Lucinda Brown And Her "Old Shoe" Was Popular At Buchtel College around Akron, Ohio In The Late 1800s

Lucinda Brown And Her "Old Shoe" Was Popular At Buchtel College around Akron, Ohio In The Late 1800s

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Lucinda Brown. 1822 ~1917.

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Blog Created: 3-17-2024

Lucinda Brown was the widow of Rev. John Stanley Brown, a Universalist minister who died in 1856. They had only been married for nine years. They had no children. Lucinda had been a teacher in New York. At the age of 55 she was working as matron of the Clinton Liberal Institute in New York when she got an invitation from John R. Buchtel to come to Akron, Ohio and do pretty much the same thing.

Buchtel was the founder and benefactor of Buchtel College in Akron, which would go on to become The University of Akron. Lucinda came to Ohio and was given a large house at 268 Carroll St. in Akron. The house was rent-free plus Buchtel gave her $100.00 to pay for expenses. Lucinda took in male students that could not afford housing on their own.

Buchtel College, Akron, Ohio. 1872 ~ 1899.

For the next 40-years, she kept house for these young men. She served meals, washed clothes, etc. The boarders had their chores to attend to as well, but she made sure they got up for classes and made sure their studies were done. She became "Aunty Brown" and her house was dubbed, "The Old Shoe", after the children's tale of the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe.

Lucinda loved what she did and she loved the young men as much as if they were her own children. In 40-years as their guidance, all of Lucinda's boys graduated...all but one. She said later, "He neglected his studies and made the faculty trouble, he did not graduate."

Lucinda Brown at the door of her house, called 'the Old Shoe' at 268 Carroll St. in Akron, Ohio. The house was torn down in 1905.

On her summer vacations, when school was out, and her boys would go home for awhile, Lucinda traveled. She toured Europe and North America.

In 1905, it was determined that the Old Shoe was in bad shape and it was torn down. On the property another house was built and named proudly, "The New Shoe". There was an open house that lasted for 13-hours with rows of well-wishers shaking Lucinda's hand. She kept taking in student residents well into her 90s.

In August of 1917, Mrs. Brown took a bad fall and broke her leg. She never fully recovered. She died on November 16, 1917 only a few weeks short of her 95th birthday. Brown had been a widow for 61 years. At her funeral, english professor, Albert L. Spanton gave the eulogy. In the 1890s he had lived at the Old Shoe while attending Akron U. Today, Spanton's name is on the 10-story residence hall at the college.

Lucinda Brown shortly before her death at age 95 in 1917.

At the funeral for "The Mother of Buchtel College", Spanton said, "Her life speaks for itself, more eloquently than could any works. Aunty Brown's life was a beautiful example of a simple and unselfish life. She never thought of herself." After the services, Lucinda's casket was returned to New York and buried beside her husband's.

FROM THE AKRON CITY DIRECTORIES:

1880

Mrs. Lucinda Brown, boards - 504 Bowery St.

1885

Mrs. Lucinda Brown, (widow of John S.), home - 206 Carroll St.

1889

Mrs. Lucinda W. Brown, (widow of John S.), home - 206 Carroll St.

1895 DIRECTORY same as 1889.

1900 DIRECTORY same as 1889.

1910 DIRECTORY same as 1889.

1915 DIRECTORY same as 1889.

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