Bristol College was an

Episcopal Episcopal may refer to: *Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church *Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese *Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name ** Episcopal Church (United State ...

manual labor college A manual labor college was a type of school in the United States, primarily between 1825 and 1860, in which work, usually agricultural or mechanical, supplemented academic activity. The manual labor model was intended to make educational opportuni ...

located near

Bristol, Pennsylvania Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northeast of Center City Philadelphia, opposite Burlington, New Jersey on the Delaware River. It antedates Philadelphia, being settled in 1681 and first incorporat ...

. It was established on October 2, 1833, by the Episcopal Education Society of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. The Rev.

Chauncey Colton Chauncey Colton (August 30, 1800April 15, 1876) was an educator, author and clergyman. History Chauncey Colton was born in Longmeadow, Massachusetts to Gad and Ann Colton. He began his studies at Monson Academy, as a sophomore, he went to Amh ...

(1800–1876) was its only president. The institution closed in February 1837 for lack of financial support.

History

The college was built on the banks of the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock (village), New York, Hancock, New York, the river flows for along the borders of N ...

two miles from

. The ''White Hall'' of the college, built by

Alexander Jackson Davis Alexander Jackson Davis, or A. J. Davis (July 24, 1803 – January 14, 1892), was an American architect, known particularly for his association with the Gothic Revival style. Education Davis was born in New York City and studied at t ...

Greek Revival The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but ...

style, is on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. Bristol College was used as a hospital during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

, and from 1868 through the 1880s as an orphanage for the children of colored soldiers. The center columned section of the last remaining building, White Hall was condemned and later demolished in the 1980s. The East and West wings still stand and act as apartments.

Pennsylvania Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy

The Pennsylvania Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy was established on the former Bristol College building and grounds on September 5, 1842, by Captain

Alden Partridge Alden Partridge, (February 12, 1785 - January 17, 1854) was an American author, legislator, officer, surveyor, an early superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and a controversial pioneer in U.S. military educ ...

, and was conducted by him until April 1845, when it was discontinued and reopened at

Harrisburg Harrisburg is the capital city of the Pennsylvania, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, Dauphin County. With a population of 50,135 as of the 2021 census, Harrisburg is the List of c ...

, on April 14, of the same year. The academy was conducted by the graduates and past cadets of

Norwich University Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont is a private senior military college in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private and senior military college in the United States and offers bachelor's and master's degrees on-campus ...

. Henry V. Morris, served as the professor of Mathematics and Tactics from 1843 to 1845;

Alvan E. Bovay Alvan Earle Bovay (July 12, 1818January 13, 1903) was an American politician and one of the founders of the Republican Party. He served in the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1859 and 1860, representing Fond du Lac County. Early life and educatio ...

was in charge of the Classical Department from 1843 to 1844; and Edward M. Brown was instructor of mathematics from April 1844 to April 1845.

Notable people

* Gregory Thurston Bedell Bishop of Ohio (Episcopal Church) *

William Muhlenberg Hiester William Muhlenberg Hiester (May 15, 1818 – August 16, 1878) was an American political and military leader from Pennsylvania who served as Democratic Speaker of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 5th district from 1853 to 1857. He was a memb ...

Benjamin Chew Tilghman Benjamin Chew Tilghman (18211901) was an American soldier and inventor. He is best known as the inventor of the process of sandblasting. Early life He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on October 26, 1821, the third child of Benjamin and An ...

Richard Grant White Richard Grant White (May 23, 1822 – April 8, 1885) was one of the foremost literary and musical critics of his day. He was also a prominent Shakespearean scholar, journalist, social critic, and lawyer, who was born and died in New York City.''A ...

literary scholar and critic (Father of Stanford White). *

William N. Pendleton William Nelson Pendleton (December 26, 1809 – January 15, 1883) was an American teacher, Episcopal priest, and soldier. He served as a Confederate general during the American Civil War, noted for his position as Gen. Robert E. Lee's chief ...

faculty mathematics teacher, Episcopal priest, and Confederate Brigadier General during the U.S. Civil War *

John Celivergos Zachos John Celivergos Zachos ( el, Ιωάννης Καλίβεργος Ζάχος; December 20, 1820 – March 20, 1898) was a Greek-American physician, literary scholar, elocutionist, author, lecturer, inventor, and educational pioneer. He was an ea ...

U.S. Civil War Army Surgeon and Educator. *

Benjamin Blake Minor Benjamin Blake Minor (October 21, 1818 – August 1, 1905) was an American writer, educator, legal scholar, and fourth President of the University of Missouri, from 1860-1862. Today, he is most known as the editor of the ''Southern Literary Messe ...

References

External links

White Hall of Bristol College, 701-721 Shadyside Avenue, Croydon, Bucks County, PA
6 photos, 2 data pages, and 1 photo caption page at

Historic American Buildings Survey Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP) is a division of the U.S. National Park Service (NPS) responsible for administering the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), and Historic American Landscapes ...

Pennsylvania Colleges that have Closed, Merged, Changed Names
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bristol College, Pennsylvania 1834 establishments in Pennsylvania 1837 disestablishments in Pennsylvania Educational institutions established in 1834 Educational institutions disestablished in 1837 Alexander Jackson Davis buildings Apartment buildings in Pennsylvania Buildings and structures on the Delaware River Defunct private universities and colleges in Pennsylvania Episcopal Church in Pennsylvania Greek Revival architecture in Pennsylvania Historic American Buildings Survey in Pennsylvania Liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania National Register of Historic Places in Bucks County, Pennsylvania School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Seminaries and theological colleges in Pennsylvania Universities and colleges affiliated with the Episcopal Church (United States) Universities and colleges in Bucks County, Pennsylvania Ruins in the United States

History

Pennsylvania Literary, Scientific, and Military Academy

Notable people

Further reading

References

External links