1st president (September 17, 1873 – June 21, 1881)
Born: March 9, 1829
Died: October 16, 1899
Edward Orton, Sr., was the first president of The Ohio State University, known then as Ohio A&M College. He was a professor of Geology 1873-1899 and geologist from 1882 until his death in 1899. Orton Hall is a tribute to Orton's dedicated service towards the understanding of the geology of Ohio.