John Stites was involved in the establishment of Rhode Island or New
providence College, now Brown University, R.I.
"The Rev. Morgan Edwards was a prime mover in the enterprise of
establishing the College.....with him were associated the.....John Stites, the
mayor of Elizabethtown....."
[pg6. ' History of 'Brown University' by Reuben
Aldridge Guild.]
John's son Richard was the 2nd undergraduate of the college in 1766 :-
"A Matriculation Roll of the Number of Students in Rhode Island College,
with the time of their admission
(2nd on roll) Richard Stites Entered June 20th 1766 Elizaton N.
Jersey."
[Matriculation
Roll - Brown University formerly Rhode Island College. (acknowledgments to).]
The first commencement of the College was celebrated on the 7th Sept 1769 at
the College Meeting House :-
"....followed a salutation in Latin pronounced with much spirit, by Mr.
Stites, which produced him great applause from the learned part of the
assembly" and "....the following gentlemen, being well recommended by
the Faculty for literary merit, had conferred on them the honorary degree of
Master of Arts; namely .......Mr. John Stites,...." (see full transcript
of newspaper article)
['The Providence Gazette; And Country Journal' - 2
Sep1769; Vol: VI; Iss: 296; p.3.] &
[ 'A history of the Baptists, Volume 2' by John T. Christian.]
1769 - John
Stites, included in the lists :-
For
those who
whatever type of degree,
others are in the
other
college, achieve that purpose,
were admitted in the University of
Brno and
to the same;
or of,
honors the Universities of
other respects
get or do not get,
degree
honorary
gifts are given.
[Catalogus
senatus academici, et eorum qui munera et officia gesserunt, quique alicujus
gradus laurea donati sunt, in Universitate Brunensi, Providentiae, in Republica
Insulae Rhodiensis (1846)
Catalogue of the faculty, and the duties of those who
are present, and they have carried on, and who are endowed with some degree of
laurel, in the Brown University, Providence, in the Republic of the Island of
Rhodes (1846) pg.37]
"From the annual reports of Mr. Brown on file, and also from his
accounts, we gather a few names to record among the benefactors of the
Institution :-
1775. Sept 14, John Stites, of Elizabethtown, ....£1 2s 11d.
[pg 322. 'History of Brown University' by Reuben Aldridge Guild.]
John Stites was closely associated with the Rev. James Manning, the College's
President from 1765-1791. Manning married John Stites's daughter Margaret. The
following excerpts are from 'The life, times, and correspondence of James
Mannning..' by Reuben Aldridge Guild (the book includes extracts from Manning's
diaries) :-
- "On the 23d of March following (1763), he (Manning)
was united in marriage to Miss. Margaret Stites, daughter of John Stites, Esq.,
of Elizabethtown .... his home at Connecticut Farms, in the immediate
neighbourhood of the city (Elizabethtown), was the centre of abundant
hospitality, where Manning and his wife were ever welcome guests. This marriage
proved a source of domestic felicity. Mrs. Manning possessed those elegant
accomplishments and superior qualities which well accorded her husband's
character, and happily fitted her for the discharge of duties inseparable from
public positions of honor and usefulness. She was also a lovely and attractive
in person, if we may judge from her portrait in the possession of a branch of
the family."
- 1769 - "all ministers of this Association have explicitly engaged to
exert themselves in endeavouring to raise money for the same purpose (towards
the building)..........The persons appointed for receiving the donations are
: ...in the Jerseys, John Stites, Esq."
- 1779, Monday 24th May. "(Manning) Set out about sundown, and
reached Mr. Stites', about 11 o'clock, very much fatigued. Found the old people
somewhat indisposed, but all very glad to see us. From 25th to 27th tarried at
the farm; then went to Elizabethtown."
- 1779, Tuesday 17th Aug. "Reached Mr. Stites's in the evening, and found
all well." .............. "Tarried at home till Thursday, the 2 Sept,
and then, accomopanied by parents, visited Stites, Woodruff, dined, and then
proceeded to Bonham Town".
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