Add to ORKGThe first religious service ever recorded in Westfield Township was a Methodist service held at the house occupied by Jane and James. B. Robertson on January 9, 1850. James and his brother, Samuel, had married two of the daughters of Robert and Elizabeth Alexander. Elizabeth Jane married James, and Sabra married Samuel. The six of them donated the money and land needed to found the University. After a conversation with the Methodist Reverend, Mrs. Alexander suggested it would be better to build a college in Fayette, rather than to have the young women travel too far to attend college. The Methodist Church agreed to place the new school under their patronage. Many of the early graduates of UIU went on to work as reverends and missionar...