Jewel Henry Arthur Callis Henry Arthur Callis was born January 14, 1887. He attended
Cornell University in the fall of 1905, where he worked part time as
a janitor and a waiter. Due to financial difficulties he was forced
to drop out of school in 1907, but returned the following year. After
graduating in 1909 he went on to Rush Medical
School and became a practicing physician, Howard University Professor
of Medicine and prolific contributor to medical journals. He founded
Theta Chapter (1910) and was a charter member for Xi Lambda Chapter
(1925), both in Chicago. Often regarded as the philosopher of the founders,
and a moving force in the Fraternity's development, he was the only
one of the Cornell Seven to become General President. Prior to moving
to Washington, D.C., he was a medical consultant to the Veterans Hospital
in Tuskegee, Alabama. Upon his death on November 12, 1974, at age 87,
the Fraternity entered a time without any living Jewels. His papers
were donated to Howard's Moorland-Spingarn Research Center.
Jewel
Charles Henry Chapman Charles
Henry Chapman was born in 1876. Before attending Cornell he was a student
at Howard University. After graduation, he entered higher education
and eventually became Professor of Agriculture at what is now Florida
A&M University. Chapman was a founder of FAMU's Beta Nu Chapter.
During the organization stages of Alpha Chapter, he was the first chairman
of the Committees on Initiation and Organization. A university funeral
was held with considerable Fraternity participation when he became the
first Jewel to enter Omega Chapter in 1934
Jewel Eugene Kinckle Jones
Eugene Kinckle Jones, born July 30, 1885, entered the
Cornell Graduate School of Sociology in 1906;
after obtaining a BA from Virginia Union University. A versatile leader,
he organized the first three Fraternity chapters that branched out from
Cornell: Beta at Howard, Gamma at Virginia Union and the original Delta
at the University of Toronto in Canada. Inaddition to becoming Alpha
Chapter's second President and joining with Callis
in creating the Fraternity name, Jones was a member of the first Committees
on Constitution and Organization and helped write
the Fraternity ritual. He later became the first Executive Secretary
of the National Urban League. His 20-year tenure with the Urban League
thus far has exceeded those of all his successors in office. Jones also
has the distinction of being one of the first initiates as well as an
original founder. His status as a founder was not finally established
until 1952. He died in 1954.
Jewel George Biddle Kelley George Biddle Kelley, born in 1884, became the first
African American engineer registered in the state of New York. He worked
many years for the New York State Barge Canal, and later went on to
being a very successful tax consultant. Not only was he the strongest proponent of the Fraternity idea among
the organization's founders, the civil engineering student also became
Alpha Chapter's first President. In addition, he served on committees
that worked out the handshake and ritual. Kelley was popular with the
Brotherhood. He resided in Troy, New York and was active with Beta Pi
Lambda Chapter in Albany. He passed on May 5, 1962.
Jewel Nathaniel Allison Murray
Nathaniel Allison Murray continued in graduate work after
completing his undergraduate studies at Cornell.
He later returned home to Washington, D.C., where he taught in public
schools. Much of his career was spent at Armstrong Vocational High School
in the District of Columbia. He was a member of Alpha Chapter's first
committee on organization of the new fraternal group, as well as the
Committee on the Grip. The charter member of Washington's Mu Lambda
Chapter was a frequent attendee of General Conventions. He was inducted
into Omega Chapter on December 6, 1959.
Jewel Robert Harold Ogle Robert Harold Ogle entered the career secretarial field
and had the unique privilege of serving as a professional staff member
to the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations. He was an African
American pioneer in his Capitol Hill position. He proposed the Fraternity's
colors and was Alpha Chapter's first secretary. Ogle joined Kelley in
working out the first ritual and later became a charter member of Washington,
DC's Mu Lambda Chapter. He died on December 3, 1936.
Jewel Vertner Woodson Tandy Vertner Woodson Tandy was born on May 17, 1885. In 1904 he attended
Tuskegee Institute, transferring the next year to Cornell. Upon graduation,
he became the state of New York's first Black registered architect,
with offices on Broadway in New York City. The designer of the Fraternity
pin also holds the distinction of being the first African American to
pass the military commissioning examination and was commissioned First
Lieutenant in the 15th Infantry of the New York State National Guard
during the First World War. He was Alpha Chapter's first treasurer and
took the initiative to incorporate the Fraternity. Among the buildings
designed by the highly talented architect is Saint Phillips Episcopal
Church in New York City. He died on November 7, 1949.
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Henry Arthur Callis was born January 14, 1887. He attended
Cornell University in the fall of 1905, where he worked part time as
a janitor and a waiter. Due to financial difficulties he was forced
to drop out of school in 1907, but returned the following year. After
graduating in 1909 he went on to Rush Medical
School and became a practicing physician, Howard University Professor
of Medicine and prolific contributor to medical journals. He founded
Theta Chapter (1910) and was a charter member for Xi Lambda Chapter
(1925), both in Chicago. Often regarded as the philosopher of the founders,
and a moving force in the Fraternity's development, he was the only
one of the Cornell Seven to become General President. Prior to moving
to Washington, D.C., he was a medical consultant to the Veterans Hospital
in Tuskegee, Alabama. Upon his death on November 12, 1974, at age 87,
the Fraternity entered a time without any living Jewels. His papers
were donated to Howard's Moorland-Spingarn Research Center.
Charles
Henry Chapman was born in 1876. Before attending Cornell he was a student
at Howard University. After graduation, he entered higher education
and eventually became Professor of Agriculture at what is now Florida
A&M University. Chapman was a founder of FAMU's Beta Nu Chapter.
During the organization stages of Alpha Chapter, he was the first chairman
of the Committees on Initiation and Organization. A university funeral
was held with considerable Fraternity participation when he became the
first Jewel to enter Omega Chapter in 1934 
George Biddle Kelley, born in 1884, became the first
African American engineer registered in the state of New York. He worked
many years for the New York State Barge Canal, and later went on to
being a very successful tax consultant. Not only was he the strongest proponent of the Fraternity idea among
the organization's founders, the civil engineering student also became
Alpha Chapter's first President. In addition, he served on committees
that worked out the handshake and ritual. Kelley was popular with the
Brotherhood. He resided in Troy, New York and was active with Beta Pi
Lambda Chapter in Albany. He passed on May 5, 1962. 
Robert Harold Ogle entered the career secretarial field
and had the unique privilege of serving as a professional staff member
to the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations. He was an African
American pioneer in his Capitol Hill position. He proposed the Fraternity's
colors and was Alpha Chapter's first secretary. Ogle joined Kelley in
working out the first ritual and later became a charter member of Washington,
DC's Mu Lambda Chapter. He died on December 3, 1936. 
Vertner Woodson Tandy was born on May 17, 1885. In 1904 he attended
Tuskegee Institute, transferring the next year to Cornell. Upon graduation,
he became the state of New York's first Black registered architect,
with offices on Broadway in New York City. The designer of the Fraternity
pin also holds the distinction of being the first African American to
pass the military commissioning examination and was commissioned First
Lieutenant in the 15th Infantry of the New York State National Guard
during the First World War. He was Alpha Chapter's first treasurer and
took the initiative to incorporate the Fraternity. Among the buildings
designed by the highly talented architect is Saint Phillips Episcopal
Church in New York City. He died on November 7, 1949. 
