History of Emory at Oxford College

Emory College was chartered in 1834 when the Georgia Methodist Conference accepted the report of Ignatius A. Few proposed a manual labor school that would also provide literary instruction. The Manual Labor School was founded in Newton County, with Alexander Means as Superintendent. Emory College was founded in 1836 and named in honor of Bishop John Emory (died 1835). Ignatius A. Few, President, Judge A. B. Longstreet, Bishop George Stiles Hopkins, Bishop Warren A. Candler, Foster Pierce, Alexander Means, Bishop Atticus G. Haygood. In 1837, while the Conference purchased 1,452 acres to include use by their Manual Labor School, 330 acres were set aside to establish a college town, which would be called Oxford, Georgia. This made Oxford the first collegiate community of its kind in the history of American Methodism. The town was designed by Edward Lloyd Thomas, a Methodist pastor, and all the streets were named for notable Methodists. Bishop James O. Andrew became a lifelong resident of the town.

In 1880, the well-known abolitionist, Bishop Atticus Haygood became president of Emory College.

In 1919 Emory College moved to Atlanta, to establish a college of Arts and Sciences. Oxford College, chartered in 1929, was called "Emory-at-Oxford, " and still functions as Oxford College of Emory University,