114 
R. JENNINGS, JR. 
whom not only encouraged the measure, but personally solicited 
and obtained the names of the following prominent citizens of 
Pennsylvania to a petition asking the State Legislature for an 
Act of Incorporation for the Veterinary College of Philadelphia : 
—Gen. George Cadwalader, Wm. Gibson, M. D., John Philips, 
M. D., Alfred L. Elwyn, M. D., James Bryan, M. D., Hon. Fred¬ 
erick Watts, Gen. George McKeim, James Gowan, Hon. Geo. W. 
Woodward, Stetchley Morton, Alonzo Potter, D. D., and L. L. 
Ward, which charter was granted without delay, and duly signed 
as follows :—“ John S. Rhey, Speaker of the House of Represen¬ 
tatives , John H. Walker, Speaker of the Senate. Approved 
the Fifteenth day of April, a. d., one thousand eight hundred 
and fifty two, W in. Bigler, Governor of the State of Pennsylvania.” 
This, the first veterinary college chartered in America, the date 
fully proves. Robert Jennings having been the recipient of an 
honorai'}' diploma from the buard of directors, was placed at the 
head of the new institution. Early in 1853 he presented the fol¬ 
lowing as the faculty of the college :—W. W. Fraley, Prof, of 
Materia Medica and Therapeutics, T. J. Corbyn, Prof, of Path 
ology and Surgery, John Scott, M. R. C. V. S., Prof, of Practice 
of Medicine with reference to all domestic animals, Geo. W. Bow¬ 
ler, Prof, of Medical Chemistry and Pharmacy, Robt. Jennings, 
Prof, of Anatomy, Physiology, and Operative Surgery. Nego¬ 
tiations were entered into for the building-of a veterinary college, 
the plan for which had been prepared by an architect, Mr. John 
Notman, a cousin of my father’s. While these negotiations were 
pending, Drs. Corbyn, Fraley, and Scott tendered their resigna¬ 
tions as members of the faculty. This was a stunning blow to 
the new enterprise, and for the time stopped further progress. 
This blow, severe as it was, did not discourage my father. He 
now directed his efforts in harmonizing the graduated and non- 
graduated veterinary surgeons, calling a meeting of such at his of¬ 
fice, April 5th, 1854, urging the formation of a veterinary asso¬ 
ciation for mutual improvement, T. J. Corbyn, W. W. Fraley, G. 
W. Bowler, M. Roberts, John Scott, Robt. Jennings, A. Tegt- 
meier and R. Evans being present, Evans and Scott being the only 
graduated surgeons. After discussing the merits of the question, 
