Abner S. Ingman and James R. Maupin founded Southwest Baptist College in 1878 in Lebanon. In 1879 the state of Missouri chartered the school and it moved to Bolivar. The college went through many financial difficulties and in
1908 a fire destroyed the only building on campus. The college remained closed from 1908-1913 until Missouri Baptists and area
supporters helped it open again as a two-year junior college. In 1964 it became a four year liberal arts college and in 1981
Southwest Baptist College was renamed Southwest Baptist University. In 1995 SBU agreed with St. John’s School of Nursing, a
traditionally Catholic institution, to form St. John’s School of Nursing of Southwest Baptist University, which is located
in Springfield MO.