List of Centre College people

Here follows a list of notable people associated with Centre College in Danville, Kentucky.

Notable graduates

Justice John Marshall Harlan, class of 1850

Vice President John C. Breckinridge, class of 1838

Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson, class of 1909, law class of 1911

Vice President Adlai E. Stevenson, class of 1859

Law

• John Christian Bullitt, 1849: attorney in Philadelphia, drafted the city's charter and founded the law firm of Drinker, Biddle & Reath
• John Marshall Harlan, 1850: Supreme Court associate justice (1877–1911), cast the lone dissenting vote in Plessy v. Ferguson
• Pierce Lively, 1943: federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (1972–2016)
• Andrew Phelps McCormick, 1854: federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (1892–1916)
• Fred M. Vinson, 1909, Law 1911: chief justice of the United States (1946–53), secretary of the treasury (1945–46), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from KY–08 and KY–09 (1933–43)

Government

• George Madison Adams: member of the U.S. House of Representatives from KY–08 and KY–09 (1867–75), secretary of state of Kentucky (1887–91)
• Joshua Fry Bell, 1828: member in the U.S. House of Representatives from KY–04 (1845–47; first Centre alumnus to serve in Congress), secretary of state of Kentucky (1849–50)
• John C. Breckinridge, 1838: U.S. vice president (1857–61); Confederate secretary of war (1865); U.S. senator from Kentucky (1861)
• John Y. Brown, Sr., 1921: member of the U.S. House of Representatives from KY–AL (1933–35)
• Jacqueline Coleman, 2004: lieutenant governor of Kentucky (2019–present)
• John Sherman Cooper, 1922: U.S. ambassador to East Germany (1974–76), U.S. senator from Kentucky (1946–49, 1952–55, 1956–73), U.S. ambassador to India (1955–56)
• Michael W. Jackson, 1985: Alabama District Attorney (2005 - present)
• Crit Luallen, 1974: lieutenant governor of Kentucky (2014 - 2015), Kentucky State Auditor (2004 - 2012)
• Claude Matthews, 1867: governor of Indiana (1893–97), secretary of state of Indiana (1891–93)
• Austin Peay, 1895: governor of Tennessee (1923–27)
• Augustus Stanley, 1889: U.S. senator from Kentucky (1919–25), governor of Kentucky (1915–19), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from KY–02 (1903–15)
• Adlai Stevenson I, 1859: U.S. vice president (1893–97), member of the U.S. House of Representatives from IL–13 (1875–77, 1879–81)
• John T. Stuart, 1826: member of the U.S. House of Representatives from IL–03 (1839–43) and IL–08 (1863–65), lawyer, law partner of Abraham Lincoln
• Yi Kuu, Prince Imperial Hoeun, 1952: Prince Imperial of Korea, grandson of Emperor Gojong
• Joseph Holt, 1824: U.S. postmaster general, U.S. secretary of war and Judge Advocate General of the United States Army; leading judge in the trials of the Abraham Lincoln assassination
• Thomas H. Taylor, Confederate general (1861–65), Louisville chief of police (1881–92)
• George Graham Vest, U.S. senator from Missouri (1879–1903), Confederate senator from Missouri (1865), member of the Confederate House of Representatives from MO–05; best known for supposedly coining the phrases "man's best friend" and "history is written by the victors."
• Emma Curtis, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council member (2025–present); first openly transgender city official in Kentucky.

Arts

• George Ella Lyon, 1971: ^[1] former Kentucky Poet Laureate
• Stephen Rolfe Powell, 1974: internationally acclaimed glass blower and art professor
• Tony Crunk, 1978: winner, Yale Younger Poets prize
• Terena Elizabeth Bell, 1999, author of Tell Me What You See
• Tiffany Reisz, 2000; RITA award-winning novelist

