Phi Kappa Psi was founded on February 19th, 1852 by William Henry Letterman and Charles Page Thomas Moore at Jefferson College. The founders had previously helped to care for their fellow students who were stricken with a typhoid fever epidemic and decided to create a fraternity based on the great joy of serving others.

Moore soon left Jefferson College to begin founding other chapters, the first of which was Virginia Alpha in 1853. Phi Kappa Psi has since spread nationwide to include over 100 chapters.