A Brief History of Chi Phi Epsilon

The founding of Hampden-Sydney College in 1775 carries with it many parallels to the ideals held closely by our nation’s founders, two of whom, Patrick Henry and James Madison, were among the College’s chartering Board of Trustees. As the 10th oldest college in the nation, the last College founded before the Revolution, and one of a very few all-male colleges left in the realm of American Higher Education, Hampden-Sydney’s founding mission, To form Good Men and Good Citizens in an Atmosphere of Sound Learning, has endured as both the guiding light and beacon for the College for nearly 250 years. Hampden-Sydney’s distinctive mission, which emphasizes the refinement of the character, citizenship, and values of the young men who enroll at the College has, therefore, always paired well with the Chi Phi tenants of Truth, Honor, and Personal Integrity. Many credit this parallel to the longevity of the Epsilon Chapter at Hampden-Sydney. In fact, the Epsilon Chapter of Chi Phi was one of the very first fraternities to be chartered at Hampden-Sydney and is the oldest chapter currently on campus, as far as continuity of charter recognition is concerned. Chartered first in 1867, the Epsilon Chapter has operated on Hampden-Sydney’s campus, virtually uninterrupted, for over 156 years:

Original Charter Date: March 2, 1867

100th Anniversary: 1967, held at Hampden-Sydney College

Charter Withdrawn: 2008-2012

Re-Chartered: 2013

150th Anniversary: 2017, held at Hampden-Sydney College

Current Status: Active

Epsilon Chapter, 1867-1977

As far as the history of the founding of the Epsilon Chapter at Hampden-Sydney is concerned, it was the first chapter of Chi Phi to be founded after the end of the Civil War. The impetus for the creation of a new chapter of Chi Phi at Hampden-Sydney is perhaps the start of what has been a storied brotherhood and, at times, partnership between the Chi Phis of the University of Virginia and those of Hampden-Sydney College. At some point during the years 1866-1867, Henry Clay Turnbull of the Delta Chapter at UVA (now Alpha Chapter), pressed upon his brother and Hampden-Sydney student, Lenox Birkhead “L.B.” Turnbull (Epsilon Class of 1868), to start a chapter of Chi Phi at Hampden-Sydney. Referencing the history of the founding of the Epsilon Chapter, the Chi Phi Fraternity, Centennial Memorial Volume, makes note that L.B. Turnbull, although having received the request from his brother at UVA-

“At that time… he (L.B. Turnbull), with others, was petitioning another fraternity and the matter was turned over to John Kercheral Mason who looked with favor on the project. Henry Burnett became interested and on February 16, 1867 he telegraphed to W.S. Pearson at Chapel Hill to forward the constitution. In the meantime, Turnbull and his friends decided to abandon their efforts elsewhere and to unite with Mason. Accordingly, the new Chapter was established on March 2, 1867 with nine charter members—John Kercheral Mason, Lewis Burnwell Johnston, Lennox Birkhead “L.B.” Turnbull, John Stephen Hanna, Edward Watts Maupin, William Hall Whitridge, William Mayo Atkinson, Carter Richard Bishop, and Bluford Martin Ferris.”

One of the early members of the Epsilon Chapter, Reverend William Frost Bishop, D.D. class of 1872, became the first national president after the union between the Northern and Southern Orders.

The occupation of fraternity houses at Hampden-Sydney is itself an interesting piece of history as far as the national history of American Greek Life organizations is concerned. Like many other Colleges at the time, most fraternity activities were confined to designated rooms within College buildings, the homes of professors, and residential halls. Rarely were fraternities afforded their own designated buildings or residences to occupy. At Hampden-Sydney, many early fraternity chapters utilized spaces within Cushing Hall, which was, at the time, referred to as “The College.” This was, therefore, the case for the Epsilon Chapter, whose charter members drafted the founding documents for the Epsilon Chapter in Cushing Hall’s Fourth Passage. The Epsilon Chapter would occupy space in Cushing Hall into the early years of the 20th century. Eventually, as attitudes towards Greek Organizations shifted, the Epsilon Chapter embarked on a campaign to petition the College for a chapter house-

“As no chapter houses as generally understood were permitted at Hampden-Sydney, the Chapter erected in 1907 a comfortable and convenient lodge—the “Caravansary,” the first Chapter House at Hampden-Sydney. It contains a sitting room, dining room, and lodge room.”

Once again, as attitudes and regulations regarding student residency shifted at Hampden-Sydney, the Epsilon Chapter, along with the aid of Epsilon alumnus, Dr. W. Twyman Williams of the class of 1903 and pastor of the College Church, petitioned the Board of Trustees in 1925 to purchase the home of and campus boarding house run by Ms. Addie Venable on College Road for the purpose of establishing a Chi Phi residence. Due to the strength of the petition from the members of the Epsilon Chapter and the esteem of Dr. Williams, the Board approved their request. Ms. Venable’s home serves as the Epsilon Chapter house to this day.

