Edgar Odell Lovett

Edgar Odell Lovett

Edgar Odell Lovett, 1871-1957

• Edgar Odell Lovett was born on 14 April 1871 in Shreve, Wayne County, Ohio.
• He married Mary Ellen Hale in December 1897.
• He was the first president of Rice Institute, now Rice University, in Houston, Texas. Lovett was recommended to the post by Woodrow Wilson, then president of Princeton University.
• Edgar Odell Lovett died on 13 August 1957 at age 86.
• He was interred at Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Harris County, Texas.
• The following appeared on 14 August 1957 in The Dallas Morning News: (Houston) Dr. Edgar Odell Lovett, first president of Rice Institute, died Tuesday after a 2-week illness. He was 86.
       Lovett was named president of the Houston school in 1907 while serving as a professor of astronomy at Princeton University. He came here in 1909, saw the Institute open its doors in 1912. He continued as president until his retirement March 1, 1946, when he was succeeded by Dr. William V. Houston. After his retirement, Lovett served as president emeritus and as an advisory member of the Institute's board of trustees.
       A native of Shreve, Wayne County, Ohio, Lovett graduated from Bethany, W. Va., College, and Christiana and Lepzig universities in Europe.
       Prior to joining the Princeton faculty he taught at the University of Virginia, Johns Hopkins Universite, and the University of Chicago.
       Mrs. Lovett died here in 1952.
       Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Walter Brown Baker, and two sons, Malcolm Lovett and Lawrence Alexander Lovett, all of Houston.
       Funeral services will be held Thursday morning.
• He was interred at Glenwood Cemetery, Houston, Harris County, Texas.
• For additional biographical information, see The Texas Handbook Online.

• Last Edited: 14 Jun 2015