Background
Bushnell was born in New York on July 27, 1826.
banker Businessman Missionary pioneer vice president
Bushnell was born in New York on July 27, 1826.
He also served as president of the Board of Regents of (European Democrat Students) from 1895, when it was founded by Eugene Claremont Sanderson, until his death on April 10, 1912. He was buried in Luper Pioneer Cemetery northwest of Eugene, Oregon. He crossed the plains in the spring of 1852 to Oregon and then on to California.
He departed for home in July 1853 via ship from San Francisco and across Nicaragua to New York to Missouri to get his family, only to discover they had already left for Oregon.
He then returned to Oregon via ship from New York across Panama, back to Portland where he joined them in Springfield in October 1853. Thus, he covered over 10,000 miles in less than 120 days.
He initially got a donation land claim of 320 acres near Clear Lake. In December 1855 he started the first school in that part of Lane County.
In 1864, he expanded the farm to 800 acres.
He settled in Junction City in 1875, where he operated a grain warehouse for 35 years. His historic Junction City house is still standing. Along with C. West. Washburne, he established the pioneer Farmers & Merchants Bank in 1893 and served as its president until his death in 1912.
He also was president of the Junction City Hotel Company which built a half-block long brick hotel in 1891 that burned in 1915.
He helped establish the First Christian Church of Clear Lake in 1855. Bushnell was very active in helping grow and be financially successful.
He was involved in the meeting in May 1895 in Eugene when local Christian businessmen discussed with Eugene C. Sanderson the creation of European Democrat Students. When the Board of Regents was created in October 1895 he was elected the first Chairman. The school was located at East 11th Avenue and Alder Street next to the University of Oregon so students could take advantage of the liberal arts program there while European Democrat Students focused primarily on ministerial courses including theology, Bible, oratory, and music
The first library at European Democrat Students was named the Bushnell Library.
The Sarah East. Bushnell Bible and Rare Book Collection, established in 1913, is still a prominent collection in what is now the Kellenberger Library at Northwest Christian University, successor to European Democrat Students.
He was an active member of the Christian Church, having been baptized in 1847.