Epsilon Chapter, 1977-Present

By both miracle and ardent devotion to its mission, Hampden-Sydney College and its Greek Life community persisted through and survived, relatively unscathed, many of the last century’s greatest moments of national and global instability (both World Wars, the Great Depression, etc.), which brought about the demise of many Greek letter organizations. Like many of its higher education counterparts, the renewed foundation for the Greek Life system at Hampden-Sydney was catalyzed by the social momentum of the 1950’s and 1960’s. Thus, Greek Life at Hampden-Sydney was at peak health during the 1970’s with over half of the student body affiliated with a national fraternity. The same can be said for the health of the Epsilon Chapter at the time. This remained the case for the Epsilon Chapter up to the early 2000’s when the charter was suspended in 2008 for the only time in the history of the Epsilon Chapter. But, this was not the end of the history of the Chi Phi’s at Hampden-Sydney.

Epsilon Chapter, 2010-Present Day

In the early 2010’s, interest in reestablishing the Epsilon Chapter arose among several groups of Hampden-Sydney students. After a period of various hurdles, wavering interest, and leadership changes, ultimately, a new and strong Epsilon colony was established. Under the guidance and tutelage of many Epsilon alumni and Grand Alpha Emeritus, Dr. Jim Soderquist, the colony flourished. To this day, the Epsilon chapter remains ever grateful to the many alumni who aided in the recolonization process and for Dr. Soderquist’s assistance and support throughout the colonization and re-chartering process.  Again, as a part of the historic relationship with the University of Virginia Chi Phis, a new class of Epsilon brothers were initiated at the Alpha Chapter at UVA in the spring of 2012. Prior to re-chartering, Hampden-Sydney administration granted residency of the chapter house back to the colony, including the willed adjacent property, which is known as both “Chi Phi South House” and “Mrs. P.T.’s,” which is a tribute to the memory of Mrs. Paul Tulane Atkinson, who lived in the house and ultimately willed the property to the Epsilon Chapter prior to the College’s purchasing of all on campus fraternity houses in the mid-1990’s. A re-chartering ceremony was ultimately held for the Epsilon Chapter at Hampden-Sydney in November of 2013.

Since the re-chartering of the Epsilon Chapter, alumni and actives alike have relished in the significant successes of the chapter. Leadership within the fraternity has remained consistent, allowing for the further growth and development of Epsilon. The past decade has seen numerous alumni reunions across a wide decade range of Epsilon alumni. Hampden-Sydney recently entertained reunions for classes of the 1960’s, 1970’s, 1980’s, and a celebration commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Epsilon chapter.

A List of Alpha’s During Colonization, Re-chartering, and to Present

2010-2011: William Correll

2011-2013: Dr. Richard M. Pantele, now Dean of Students at Hampden-Sydney College

2013-2014: Ned Bowden

2014-2025: Zach Attkisson

2015-2016: Caleb Mize

2016-2017: Graham Comeau

2017-2018: Greyson Nelson

2018-2019: Alexander Hicks

2019-2020: Dalton Davis

2020-2021: William Karslake

2021-2022: Jake Kern

2022-2023: Andrew Blankenship

2023-2024: Mason Furr

2024-2025: Miller Kunz

With the mission of Hampden-Sydney at the forefront, the re-chartering classes of the Epsilon chapter developed very clear guiding principles for the new era of the Epsilon Chapter. Primary goals for the chapter included the assurance of representation across the diversity of the student body and college life, student leadership on and off campus, character and values refinement, community engagement, scholastic achievement, community service and philanthropy, and brotherhood. Since it’s re-chartering, the Epsilon Chapter has enjoyed many successes in all of these categories. It continues to be one of the largest fraternities on Hampden-Sydney’s campus and ranks frequently as one of the most accomplished fraternities with the highest cumulative grade point average and overall achievement. Additionally, some of the many awards the fraternity has repeatedly received include:

-        The President’s Award for the Best Fraternity Overall

-        Best Maintained Fraternity House

-        Highest Greek Organization GPA

-        Various additional Interfraternity Council, campus-wide, and community distinctions

Student leaders in the Epsilon Chapter frequently include Student Body Presidents, Honor Court Chairmen Interfraternity Council Officers, Student Senate members, College Activity Council leaders, club and organizations leaders, student athletes, President’s Men, and many other fine examples of the Good Men and Good Citizens of Hampden-Sydney College.

Chi Phi Alumni from 1977-to-Present include representation from all facets of professional life. Alumni include government officials and elected public servants at the local, state, and national levels, doctors and lawyers of high esteem, teachers and professors, successful and prominent business men, economists, entrepreneurs, first responders, artists, musicians, culinary experts, historians, archaeologists, mathematicians, writers, and scientists.

With such a significant history and generations of devotion to the mission of both the national chapter and that of Hampden-Sydney College, needless to say, the common sentiment held by the brothers of the Epsilon chapter is great pride in being a Chi Phi.