Duke University Founded - Timeline Event
Founder
Union Institute Society
Time Period
1838
Description
Duke University originally began in 1838 when Methodist and Quaker families hired Brantley York as a teacher for a subscription school in Randolph County, North Carolina. When the Quakers began to focus on their own school in Guilford County, Union Institute (the name of the school at the time) began to seek assistance elsewhere. The school turned to the Methodist Episcopal Church, South and established a deal whereby the church would exchange financial support to the school for free education to their Methodist preachers. This deal was formalized in 1859 and the school changed its name to Trinity College. The motto was "Eruditio et Religio," which means "Knowledge and Religion."
The school survived in the early stages due to the support of Methodists, many of whom gained wealth through the tobacco industry. It moved to Durham in 1892 and later changed its name to Duke University in 1924.
The school survived in the early stages due to the support of Methodists, many of whom gained wealth through the tobacco industry. It moved to Durham in 1892 and later changed its name to Duke University in 1924.
Interactive Timeline(s)
Browse Related Timeline Entries
Religious Groups
Methodist/Pietist Family: Other ARDA LinksMethodist/Pietist Family: Religious Family Tree
Photographs
Duke University- Library of Congress, LC-DIG-csas-02539
Trinity College in 1882- Hathi Trust- from Life of Braxton Craven by Jerome Dowd
Brantley York portrait- Hathi Trust- The Autobiography of Brantley York
Duke University chapel- Wikimedia Commons
Duke University campus- Digital Commonwealth- Boston Public Library, Tichnor Brothers Postcard Collection
Web Source(s)
https://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/uarchives/history/articles/narrative-historyHistory of Duke University
Web Page Contributor
Benjamin T. GurrentzAffliated with: Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. in Sociology
