Beta Theta Pi Nationally

Founding:

At nine o'clock on the evening of the eighth day of the eighth month of the year 1839, eight earnest young men, all students of Miami University, held the first meeting of Beta Theta Pi, in the Hall of the Union Literary Society, an upper room of the old college building known as "Old Main."

The eight founders in the order in which their names appear on the minutes were:

John Reily Knox, 1839
Samuel Taylor Marshall, 1840
David Linton, 1839
James George Smith, 1840
Charles Henry Hardin, 1841
John Holt Duncan, 1840
Michael Clarkson Ryan, 1839
Thomas Boston Gordon, 1840
"of ever honored memory"

If you are a potential pledge, you may want to familiarize yourself with the italicized text above. But I digress. Since it's founding in 1839, Beta has achieved innumerable firsts for greek organizations. To list a few significant first, it was the first fraternity founded west of the Allegheny Mountains, the first fraternity west of the Mississippi (Alpha Beta here at the University of Iowa, 1866), the first fraternity to have a publicly accessible constitution, and the first fraternity to establish a minimum grade point average.

Beta has also produced myriad leaders, including Samuel Walton, who founded Wal-Mart, 6 recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, 3 federal judges, and numerous Senators and State Representatives. One of Beta's most impressive acts of leadership was the creation of the Men of Principles Initiative in 1997, which has established Beta's commitment to the respectable endeavors of human pursuit.

Beta Theta Pi at the University of Iowa

In the spring of 1866 the University of Iowa's first fraternity, Beta Theta Pi, was founded. It's three founders, Louis Henry Jackson, Milton Remley, and Rev. James Madison Williams sought to bring the Beta spirit to Iowa, and they established a tradition that has lasted for 140 years. The Alpha Beta Chapter at The University of Iowa was the first fraternity established west of the Mississippi River, and its pioneering spirit set the standard for Greek Life at this university.

The University of Iowa's colony of Beta has a house located at 816 North Dubuque, which is just south of the bridge between east campus and Mayflower. This is believed by most to be Beta's second chapter house at the University of Iowa, the 1st a yellow apartment complex to the south. The foundation in ruin on the East side of the North parking lot is believed to be the old 'Sammy' house, or possibly the old ATO house.  Examination of an old picture during a visit to Phi Psi suggested that it may also be the remains of their first house, when one remarked that it was on a hill just North of the Beta House, but burned down long ago. Why the current house had to be built to replace the first is unknown, but it's far the superior and if it is not the greatest fraternity house in the nation, it will be after being remodeled.

Any alumni with more historical or more accurate information regarding the history of the chapter should e-mail any information to webmaster@uibeta.com.

additional content submitted by Adrian Araguas