Nelson Rounds was a Methodist Episcopal Minister. He was born May 4, 1807 in New York State. By 1833 he had graduated from Hamilton University, received his Doctor of Divinity and been given an honorary degree from Wesleyan University. He was working with/for Rev. Elias Bowen who was the trustee of the Cazenovia [New York] Seminary. On March 26, 1835 Rev. Nelson Rounds was married to Miss Mary Comfort of Pennsylvania by Rev. Elias Bowen. Rev. Rounds received his appointment to the Cazenovia [New York] Seminary as a Professor of Ancient Languages in 1836. From 1836-1868 Rev. Rounds and his growing family lived on several Methodist Episcopal missions from Cazenovia, NY to Luzerne County, PA. Their family grew to nine children as Rev. Rounds taught, lectured and ministered to his parishioners. From 1844-1848 Rev. Rounds was the editor of the Northern Christian Advocate. In 1868 Rev. Rounds was removed and sent to the Oregon Territory. He and most of his family went by ship to Salem, OR. He gives a vivid description of the trip in his diary. Rev. Rounds was the president of Willamette University from 1868-1870. He was also on the faculty as Professor of Ancient Language and Moral Philosophy. In 1870 he resigned his position and retired to his farm in Clark County, WA. It was enacted that a territorial Superintendent of Public Instruction should be chosen triennially by the Washington Territorial Legislature in 1871. Rev. Nelson Rounds was the first superintendent after this law was enacted. Rev. Nelson Rounds passed away at Union Ridge (near Vancouver, WA) on Jan. 2, 1874. After Rev. Rounds passed away, Mary lived with their daughter in Portland, OR. Mary Comfort Rounds was born in 1817 and she passed away in 1893.
From the description of Nelson Rounds papers, 1834-1869. (Washington State Library, Office of Secretary of State). WorldCat record id: 177055921
