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Zeta Psi's founders

John Bradt Yates Sommers

Brother Sommers was born in New York City on August 15,1829, at 82 Madison St. the home of his father, Rev. Dr. Charles G. Sommers, pastor of the South Baptist Church, and his mother Sarah L. Skelding. He had at least one brother, James Fellows Sommers, who was two years younger. James died and was buried at sea at the age of 18. Sarah Sommers died in 1843. The Sommers home was the site of the first meetings of the Fraternity. John Sommers lived there until moving with his father in 1852 to 17 St. Mark's Place, where he lived until his death on November 23, 1863.

John Sommers entered New York University in the fall of 1845, when he was a little over 16 years old. By diligence and devotion to his studies, he attained and held a high position in his class and was one of the most popular students in his college. There were three national fraternities at NYU, and John Sommers' reasons for founding a new fraternity, rather then joining one of the three, are not known. To complicate matters, a general feeling against secret societies made founding a new fraternity difficult. Nonetheless, early in 1847, he shared his concepts with two friends, William Henry Dayton and John Moon Skillman: all three were "Class of 1849." The three met at the Sommers home and matured their plans. Ill health forced Dayton to transfer to the University of North Carolina, so Sommers and Skillman proceeded with their plans and formally created Zeta Psi Fraternity on June 1st,1847.

Around the time he was organizing Zeta Psi, he was initiated in the Masonic Order in Arcturus Lodge in New York City.

Sommers and Skillman worked to perfect and enlarge the Fraternity. Early initiates were George S. Woodhull, Class of 1848, and William H. Carter and George S. Mott, both Class of 1850. By 1849 there were 7 members, and by 1850 there were 10. Sommers took a personal part in establishing the Zeta (Alpha of Massachusetts) Chapter and Delta (Alpha of New Jersey) Chapter in 1848 and the Sigma (Alpha of Pennsylvania) Chapter in 1850. Sommers was secretary of the first National Convention, at Williamstown, Massachusetts, in 1849, and served as President of the conventions in Newburg, New York, in 1850, and New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1851.

Brother Sommers entered the office of Kirkland & Birdseye as a law student, and was admitted to the bar in 1854. He was made a member of the firm shortly thereafter; the firm eventually became Sommers & Johnson. On October 5th, 1859 he married Emma A. Heath, and they had two sons, Frederick Skelding and Henry Cantine Sommers. Some years before his death in 1863 he became a confirmed invalid.

At the time of his death he was a member of and Past Master of Adelphic Lodge No.348 of the Masonic Order. The Grand Master of Masons in New York State wrote of him: "His fine intellect, his scholarly achievements, his professional ability, his courteous manners, and his zeal in every cause for intellectual and social advancement were elements of his character which endeared him to all who knew him..." Another Prominent Mason wrote: "He was not actuated by a desire to do the best he could do for his client at all hazards but to do the best that he could with due regard for the rights and equitable interests of those who stood in an antagonistic position, thus showing a characteristic without which no man can be a great lawyer- the love of justice."

John B.Y. Sommers was burried in the Sommers family plot (of 32 graves) in Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn. A prestigious monument marks the family plot and records his burial. He was buried with full Masonic honors and the Phi Chapter attended his funeral in a body.

At his death, the Chapter adopted the following resolution of respect:
"The whole Fraternity of Zeta Psi is called upon to mourn the untimely decease of Brother J.B. Yates Sommers, the honored and respected founder of our Order, which he committed to love and adore to the day of his death. His own generous disposition and the debt of gratitude we owe him as one of those who instituted the pure and noble principles of Zeta Psi have made his memory sacred to the heart of every brother.

"While bowing in humble submission to decree of infinite love and wisdom, we deeply mourn the sad Providence which has deprived us of this revered patriarch of our Fraternity. While grieving for our own loss we tender our heartfelt to that other circle to which our departed Brother was bound by the fondest of earthly ties. As a faint expression of our deep regret we will observe the ritual of mourning, drape our hall and shroud our badges in the usual manner, and request our sister chapters to unite with us in this tribute of respect.

"Resolved,That a copy of this minute be sent to the Family of the Brother, to the Grand Chapter, and to several chapters of the Fraternity."

William Henry Dayton

Brother William H. Dayton died on August 17, 1847, while returning to the University of North Caroline to continue his course as a sophmore. With him died the idea of founding a chapter at Chapel Hill. He was born in New York City in 1827. When he was 15 his father, Thomas Dayton, moved the family to Boston for business reasons.

At an early age he displayed sufficient intellect and endurance to induce his father to give him a college education. Beginning his education of New York University, his health began to fail. His physicians determined that had consumption (tuberculosis) and advised going south. So he completed his freshman year at the University of North Carolina, of which his uncle was president. In an eulogium delivered at a meeting of the Phi Chapter on May 23,1848, Brother J.B.Y. Sommers said: "His willingness to labor for others, his uniformity of charity and disposition, meek lustre of a piety that neither blazoned ostentatiously at one time nor wavered and sunk at another, but shone serenly and steadily on, make him deservedly the favorite of all who knew him."

John Moon Skillman

Brother John M. Skillman, son of John and Catherine Skillman, was born at 74 Remsen Street, Brooklyn, on March 29,1831. Following preperation for college in a private school in Brooklyn, he entered New York University in the fall of 1845. He worked closely with brothers John Bradt Yates Sommers and William Henry Dayton in founding Zeta Psi Fraternity, and was the first president of the Phi Chapter.

He graduated in 1849 with an A.B. degree and entered the employ of John B. Kitching & Co. He then took a business position in the South, but returned to the North before the Civil War broke out and entered the naval service. He served as pay clerk, from August 26, 1981, to October 15,1862, on the U.S.S Potomac. Then starting on November 14 and until February 12,1864, he served as acting paymaster and captain's clerk on the U.S.S Bohio. He transferred then to the U.S.S Meteor, serving on that vessel until his death in Mobile Bay on July 13,1865. He was buried in Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn.

His sister reported that he was much esteemed by his employers, and was regarded as having a loving, kindly disposition and posessed of great thoughtfulness of others. He was a member of the First Dutch Church of Brooklyn, and much interested in the Sunday School. He gave a large Bible to members of the Sunday School when he entered service in the Union Navy.