John Jay Shipherd

John Jay Shipherd (March 28, 1802 – September 16, 1844) was an American clergyman who co-founded Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio in 1833 with Philo Penfield Stewart. In 1844, Shipherd also founded Olivet College in Olivet, Michigan.

Both Oberlin College and Olivet College were envisioned by Shipherd to be idealistic, Christian communities based on a simple lifestyle, manual labor, and working for the betterment of the community and mankind. Under Shipherd's leadership, Oberlin College set important precedents of admitting both men and women without regard for race. Oberlin was the first co-educational college in the United States.

Shipherd was born in Granville, New York, just across the border from Vermont, on March 28, 1802. He was the son of Hon. Zebulon R. and Elizabeth B. Shipherd.

Shipherd's father was a lawyer and one-time Federalist congressman. As was typical in the early 19th century, Shipherd left home to attend a college preparatory school first in Pawlet, Vermont, and later for two years in Cambridge, New York. While at Pawlet, he had a religious experience and also met his later associate, Philo P. Stewart. According to an early biographer, "From this time to the end of his days his character and life were marked with profound earnestness and restless activity."

Shipherd had prepared to enter Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont. Unfortunately, while spending a few days at home in February 1822, before leaving for college, he mistakenly swallowed saltpeter, thinking it was epsom salt. For the remainder of his life, he suffered from damaged eyesight and an irritation to the lining of his stomach. He attempted to resume his studies, but his eyesight prevented reading for more than a few minutes continuously without intense pain.

In 1824, Shipherd married Esther Raymond (1797–1879) of Ballston, New York and moved to Vergennes, Vermont to work in a marble business that his father started on his behalf. After the death of his infant daughter and the failure of the marble business, Shipherd decided to enter the ministry, following in his older brother Fayette's footsteps. Leaving his wife with her parents, he began his theological studies under Rev. Josiah Hopkins, in New Haven, Vermont, along with a number of other young men. He managed his studies using a system of shorthand writing and hiring a fellow student to read to him.

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