sympathizers. Thomas Coombe, Jr., who had been a valedictorian, fled to England once the British army arrived in the colonies. When the revolutionary government of Pennsylvania regained control of the city of Philadelphia after the British occupation of 1777–78, it rechartered the institution as the "University of the State of Pennsylvania", appointed new trustees, and dismissed Smith as provost. Following repeated lawsuits by Smith and the original trustees, the state restored the college's charter in 1789, but the university continued to operate on the original campus. The two competing institutions merged in 1791, forming the University of Pennsylvania. References External links https://web.archive.org/web/20060428155156/http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/features/1700s/penn1700s.html Educational institutions established in 1749 History of Philadelphia University of Pennsylvania 1749 establishments in Pennsylvania