Clemson celebrates birthday of Anna Calhoun Clemson

Published: February 12, 2013

CLEMSON — Most Clemson University students and alumni are familiar with the name Thomas Green Clemson, the man who bequeathed his land to the state of South Carolina to establish an agricultural college. But behind every great man there is a great woman, so the saying goes, and the great woman in Thomas Green Clemson’s life was his wife, Anna Calhoun Clemson.

Clemson University and the Women’s Alumni Council will celebrate Anna’s 196^th birthday Wednesday, Feb. 13. Re-enactors portraying Thomas Green and Anna Calhoun Clemson will be near Fort Hill, the couple’s historic home that sits in the heart of campus, handing out candy to celebrate from noon to 2 p.m. Passersby can write happy birthday messages to Anna and pick up information about her and her important role in founding the university.

“Anna originally solicited the state to seek out support for an institution of higher learning. She was the original ‘determined spirit,’” said Heather Byrd of Charleston, Women’s Alumni Council past president. “Her husband continued on with her vision and wishes to create Clemson University. Together their spirit and legacy lies in each of us, as alumni, faculty, students and staff.” 

The daughter of former senator and U.S. Vice President John C. Calhoun, Anna married Thomas on her father’s land at Fort Hill in 1838. A well-educated woman, she shared her husband’s vision of economic progress through scientific education, often using her influence and her family’s contacts to lobby legislators. Anna and Thomas inherited Calhoun’s land, which they later left to the state to establish a college.

The Women’s Alumni Council named its scholarship endowment the Anna Maria Calhoun Clemson Unrestricted Scholarship as a way to support students and raise awareness of Anna’s contributions to the founding of the university. The council hopes one day to create a physical memorial to Anna with the help of the Class of 2013 Senior Class Project.

“We felt it important to honor Anna,” said Byrd. “She’s the mother of what we now know as Clemson University; she’s our alma mater, which is defined in Latin as ‘nourishing mother.’ Without her, Clemson University wouldn’t exist.” 

To make a donation to the scholarship fund, go to https://cualumni.clemson.edu/herlandhisplan or call 864-656-5896. Gifts should be designated for the “Her Land: His Plan” project.

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