Athletics

• Gene Bedford: second baseman for the Cleveland Indians and defensive end for the Rochester Jeffersons
• Herb Covington, 1924: played football, basketball, and baseball for Centre, named to the all-time Centre football team in 1935
• E.A. Diddle, 1920: legendary basketball coach of Western Kentucky University, member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
• Jordan Gay, 2013: punter and kickoff specialist for the Buffalo Bills
• Cawood Ledford, 1949: voice of the University of Kentucky Wildcats for 30 years
• Alvin Nugent "Bo" McMillin, 1922: three-time All-American quarterback; member of the College Football Hall of Fame; head football coach of Indiana University, Detroit Lions, and Philadelphia Eagles
• Sully Montgomery, 1920: tackle for the Chicago Cardinals; boxer
• Tom Moran: blocking back for the New York Giants
• Homer Rice, football coach
• Red Roberts, 1922: NFL player; head football coach of Waynesburg University
• Lou Smyth, 1919: three-time NFL champion with the Canton Bulldogs
• John Tanner, 1921: NFL wingback with the Toledo Maroons, Cleveland Indians, and Cleveland Bulldogs
• Ken Willis, 1986 (transferred after one year): kicker for the Dallas Cowboys

Academia

• Raymond Burse, 1973: Rhodes Scholar; general counsel for General Electric; former president of Kentucky State University; the first African-American to compete in the Oxford v. Cambridge rugby match

Business

• Isaac Tigrett, 1970: founder of the Hard Rock Cafe and the House of Blues
• Julian "Pappy" Van Winkle Sr, 1892: distiller for the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, face of Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve

Other

• Rev. Samuel D. Burchard, 1837: clergyman whose "Rum, Romanism and rebellion" speech may have cost James G. Blaine the 1884 presidential election
• Charles Carpenter (Lt. Col.): highly decorated Second World War artillery observation pilot nicknamed "Bazooka Charlie"; destroyed several German armored vehicles in his bazooka-equipped L-4 Grasshopper light observation aircraft, christened "Rosie the Rocketer" ^{[2] [3]}
• Rev. Norman A. Fischer, 1995: ^[4] priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lexington and, at the time of his death, president of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus ^[5]
• George W. Harkins: attorney and chief of the Choctaw tribe during Indian removal
• Lewis Craig Humphrey, 1896: editor of the Centre College newspaper The Cento; chief editor of the Louisville Evening Post and the Louisville Herald

Faculty and staff

• J. Proctor Knott: law professor at Centre; 29th governor of Kentucky
• Sara W. Mahan: 64th Secretary of State of Kentucky, served as college librarian from 1920–21
• Ephraim McDowell: member of the Board of Trustees and namesake of the Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center

Presidents of the College

Main article: List of presidents of Centre College

Presidents

No.	Name	Term in office	Notes	Ref.
1	Rev. James McChord	1820 (1820) [a]	Founder of Second Presbyterian Church (Lexington, Kentucky); [6] died before officially assuming the presidency, but still considered the first president	[7]
2	Rev. Jeremiah Chamberlain	1823 (1823) –1826	President of the College of Louisiana (1826–1828); [8] founding president of Oakland College (1830–1851) [9]	[10]
3	Rev. Gideon Blackburn	1827 (1827) –1830		[11]
4	Rev. John C. Young	1830 (1830) –1857 [a]	Pastor of Danville Presbyterian Church (1834–1852); [12] moderator of the PCUSA General Assembly (1853); [13] Centre's longest-serving president [14]	[15]
5	Rev. Lewis W. Green	1858 (1858) –1863 [a]	Centre alumnus (1824); [16] president of Hampden–Sydney College (1848–1856); [17] president of Transylvania University (1856–1857) [18]	[19]
6	Rev. William L. Breckinridge	1863 (1863) –1868	Moderator of the PCUSA General Assembly (1859); [20] president of Oakland College (1860–1861) [21]	[22]
7	Ormond Beatty	1870 (1870) –1888	Centre alumnus (1835); [23] the first Centre president who was not a minister [24]	[25]
8	Rev. William C. Young	1888 (1888) –1896 [a]	Centre alumnus (1859); [26] moderator of the PCUSA General Assembly (1892); [27] son of fourth president John C. Young [26]	[28]
9	Rev. William C. Roberts	1898 (1898) –1903 [a]	President of Lake Forest University (1886–1892); [29] moderator of the PCUSA General Assembly (1889) [30]	[31]
10	Rev. Frederick W. Hinitt	1904 (1904) –1915	President of Parsons College (1900–1904); [32] president of Washington & Jefferson University (1915–1918) [33]	[34]
11	Rev. William Arthur Ganfield	1915 (1915) –1921	President of Carroll College (1921–1939) [35]	[36]
12	Rev. R. Ames Montgomery	1922 (1922) –1926	President of Parsons College (1917–1922) [37]	[38]
13	Charles J. Turck	1927 (1927) –1936	President of Macalester College (1939–1958) [39]	[40]
14	Rev. Robert L. McLeod	1938 (1938) –1945 [b]		[42]
15	Rev. Robert J. McMullen	1944 (1944) –1946 [b]	Centre alumnus (1905); [43] president of Hangchow Christian College (1938–1942) [44]	[43]
16	Rev. Walter A. Groves	1947 (1947) –1957	President of Abadan Institute of Technology (1957–1961) [45]	[46]
17	Thomas A. Spragens	1957 (1957) –1981	President of Stephens College (1952–1957) [47]	[47]
18	Richard L. Morrill	1982 (1982) –1988	President of Salem College (1979–1982); [48] president of the University of Richmond (1988–1998) [49]	[50]
19	Michael F. Adams	1989 (1989) –1997	President of the University of Georgia (1997–2013) [51]	[52] [53]
20	John A. Roush	1998 (1998) –2020		[54]
21	Milton C. Moreland	2020 (2020) –present		[55]

