The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-09-19
THE OLD log COLLEGE
Princeton's Small Begin
nings and Wonderful
Development.
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS OLD
official History Prepared by the
Committee in Connection
With the Celebration.
Snecfnl to- be Jerseu NeMs EN-.

PRINCETON, SeptlS, lSs6.2Ihe Nonl-
mittee of Arrangements for the loorh
anniversary October 20 to 70 Of the col-
lege of New Jersey, popularity known as
Princeton College, has prepared an out
line of the college history from its origin
TO the present time. 1t appears tnat nike
all American colleges and universities
founded before the Revolution, ano tne
great majority of them since that time,
Princeton College was founded by men
of Christian faith in order 70
promote a culture of unmtstak-
ably Christian character, Therefore.
while at no time and in no sense an ec-
ciesiastical college, Princeton is ana mas
been committed to Christian iaeais.
The b~eginnings of the movement, which
eliminated in the founding of the coNege,
date from early years of the Eignteentn
Century. AT that time the populallon q
the middle colonies, New York, New Jer-
sey and Pennsylvania, was already con-
siderable, and was receiving constant ac--
cessions by immigration from the Old
posed the populafioh were marked by
strong religious convictions. The Scotch
and S~cotch-Irish Presbyterians. Quakers,
members of the Church Of England, Dutch
Calvinists. French H~uguenots, and a
sprinkdng of New England Puritans
made up practically the Whole population.
And all of these elements were directly
or Indirectly interested in the establish
ing of Princeton.
Scarcely had the earliest settlers cleared
the wilderness Of eastern Penn I
mgs with their log cabins and churches,
when they began to think of establishing
schools. The so-calIed Log College"
though not a lineal ancestor, was yet The
significant precursor of Princeton. RMS
institution was opened in the year 1925
by Rev. William Tennent
Mr.. Tennent had been q resident, and
was probably a native of the north of
ireland, where he was ordained a clergy
F1na sfte the bsE E=I i1amignaf5o Gh to This come come
try, he becameSa minister of the Presby-
terrain Church. In -1726 he settled as pas
tor of the little Presbyterian church of
small stream flowing into the Delaware
some twenty miles above Philadelphia.
where he was to spend the rest of his
life. ne built with his own hands, prob
with the help of his sons, a small house
of logs. This house was soon called in
The Log College existed for twenty
years. From the declining health of
usefulness was threatened, and with the
granting of the first charter to the Col
lege of New Jersey in 174S the Log College
passed tou of existence. The friends
and patrons of the latter became the
principal supporters and trustees Of the
former. Phe Log College was the germ
from which proceeded the iourishing
College of New Jersey:
The immediate occasion of the founding
OF h College Of New Jersey Was the
in America, which took place in l741.
As the questions of an uncovered min
istry and disagreement with reference to
candidates were q chief cause Of the
schism, it was natural that each body
should make vigorous efforts for the edu-
cation and introduction of unexception-
able men into the sacred Office.
The treatment David Brainerd received
ct the hands Of the officers Of Yale Col
lege stimulated his friends, among whom
We're the Rev. Jonathan Dickinson and
the Rev Aaron Burr, to erect a college
of their own.
The friends Of the new college. after
p paN opposition obtained a charter from
cannot now be found. All that remains
in regard to it is the Following
Mem, OF a Charter for a Colledge.
"A charter to incorporate sundry per-
sons TO found a colledee, passed the great
seal of this Province of New Jersey at
LesIed by John Hamilton, Esq. Presi-
mander in Chief of the Province of New
Jersey, the I'D October, 1916"
From an advertisement in the weekly
Ios l7Es Of New York, for February
~. 1874, we learn that by this charter
equal liberties and privileges are secured
70 every denomination of Christians, any
alierent religious sentiments notwith-
Tn second charter, which in its amend
eu form is still the fundamental law of
Prlneeton, was granted September IA, 174S,
oy Governor Belcher of the Province of
New Jersey. After the achievement of
american Independence, this charter was
connrmed and renewed by the Legisla-
tQre OF New Jersey. It is expressly pro-
Vided that those of every religious de-
nom1natlon may have free and equal lib
erty and advantage Of education IN said
gicn Notwithstanding" From that time
TO this, the college, while Christian. in its
cufqres mas likewise been unsectarian
The college was opened in May, f747, at
PPIliszsasa9erh T9wn now Elizabeth,. under
M, ana the college was removed to
hev. Arthur Burr, who had been teach
ing a classical school there. The stu
cents found lodgings in private families,
and the ru0lic, exercises of the college
Were held in the court house. It seemed.
however, to be conceded from the first.
aRat the college should be located in the
Central part of New Jersey, and at a
meeting OF the trustees, May 10. 175l, it
Resolved, That New Brunswick he the
place for the building of the college pro-
Vlded the inhabitants of the place agree
with the trustees upon the following
terms, VIZ, that they secure to the college
a thousand pounds. proc. money. ten acres
OF land, contiguous to the college. and
Two hundred acres of woodland, the far
nns me- part OF II to be not more than three
miles from the town"
AT the same meeting, after the above
TesolGtlon was adopted, an offer was pre-
scented. on behalf Of Princeton. accepting
these erms. Negotiations were entered
into, and, New Brunswick falling to re-
spond, on January "a, 1853, the trustees
voted to fix the college at what they
called 'the promised land at Princeton T.
Ine cornerstone of Nassau Hall was
laid in September, 1754. The building was
completed in the autumn of 1855. and then
Princeton.
Tie Presidents OF the college have been
Jonathan Dickinson, 1747.
Aaron Burr, 1~74S-l757.
Jonathan Edwards, 175e.
Samuel Davies, 1759-I761.
Samuel Finley, 1761-1766.
John Wfthenspoon. 1768-174.
samuel S~tanhope Smith, 1795-1s1z.
AsAbel Green, 1S12-1s22.
James Carnahan, 1a23-l854. =
John Maclean, 1~854-186S.
James McCosh, 1S68-Is8.
Francis Landey Patton, 1855
Inc administration of the first five pre-