1789] REV. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D. 3II 



Rt. Rev. Wm. White, D. D., George Clymer, ^ 

 Robert Morris, \p James Wilson, VEsqs. 



Francis Hopkinson, / ^^^' Alex. Wilcocks, j 



The only surviving members of the Faculty of Arts were Dr. 

 Smith, the Provost, and Mr. James Davidson, Professor of 

 Humanity and Latin and Greek Languages. 



At a subsequent meeting, held April 28th, 1789, the Treasurer, 

 Mr. Bingham, and Col. Miles were appointed a committee to read 

 and report concerning the condition of the Norristown estate and 

 mills on the Schuylkill, of which we have already spoken. The 

 vacancies, ten in number, of Trustees were supplied by the choice 

 of the following gentlemen: 



'fc> t>^ 



Thomas Fitzsimons, William Lewis, 



Henry Hill, John Nixon, 



Rev. Robert Blackwell, D. D., Robert Hare, 



Samuel Miles, Caspar Wistar, 



William Bingham, Richard Peters. 



The committee made the inspection, and on the 28th of May 

 reported. They had viewed the estate, but so unfavorable was 

 their statement of its condition that it was the opinion of the 

 Trustees that it would be to the interest of the institution to sell it 

 as soon as possible, and to invest the proceeds thereof in ground- 

 rents or some other real estate productive of a certain undimin- 

 ished revenue for the support of the institution. The committee 

 was continued, in order to advertise the estate for sale, and to 

 report some plan for selling it in such manner as would be agree- 

 able to justice as well respecting the then tenant, as the engage- 

 ments of the Trustees to Dr. Smith, at the time of the purchase 

 of the estate from him in the autumn of 1776. 



Under date of the i8th of August, 1789 (Dr. Smith having 

 offered to take so troublesome a burden from the College), the 

 minutes of the Trustees continue : 



At a meeting held this day it was Resolved, that ^4,300 be the sum 

 demanded for the Norriton estate, exclusive of the town; ^1,200 to 

 be paid on or before the ist day of April and before the signing of the 

 deed, and that the pre-emption at that price be now offered to Dr. 

 Smith. An offer was made to Dr. Smith at the Board, agreeably to the 

 above resolve, and the Doctor accepted of the same ; and the security to 

 be given for the remainder of the payments, to be as may be concluded 



