Morgan Grassie PADELFORD

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1910, Living with parents in Seattle, King Co., Washington
• Census: 1920, living with parents at 4710 20 Ave., NE, Seattle, King Co., WA
• Census: 1930, A lodger with the Iaggs Family in Claremont, Los Angeles Co., California
• Occupation: 1930; Teacher at Scripps College

Morgan married Margaret Elaine CEKAL on 22 Aug 1967 in Monterey, California. Margaret was born on 06 Jan 1922 in Nebraska; died on 15 Oct 1978 in Los Angeles County,California. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1880, living with parents at Lafayette St.,Calais, Washington Co., ME
• Census: 1900, Living in Moscow, Latah Co., Idaho
• Census: 1910, Living in Seattle, King Co., Washington
• Occupation: 1910; Professor - University
• Census: 1920, living at 4710 20 Ave., NE, Seattle, King Co., WA
• Census: 1930, Living in Seattle, King Co., Washington
• Occupation: 1930; Dean - University

Notes:

HistoryLink.org - Frederick Morgan (1875-1942): A Biography by his Great Grandson

This biography of Frederick Morgan Padelford, University of Washington English Professor and Dean of Graduate School, was written by his great grandson Gordon Padelford, who is 13 years old at this writing (May 2002).

Frederick Morgan Padelford

Frederick Morgan Padelford, my great grandfather, was born in Haverhill, Massachusetts, on February 27, 1875. He was the son of Adoniram Judson Padelford and Anna Gordon Grassie Padelford. He would grow up to accomplish many things besides being a great person.

Frederick spent his early life in Calaias, Maine, with his brother, Frank William Padelford, where his father was the pastor of the Baptist Church. He went to Calais High School and then on to Colby College in 1892. He received his undergraduate B.A. degree from Colby College in 1896 and his Ph.D. from Yale in 1899. In 1934, he was the Commencement speaker at Colby College and was awarded an honorary LL.D degree. In 1936, Mills College also awarded him an honorary LL.D degree.

Frederick married a classmate from Colby College, Jessie Elizabeth Pepper, from Waterville, Maine, on July 6, 1899. They had four children: Morgan Grassie, Eunice Brewster, Philip Sidney (my grandfather), and Charles Gordon.

The Padelfords first lived in Moscow, Idaho, where Frederick was the professor of English at the University of Idaho from 1899 to 1901. In 1901, they moved to Seattle so he could become the Professor of English. He taught at the University of Washington for the remaining 41 years of his life.

The Padelfords went to London for the years 1905-1906 where he spent the year studying at the British Museum and at Oxford. On February 1, 1920, he was appointed Dean of the Graduate School of the University of Washington and served in that position until he died. He was also the Assistant Dean of Faculties from 1927 to 1931 and Assistant Vice President of the University from 1931 to 1932.

Over his 41 years at the University of Washington, Frederick Morgan Padelford saw the registration of the University grow from 600 students to 14,000. He was part of the backbone of the University because he was "one of the early giants in the University, one who certainly was instrumental in guiding it from minor educational status into its years of majority among the state institutions."

The Dean had many truly amazing accomplishments. Being a Spenserian scholar, he discovered in 1932, a lost translation, by Edmund Spenser, of the pseudo-Platonic dialogue Axiochus, of which no copy had been seen or accurately described for nearly 200 years. He wrote nearly 90 items including authoring, translating, contributing to, and being the editor of publications. As well as being the President of the Modern Language Association of America in 1942, he was a trustee of the Seattle Public Library and of the Seattle Art Museum and was at one time President of the Art Institute.

Dean Padelford enjoyed golf, handball, hunting, cruising, and mountain climbing. In his classes he was a change from the ordinary professor. He was not boring and strict, but gentle although firm with the capability to excite his class. To all that knew him he was a good friend and was call "Paddy."

He was witty and to show this there is a story of him at the university: After congratulating the library workers on their new precautionary measures against book theft, he walked out right under their noses with an unabridged Webster's Dictionary beneath his raincoat. He kept his dignity and was consulted for advice by many including anybody from a local boy's school to the President of the University.

All who knew his kind heart were saddened to see him go, especially his wife who lived for another 25 years. On December 3, 1942, at the age of 67, Frederick Morgan Padelford died suddenly of coronary thrombosis, or a heart attack. He was visiting his son's home in Pasadena, California. Thank you for reading this biography.

