Rutersville College

Rutersville College 1841 Annual Catalogue Rutersville, Fayette County, Texas
TRUSTEES OF THE COLLEGE
Rev. Chauncey Richardson, A.M., Pres't of Board Hon. Andrew Rabb Rev Dr. Wm. P. Smith Rev. A. P. Manley, M.D. Mr. Jonas Randall Mr. John A. King	Mr. Franklin Lewis Mr. Wager S. Smith Mr. Horatio Chrisman Mr. John Rabb, Treasurer of the Board Mr. Thos. D. Fisher, Sec'y of the Board
HONORARY TRUSTEES
Hon. James Webb Hon. G. W. Barnett Hon. Francis Moore	Rev. R. Alexander Hon. Wm. Menefee Col. R. B. Jarman
FACULTY
Rev. C. Richardson, A.M., President, and acting Professor of Moral Science and Belle Letters Rev. C. W. Thomas, A.B., Professor of Ancient Languages and Mathematics _____________,Natural Sciences _____________,Modern Languages Mr. Thomas Bell, Tutor Mrs. Martha G. Richardson, Preceptress. _____________, Music
MALE STUDENTS Names, Residence
Alfred Alway, Rutersville Frederic Alway, Rutersville Frances H. Ayers, Centre Hill David T. Ayers, Centre Hill George Barrier, Rutersville Lionel Browne, Washington Co. John H. Browne, Washington Co. Rector H. Chrisman, Washington Co. Eliphalet W. Crawford, Rutersville John B. Crawford, Washington Co. Charles L Cleveland, Brazoria James B. Cox, Rutersville James H. Dennis, Washington Co. Richard Davis, Fayette Co. Gallant W. Davis, Fayette Co. Robert M. Eastland, La Grange Rufus L. Fisher, Rutersville Thomas B. Fisher, Rutersville Nathaniel M. Gilliland, Travis Co. Stephen S. Grey, Rutersville Patrict Grey, Rutersville S. B. Hendricks, Mount Vernon Gerard Heyden, Rutersville Asa C. Hill, Rutersville John C. Hill, Rutersville Dennis Hurley, Rutersville Constantine Killough, Rutersville Wm. B. Lockhart, Gonzales George Lawrence, Groce's Retreat Wm. B. Munson, Brazoria	S. Mordella Munson, Brazoria Gerard B. Munson, Brazoria Alexander W. Morrow, Rutersville James L. Morrow, Rutersville Alfred Moore, Rutersville John C. C. Moore, Rutersville Lumberd Mims, Brazoria James J. Norton, Rutersville Thomas K. Nelson, Rutersville Lewis M. Nail, Rutersville Quincy S. Nail, Rutersville Clark B. Nail, Rutersville Pleasant M. Nail, Rutersville Charles Randall, Rutersville Oliver P. Randall, Rutersville Nathaniel Rudder, Brazoria Calvin R. Rankin, Fayette Co. B. M. P. Rabb, Rutersville G. W. Rabb, Rutersville John W. Rabb, Rutersville James A. J. Smith, Pleasant Grove Robert H. M. C. Smith, Pleasant Grove Jordon W. Sweeny, Brazoria David K Sutherland, Ward Co. Thomas Sutherland, Ward Co. John Shearne, Houston George C. Tennille, Rutersville Edward Toney, Rutersville J. N. McD. Thomson, Milam Co.
FEMALE STUDENTS
Martha Ann Alway, Rutersville Celia Alway, Rutersville Caroline M. K. D. Ayers, Centre Hill Emily A. Cox, Rutersville Julia A. A. Cox, Rutersville Melissa Crownover, Fayette Co. Martha Davis, Fayette Co. O. A. M. Edwards, Rutersville Isabella H. Fisher , Rutersville Rebecca Gilliland, Travis Co. Martha Hodge, Fayette co. Elizabeth E. A. Hunt, Bastrop Co. Sarah A. A. Hill, Bastrop Co. Elizabeth L. Hill, Rutersville Sarah Ann Hill, Rutersville M. A. R. Hill, Rutersville Martha Ann Hill, Rutersville Amanda C. Jarman, Fayette Co. Jane H. Kerr, Washington Co. Elizabeth A Killough, Rutersville	Penesy Jane Killough, Rutersville N. Caroline T. King, Rutersville Nancy W. Kirk, Fort Bend Co. Harriet C. Kirk, Fort Bend Co. Margaret J. Lockhart, Gonzales Mary Lawrence, Groce's Retreat Emeline Lawrence, Groce's Retreat Amanda M. F. Moore, Rutersville Caroline E. Manley, Rutersville Elvira Nail, Rutersville Melissa C. Rabb, Rutersville Martha C. Rich, Rutersville Ann Sophia Richardson, Rutersville R. Frances Smith, Austin Elizabeth M. Sutherland, Jackson Co. George Ann Sutherland, Jackson Co. Maria C. Tennille, Rutersville Sarah Ann Tennille, Rutersville Susannah C. Thomson, Milam Co. Mary Jane Williams, Rutersville

