Springfield-Greene
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of Many of the Representative Citizens
REV. FAYETTE HURD. The life of a man like Rev. Fayette Hurd is worthy of emulation by the youth of the land whose"destinies are yet to be determined, for it has been led along high planes of endeavor, inculcating right thinking and therefore right living, for the world is rapidly coming to understand the Biblical phrase, "As a man thinketh so is he." Rev. Hurd is a scion of a sterling old family of Michigan, but the latter part of his long and useful life has been spent in the Southwest, in teaching and in the ministry of the gospel, and while he is now living retired from active work, making his home in Springfield, he still "goes about doing good."
Reverend. Hurd was born at Burlington, Michigan, August 12, 1835. He is a son of Homer C. and Sarah Jane (McGee) Hurd. The father was born in Connecticut August 23, 1808, and his death occurred at Burlington, Michigan, February 12, 1873. The mother of our subject was born in Warren county, New York, October 24, 1811, and her death occurred on September 17 1888. These parents grew up in their respective states and received common school educations, as good as could be procured in those early days. They were married in Spring Arbor, Michigan, December 4, 1833, and locating on a farm in the township of Burlington, devoted their active lives to general farming. Politically, Homer C. Hurd was a Republican, and was twice a member of the lower house of the Michigan Legislature, besides serving several years as supervisor of Burlington township. He led a quiet, honest home life. His family consisted of five children, two of whom are still living, namely: Rev. Fayette Hurd, of this review; Mary Elizabeth is deceased, as is Sarah Janette; Edward H. is living in Union City, Michigan; George F., deceased.
Rev. Fayette Hurd grew to manhood on the home farm in Michigan, where he worked when a boy, and in the winter time he attended the public schools of Union City, Michigan, after which he entered the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor from which institution he was graduated in 1859. From this institution, after a course of special graduate studies, he secured, in 1891, the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. He then studied theology at Andover Seminary in Massachusetts, in preparation for the ministry of the Congregational church, and he was graduated there in 1863, having made an excellent record in both the above named schools. Returning to Michigan he was pastor of a number of churches of his denomination, then went to Iowa and filled the pulpits of Montour and Cherokee, in that state, subsequently returning to his native state, continuing the work of the ministry there until 1891, when he went to Vinita, Oklahoma, where he taught three years in an academy and in 1894 came to Springfield, Missouri, where he has since lived practically retired from active work, although continuing a prominent worker in church affairs. In all his charges he built up the church and strengthened the congregation and was popular wherever his work took him, for he was regarded from the first as an earnest, conscientious worker for the general good of the church, and as a scholarly, logical, forceful and eloquent pulpit orator.
Reverend Hurd was married on June 19, 1886 to Julia T. Robinson, at Ascutneyville, Vermont. She was born in New Hampshire, and is a daughter of Williams D. and Mary Z. (Clement) Robinson, a highly esteemed family who spent their lives in New Hampshire, where she grew to womanhood and received a good education, completing her schooling at Mary Sharp's College in Tennessee.
To our subject and wife one child was born, a son, Carlos F. Hurd, a distinguished journalist whose birth occurred in Iowa, September 22, 1876 After passing through the public schools he entered Drury College at Springfield, Missouri, from which institution he was graduated in 1897, and soon, thereafter began his career as a newspaper man, and most of his work has been in St. Louis. He has for some time been a member of the editorial staff of the Post Dispatch. He was abroad with his wife in the spring of 1912 and he was the only newspaper man on board the Carpathia, which rescued part of the passengers of the ill-fated Titanic, and had the distinction of being the first to report to the world that great disaster, perhaps the greatest news from the newspaper man's standpoint of modern times. He was married on November 29, 1906, to Catherine Stewart Cordell, a native of Missouri, and the daughter of John H. Cordell, of Marshall, Missouri, where she was educated. To Carlos F. Hurd two children have been born, namely: Clement R., and Emily V. Hurd. This family has for some time resided in St. Louis, while the immediate subject of this sketch has a home on Summit avenue, Springfield, though planning on early removal to St. Louis.
Reverend Hurd is a Republican politically. He holds membership with the First Congregational church of this city and has been for some years and till quite recently, clerk of the same, and active in the general work of the church. He is one of the charter members of the Springfield chapter of the Sons of the Revolution and has been for some years an active and enthusiastic member of the Trinity Tyrants, a local literary and social club of men and women which is organized and conducted on somewhat original lines. When in the university he was a member of the Zeta Psi fraternity.
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