Arthur Bestor
Encyclopedia
Arthur Eugene Bestor, Jr. (September 20, 1908 – December 13, 1994) was an American
historian.
Bestor was born in Chautauqua, New York
, the eldest son of Arthur E. Bestor
and Jeannette Lemon. Arthur E. Bestor [sr.] was the president of the Chautauaqua Institution, an educational and religious community in western New York State.
(The younger Arthur Bestor dropped the use of his middle name "Eugene" and "Jr." upon the death of his father in 1944.)
Bestor was raised and educated in Chautauqua and New York City, where he attended the Horace Mann School
. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Yale University
(Ph.D. in History, 1938), where he received the John Addison Porter
Prize.
His early research was on the history of 19th century American utopia
n and communitarian experimental settlements (especially New Harmony, Indiana
, founded by followers of the Welsh communitarian philosopher Robert Owen
). Bestor's study of New Harmony was published as Backwoods Utopias. In the mid-1950s he became well-known in educational circles as a critic of then common educational doctrines; Educational Wastelands (1953) was his manifesto about declining educational standards. His scholarly research shifted to issues of the constitutional basis of sovereignty, the war powers clauses of the US constitution, and the power of impeachment. Until his death in 1994, he published widely in historical and law journals on constitutional history and was several times invited to testify before Congress on constitutional matters.
He taught at Teachers College, Columbia University; the University of Wisconsin; Stanford University; and the University of Illinois. In 1963 he joined the faculty of the University of Washington
, Seattle, where he taught until his retirement. Bestor was the visiting Harmsworth Professor of American History at Queen's College, Oxford in 1956-57, and taught at the University of Tokyo, Rikkyo University (Tokyo), and Doshisha University (Kyoto) as a visiting professor sponsored by the Fulbright Program
in 1967.
He married his third wife, Dorothy Alden Koch, in 1951. He had two sons from a previous marriage, William Porter Bestor and Thomas Wheaton Bestor, and one son, Theodore C. Bestor
, from his third marriage.
His obituary in the New York Times notes that he was one of the first specialists on American constitutional law to publicly call for the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon, in a piece published in The Nation.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
historian.
Bestor was born in Chautauqua, New York
Chautauqua, New York
Chautauqua is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, U.S. . The population was 4,666 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Chautauqua Lake. The traditional meaning remains 'bag tied in the middle'...
, the eldest son of Arthur E. Bestor
Arthur E. Bestor
Arthur Eugene Bestor was an educator who served with distinction as President of Chautauqua Institution in Chautauqua, New York from 1915 to 1944...
and Jeannette Lemon. Arthur E. Bestor [sr.] was the president of the Chautauaqua Institution, an educational and religious community in western New York State.
(The younger Arthur Bestor dropped the use of his middle name "Eugene" and "Jr." upon the death of his father in 1944.)
Bestor was raised and educated in Chautauqua and New York City, where he attended the Horace Mann School
Horace Mann School
Horace Mann School is an independent college preparatory school in New York City, New York, United States founded in 1887 known for its rigorous course of studies. Horace Mann is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League, educating students from all across the New York tri-state area from...
. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
(Ph.D. in History, 1938), where he received the John Addison Porter
John Addison Porter
John Addison Porter was an American Professor of Chemistry. He was born in Catskill, New York and died in New Haven, Connecticut...
Prize.
His early research was on the history of 19th century American utopia
Utopia
Utopia is an ideal community or society possessing a perfect socio-politico-legal system. The word was imported from Greek by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book Utopia, describing a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean. The term has been used to describe both intentional communities that attempt...
n and communitarian experimental settlements (especially New Harmony, Indiana
New Harmony, Indiana
New Harmony is a historic town on the Wabash River in Harmony Township, Posey County, Indiana, United States. It lies north of Mount Vernon, the county seat. The population was 916 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Evansville metropolitan area. Many of the old Harmonist buildings still stand...
, founded by followers of the Welsh communitarian philosopher Robert Owen
Robert Owen
Robert Owen was a Welsh social reformer and one of the founders of utopian socialism and the cooperative movement.Owen's philosophy was based on three intellectual pillars:...
). Bestor's study of New Harmony was published as Backwoods Utopias. In the mid-1950s he became well-known in educational circles as a critic of then common educational doctrines; Educational Wastelands (1953) was his manifesto about declining educational standards. His scholarly research shifted to issues of the constitutional basis of sovereignty, the war powers clauses of the US constitution, and the power of impeachment. Until his death in 1994, he published widely in historical and law journals on constitutional history and was several times invited to testify before Congress on constitutional matters.
He taught at Teachers College, Columbia University; the University of Wisconsin; Stanford University; and the University of Illinois. In 1963 he joined the faculty of the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, Seattle, where he taught until his retirement. Bestor was the visiting Harmsworth Professor of American History at Queen's College, Oxford in 1956-57, and taught at the University of Tokyo, Rikkyo University (Tokyo), and Doshisha University (Kyoto) as a visiting professor sponsored by the Fulbright Program
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
in 1967.
He married his third wife, Dorothy Alden Koch, in 1951. He had two sons from a previous marriage, William Porter Bestor and Thomas Wheaton Bestor, and one son, Theodore C. Bestor
Theodore C. Bestor
Theodore C. Bestor is a Professor of Anthropology and Japanese Studies at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is currently the Chair of the Department of Anthropology....
, from his third marriage.
His obituary in the New York Times notes that he was one of the first specialists on American constitutional law to publicly call for the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon, in a piece published in The Nation.