Chi Phi History

What is the triple origin of Chi Phi?

1. Chi Phi Society

2. The Chi Phi Fraternity

3. The Secret Order of Chi Phi

Chi Phi Society (Location and Alias)

Founded at the College of New Jersey (Princeton University)

Also known as the Princeton Order of Chi Phi

Chi Phi Society (Founder and Date)

Robert Baird

December 24, 1824

- Tutor in College

- Later a Presbyterian Clergyman

Chi Phi Society (Members and End)

Faculty and Undergraduates of College and Seminary made up this secret society

(Ceased activity in 1825)

Chi Phi Society (Reestablishment)

John Maclean Jr., Charles Smith Degraw, and Gustavus W. Mayer use old constitution, minute book, and ritual among his uncle John Maclean's (Princeton President) papers

Second Chapter of Chi Phi Society

Established Fall of 1854 by Gustavus W. Mayer at Franklin and Marshall College

- First Initiate was Joseph Henry Dubbs

Death of the Princeton Chapter

The opposition of the Princeton faculty and the prohibitory pledge required of freshmen by the institution caused the death of the reorganized Princeton Chapter in 1859 and its records were destroyed by the last active members (Lancaster Chapter lived on)

The Chi Phi Fraternity (Location and Alias)

Founded at the University of North Carolina

Known as the Southern Order of Chi Phi

The Chi Phi Fraternity (Founder and Date)

Established August 21st, 1858 by Thomas Capehart, Augustus Flythe, John C. Tucker, William H. Green, Fletcher T Seymour, and James J. Cherry

The Chi Phi Fraternity (Civil War)

Caused the end of chapters organized at Centenary, Davidson, Virginia, Nashville, and Cumberland (parent chapter remains)

The Chi Phi Fraternity (Reconstruction)

New chapters sprung up in Hampden-Sydney, Georgia, Edinburgh (Scotland), Mercer, Emory, Oglethorpe, Trinity, Kentucky Military Institute, and St. John's after the war

Virginia and Davidson chapters reorganized

The Chi Phi Fraternity ("Alpha" Dispute)

University of North Carolina was closed after the war, and the "Alpha" Chapter title was transferred to the Virginia Chapter.

When the Chapter at North Carolina was reestablished, it took on the hyphenated name "Alpha-Alpha."

The Secret Order of Chi Phi (Location and Alias)

Established at Hobart College

Also known as the Hobart Order of Chi Phi

The Secret Order of Chi Phi (Founder and Date)

Established November 14th, 1860 by Amos Brunson and Alexander J. Beach

The Secret Order of Chi Phi (Upsilon Chapter)

Association with John W. Jones, Samuel W. Tuttle, George G. Hopkins, Harvey N. Loomis, Edward S. Lawson, David S. Hall, David P. Jackson, William H. Shepard, William Sutphen and Frank B. Wilson created out of dissatisfaction with the fraternities existing at Hobart

The Secret Order of Chi Phi (Expansion)

Charters soon issued to chapters at Kenyon, Princeton, and Rutgers

The Northern Order of the Chi Phi Fraternity

The Secret Order of Chi Phi learns of the Chi Phi Society and unite on May 29th, 1867.

Chapters spread across Northeast

Chi Phi Fraternity (United) - Beginnings

Hobart Alumni learn of the Chi Phi Fraternity through John R. D. Shepard, a member of Alpha Chapter at NC in early winter of 1865-66 but negotiations soon languished

Chi Phi Fraternity (United) - Negotiations Continue

After the Northern Order placed chapters in Wofford and Washington and Lee in 1871-72, negotiations renewed (primarily due to a push from the Northern Order) and Union was established on March 27, 1874 in Washington DC

Name taken from Southern Order and rituals taken from Northern Order

Chi Phi Fraternity (United) - Brotherhood

In large part to the leadership of Georgian Henry W. Grady and other Northern Chi Phis, the Chi Phi Fraternity was among the first to forget sectionalism and to extend the hand of Brotherhood after the war