Samuel
Zenas Ammen, known as Kappa Alpha's practical founder, was born
in Fincastle, Va., October 22, 1843. He was the youngest of
nine children and at the age of eight he entered school. Later,
he entered the Botetourt Male Academy where his academic standing
was excellent. The Civil War, which was about to begin, delayed
his entering college until 1866. At the beginning of the war,
Ammen joined a local military organization and the rank of second
lieutenant in his company. At the time of his enlistment, he
was stationed at Centreville, near Washington, In December,
1861, he was engaged in a skirmish at Dranesville, near the
Potomac. His force was led by the colorful and daring General
J.E.B. Stuart. After months of picket duty. Ammen's company
was marched to Richmond, and thereafter transferred to the C.S.S.Schultz
on the James River and proceeded towards Yorktown. The night
before the battle of Williamsburg, where several of his companions
were killed, he slept on the campus of The College of William
and Mary. A month later, he was detailed as a chemist to assist
in the preparation of dyestuffs needed in the manufacture of
cloth for the army. He later was transferred to the Confederate
Navy. Just before the end of the war he was transferred to Virginia's
western front. At the end of the war, Ammen returned to the
Botetourt Military Male Academy in Fincastle and continued his
studies. It was also during this time that he became involved
in freemasonry. In the fall of 1866, he travelled north up the
valley road to Lexington where he enrolled in Washington College
to study under General Lee. He was now 22-years old - older
than most of the boys in his class. During his first session,
he boarded at the home of William Ruff, approximately a half
mile from town. He lived subsequently at Ann Smith Academy,
while teaching Latin and French there. On October 18th of his
first year in college he was initiated into Alpha chapter of
Kappa Alpha. From that day until his death he labored faithfully
toward the development of the Order. Shortly after his initiation
he and Will Scott and James Wood began to rework the struggling
fraternity's initiatory customs. By the end of the 1867 session
a new set of customs was introduced. It was Ammen who carried
on the work of its creation. He once wrote, "In the evolution
of the customs and constitution nothing was borrowed from other
fraternities, with respect to which the founders had very little
knowledge. . ." As a student at Washington College, Ammen became
president of th Washington Literary Society - then one of the
most coveted honors. He won a gold medal for the best essay
in the School of English Literature. He was the founder of the
Southern Collegian, a literary paper, and afterwards a magazine.
In addition, he was a member of the Ugly Club and was Chief
Mourner at the Burial of Queen Math - both being honors of distinction
during his time in college. In June 1969 he graduated with a
master's degree in arts. He immediately became master in the
Milburn Academy in Kentucky. He had turned down an assistant
professorship in modern languages at Washington College. The
first day Ammen took this job, the principal of the school skipped
town and young Ammen took over the principalship the next day
with a raise in salary. He served in this capacity during the
1869-1870 academic year; it was during this same time period,
with the consent of Alpha chapter, that he completed the first
ritual and constitution an oversaw their printing. From 1870
until 1881, he taught Latin, Greek, and chemistry at the Atkinson's
School for Boys in Baltimore, Md. It was also during this time
that he traveled extensively throughout Europe. In August 1881,
Ammen became the literary editor of The Baltimore Sun. This
move opened up the second stage of his professional career -
that of journalist. He continued as an editorial writer on The
Sun for the next thirty years.
Samuel
Zenas Ammen, known as Kappa Alpha's practical founder, was born
in Fincastle, Va., October 22, 1843. He was the youngest of
nine children and at the age of eight he entered school. Later,
he entered the Botetourt Male Academy where his academic standing
was excellent. The Civil War, which was about to begin, delayed
his entering college until 1866. At the beginning of the war,
Ammen joined a local military organization and the rank of second
lieutenant in his company. At the time of his enlistment, he
was stationed at Centreville, near Washington, In December,
1861, he was engaged in a skirmish at Dranesville, near the
Potomac. His force was led by the colorful and daring General
J.E.B. Stuart. After months of picket duty. Ammen's company
was marched to Richmond, and thereafter transferred to the C.S.S.Schultz
on the James River and proceeded towards Yorktown. The night
before the battle of Williamsburg, where several of his companions
were killed, he slept on the campus of The College of William
and Mary. A month later, he was detailed as a chemist to assist
in the preparation of dyestuffs needed in the manufacture of
cloth for the army. He later was transferred to the Confederate
Navy. Just before the end of the war he was transferred to Virginia's
western front. At the end of the war, Ammen returned to the
Botetourt Military Male Academy in Fincastle and continued his
studies. It was also during this time that he became involved
in freemasonry. In the fall of 1866, he travelled north up the
valley road to Lexington where he enrolled in Washington College
to study under General Lee. He was now 22-years old - older
than most of the boys in his class. During his first session,
he boarded at the home of William Ruff, approximately a half
mile from town. He lived subsequently at Ann Smith Academy,
while teaching Latin and French there. On October 18th of his
first year in college he was initiated into Alpha chapter of
Kappa Alpha. From that day until his death he labored faithfully
toward the development of the Order. Shortly after his initiation
he and Will Scott and James Wood began to rework the struggling
fraternity's initiatory customs. By the end of the 1867 session
a new set of customs was introduced. It was Ammen who carried
on the work of its creation. He once wrote, "In the evolution
of the customs and constitution nothing was borrowed from other
fraternities, with respect to which the founders had very little
knowledge. . ." As a student at Washington College, Ammen became
president of th Washington Literary Society - then one of the
most coveted honors. He won a gold medal for the best essay
in the School of English Literature. He was the founder of the
Southern Collegian, a literary paper, and afterwards a magazine.
In addition, he was a member of the Ugly Club and was Chief
Mourner at the Burial of Queen Math - both being honors of distinction
during his time in college. In June 1969 he graduated with a
master's degree in arts. He immediately became master in the
Milburn Academy in Kentucky. He had turned down an assistant
professorship in modern languages at Washington College. The
first day Ammen took this job, the principal of the school skipped
town and young Ammen took over the principalship the next day
with a raise in salary. He served in this capacity during the
1869-1870 academic year; it was during this same time period,
with the consent of Alpha chapter, that he completed the first
ritual and constitution an oversaw their printing. From 1870
until 1881, he taught Latin, Greek, and chemistry at the Atkinson's
School for Boys in Baltimore, Md. It was also during this time
that he traveled extensively throughout Europe. In August 1881,
Ammen became the literary editor of The Baltimore Sun. This
move opened up the second stage of his professional career -
that of journalist. He continued as an editorial writer on The
Sun for the next thirty years.