Colorado College

Through the courtesy of Alderman C. W. Delany of the city building committee, the Citizen was notified last Thursday afternoon that the workmen tearing down the old building had reached the corner stone of the Colorado Academy (at one time called Colorado College), and that the stone would soon be removed. Repairing to seminary square we witnessed the removal of the stone at 6 o'clock, the stone being in two pieces, with a tin box enclosed in the center. The first object corning to view upon opening the tin box was a copy of the Citizen, well preserved, dated Saturday, Feb. 13. 1858, J. S., Ben M. and A. H. Baker, proprietors, the paper containing a copy of the act to incorporate Colorado College. The following names appeer[sic] in this charter as the first board of trustees: A. M. Campbell, G. W. Smith, John J. Scherer, S. Harbert, Jacob Scherer, C. W. Tait, John Toliver. G. Scherer, C. Windrow, M. R. Kennedy, W. J. Darden, H. E. Jordt, D. Draub, G. Metz. F. G. Schultz, M. M. Scherer, A. S. Wirtz, S. Thulemeyer, Henry Merseberger, R. L. Scherer, Isam Tooke, R. V. Cook, E. P. Whitfield, P. Riley and J. G. Logue.

The next paper was a somewhat decayed copy of the Lutheran Observer of Dec. 2. 1859. with the name of Rev. J. J. Scherer, now president of the Marion (Va.) College, on the margin. Then a copy of the Texas Almanac for 1858, by Richardson & Co., of the Galveston News, with statistics, historical and biographical sketches, etc., relating to Texas. The Almanac gives descriptions of 115 counties. Of Colorado county, created Dec. 20, 1836, from the municipality of the same name, it gives an area of 57f9,200 acres, 255,544 assessed, valued at $901,240; value of town lots in the county; $78,500. Trade went to Lavaca, Calhoun county, 100 miles distant from Columbus, though “the recent construction of the B. B. & C. R. R., has a tendency to draw the trade by way of Richmond and Harrisburg to Galveston." The Almanac contains portraits and biographical sketches of Gens. Thos. J. Rusk, Mirabeau B. Lamar, Sidney Sherman. Stephen F. Austin, chronological, horticultural and other statistical tables, and 83 pages of advertisements, making a book of 280 pages. The Texas Almanac had a very high reputation in those days, and exercised a great influence in inducing immigration.

A Bible Presented by J. J. Walker, with a pink ribbon mark at 12th chapter of St. Mark, and well preserved, came next.
There were seventeen coins in the box, as follows: A $2.50 gold piece of 1845; five 50c pieces, one of 1845, two of 1854 and two of 1858; a Mexican quarter of 1850; three 25-cent pieces of 1853, 1856 and 1857; an old-fashioned bit of 1827; a dime of 1853; two 5-cent pieces of 1848 and 1852.

On the outside of the box in the stone was the enameled card of J. F. Jenkins, forwarding and commission merchant, Eagle Lake, Texas.
In the box were several pages of manuscript, the first noticed being the following:

Programme For The Day.

Caledonia Lodge met at 9 a. rn., received the Odd Fellows Lodge at hall at 10 a. m., received the board of trustees, school and citizens at the Lutheran Church, moved to the building site in the following order: Board, school Odd Fellows, Masons, citizens; prayer by Rev. G, Scherer; corner stone laying ceremonies by the Masonic Lodge; prayer by Rev. J. J. Scherer; moved to the Lutheran Church; address by S. S. Munger, esq.; address by A. S. Harcourt, esq.; benediction by J. J. Scherer.

Next came the following memoranda of the Masonic Lodge of this place:

Caledonia was organized under a dispensation granted by Thos. S Hardemann, Grand Master of the state of Texas, dated on the 18th day of February, 1850. A. L. 5850, to Thomas W. Harris, W. M.; John F. Miller, S. W.; Archibald McNeill, J. W.; Robert Robson, J. W. E. Wallace, R. H. Tobin, Asa Townsend, E. J. Bonzano, George O'Brecht, Hugh Wilson, J. M. Daniels, W. Daniels.

Caledonia Lodge No. 68, Free and Accepted Masons, was organized under a legal charter granted by the grand lodge of the state of Texas, dated on the 24th day of January, A. D. 1851, A. L. 5851, C. Windrow, W. M.; A. McNeill, S. W.; Thos. W Harris, J. W. For 1859 the officers were John Mackey, W. M.; Thos. J. Grace, S. W.; P. J. Oakes, J. W.

History of the Origin of Colorado College.

In the fall of 1850 a few friends of education met, in conference and after some consultation a committee of three was appointed to adopt measures to get up and . establish a first class college. Committee: Rev. G. Scherer, Rev. J. J. Scherer and George Metz, Said committee drew up a bill of incorporation, which was presented to and signed by the citizens generally, and approved, by the legislature Dec. 26, 1857. Revs. J. and G. Scherer were appointed agents to secure subscriptions. Their efforts resulted in raising about $5000, The original contract was taken for $4000. Subsequently the building committee made some alteration and additions to the main building under contract, which adds to the cost.

