DeGraw, M. Bessie, 1871-1965
Person
Dates
- Existence: January 13, 1871 to June 7, 1965
Biographical
M. Bessie DeGraw was born in Binghamton, New York, January 13, 1871, later moving to Missouri. She graduated from the Missouri state normal college at Warrensburg with a life certificate (education). She taught school in Missouri and then in 1892 attended Battle Creek College. After one year she moved to Walla Walla College to teach for four years before returning to Battle Creek College to teach for four more years. When the college moved to Berrien Springs, Michigan in 1901 and became Emmanuel Missionary College (EMC) she moved with it and taught for three additional years.
It was at Battle Creek College that DeGraw became associated with Edward A. Sutherland and Percy T. Magan, men who were to have a huge influence on the rest of her life. Together, they left EMC and in 1904 founded a self-supporting school at Madison, Tennessee. It was at Madison that DeGraw served and lived the next 60 years of her life filling many roles there including teacher, treasurer, dean of girls, and humbler tasks such as care of the poultry flock. She worked side by side with Sutherland, Magan, and others associated with the Madison self-supporting initiative.
In 1931, at age 60, DeGraw earned a Master’s Degree in Teaching from George Peabody College. At EMC, beginning in 1899, DeGraw edited The Advocate, a journal focused on reforming Adventist education to be along the lines of what Ellen G. White presented as God’s plan for education. Later she edited The Madison Survey, a news magazine of happenings at Madison College and related institutions.
In 1954, Edward A. Sutherland’s wife of many years died. Soon after that Sutherland and DeGraw quietly married but he died the following year. DeGraw died on June 7, 1965, age 94.
It was at Battle Creek College that DeGraw became associated with Edward A. Sutherland and Percy T. Magan, men who were to have a huge influence on the rest of her life. Together, they left EMC and in 1904 founded a self-supporting school at Madison, Tennessee. It was at Madison that DeGraw served and lived the next 60 years of her life filling many roles there including teacher, treasurer, dean of girls, and humbler tasks such as care of the poultry flock. She worked side by side with Sutherland, Magan, and others associated with the Madison self-supporting initiative.
In 1931, at age 60, DeGraw earned a Master’s Degree in Teaching from George Peabody College. At EMC, beginning in 1899, DeGraw edited The Advocate, a journal focused on reforming Adventist education to be along the lines of what Ellen G. White presented as God’s plan for education. Later she edited The Madison Survey, a news magazine of happenings at Madison College and related institutions.
In 1954, Edward A. Sutherland’s wife of many years died. Soon after that Sutherland and DeGraw quietly married but he died the following year. DeGraw died on June 7, 1965, age 94.
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
M. Bessie DeGraw Papers
Collection
Identifier: Collection 339
Content Description
This collection was 100% spun out of a much larger Madison Institutions Collection held by the Center for Adventist Research. The bulk of the papers came to the Center in 2013 from the Madison Alumni Association. However, some additional papers were previously held by the Center and were brought together to form this collection.Madison and DeGraw were extensively interwoven and thus difficult if not impossible to separate business from personal. Portions of the papers in this...
Dates:
Majority of material found within 1896 - 1964
M. Bessie DeGraw Papers
Accession
Identifier: Collection 339
Dates:
Majority of material found within 1896 - 1964