Awards

Honorary Degree - 1861

D.D.

Doctor of Divinity

Bloomington, Indiana

Presenter: Cyrus Nutt

About Stafford Curry Millen

Stafford Curry Millen was educated at Fishing Creek Academy and Fairview Academy in South Carolina, the Seminary of Reverend Hugh McMillan in Xenia, Ohio, in 1833, and at IU in 1834. Ill health interrupted his studies in 1837, and he returned to South Carolina. Reverend Warren Flanniken and his wife welcomed him into their home, boarded him for free, and helped him in his divinity studies. Millen completed two years at the nearby Erskine Seminary and was licensed to preach in April 1840. He briefly pastored two churches before returning to Bloomington, Indiana, to finish his degree.

Millen received his Bachelor of Arts from IU in 1843. In 1861, he was awarded the honorary degree Doctor of Divinity from IU. He also studied theology at Due-West Theological Seminary in South Carolina. After his second marriage, he was stated supply (a term for traveling ministers of the Gospel). An early proponent of temperance, Millen served as president of Concord Female College in Statesville, North Carolina. Throughout the remainder of his life, he held the position of pastor of several congregations in the Presbyterian church.

At the time of his death, Millen was pastor of the Concord Church in Iredell County, North Carolina. The inscription on his tombstone reads, “S C Millen DD Licensed to Preach Apr 21, 1840 Preached Last Sermon at Concord 1st Sabbath in Feb 1871.”

Millen was married to Sarah McQuerns for nine months until she died. He remarried in 1845 to Nancy Henry of South Carolina. They had two daughters together.