Ichabod Washburn was born in Kingston, Mass., on 11 Aug. 1798. He was a blacksmith's apprentice in Leicester as a youth, and went on to establish the Washburn and Moen Manufacturing company, manufacturers of wire. Washburn was also heavily involved in charity work in Worcester, including assisting in the creation of the Mission Chapel Industrial School. This school was created to assist in the development of children of struggling families in Worcester. Washburn and John Boynton's monetary contributions also helped to establish a vocational school for mechanics, Worcester County Free Institute of Industrial Science, which later became Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Washburn also made a large donation to the then Lincoln College in Topeka, Kan., which subsequently became Washburn University. Ichabod Washburn died in Feb. 1868 after suffering a stroke in Dec. 1867.
From the description of Washburn family papers, 1843-1891. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 754920644
