Rhode Island College miscellaneous papers (MS.1E.1)

Historical note

Founded in 1764, Rhode Island College was governed by a Corporation of two boards, Fellows and Trustees, each comprised of specific numbers of members from various Protestant denominations. However, there were no religious requirements for students and in 1770 the Corporation expressly stated that Jewish students would be admitted to the College.

Collecting financial support for the College was of major concern for the Corporation and money was usually raised through subscriptions. Baptist clergy, including Morgan Edwards, who traveled to Great Britain, and Hezekiah Smith in Georgia and South Carolina, solicited subscriptions on behalf of the College.

The competition between Rhode Island towns, especially Newport and Providence, for the final location of the College, first located in Warren, is documented in the collection. Members of the Brown family (Nicholas, Joseph, John, and Moses) were instrumental in the 1770 decision to locate the College in Providence and were responsible for building the college edifice.

During the Revolution the College was closed. The College edifice was used as a barracks for American troops from 1776 to 1780 and was a hospital for French militia from 1786 to 1792. After the war, the College sought compensation from Congress for the damages done during occupation.

Nicholas Brown (1769-1841) gave a $5,000 endowment in 1804 and the College was subsequently named Brown University.

Chronology of early administrators

• 1764-1785, Stephen Hopkins, chancellor
• 1765-1791, James Manning, president
• 1785-1815, Jabez Bowen, chancellor
• 1792-1802, Jonathan Maxcy, president