Andrew Dickson White

Andrew Dickson White was an American historian and educator, who was the cofounder of Cornell University and served as its first president for nearly two decades. He was known for expanding the scope of college curriculae. A politician, he had served as state senator in New York later he was appointed as a U.S. diplomat to Germany and Russia, among other responsibilities.

Andrew Dickson White was born on November 7, 1832 in Homer, New York, to Clara and Horace White. Clara was the daughter of Andrew Dickson, a New York State Assemblyman in 1832 and his wife and Horace was the son of Asa White, a farmer from Massachusetts, and his wife. Their oncesuccessful farm was ruined by a fire when Horace was 13.

Source: Wikipedia