Notes

1. Died in office
2. Robert L. McLeod and Robert J. McMullen served as co-presidents from September 1944 to November 1945 while McLeod was on a leave of absence serving as a chaplain in the United States Navy. ^[41]

References

1. "1991 George Ella Lyon 1971". alumni.centre.edu. Retrieved November 28, 2020.
2. What's New in Aviation: Piper Cub Tank Buster, Popular Science, Vol. 146 No. 2 (February 1945) p. 84
3. Carpenter, Leland F., Piper L-4J Grasshopper Archived 2011-09-04 at the Wayback Machine , Aviation Enthusiast Corner, retrieved 21 October 2011
4. "Centre Alumni - Father Norman A. Fischer '95". Centre College Distinguished Alumni. Centre College. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
5. Tinner-Williams, Nate (July 20, 2024). "Fr. Norman Fischer, president of National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, dies at 50". National Catholic Reporter. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
6. Combs, Jim (March 22, 2010). "History: 1813–1820, The Early Years". Second Presbyterian Church. Archived from the original on April 15, 2022. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
7. "James McChord, Centre College President (1820)". CentreCyclopedia. Centre College. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
8. Sloane 2000, p. 1.
9. "Jeremiah Chamberlain (1794–1851)". Dickinson College Archives & Special Collections. Dickinson College. 2005. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
10. Davidson 1847, p. 320. sfn error: no target: CITEREFDavidson1847 (help)
11. Nichols, David A. (October 8, 2017). "Gideon Blackburn (1772–1838)". Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Tennessee Historical Society. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
12. Weston 2019, p. 26.
13. "Presbyterian General Assembly – (Old School.)". The New York Times . May 23, 1853. p. 8. Archived from the original on June 2, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
14. Weston 2019, p. 138.
15. Weston 2019, pp. 24, 29.
17. Halsey 1871, pp. 43–44, 52.
18. Halsey 1871, pp. 52–55.
19. Weston 2019, pp. 31, 38.
20. Weston 2019, p. 41.
21. Memoirs of Mississippi 1999, p. 310.
22. Waugh, Barry (November 2, 2015). "William L. Breckinridge, 1803–1876". Presbyterians of the Past. Archived from the original on February 25, 2022. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
23. Nevin & Nevin 1884, pp. 62–63.
24. Weston 2019, p. 42.
25. Lewis 1899, p. 119.
26. Johnson, Diane (April 8, 2015). "The story behind the name: The Youngs of Young Hall". Centre College . Archived from the original on February 25, 2022.
27. Shepardson 1927, p. 329.
28. Lewis 1899, pp. 121, 122.
29. "History of the College". Lake Forest College . Archived from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
30. "Dr. William C. Roberts". The Danville News . Danville, Kentucky. November 27, 1903. p. 1. Retrieved November 12, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
31. "William C. Roberts, Centre College President (1898–1903)". CentreCyclopedia. Centre College. Archived from the original on May 13, 2022. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
32. Brower 1942, p. 7.
33. "Frederick W. Hinitt, Centre College President (1904–1915)". CentreCyclopedia. Centre College. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
34. Weston 2019, pp. 59, 64.
35. Weston 2019, p. 69.
36. Weston 2019, pp. 65, 69.
37. Parsons 1925, p. 144.
38. "Centre College president resigns; act expected to end bitter campus strife". The Lexington Herald . Lexington, Kentucky. March 10, 1926. p. 1. Retrieved January 30, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
39. Gonzalez-Campoy, Rebecca (May 1, 1997). "Charles Turck: He raised the flag of internationalism" (PDF). Macalester Today. Saint Paul, Minnesota: Macalester College. p. 9. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
40. Stahl, Matt (January 15, 1989). "Charles Joseph Turck, ex-Centre president, dies". Lexington Herald-Leader . Lexington, Kentucky. p. 48. Archived from the original on November 9, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
41. Weston 2019, p. 88.
42. "Ex-Centre president Robert McLeod dies". Courier-Journal . Louisville, Kentucky. September 1, 1998. p. 14. Retrieved March 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
43. "Ex-Centre president dies in North Carolina". Lexington Herald-Leader . Lexington, Kentucky. October 28, 1962. p. 1. Retrieved March 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
44. "Biographical Index of Presbyterian Church U.S. Missionaries to China - McMullen, Rev. Robert Johnston, D.D." Presbyterian Heritage Center at Montreat. Archived from the original on December 3, 2022. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
45. "Walter A. and Estelle Crawford Groves Papers: 1925–1930" (PDF). Skillman Library. Lafayette College. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 29, 2023. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
46. Groves, Walter (April 22, 1983). "Dr. Walter Groves: Oral History Interview, Part 1" (PDF) (Interview). Interviewed by LeDoux, John. Danville, Kentucky. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 7, 2023. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
47. Davis, John T. (February 13, 2006). "Thomas Spragens, Centre 'giant,' dies". The Advocate-Messenger . Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
48. "12 still in running for Salem presidency". Winston-Salem Journal . Winston-Salem, North Carolina. February 13, 1982. p. 9. Retrieved March 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
49. "President to step down at University of Richmond". The Virginian-Pilot . Hampton Roads, Virginia. March 8, 1997. p. B5. Archived from the original on November 16, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
50. "Morrill picked as UR president". Danville Register & Bee . Danville, Virginia. April 23, 1988. p. 5. Retrieved March 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
51. Jackson, Tom (May 3, 2012). "UGA president Adams announces plans to step down next year". UGA Today. University of Georgia. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
52. "New Centre president eases into job". The Advocate-Messenger . Danville, Kentucky. April 6, 1989. p. 1. Retrieved March 12, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
53. Weston 2019, pp. 124.
54. "OU honors John Roush with degrees". The Advocate-Messenger . Danville, Kentucky. June 23, 2020. p. A5. Retrieved March 3, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
55. "Centre College names Milton Moreland as new president". AP News . February 5, 2020. Archived from the original on February 6, 2020. Retrieved August 23, 2020.

