This Day In Founding Fathers History – 13 March 2013

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This Day In Founding Fathers History – 13 March 2013

In 1639 on this day, New College or “the college at New Towne,” was renamed Harvard College after its benefactor, John Harvard. Harvard was a clergyman from London. Upon his death, the college received an endowment consisting of his library of 400 books and £779 pounds sterling, totaling half of his estate. ₁

On this day in 1677, Massachusetts bought the title to Maine for $6,000 from the heirs of Sir Ferdinando Gorges. Gorges was granted the rights to land, which he named Maine, in 1622. ₂

In 1862 on this day, Congress approved a bill prohibiting the military from sending escaped slaves back into slavery. The act read, “That hereafter the following shall be promulgated as an additional article of war for the government of the army of the United States, and shall be obeyed as such: Article —. All officers or persons in the military or naval service of the United States are prohibited from employing any of the forces under their respective commands for the purpose of returning fugitives from service or labor, who may have escaped from any persons to whom such service or labor is claimed to be due, and any officer who shall be found guilty by a court-martial of violating this article shall be dismissed from the service.” ₃

1 “Harvard University,” wikipedia.org

_{2 “Timeline: Selected Events in Maine History: 1600s,” Maine Memory Network, mainememory.net/timeline/1600.shtml}

_{3 “”Law Enacting an Additional Article of War,” Freedmen & Southern Society Project, history.umd.edu/Freedmen/artwar.htm}