Fraternity History & More

Zeta Psi was founded on June 1, 1847 at New York University. John Bradt Yates Sommers, John Moon Skillman, and William Henry Dayton are its founders. The NYU chapter is the Phi chapter. 

In trying to figure out what to write about relating to Zeta Psi, I took a look at the fraternity’s website. I could have written about Zeta Psi alumnus Dick Wolf, creator of the Law and Order franchise, but that would likely have meant me wanting to delve into the fictional Hudson University, the site of some of the episodes. Ian Murray of the popular Vineyard Vines collection was another option. And then there was Harold “Red” Grange, the “Galloping Ghost” of University of Illinois football fame.

It was another University of Illinois Zeta Psi who intrigued me the most. He dedicated himself to the fraternity he so loved, and was an integral part of it for almost all of his adult life. The Zeta Psis who were initiated members during his time of service are growing fewer by the day and will soon be no more. That is the way our organizations work. Those who lead the organization and give unstintingly of themselves are replaced by others who do the same; in time names are consigned to the pages of a history book. On this Zeta Psi Founders’ Day, let us remember Zeta Psi Fred Henry “Fritz” Nymeyer. 

Nymeyer was born in 1885 in the Netherlands and was prepared for college in Goshen, Indiana. He enrolled at the University of Illinois at the age of 23. He became a member of the Comus Club. The club was granted a charter at the 1908 Zeta Psi convention and it became the fraternity’s Alpha Epsilon chapter in 1909. Nymeyer was president of the senior class and a member of the debate team, among other activities. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1911. 

After graduation, he succeeded Harold Gould as travelling secretary and editor of The Circle of Zeta Psi, a magazine which began publication in 1909. In June 1911, Nymeyer traveled to Gould’s home to collect the fraternity’s materials. He then headed east to New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he set  up Zeta Psi’s Central Office in a factory belonging to Zete Herbert M. Waldron. In the factory, he edited the April, May and June issues of the fraternity’s magazine. After the June issue was finished, he moved the Central Office to a small room in the Metropolitan Life Building. located at 1 Madison Avenue in New York City. He served as travelling secretary and then general secretary for eight years.

The Metropolitan Life Building, as it looked in 1911 when Zeta Psi Central Office was located in a one-room office there.

He was in attendance at the third meeting of the National Interfraternity Conference which took place in December 1911 at the University Club in New York City. He was part of a panel discussion on the “Traveling Secretary” along with Francis W, Shepardson (Beta Theta Pi), W. Fairfield Peterson (Alpha Delta Phi), Sheldon J. Howe (Delta Upsilon), James Anderson Hawes (Delta Kappa Epsilon), and F.N. Compton (Theta Delta Chi ). It was noted that the speakers were the “secretaries of their respective fraternities and do more or less traveling so that the discussion had many interesting and valuable phases and will be reported more fully later.” Nymeyer would later serve on the NIC’s executive board and became chair in 1920.

On April 17, 1912, he married Grace Crowell in their hometown of Goshen, Indiana. The 1920 edition of the Illini News stated the Nymeyer was a member of the New York Stock Exchange, editor of The Circle of Zeta Psi and general secretary of that fraternity. In 1919, he left the employ of Zeta Psi, according to a history of Zeta Psi, but remained a loyal member. In 1938, he rejoined the staff to help counter some of the effects the depression was having on the fraternity. He became the fraternity’s first executive secretary and then educational director.  He served until 1943, when ill health forced him to retire. He died in 1944.

I found this on a blog about Bed and Breakfasts (although this particular B&B is no longer in business), “Come enjoy the country and our English country manor style home. Situated on twelve acres of grass, shade trees, flowers, meadowland and woods, Prairie Manor was built in 1925, by Fred and Grace Nymeyer who grew up in Goshen. When Fred went away to college his roommate became ill and had to drop out. Fred helped care for his roommate and at graduation he received a gift from his roommate’s father–a seat on the Wall Street Stock Exchange. Fred and Grace moved to NYC where Fred became a Wall Street banker. They came back to Goshen often to visit family and finally decided to move back to retire. Julius Gregory, a NYC architect, designed Prairie Manor. He was known as one of the first transitional architects, mixing architectural styles. The living room replicates the builder’s favorite painting at the Metropolitan Museum of Art–an English baronial hall featuring a fireplace big enough to walk into. Mrs. Nymeyer’s favorite painting of a chapel inspired the twenty foot high Bombe window. The house has a third floor that at one time was called the ballroom. This is where the Nymeyer’s many guests did their dancing.” According to public records, the home has 6 bedrooms, 3 baths, and approximately 6,240 square feet and was built in 1929. The architect, Julius Gregory, was an initiate of the University of California chapter of Zeta Psi. His office was in New York City.

Nymeyer’s former home in Gosehn, Indiana. It was designed by architect Julius Gregory, a Zeta Psi.

If you made it this far and thought to yourself, “I’ve read this before,” chances are good that you have. I wrote it in 2015. However, as I need to be on the road in about 10 minutes, this is as good as it gets. And the fact that I am heading to Nymeyer’s alma mater cemented the thought of reposting this.

© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2016. All Rights Reserved. If  you enjoyed this post, please sign up for updates. Also follow me on twitter @GLOHistory and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/glohistory/