Bibliography

• Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi. Vol. II, Part II. Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing Company. 1999. p. 310. ISBN   1-4556-0119-5.
• Brower, Hugh, ed. (1942). Parsons College Directory of Graduates, Non-Graduates, Trustees, and Faculty, 1875–1942. Fairfield, Iowa: Parsons College.
• Halsey, Leroy Jones (1871). Memoir of the Life and Character of Rev. Lewis Warner Green, With a Selection From His Sermons. New York: Charles Scribner & Co. OCLC   937904081.
• Lewis, Alvin Fayette (1899). Adams, Herbert B. (ed.). History of Higher Education in Kentucky (25 ed.). Washington, D.C.: United States Bureau of Education. pp. 119–121. OCLC   4147564.
• Nevin, Alfred; Nevin, David Robert Bruce (1884). Encyclopædia of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Presbyterian Encyclopædia Publishing Company. pp. 62–63. OCLC   7677962.
• Parsons, Willis Edwards (1925). Fifty Years of Parsons College, 1875–1925. Fairfield, Iowa: Parsons College. OCLC   7936524.
• Shepardson, Francis Wayland (1927). The Beta Book: The Story and Manual of Beta Theta Pi. Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Publishing Company. OCLC   17494498.
• Sloane, Bentley (2000). 175 Years: Centenary College, 1825–2000. Shreveport, Louisiana: Centenary College of Louisiana.
• Weston, William J. (2019). Centre College: a Bicentennial History. Danville, Kentucky: Centre College. ISBN   978-1-6943-5863-9. OCLC   1142930784.