In the months just prior to an Act of Incorporation by the Brookeville Schoolhouse, President Madison sought refuge on the night of August 26, 1814 in Brookeville after the Battle of Bladensburg.(4) Thus, Brookeville became known as the nation's capital for a day. The Trustees of the Brookeville Schoolhouse incorporated the Brookeville Academy on January 2, 1815, and stipulated that any profits or income derived from the school be applied for use and advancement of the Academy and that the Trustees report on the state of the academy to the General Assembly of Maryland.(5) John H. Riggs, Justice of the Peace, certified the first Trustees which included Thomas Davis, John H. Riggs, Caleb Bentley, William H. Dorsey, Ignatius Waters, Thomas Riggs and David Newlin.

Through the 1810s and 1820s, the Trustees attended to the regular business of the Academy-conducting quarterly meetings; reporting annually to the Legislature on the state of the academy; examining the male and female departments of the school; and as in 1828, meeting to discuss "the ruinous state the Academy is in for want of repairs."( 6) During these years, William H. Dorsey died (1818) and David Newlin (1820), Jesse Wilcoxen (1821), Dr. Henry Howard (1823), and Thomas L. Reese (1823) resigned. Jesse Wilcoxen (1818), Dr. Henry Howard (1821), James Holland (1821), Ephraim Gaither (1823) and Remus Riggs (1823) were elected to fill the vacancies.

Likewise among the teachers there was a large turnover, Robert Stewart resigned in 1817 after eight years of service to the school as tutor; George Marvin resigned (1818); and Reverend T.J. Harrison was employed in 1818 only to resign later in 1819 after the Board expressed regrets that they could not provide him with a house. Donald Fisher commenced teaching in 1819. Miss Heston directed a female department as early as 1820 through 1825. Samuel A. Bumstead commenced teaching in 1821, but resigned at the end of 1822. James Cahill followed as instructor (1823)-then Moses Woodard (1827), Thomas Haggerty (1829) and George T. Bigelow (1829). Even though there was considerable turnover in both Trustees and teachers, the Board of Trustees for the Brookeville Academy managed to make amendments to the Fundamental Rules of the Academy in 1822.

4 "The Town of Brookeville" Montgomery County Story, Vol. XI, No. 4, August 1968, p. 1.

5 "An Act for Incorporating the Brookeville Academy in Montgomery County, Maryland," Maryland General Assembly, 1815, Chapter 12.

6 "Board Meeting dated November 29, 1828," Brookeville Academy Minute Books, 2 Vols., 1822-1934, MS. 149, Manuscripts Division, Maryland Historical Society Library.