The Archives of Phi Gamma Delta

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The Archives of Phi Gamma Delta

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Phi Gamma Delta's official archives preserves our history and educates brothers and friends.

For more information, visit our web page at http://www.phigam.org/history, our digital repository at http://www.phigamarchives.org,
or our other sites:
http://twitter.com/phigamarchives http://www.flickr.com/phigamarchives http://www.zazzle.com/phigamarchives

06/16/2026

Thursday, June 15, 1848. As the other Founders wound their way to Wheeling or Pittsburg to embark on steamboats for home after yesterday’s Jefferson College commencement, Naaman Fletcher was out socializing. “I was with the ladies until a late hour,” when he was invited by the proprietor of Brown’s Saloon (a restaurant, not a bar) to a midnight feed for “his old friends and customers who remained in town.” Fletcher and three brothers joined nine Beta Theta P*s (the other Jefferson fraternity) who ensured “the ice cream, lemonade, and mint juleps suffered with a vengeance. Jokes were cracked, toasts drunk, and songs were sung…and about one o’clock that crowd parted never to meet again!”

06/14/2026

Wednesday, June 14, 1848. Commencement at Jefferson College! Of 54 graduates, 21 are honor men chosen to give speeches. Of eight Phi Gam seniors, five are so honored, one as co-salutatorian. One brother boycotts: Dan Crofts, “wronged by a damned partial faculty” (wrote Sam Wilson), refuses to take a diploma.

06/13/2026

Tuesday, June 13, 1848. The Grand Chapter initiates JM Barnett and CL Pershing (both pictured), and installs Naaman Fletcher, James Woodrow, and JP Gilchrist as officers for the coming year. JB Penington gives a senior valedictory and outgoing president Sam Wilson gives remarks (pictured). Of eighteen brothers at Jefferson College, eight graduate tomorrow.

06/07/2026

Wednesday, June 7, 1848. In two meetings over as many days, Phi Gamma Delta adopts a plan for “foreign chapters,” initiates three men one of whom is from nearby Washington College (pictured), accepts a petition to establish a chapter there, and elects two other men to membership. There are now seventeen brothers; seven graduate in one week.

05/25/2026

On US Memorial Day, many will recite the World War One poem “In Flanders Fields.” Here is a moving reply, “Ye Are Not Dead,” written in 1918 by Frank Hering (Bucknell 1896). The image is from The Phi Gamma Delta magazine.

05/23/2026

Tuesday, May 23, 1848. Founder John T McCarty, JB Penington, and JW Logan visit Pittsburgh to see theatrical performances by Edwin Forrest, the leading American actor of the mid-century. “Soon after our arrival the immortal three hastened to Wilson's shop and procured our [Phi Gam] pins; better pleased than I expected to be —I also got Jenkins' and Gilchrist's. Logan did not intend to get his, but he swore he must have it forever by him….” Pictured: Forrest, and as the lead in the two plays the brothers attended, “Metamora” and “Jack Cade”. McCarty called the latter “the best thing I have ever witnessed.”

05/20/2026

Saturday May 20, 1848: Franklin Literary Society met, and President John T McCarty (pictured) got his ticket of Phi Gams elected for end-of-year exercises, including James Elliott to give the Society Valedictory. “Three cheers, result of union,” writes McCarty. At 10 PM the Fraternity met and “decided that we should all speak on Commencement but Penington, and also passed a motion prohibiting us from wearing our pins until Saturday before Commencement. They think that the interests of the order demands it.”

05/19/2026

Friday, May 19, 1848. This week, three Founders are the first to see the badge when they visit the shop of Pittsburgh jeweler WW Wilson. Elliott, Gregg, and Crofts were on their way home during “Senior Vacation.” Crofts would not return for Commencement next month, embittered that the Jefferson College faculty excluded him from honors recognition. McCarty remains on campus to attend his duties as President of Franklin Literary Society. Pictured: James Elliott and his badge. Note its thin construction and simple pin hook.

Address

1201 Red Mile Road
Lexington, KY
40504

Telephone

+18592551848

Website

http://www.phigam.org/history, http://www.twitter.com/PhiGamArchives, http://www.flickr.com/photos/phigamarchives, http:

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