Background
Oberlin, the son of a teacher, was born on the 31 August 1740 in Strasbourg, where he studied theology.
Oberlin, the son of a teacher, was born on the 31 August 1740 in Strasbourg, where he studied theology.
University of Strasbourg.
He has been known as John Frederic(k) Oberlin in English, Jean-Frédéric Oberlin in French, and Johann Friedrich Oberlin in German. Oberlin set himself to better the material equally with the spiritual condition of the inhabitants. He began by constructing roads through the valley and erecting bridges, inciting the peasantry to the enterprise by his personal example.
He introduced an improved system of agriculture.
Substantial cottages were erected, and various industrial arts were introduced. He founded an itinerant library, originated infant schools, and established an ordinary school at each of the five villages in the parish.
In the work of education he received great assistance from his housekeeper, Louisa Scheppler (1763–1837). He practiced medicine among them, founded a loan and savings bank and introduced cotton manufacture.
In 1812 Daniel Legrand visited the Steinthal (Ban de la Roche), where he met Oberlin who lived in Waldersbach.
Legrand came under the spell of the pastor, and moved with his ribbon factory to the village of Urbach in the vicinity of Waldersbach, where he lived for the rest of his life. Oberlin died at Waldersbach on 1 June 1826 and was interred with great manifestations of honor and affection at Urbach (now Fouday, Bas Rhin). Oberlin"s orphan asylums were the beginning of the many “Oberlinvereine” for the protection of children.
Oberlin College, an American liberal arts college in Ohio, was named for him upon its founding in 1833.
Obirin University in Tokyo, Japan, which was named for Oberlin College, also bears a variant form of his name.