovejoy and his men returned fire. Several people in the crowd were hit, and one was killed. is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Queen Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom (1837 - 1901) 1837 (MDCCCXXXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Look up partisan in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

As some people began to demand the warehouse be set on fire, leaders of the mob called for a ladder, which was put up on the side of the warehouse. A boy with a torch was sent up to set fire to the wooden roof. Lovejoy and one of his supporters, Royal Weller, volunteered to stop the boy. The two men crept outside, hiding in the shadows of the building. Surprising the pro-slavery partisans, Lovejoy and Weller rushed to the ladder, pushed it over and quickly retreated inside.

Once again a ladder was put in place. As Lovejoy and Weller made another attempt to overturn the ladder, they were spotted. Lovejoy was shot with a shotgun loaded with slugs and was hit five times; Weller was also wounded. Suffering the same fate as its predecessors, the new printing press was destroyed; it was carried to a window and thrown out onto the riverbank. The printing press was then broken into pieces that were scattered in the river.

Afterwards, Lovejoy was considered a martyr by the abolition movement, and in his name, his brother Owen Lovejoy became the leader of the Illinois abolitionists. His murder was a sign of the increasing tension within the country leading up to the Civil War, and it is for this reason that he is considered by some to be the "first casualty of the Civil War", though he technically was not. [1]. For other uses, see Martyr (disambiguation). ... Owen Lovejoy (January 6, 1811 – March 25, 1864) was an American lawyer, abolitionist, Republican and congressman. ...

Legacy

Elijah Lovejoy is buried in Alton Cemetery in Madison County, Illinois. In the late 1890s, local citizens erected a monument to Lovejoy's memory within the cemetery, created by Richard Bock, the celebrated sculptor. The monument commemorates his dual commitment to both freedom and freedom of the press. The memorial mainly consists of a tall column topped by a symbolic figure. The monument overlooks the Mississippi, meaning that visitors who come to see the monument can also see the river into which his presses were thrown. Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. ... Richard W. Bock (1865-1949) was a American sculptor and associate of Frank Lloyd Wright. ...

Lovejoy himself is buried some fifty yards away, beyond the farthest reach of the memorial figure's longest shadow. The monuments of some of his supporters are near the burial site.

The Lovejoy Library at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is named in his honor; it was initially proposed to name the whole university after him. The African American village of Brooklyn, Illinois (popularly known as Lovejoy), located just north of East St. Louis, is also named for him. The Albert King album and song "Lovejoy, Illinois" draws its name from the town. Bridge over lake on SIUE campus. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Brooklyn, popularly known as Lovejoy, is a village located in St. ... East St. ... Albert King (April 25, 1923 – December 21, 1992) was an influential American blues guitarist and singer. ... Lovejoy is a Blues album by Albert King. ...

The Elijah Parish Lovejoy Award, given annually by Colby College, Lovejoy's alma mater, honors a member of the newspaper profession who "has contributed to the nation's journalistic achievement." A major classroom building at Colby is also named for Lovejoy. Elijah Lovejoy also has a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame. Colby College, founded in 1813, is an elite liberal arts college located on Mayflower Hill in Waterville, Maine. ... The St. ...

References

• Beecher, Edward (1969). Narrative of Riots at Alton, in Connection with the Death of Rev. Elijah P Lovejoy. Mnemosyne Pub. Co. 
• Dillon, Merton L. (1999). in John A. Garraty and Mark C. Carnes: American National Biography. New York: Oxford University Press, Vol. 14, pp4–5. ISBN 0-19-512793-5. 
• Dillon, Merton L. (1961). Elijah P. Lovejoy, Abolitionist Editor. Urbana: University of Illinois Press. 
• Lawson, John D.; Robert L. Howard (ed.) (1916). American State Trials: A Collection of the Important and Interesting Criminal Trials which have taken place in the United States, from the beginning of our Government to the Present Day. St. Louis: F. H. Thomas Law Book Co. 
• Lovejoy, Joseph C.; Owen Lovejoy (1838). Memoir of the Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy: Who was Murdered in Defence of the Liberty of the Press at Alton, Illinois, Nov. 7, 1837. New Yor: J. S. Taylor. 
• Tanner, Henry (1971). The Martyrdom of Lovejoy: An Account of the Life, Trials, and Perils of Rev Elijah P. Lovejoy. A. M. Kelley. ISBN 0678007446. 

John Arthur Garraty is an American historian and biographer. ... The American National Biography is a 24 volume set containing approximately 17,400 entries[1] and 20 million words. ... Oxford University Press (OUP) is a highly-respected publishing house and a department of the University of Oxford in England. ... Urbana (pronounced ) is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United StatesGR6. ... The University of Illinois Press is a major American university press. ... Owen Lovejoy (January 6, 1811 – March 25, 1864) was an American lawyer, abolitionist, Republican and congressman. ...

Notes

is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

External links

• Biography from Spartacus Schoolnet
• St. Louis Walk of Fame
• Full story from the Alton Observer Nov. 7, 1837