Leaving a Legacy Nearly 200 years ago, Bishop John Carroll sent an émigré priest, Father John DuBois, into the wilderness of Western Maryland to serve the needs of Catholics in the far outreaches of the state, then still partly populated by Native Americans. The first place Father DuBois stayed when he celebrated Mass in Emmitsburg was a cottage called “Chinquapin,” the Indian name for a species of chestnut tree once indigenous to the slopes of Saint Mary’s Mountain.
In 1812, four years after the Mount’s official founding, Clotilde Phoebe Green Brooke made what is believed to be the first planned gift to a college in the U.S. “Aunt Phoebe” gifted her farm to the Mount in lieu of an $800 per year annuity and a place to live on campus. One of the buildings from that original gift forms the core of Barrett Hall, thought to be the oldest structure at the Mount.
The Chinquapin Society The Mount’s legacy society, the Chinquapin Society, was named in honor of Father DuBois’ first cottage. The seal of the Chinquapin Society, designed by William Meredith, Ph.D, professor emeritus of biology, and depicting the leaves and seeds of the tree, is a symbol of beginnings and growth. As Father DuBois began to build his great vision from that small cottage, those who join the Chinquapin Society become a vital part of perpetuating his wonderful legacy – Mount St. Mary’s. Today 138 alumni, parents and friends have joined the Chinquapin Society. Benefits of Membership - Satisfaction in knowing that your planned gift will benefit many generations of Mount students
- The financial planning newsletter Inside the Mount with information about investments, tax and estate planning
- A gold pin embossed with the Chinquapin Society logo and a certificate of membership
- Special recognition
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