Samuel Eusebius McCorkle facts for kids

Samuel Eusebius McCorkle (August 23, 1746 – January 21, 1811) was an important Presbyterian preacher and teacher. He strongly supported both public and private education in North Carolina. He was also a key person in starting the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, being the first to suggest building a university in the state.

Samuel McCorkle's Life Story

Early Years and Learning

Samuel Eusebius McCorkle was born on August 23, 1746. He was the oldest of ten children in his family. His parents, Alexander and Agness Margaret "Nancy" McCorkle, lived near Harris's Ferry (now Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Both of his parents came from Scottish Presbyterian families who had moved to America from Ulster (a part of Ireland) in the early 1700s. These families are often called Scotch-Irish.

Samuel's parents chose his name carefully. Samuel was for a prophet in the Bible, and Eusebius was for an early Greek church historian. When he was four, Samuel went to a public school. There, he learned to read, write, do math (called "cipher"), and recite Bible verses. This type of education was common back then and was sometimes called "the five R's": Reading, wRiting, aRithmetic, self-Restraint, and Religion. Samuel went to this school for five years.

In 1756, when Samuel was ten, his family moved to North Carolina. They traveled along the Great Wagon Road, a famous route for settlers. They bought a farm near what is now Mount Ulla, close to Rowan and Iredell Counties. There were no schools on the frontier, so Samuel's schooling stopped for a while. During this time, he started teaching his younger brothers and sisters. This experience helped him decide what he wanted to do with his life. On Sundays, the McCorkles would go to Cathy's Meeting House, which is now Thyatira Presbyterian Church.

In 1760, Crowfield Academy opened in Rowan County. Samuel attended Crowfield for a year or two around 1764–65. Later, around 1766–67, he became one of the first students at Dr. David Caldwell's Log College. This school taught young men about theology and classic subjects. Studying with Dr. Caldwell greatly influenced Samuel McCorkle's religious beliefs and his love for learning.

College Days at Princeton

After finishing his studies with Dr. Caldwell, Samuel McCorkle left Rowan County in 1768. He went to the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) to study to become a minister. That same year, John Witherspoon became the president of the college. Witherspoon was a very important person who helped shape the future leaders of the United States.

Witherspoon had a big impact on Samuel McCorkle's education. Many of Witherspoon's ideas later appeared in McCorkle's sermons. Words like "dignity," "diligence," "true religion," and "piety" became important parts of McCorkle's own language.

McCorkle joined the Cliosophic Society, a club at the college where students debated and discussed literature. He was known there by the name "Virgil." In 1772, Samuel graduated from the College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Marriage and Family Life

On July 2, 1776, Samuel McCorkle married Margaret Gillespie. She was the daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Gillespie, a well-known family from Salisbury, North Carolina. Samuel and Margaret had eight children together. Six of them lived to be adults: one son named Alexander, and five daughters named Nancy, Elizabeth, Sophia, Peggy, and Harriet.

Starting the University of North Carolina

Samuel McCorkle was a leader in getting a university started in North Carolina. A university historian, Kemp P. Battle, said that McCorkle was "one of the best friends the University had." He worked hard, asked for money, and preached to support it.

After North Carolina adopted its first constitution in 1776, the state began to form its own government. Article 41 of the constitution said that affordable schools and universities should be created for young people. Samuel McCorkle made the first attempt to make this happen. In November 1784, he suggested a bill to the North Carolina General Assembly to create a state university. However, the idea was turned down because the state didn't have enough money and there was political unrest.

In 1789, McCorkle became one of the first trustees of the university. He was the only clergyman (preacher) among the first trustees who had also been a teacher. McCorkle even raised $42 from his church, Thyatira, to help start the university. This was the only donation from a church congregation in the university's early history.

McCorkle also wrote the first rules for the university. These rules were later approved in 1795. From 1795 to 1801, he was a professor at the university, teaching about moral and political philosophy and history.

Zion-Parnassus Academy

In 1793, McCorkle announced a new school called Zion-Parnassus Academy. This school would prepare young men for university studies. It opened in January 1794 near the Thyatira congregation. McCorkle chose the name Zion-Parnassus to show the importance of both religious (Zion) and classical (Parnassus) education.

The academy was similar to Dr. David Caldwell's school, where McCorkle had studied. Students learned basic languages and science. The school used tools like globes, a barometer, a thermometer, and microscopes. McCorkle was a pioneer because he introduced new ideas like agriculture and science labs into the school's lessons.

In 1787, McCorkle got a collection of books from Germany about teaching methods. This allowed him to start training teachers at Thyatira Church. Zion-Parnassus was known for its teacher training program, which was one of the first in North Carolina and in the country. The school also helped students who needed financial aid with tuition and books.

The academy had high academic standards and was very influential. Six out of the seven students in the first graduating class of the University of North Carolina in 1798 had prepared for college at Zion-Parnassus. Many of McCorkle's students went on to become ministers, lawyers, judges, and state officials.

Samuel McCorkle's Impact

McCorkle Place on the UNC campus is named after Samuel Eusebius McCorkle.

John Brown was one of McCorkle's students. He later became a professor at South Carolina College (now a university). He also helped start other academies and became the President of the University of Georgia.

McCorkle Place, a green area on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is named after Samuel Eusebius McCorkle. This honors his hard work in establishing the university. McCorkle Place is considered one of the most beautiful spots in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Two famous university landmarks are there: the Old Well, a neoclassical rotunda, and the Davie Poplar, a tulip poplar tree over 300 years old.

The North Carolina Historical Highway Marker Program has also placed a marker near the site of Zion-Parnassus Academy. This marker on North Carolina Highway 150 west of Salisbury in Rowan County commemorates Samuel E. McCorkle.

|