William Jefferson Blythe Jr. lost control of his 1942 Buick on U.S. Route 60 outside of Sikeston, Missouri, after one of his car's tires blew out. He survived the accident after being thrown from the car, but drowned in a drainage ditch as he tried to pull his way out of the three feet (1 meter) of water in the ditch. Three months later, Blythe's widow, Virginia, gave birth to their son, whom she named William Jefferson Blythe III in honor of his father and grandfather. In 1950, Blythe's widow married Roger Clinton Sr.; 12 years later, Blythe's posthumous son legally adopted his stepfather's
William McMillan (college president) William McMillan (college president) William McMillan was elected the fourth president of Jefferson College on September 24, 1817. McMillan was educated at Jefferson College, the institution founded by his uncle, the Rev. John McMillan, graduating with the Jefferson class of 1802, the first class to graduate from the newly chartered college. He was one of the founders of the Philo Literary Society at Jefferson College. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Ohio on June 27, 1804 and was ordained June 26, 1806. McMillan resigned the presidency of Jefferson on August 14, 1822, after the Board of Trustees