Peter W. Rousse

Peter W. Rousse, Delta, 1850, Phi Alpha 1852-1854

Peter W. Rousse, Delta, 1850, was an accomplished attorney and
newspaper editor. After graduating from Yale Law School, he pursued additional legal
studies at Harvard University, and was admitted to the Bar of New York in 1854.

After practicing law in Buffalo and New York City, Brother Rousse left the legal
profession to accept the editorship of the Newark (NJ) Daily Advertiser in 1869. He
then became editor of the Newark Register for a short time and from 1873 until his
death in 1887, he was the editor of the Elizabeth (NJ) Daily Journal.

Brother Rousse was inspirational in the chartering of the Sigma (first named Alpha of
Pennsylvania) chapter at the University of Pennsylvania. Brother J.B.Y. Somers and
Brother Rousse installed the first six initiates of the Sigma in August 1850 in New
Brunswick, NJ. While at Harvard, Brother Rousse also led the establishment of the Rho
chapter at Harvard and Epsilon chapter at Brown University in 1852.

At the close of its first five years, Zeta Psi had nine chapters on the East Coast.
According to The History of Zeta Psi (1932), along with Brothers Somers and Woodhull,
the chief credit belongs to Brother Rousse.