David Hilton Wheeler (1829-1902) was the US ambassador to Italy under the Lincoln administration. In the 1850s, he taught at Cornell College in Iowa and Shimer College in Illinois. Active in politics, he was a fierce advocate of public education, which was then a core part of the Republican party platform. Wheeler also taught at Northwestern University, where he served as interim president from 1868 to 1869. He is best remembered for his writings on Italian history, including The Conspiracy of Gianluigi Fieschi. (from Shimer College Wiki) David Hilton Wheeler (1829-1902) was the US ambassador to Italy under the Lincoln administration. In the 1850s, he taught at Cornell College in Iowa and Shimer College in Illinois. Active in politics, he was a fierce advocate of public education, which was then a core part of the Republican party platform. Wheeler also taught at Northwestern University, where he served as interim president from 1868 to 1869. He is best remembered for his writings on Italian history, including The Conspiracy of Gianluigi Fieschi. (from Shimer College Wiki) ...more