Catalogue information provided by Robert Sage

Weimar Mercury, 27 Jan 1961 Texas's Oldest University Traveled a Rocky Road by Mary Elizabeth Fox Southwestern University at Georgetown will observe the 121st birthday Feb. 5. Special events marking the anniversary of Texas' oldest university will be the morning church service at First Methodist church at 10:50 and a "birthday party" at 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon in the Bishop's Memorial Union building on the campus. Attending the one-day celebration will be alumni and friends of the university. From about 50 students and an endowment of $25,000 in 1840, Southwestern university has grown to more than 650 students and an endowment of almost $5,500,000. Stunned, Not Killed During its early days, the university met almost every conceivable obstacle . . . . war, pestilence, rivalry, failure, success, all became a part of the history of the school. War, yellow fever, indebtedness, etc., did not kill the university; only stunned it at times. Today the grounds of the university comprise altogether more than 500 acres within and adjoining the corporate limits of Georgetown.

All Went to War Approximately 3300 students from Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Indian Territory, and Missouri attended the college from 1841-1869. The Civil War dealt a blow to the college. There was a time when the president, Dr. G. W. Carter, and all of the students went off to war and classes were suspended for the duration of the war. It was in 1836, when the cause of Texas freedom hung in the balance and when reports from Texas told of a dire need for religion and education, that Martin Ruter, then 52 and president of Allegheny college in Meadville, Pennsylvania, asked to be sent to Texas. He traveled by water from Pennsylvania to Texas and oftern remarked, "The way to Heaven is a short from Texas as from any other spot!" Called Rutersville College In seven short months this one man laid the foundation for higher education in Texas, for it was through his efforts that Rutersville College, which eventually became Southwestern University, was established. At ther end of his first 60 days in Texas, he had traveled by horseback 1200 miles. He made one trip to Bastrop with an armed escort of three men to protect him from marauding Indians.

When a group of laymen pledged themselves to establish a university despite the difficulties which loomed ahead, it was decided that the university should be placed in a town away from the temptations of drinking and gambling. There the men met a setback, for, in their estimation, no Texas town could qualify from a moral standpoint. Undaunted they decided to form a corporation, purchase a league of land and develop a new townsite. They named the town Rutersville, which was also the name of the college. Rutersville was granted a charter by the Fourth Congress of the Republic of Texas, Feb. 5, 1840. The charter was dated 1840, but the school was in operation in 1839. Fled Yellow Fever The alumni of Rutersville College, Wesleyan College (established at San Augustine in 1844), McKenzie College (established in Clarksville in 1848), and Soule University (established at Chappel Hill in 1856) are alumni of Southwestern University located in Georgetown in 1870 in answer to the search of a place free from yellow fever. By action of the firve Texas conferences of the Methodist Church, a central university was planned with the location in Georgetown. This institution opened its first session on Oct. 6, 1873, under the name of Texas University. In 1875 the name was changed to its present form, Southwestern University, when the desire for a state university was manifested. . . .

Related Links

Rutersville College
Article by Julia Lee Sinks in the Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, published in October 1898.
Online at the Texas State Historical Association website

Rutersville

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