Known as Illinois Wesleyan University's birth certificate, this document was created and signed by the 30 founders of the university on Sept. 23, 1850. Initially, the founders intended to name the ins..
Known as Illinois Wesleyan University's birth certificate, this document was created and signed by the 30 founders of the university on Sept. 23, 1850. Initially, the founders intended to name the institution Illinois University, but before the paperwork was filed with the courthouse on Dec. 3 of that year, the declaration had been edited to insert the word "Wesleyan", presumably to honor the patronage of the Illinois Conference of the Methodist Church.
