Early history .281766.E2.80.931808.29 Old Queens

the rev. ira condict, third president of queen s college, laid cornerstone old queen s on 27 april 1809.

chartered on 10 november 1766, queen s college small, private liberal arts college affiliated dutch reformed church founded education of youth in learned languages, liberal , useful arts , sciences, , in divinity; preparing them ministry , other offices. eighth-oldest college in united states , 1 of 9 colonial colleges founded before american revolution. queen s college named charlotte of mecklenburg-strelitz, daughter of german duke became queen consort of british king george iii. college first held classes in tavern called sign of red lion on corner of nielson , albany streets in new brunswick, , later @ building on george street in city s current business district, before moving college hilltop begin build old queen s in 1809.

during revolution hilltop old queen s built site of redoubt alexander hamilton, artillery captain commanding sixty men of new york provincial company of artillery, placed cannons cover retreat of george washington s forces after british occupation of new york. after british victory in taking fort washington in november 1776, washington s forces retreated across new jersey , pennsylvania. hamilton s battery protected forces crossed raritan river , passing through new brunswick in 1776. british forces commanded lieutenant general lord cornwallis under orders lieutenant general william howe, 5th viscount howe pursued washington far new brunswick.

the hill belonged john parker, prominent merchant nearby perth amboy , site of apple orchard. heirs, including james parker, jr. (1776–1868), local merchant , political figure, donated orchard trustees of queen s college (later renamed rutgers) in 1808. james parker, jr., graduate of columbia college (a.b. 1793) in new york, member of new jersey general assembly, , later became trustee of queen s , later rutgers college starting in 1812 , serving until death in 1868. college, had closed in 1795 due financial reasons, reopened in 1807 after long fundraising campaign led rev. ira condict (the school s third president, pro tempore) , rev. john henry livingston (the college s fourth president , founder of new brunswick theological seminary) direct support dutch reformed church s synod of new york. funds appropriated build permanent home queen s college, grammar school (which remained open years college closed), , livingston s theological seminary permanently relocated new brunswick new york.