Students Lost Beds, Rum, Cod Lines, Culinary Tools in 1766 Harvard Fire---Records Burned

On the site of Harvard Hall, the first Harvard Hall stood from 1677 until the memorable fire in January, 1766. This building, referred to in contemporary documents as "Harvard College," not only housed a certain number of students, held "commons" for a good deal more, and held classes for the whole college, but was also the place in which the Buttry was located.

The Butler was of prime importance to the College, for it was he who dispensed beer, wine, and chocolate to the hungry and thirsty scholars. Another man filled the capacities of bursar, dean's office, parietal board, and coop. This worthy was the steward, who kept track of absences, excuses, and suspensions, and collected fines and imposed other disciplinary action. He also arranged for "special orders" for the students who wished to eat in the sanctity of their rooms, and who were well equipped to prepare their nightly repasts. The night of the fire, these backbones of the College lost their offices, and their records were forever lost.

The fire, which occurred during a raging snow-storm, started during a meeting of the Great and General Court of Massachusetts. The configuration, according to a letter from Margaret, the daughter of President Edwand Holyoke, began in a beam under the hearth in the library. The Governor and many of the Court assisted in extinguishing the fire, as did the President, who fought his way through five-foot drifts of snow clad only in his house clothes, to reach it.

Fire apparatus arrived on the scene and apparently confined itself to the surrounding buildings, Massachusetts, Stoughton, and Hollis, all of which had caught fire from the strong northerly wind. The building, itself, was a total loss, "Nothing was saved in old College except a bed or two," President Holyoke's daughter reports. Books, including the extensive collection of John Harvard's, scientific apparatus, and all the students' possessions were burned.

Extracts from petitions to the Council for reimbursement show that one William Baker, doorkeeper lost "1 new beaver Hatt", valued at 1 pound 16 shillings; "1 new Wigg," 2 pounds 8 shillings; and one pair of black shoe buckles. Stephen Hall, a student numbered among his losses a bed and bedding, food, kitchen utensils, 2 cod lines, and a quart of rum which he valued at 1 shilling sixpence. Other itemized lists show that the students kept house for themselves to a large degree.

It was lucky for the College that there was at the time a small pox epidemic in Boston which caused the removal of the Governor and his Council to Harvard Hall, for the next day, having witnessed the configuration and no doubt feeling in some way responsible for it, the Council voted to build it at the province's expense. Holyoke's daughter remarks in a letter, "I hope the K.g. will give something to replace the loss as he has never done anything for this College yet". There is no mention of her wish having been granted. The Council, however granted 2,000 pounds immediately, and later 1,000 pounds, with a final grant of 1,112.18.7 1/2 pounds. There are varying opinions of the total cost of the building, the lowest estimate being 3,642,13.2 pounds, and the highest 6,900 pounds.

The new Hall contained a Library, Mathematical, Philosophical, and Hebrew schools on the top floor, a chapel, and general hall on the main floor, and in the collar were the kitchen, buttery, and food storage facilities. The apparatus and books were replaced by public contribution. An interesting and probable novel innovation for the new building was a lead roof to reduce fire hazard. It was this roof which, in 1776, was removed to furnish bullets for the Revolutionary Ordnance Department. The roof is reported to have weighed several tons.

During the Revolution Harvard Hall was used for the storage of army rations including barrels of salt beef contributed by neighboring towns. The building was of great use to the commissary department as its kitchen was the largest in New England. The troops were quartered in Massachusetts Hall.