Founding Charter (1693)

On February 8, 1693, King William III and Queen Mary II granted a royal charter establishing the College of William and Mary in Virginia’s Middle Plantation, a settlement that would soon be renamed Williamsburg. The new college became the second oldest institution of higher learning in America, after Harvard (1636), and a landmark of education in the English colonies.

The charter envisioned a school that would strengthen both church and society, shaping leaders who could serve with integrity in pulpit, courtroom, and council. Its motto, “Pro Deo et Patria” (“For God and Country”), summarized a conviction that learning is not self-exaltation but stewardship—gifts cultivated for faithful service.

James Blair and the College’s Purpose

A central figure in the founding was the pastor James Blair, an Anglican clergyman and organizer whose persistence helped secure royal approval and funding. Blair’s vision joined scholarship to devotion, urging students to seek wisdom under the Lord’s authority, not merely the opinions of the age. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7)

Early life at the college placed prayer, Scripture, and moral formation near the center of education. The goal was not only trained minds, but trained consciences—men prepared to speak truth, resist corruption, and shepherd communities with courage and humility.

Middle Plantation to Williamsburg

Middle Plantation’s location between the James and York Rivers made it strategically significant. As Williamsburg grew into a cultural and governmental hub, the college stood as a steady influence, encouraging the belief that public life should answer to eternal standards. The setting reminded students that leadership is exercised in real places among real neighbors, where justice and mercy must be practiced.

In an era marked by hardship, disease, and frontier uncertainty, such a school required perseverance and sacrifice. Founders, clergy, and benefactors showed a quiet heroism—building for future generations, trusting that faithful labor would bear fruit beyond their own lifetimes. “Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men.” (Colossians 3:23)

Legacy of Faith and Service

The college’s enduring significance lies in its founding aim: to form servants who love truth, honor God, and strengthen their country through principled leadership. Its earliest aspirations still commend a path of learning shaped by reverence, prayer, and a readiness to serve.