Another sheet contains the “Donators to Colorado College up to the laying of the corner stone, viz., Dec. 27, 1859," as follows:
"Jacob Scherer $700, Gideon Scherer $600, John Scherer $370, John Toliver M. D., $500, Dr. C. W. Tait $300, Geo. W. Smith and Isam Tooke $300 each, Geo. Metz $300, Chas. Kessler $200, John Pinchback $100. M/ M. Scherer $270, A. J. Nave, T. H. Marshall, T. W. Harris and David Tooke $100 each, N. A. Snavely $75, Daniel Miller $100, C. W. Perry, H. M. Johnson, R. B. Johnson, South Jones, R. L. Scherer, J. W. E. Wallace, M. R. Kennedy, S. Thulemeyer, M. Mersberger, Jacob Illig, Chas. Smith, H, A, Tatum $50 each, J. A. Green $35, C. J. Ward $25, Jos. Tinkler, $30, J. G. Logue $200, W. W. Walker and H. E, Jordt $10 each, J. J. Stutz $20, W. McMicken $35, G. Fordekamp $10, H. Boedeker $15, J. W. Mathee $8, H. Kastrup $20, M. Beck $10, A. Lookup $30, A; S. Wirtz $25, S. G. Marg $25, J. N. Blakley $10, Julius Obenhaus and W. H. Johnson $5 each, Jacob Clapp $25, F. Hutchins $5, W. M. Elson $6, T. F. Sanders $30, J. D. Baker & Bro., $55, H. Aldis $30, J. Anselin $30, J. B. Botard $15, R. H. Jones $25, W. B. Roever $10, Matt Whittle, J. J. Smith, W. A. Cummins, J. S. Carter $5 each, D. L. Walker, J. H. Bullington, M. Mong, S. A. Nail $10 each, Williamson Daniels $25, A. A. Griffitts $15, R. S. Hartsfield $10, W. B. Daniel $5, John Mackey $25, A. N. Cooper $10, R. L. Foard $35, A. B. Carter, R. V. Cook, Ed Collier, H. R. Carter, J. H. Jenkins, W. Yates $25 each, J. Carter $10, J G. Newsom, W. W Terry, Thos. Williams, Lessa Spencer $25 each, W. S. Cherry $10, J. S. Word $15, M. C. Knowls and John BigIer $5 each, A. Chandler and J. P. Kindred $10 each, T. H. Rollison $50, H. Pendleton $25, G. W. Tobin $10, H. W. Bennett $20, B. S. Ramsey $25, W. S. Baxter, W. L. Pattison and Wm. Yancey $10 each, Dr. J. H. Crisp $100, Dr. D. H. Crisp $50, E. W. Perry $50, Mrs. L. Miller, $50, P. Farmer and W. Bethee $5 each, W. Chany $20, J. J. Loomis $20, W. H. Jones $25, John Angeer $50, M. T. Hawkins $50, T. W. Cannot $20, Fab Hutchins $5, J. M. Daniels $10; total, $6751."

List of the present board of trustees of Colorado College: Hon. A. M. Campbell, Hon. Geo. \V. Smith, Rev. John Scherer, Rev. Jacob Scherer, Dr. C. W. Tait, John Toliver, M. D., Rev. Gideon Scherer, C. Windrow, M. R. Kennedy, A. J. Darden, esq., G. Metz, esq., M. M. Scherer, A. S. Wirtz, S. Thulemeyer. H. Merseberger, R. L. Scherer, Isam Tooke, E. P. Whitfield, T. W. Harris, M. D., A. J. Nave, esq., C. Kessler, R. H. Jones, esq., A. N. Snaveley, J. T. Harcourt, esq., W. H. Jones.

Building committee: C. Kessler, C. W. Tait, H. A. Nave. Contractor. G Scherer.

The same sheet of paper has the names of James Buchanan, president of the United States; John C. Breckenridge, vice-president; Sam Houston governor of Texas; Ed Clark, lieutenant-governor. Also town officers: J. M. Daniels, mayor; A. J. Nave, H. Tracy. J. R. Brooks, L. M. Newsom, J. J. Smith and John C. Miller, aldermen; N. Bonds, marshal.

Churches in Columbus: Evangelical Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopal and Missionary Baptist.

Lodges in Columbus: Masonic, Odd Fellows and Social Circle of Temperance.

List of former teachers In the Colorado College: Rev. J. J. Scherer, D. Draub, J. P. Ray, G. Behne, Rev. J. J. Loomis, C. N. Binkley.

Although the subscription paper says that the date of the laying of the corner stone was Dec. 27, 1859, the following is pasted on the inside of the box: "On the 31st day of January this box was soldered up by Thos. S. Wesson, senior partner of the firm of Wesson & Binkley, tinners, of Columbus.”

Weimar Mercury, May 13, 1921, page 3