William H. Wiley A11: \"Grand Old Man of Theta Xi\"
John Wiley & Sons. Does the name sound familiar? You may remember seeing it printed on the textbooks you used at school or on technical reference books you use at work. One of those \"Sons\" is one of our own who joined the family publishing business after graduating from RPI.
They called him \"the Major\" for his service in the military during the Civil War but his actions and service to Theta Xi Fraternity and his commitment to the spread of technical knowledge gave William H. Wiley A11 another distinction as well. Brother Wiley is the only member of Theta Xi Fraternity to be elected to both the RPI Alumni Hall of Fame and the Theta Xi Order of the Unicorn.
Born in New York City on July 10th, 1842, William Halsted Wiley attended ward schools in the city before continuing his studies at the College of City of New York. Graduating with an AB degree in 1861, young William looked to continue his formal education before joining the family printing business, but fighting was breaking out between the Union and the Confederacy and men were needed to join the Union Army ranks.
In 1860, Brother Wiley had already enlisted as a private in what became known as the Seventh Regiment of the New York State Volunteers. Working his way up, Wiley eventually received orders that put him with the artillery unit and led to his promotion to Captain in March 1863. He proved his worth during the Union attacks and besiegement of Fort Wagner, South Carolina, when he had command of two companies of artillery. (The Battle of Fort Wagner which occurred in July, 1863, is retold -in part- in the film \"Glory\".) Two months of heavy shelling followed the initial battles before the Confederate forces finally abandoned the fortification. For his actions, Brother Wiley was \"retired as a brevet Major for gallant and meritorious services\" when mustered out in 1864.
Looking to continue his education, Brother Wiley enrolled that same year at the engineering school in upstate New York that had been recently renamed the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. While pursuing a degree in civil engineering, he fell in with some fellow students who were also members of a newly created secret society called Theta Xi. On October 1st, 1864, Wiley became the third member initiated after the founding of the Fraternity 5 months earlier. Though he was only at RPI for several years, Brother Wiley was very involved in Theta Xi; he is principally credited for the writing of the original constitution, and for the Ritual. He was heavily engaged in the establishment of Beta Chapter at Yale University in 1865 as well as other chapters later in life.
Wiley graduated from RPI in 1866 and after a stint as a special student at the Columbia College School of Mines ended in 1868, spent the next 6 years working in various engineering positions. These included jobs at municipal waterworks for the cities of Croton and Newark and railroad companies such as the Philadelphia & Reading and New Hope & Philadelphia. He also spent time as a superintendent for the Tunnel Hill coal company in Zanesville, OH. It was later written that this was all in preparation for when he joined the family business. During this time, he also met Joanna King Clarke whom he married on June 1st, 1870.
In 1875, he joined his father John and brother Charles and began working for the publishing company that his grandfather Charles had started in 1807. With another Wiley employed in the firm, the company name was soon changed to John Wiley & Sons. The company originally had a broad range of publishing programs. Realizing the importance of the changing times brought about by the Industrial Revolution, Brother Wiley steered the company toward focusing on advancements in science and its applications. Following his father's death in 1891, Brother Wiley took charge of the company; and by the turn of the century, John Wiley & Sons was well established as a leader in publishing works of science and technology. The firm continues to be so to this day and is celebrating its 200th year in business in 2007.
When Brother Wiley left RPI, he did not leave Theta Xi behind. For many years, the national offices of Theta Xi Fraternity were located at the New York City offices of Wiley's publishing firm. When the Grand Lodge was organized in 1906, Brother Wiley was elected as the Fraternity's first national president and held that position until 1923 when he was elected President Emeritus. (His nephew Edward P. Hamilton A206 eventually succeeded him as president of both John Wiley & Sons and Theta Xi Fraternity.) For his many years of service, he was affectionately given the title, \"Grand Old Man of Theta Xi\".
Brother Wiley's acts of service was not limited to Theta Xi either. He also served as a US Representative for New Jersey's 8th District 3 times: 1903-1907 and 1909-1911. He also served on many public commissions and held office in several of the many scientific societies he was a member.
When Brother Wiley passed away on May 2, 1925 after complications from a long illness, the Grand Lodge issued the following resolution:.
In Memoriam
Through many years of loyal and devoted service as a member and as President of the Theta Xi Fraternity, Major William H. Wiley won for himself not only the warm affection and esteem of all the members of our brotherhood, but came to stand as the living embodiment of the ideals of our fellowship. It is a satisfaction to know, now that he has been called to his final rest, that he lived to enjoy the honor that all of us tried to show him by electing him as President Emeritus. It is fitting that the Grand Lodge, on behalf of the entire membership, express in this resolution its profound sense of loss that his lifelong interest in the affairs of the Fraternity can no longer be exercised, and that his advice and counsel, for so long freely given, are now lost to us. In here recording the fact of his death on Saturday, May Second, 1925, the Grand Lodge desires to express in fullest measure the feeling of the entire brotherhood that his life and work will serve as an enduring stimulus toward worthy service and high ideals.
Brother Wiley's actions continued to earn him honors long after he passed away. In 1964, at the Centennial Anniversary Convention held in Troy/Albany, Brother Wiley was elected into the Order of the Unicorn for his 60 years of service. In 2001, he was elected into the RPI Alumni Hall of Fame for his contributions to the advancement of technical knowledge. He is the only brother from Alpha Chapter to be so honored. In memory of his uncle, Edward P. Hamilton A206 established the William H. Wiley 1866 Distinguished Faculty Award in 1977 to honor a faculty member who has won the respect of the faculty.
Above all, perhaps the best bit of wisdom we can take away from Brother Wiley is the message he sent out to brothers attending an alumni association meeting two days before he passed away:
\"Sorry I can't be with you. Never take in a member you would not take into your own family.\"
External Links:
John Wiley & Sons: History
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-301697.html
John Wiley & Sons: 200th Anniversary
http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-301730.html
Wikipedia: William H. Wiley
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Wiley
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=W000470
Rensselaer Alumni Hall of Fame
http://www.rpi.edu/dept/NewsComm/sub/fame/inductees/williamwiley.html
Wikipedia: Fort Wagner
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Wagner
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