Happy Halloween! It’s also the founding date of Theta Delta Chi. In 1847, at Union College, Theta Delta Chi, was founded by William G. Akin, Abel Beach, Theodore Brown, Andrew H. Green, William Hyslop, and Samuel F. Wile. The second charge, as Theta Delta Chi’s chapters are known, was founded in 1849 at Ballston Law School. It was short-lived and after the school moved, the charge’s members were absorbed into the Alpha charge.
A charge was formed at the City College of New York, and among the charge’s early members was Gonzalo de Quesada, a Cuban born immigrant. He later became a key architect of Cuba’s Independence movement in the late 1800s. In 1900, he was named a Special Commissioner of Cuba to the United States. He was a member of the 1901 Cuban Constitutional Convention. Entering the Cuban diplomatic service, he became minister to the United States. He then became minister to Germany and it was in Berlin that he died on January 9, 1915.
Gonazalo de Quesada
The City College Quarterly published an article about him after his death. Included was this. “In the New York Herald, June 8 1902, is an appreciation written by Frank L. Jones, one of his classmates and a member of the same College fraternity. With his permission, the following is reproduced in part.”
One autumn afternoon eighteen years ago, a youth scarcely out of his knickerbockers walked slowly through the main corridor of the College building. He was small, slender, and thin and of a complexion that plainly betokened his birth under a Southern sun. As he passed a group of upper classmen, they watched him closely for it was within their power to determine whether or not he was to be admitted to one of the College secret societies. There was little about him at that time to attract attention save the wonderfully deep dark eyes that sparkled like coals under the heavy eyebrows.
It was those eyes that turned the scales in his favor for one of the group said quietly, ‘That chap has more life and ambition in him than any of the others we have seen.” The verdict was in his favor and Gonzalo de Quesada became a member of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity. To day that organization is justly proud that she holds on her rolls the name of the first Cuban Minister to the United States. The act of that day held more of moment than any participant ever dreamed. In the days to come Quesada, representative of the Cubans fighting almost without hope, stood in Washington vainly striving for the recognition of his people. Officially, the United States did not dare to take cognizance of his credentials. But in no small measure, because Quesada wore upon his breast the shield of Theta Delta Chi, one all important door was open to him. This was the home of John Hays, who was a member of that fraternity, and his introduction to the young Cuban had been due largely to that fact Quesada’s own striking personality, his intelligent vivacity genuineness of feeling, and above all his overwhelming devotion to the cause of his country, speedily won Mr. Hays regard and when the latter became Secretary of State, Quesada was often a welcome, though not official visitor, at his home and office. The college days of Senor Quesada had a most marked effect upon his later life.
John Milton Hay, a Theta Delta Chi at Brown University was, Secretary of State in the McKinley and T. Roosevelt administration and President Lincoln’s Secretary. This is about Theta Delta Chi from one of his biographies:
So vividly after the lapse of half a century did the recollection of John Hay’s capture by Theta Delta Chi (as one its members over the chagrin of rival fraternities) lie in the memory of Brother Stone an indication of the importance attached by undergraduates to their societies and club.s Hay proved himself a loyal Theta Delt. His wit enlivened the meetings and suppers, he wrote verses abundantly, one of his poems being sung at every reunion, and he formed lifelong associations with many of the brothers. A few years later, while serving as Secretary to President Lincoln, he saved from undeserved execution two Theta Delts and afterwards when he had risen to a position of great influence he never forgot the claims of members of his fraternity.
© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2015. 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/