Sources: He is my great grandfather: The Compendium of American Genealogy--First Families of America ed. by Frederick Adams Virkus (The Virkus Co., 1930); Newspaper articles from "The Seattle Times" archives. By Gordon Padelford, Age 13, May 20, 2002

Chronicle Telepgram - Elyria, Ohio - Apr 4, 1933

RARE BOOK FOUND

Seattle (UP) - A rare book, written by Edmund Spenser, which remained hidden for about two centuries, has been found by Dean Frederick Morgan Padelford of the University of Washington. Dean Padelford, a student of Spenser, saw the book listed in a London catalogue for $25. Althugh skeptical as to its authenticity, he wrote for it and was amazed on its arrival to learn it was a rare valume valued between $10,000 and $50,000.

From "Who's Who in America:"

Padelford, Frederick Mrogan, college prof.; b. at haverhill, Mass., Feb 27, 1875; s. Adoniram Judson and Julia Smith (Morgan) P.; A.B. Colby, 1896, A.M. 1899: Ph.D., Yale, 1899; research work, British Mus. and Oxford. 1905-6; m. Jessie Elizabeth Pepper, of Waterville, Me., July 6, 1899; prof. English, 1901-, and dean of the Graduate School since 1920, Univ. of Washington. Trustee Seattle Pub. Library, 1906-13; pres. Seattle Fine Arts Assn., 1907-10. Mem. Nat. Inst. Social Sciences, Am. Assn. Univ. Professors, Delta Kappa epsilon, Phi Beta Kappa. Clubs: Andiron (NY), Monday (Seattle);. Author: Old English Musical Terms, 1900; Early Sixteenth Century Lyrics, 1906; The Political and Exxlesiastical Allegory of the Faerie Queene, 1911; Samuel Osborne, Janitor, 1913; George Dana Boardman Pepper, A Biographical Sketch, 1914; The Poems of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey,1920. Translator: Essays on the Study and Use of Poetry, by Plutarch and Basil, 1902; Select Editor: Comedy of Errors; Tudor Shakespeare, 1913; The Ring and the Book, 1917. Contbr. to Cambridge History of English Literature and to European and Am. mags. Mem. nat. Student Council of P.E. Ch. Episcopalian. Home: 4710 20th Av., N.E. Seattle, Washington.

Frederick married Jessie Elizabeth PEPPER on 06 Jul 1899 in Waterville, Maine. Jessie (daughter of George Dana Boardman PEPPER and Annie GRASSIE) was born on 20 Mar 1874 in Waterville, Maine; died on 14 Nov 1967 in Seattle, Washington. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Census: 1900, Living with husband in Moscow, Latah Co., Idaho
• Census: 1910, Living with husband in Seattle, King Co., Washington
• Census: 1920, living with husband at 4710 20 Ave., NE, Seattle, King Co., WA
• Census: 1930, Living with husband in Seattle, King Co., Washington

Notes:

HistoryLink Database Output: Pepper, Jesse Elizabeth (1874-1967): a Biography by her Great Grandson

This biography of Jesse Elizabeth Pepper, wife of UW English professor Frederick Padelford (1875-1942), was written by her great grandson Gordon Padelford, who is 13 years old at this writing (May 2002).

Jesse Elizabeth Pepper

Jessie Elizabeth Pepper, my great grandmother, was born March 20, 1874, in Waterville, Maine. She was the daughter of Annie Grassie Pepper and George Dana Boardman Pepper. He was a Baptist Minister and President of Colby College.

Jessie was at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, from 1892 until her graduation in 1896. While at Colby College she was a member of the Sigma Kappa Sorority and met her future husband Frederick M. Padelford. From 1896-1899 she taught at Coburn Classical Institute in Maine while Frederick was earning his Ph.D. at Yale.

They married on July 6, 1899, and moved to Moscow, Idaho. In 1901 they moved to Seattle, Washington. They had the following children in Seattle: Morgan Grassie (1902), Eunice Brewster (1907), Philip Sidney (1912--my grandfather), and Charles Gordon (1915). She lived the rest of her life in Seattle involved in many activities and being a prominent social leader.

Bessie, as her family called her, was a avid gardener and was "warm and fuzzy" according to my dad. She was the founder of the University of Washington's chapter of Sigma Kappa Sorority. She was an active member, and at one time president of the University of Washington Faculty Wives club. She was also a member of the Seattle Garden Club, the Washington State Arboretum Society, the Seattle Art Museum, and the Tuesday Club. Besides all that involvement she still taught two extension courses in history at the UW Padelford Hall.

She continued to live in Seattle after her husband's death, and dies a the age of 93 on November 14, 1967, in Seattle. Thank you for reading this biography.

Sources: She is my great grandmother; "The Seattle Times newspaper articles; University of Washington Archives, Padelford Family Papers accession number 3359-87-3. By Gordon Padelford, Age 13, May 22, 2002