Our Arkahoma Heritage: The legacy of a central Arkansas college can trace its roots to a humble start in Altus

Rev. Isham Lafayette Burrow

In the wisps of often long forfotten memories in Franklin County lies a story of faith, education, and quiet determination that resulted in the foundation of a private university that endures until today.

. Rev. Isham Lafayette Burrow, a Methodist minister whose vision helped shape higher education in the state, left an mark on Arkansas's cultural landscape that started in 1876 continues to produce graduating classes in 2025-26, albeit it 86 miles away down I40.

.Born in the antebellum South and forged through the trials of Reconstruction, Burrow's life exemplifies a tale of early Arkansas settlers. His founding of what would become Hendrix College in Altus stands as a testament to his commitment to learning amid a rugged frontier.

Today, as Arkansas reflects on its heritage, Burrow's tale reminds us how one individual's pursuit of knowledge can echo through generations

.Burrow was born on December 7, 1833, in Carroll County, Tennessee, to Hiram Burrow, a farmer from Virginia, and Lydia Russell, also originally from Virginia.

 Growing up in a family that valued education and faith, he attended Bethel Seminary, a Cumberland Presbyterian institution in McLemoresville, Tennessee, before earning an A.B. degree from Andrew College in Trenton, Tennessee, in 1858.

 Licensed to preach in 1857, Burrow began his career as a minister-educator in Tennessee. By 1866, he had married Mary E. "Mollie" Rose, born in Alabama in 1840, and the couple started a family that would grow to include at least five children: Sadler Hiram (born 1867), Grace Lee (born 1869), Benjamin Ruben "Ben" (born October 24, 1869), Daisy Blanche (born in the 1870s), and L.H. Burrow (born in the early1880s).

These children pursued paths in education, farming, and local community life, with descendants scattering to Texas and remaining in Arkansas. Burrow's siblings, brothers John Logan and Reuben H., and sisters Elizabeth Ann and Mary H.—also influenced his early years, with Reuben later settling in Franklin County.

The post-Civil War era drew Burrow westward. In 1869, he relocated his family to Lewisburg (now Morrilton) in Conway County, Arkansas, transferring to the Arkansas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South (now part of the United Methodist Church).

 As a circuit-riding preacher, he served rural congregations during Reconstruction, navigating the social upheavals of the time. By 1870, census records show him in Welborn Township, Conway County, but his ambitions soon led him to Franklin County.

In 1871, he opened a seminary in Lewisburg that evolved into a district high school. Appointed pastor in Clarksville in 1873, he doubled as principal of the local high school.

These experiences honed his dual calling: spreading the Gospel while advancing education in underserved areas. Burrow's crowning achievement came in Franklin County

. In 1875, he acquired 320 acres in Altus and, on October 31, 1876, founded Central Institute--—a modest two-story building that started with about 20 students.

 Renamed Central Collegiate Institute in 1881 to reflect its growth into secondary and collegiate programs, the school faced financial hurdles. Burrow secured support from the Arkansas Methodist Conference in 1884, leading to the church's purchase in 1885. As its first president, he oversaw the awarding of the institute's initial four-year degrees that year.

 He served until 1887, followed by a stint as financial agent until 1889. In 1889, the institution was renamed Hendrix College in honor of Bishop Eugene Russell Hendrix and relocated to Conway in Faulkner County in 1890 for better access and expansion.

 Undeterred, Burrow established a successor in Altus: Hiram and Lydia College, named after his parents, which operated for 16 years and continued his educational mission in Franklin County.

By 1900, Burrow had settled in Hogan Township, Franklin County, as head of household, deeply embedding himself in the local community.

 His work aligned with the county's agricultural boom and railroad growth, making Altus a brief hub for Methodist education. Burrow also contributed to community infrastructure, co-founding the Fain-Higdon Cemetery in Altus for local burials.

 He passed away on June 20, 1913, at age 79 in Altus, leaving a legacy preserved in Hendrix College archives and local histories. His wife, Mary, survived him until 1920, and many family members remained tied to Franklin County cemeteries.

Burrow's final resting place is in Altus City Cemetery, a fitting site in the heart of the community he helped build.

 This quiet plot, amid the Ozarks he called home, symbolizes his life's work: bridging faith, family, and education in Arkansas's evolving heritage.