Transcription contributed by Martie Callihan 3 December 2004

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In 1809, Lebanon was selected as the seat of Miami University. The township of land granted for the support of this institution was intended for the benefit of the inhabitants of the tract between the Miami Rivers known as Symmes' Purchase. The township not being selected until all the townships within that purchase had been sold in whole or in part, in 1803, the township of Oxford, west of the Great Miami, was selected, in lieu of one between the two rivers. In February, 1809, the Legislature passed an act "to establish Miami University," the first section of which provided that the institution should be established "within that part of the country known by the name of John Cleves Symmes' Purchase, which university shall be designated by the name and style of the Miami University." The act appointed Alexander Campbell, Rev. James Kilburn and Rev. Robert G. Wilson, Commissioners, to fix the place of the institution, and directed that they should meet at Lebanon, and, after taking an oath or affirmation, should proceed to select the most proper place for the seat of the university in Symmes' Purchase.

At the appointed time, the first Tuesday in June, 1809, Rev. Mr. Wilson was sick and unable to attend, but the other two Commissioners met There were three places presented for their consideration Cincinnati, Lebanon and Dayton. After examining all the places proposed, they agreed upon Lebanon as the seat of the university, and so reported. By this action, it was generally supposed at the time, says Judge Burnet, that the location of the institution was unalterably fixed. Ichabod Corwin offered a tract of about forty acres, now occupied in part by the Lebanon Cemetery, as grounds for the university. It is said by A. H. Dunlevy that at the time of the meeting of the Commissioners, a large walnut tree stood on the western part of these grounds, and this spot was selected by the Commissioners as the most suitable place for the erection of the main college building. This spot is now the grave of Gov. Thomas Corwin.

The citizens of other places which had desired the institution were greatly disappointed, and at the next meeting of the Legislature after Lebanon had been selected, a proposition was made by Mr. Cooper, of Dayton, to establish the university on the lands which had been selected for its support, although these lands wore outside the tract for whose benefit the institution was intended. The Legislature thought this was the wisest plan to pursue, and, in 1810, provided that the Trustees should lay out the town of Oxford on the college township, in Butler County, and located the university on that township. It has been the opinion of eminent lawyers that Miami University was legally located at Lebanon, and that the change of the site to a point outside of the Miami Purchase was in violation of the intention and purpose of the original grant by Congress of a township for the support of a seminary of learning. No attempt, however, has ever been made to remove the institution from Oxford.

Dr. I. W. Andrews, President of Marietta College, said some years ago that Miami University had graduated more distinguished men than any other institution west of the Alleghany Mountains.