What is it like to attend the 2nd oldest college in the country? My ancestors (10th great aunt and uncle) King William III and Queen Mary II signed a charter for a college to be founded in 1693. Original plans date back to 1618 but due to several “Indian Uprisings” things kept getting delayed.
The most beautiful building at the College of William and Mary is the Sir Christopher Wren building which was built in 1695 and in the chapel room is the burial site (entombed under the floor) are two more of my ancestors; Sir John Randolph (my 9th great grand uncle) and Peyton Randolph (my 1st cousin 10 times removed), along with several others.
The building burned down three times and was rebuilt each time inside the original walls.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Tyler, and James Monroe all attended here. Very few other colleges, if any, can say they had that many future presidents attend the universities.
In 1928 John D. Rockefeller teamed up with the great Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin and grandly restored the building to its 18th century glory (the last time it was rebuilt).
To walk these halls and the campus grounds put me in tuned with my ancestors and made me so proud. This college is such a great piece of American history, it even had to put a hold on classes due to the British invading the town in the 1770’s.
Needless to say, there are many spirits here on campus, but if you are wanting to hear more details about that, you will have to pick up a copy of Historic Haunts of the South II.
~Jamie Pearce
Author/Founder Historic Haunts Investigations
The most beautiful building at the College of William and Mary is the Sir Christopher Wren building which was built in 1695 and in the chapel room is the burial site (entombed under the floor) are two more of my ancestors; Sir John Randolph (my 9th great grand uncle) and Peyton Randolph (my 1st cousin 10 times removed), along with several others.
The building burned down three times and was rebuilt each time inside the original walls.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Tyler, and James Monroe all attended here. Very few other colleges, if any, can say they had that many future presidents attend the universities.
In 1928 John D. Rockefeller teamed up with the great Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin and grandly restored the building to its 18th century glory (the last time it was rebuilt).
To walk these halls and the campus grounds put me in tuned with my ancestors and made me so proud. This college is such a great piece of American history, it even had to put a hold on classes due to the British invading the town in the 1770’s.
Needless to say, there are many spirits here on campus, but if you are wanting to hear more details about that, you will have to pick up a copy of Historic Haunts of the South II.
~Jamie Pearce
Author/Founder Historic Haunts Investigations
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