About C-SC

Robert H. Stockton & Mary E. Culver

Mary Elizabeth Culver
Mary Elizabeth Comegys was born in Champaign County, Ohio, on March 19, 1841. She was one of three daughters and two sons born to Cornelius M. Comegys and his second wife, Anibel Dunlap McCune. As a child, she moved to Indiana. On Dec. 1, 1860, she was married to Lucius Llewellyn (L.L.) Culver. The couple moved from Illinois to St. Louis, Missouri in 1876. Mr. Culver, an inventive man who was skillful in improving kitchen ranges, became a business partner with Robert Stockton in St. Louis, MO. Their Company, Majestic Manufacturing Co., produced malleable iron ranges.

Mr. and Mrs. Culver had no children, but instead invested their energy and funds into philanthropic activities. After Mr. Culver passed away in 1899, Mrs. Culver inherited his stocks. Stockton instructed Mrs. Culver on business and philanthropic practices. Mrs. Culver's generous donations helped advance teacher salaries, improve library and laboratory facilities, and build L.L. Culver Gymnasium, named after her late husband.

Robert Henry Stockton
Robert Stockton was born in Mt. Sterling, Kentucky on July 5, 1842. At the young age of 12, his parents died, leaving him an orphan. He stayed with his grandmother and worked in a shoe store until he was 15 when he moved to Missouri with an uncle. He joined the Confederate army near the end of the Civil War and was stationed in Richmond, North Carolina. After the war, he moved back to Missouri and worked for Simmons Co. He met L. L. Culver and they began the Majestic Manuafacturing Co., which became a prospering St. Louis business that manufactured kitchen ranges. Stockton handled the sales and Culver handled the factory.

Christian University's President Carl Johann met Stockton on a fund-raising campaign. Stockton became a generous donor to the institution, giving money to help repair the college after a fire, funds for cottages to house married students, funds for teacher's salaries, money to eliminate Christian University's debt and many other projects.

In 1917, Christian Universitiy's name was changed to Culver-Stockton College to honor Mary Culver and Robert Stockton for their generous donations to the college.

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