History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 144

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992

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Emigrant Society .- About the year 1793-94, there was established among citizens, mostly of foreign birth, The Philadelphia Society for the Information and Assistance of Emigrants and Persons Emigrating from Foreign Countries. A fund was established, which became of some importance through generons donations. The officers were : President, John Swan- wick ; Vice-President, Thomas Newnham ; Treasurer, Napthali Phillips; Physician, Dr. A. Blaney; Register, Henry A. Heins; Councilors, Thomas W. Tallman and Walter Franklin. The Conference Committee consisted of those officers, with William Young Birch, Thomas Williams, William Oliver, Charles Kenny, James Fuze, Philip Jones, Jr., John Cumming, and Bartholomew Connoly. This society was in existence a few years, but ceased its functions before 1800.

The Philadelphia Irish Emigrant Society was formed about 1816. In the succeeding year the fol- lowing officers were elected on the 22d of December: President, Gen. John Steel ; Vice-President, William Taggert ; Recording Secretary, M. Williamson ; Cor- responding Secretary, William J. Dnane; Treasurer, Silas E. Weir; Managers, Robert Patterson, William Duane, Rev. George C. Potts, John Horner, W. Cal- houn, Mathew Carey, James Stewart, Alexander Cook, and Edward Fox. The most of these probably all had been members of the Hibernian Society, and it is likely continued their membership therein.

In later years other societies for the assistance of

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emigrants were formed among foreigners, the latest of which were the Swiss Benevolent Society, founded in 1860, and chartered Dec. 4, 1865, and the Italian Society, instituted about 1875-76.

The Carpenters' Company .- Associations for the benefit of workers at particular trades have been in- numerable. The oldest is the Carpenters' Company, established in 1724, which united in 1752 with another Carpenters' Company, and in 1763 resolved to erect a hall of its own. The project was delayed until 1768, when the company bought a lot on the south side of Chestnut Street, below Fourth, sixty-six feet front and one hundred and fifty-five feet deep, on the rear end of which the venerable building so connected in its uses with the history of the country was erected and finished, and occupied on the 21st of January, 1771. Its occupation as the first place of meeting of the Continental Congress, in 1774, is well known. It was used also by the Provincial Committee, July 18, , 1774; and in 1775 by the Provincial Convention of Pennsylvania.

The Society for the Relief of Poor and Dis- tressed Masters of Ships, their Widows and Chil- dren, was instituted July 4, 1765, as the "Captains of Ships' Charitable Club," and incorporated Feb. 4, 1770, by the title first mentioned. It was partly mu- tual, but had an established fund for charity. The charter was amended by the General Assembly, March 4, 1780.

The Stone-Cutters' Company was formed in 1790, somewhat on the plan of the Carpenters' Society. In a few years the objects were enlarged to embrace " the relief of poor stone-cutters, their widows and chil- dren."

The Mutual Assistance Society of Hair-Dress- ers, Surgeon Barbers, etc., was established in 1796. It was beneficial principally, but some provision was made for the relief of widows of members.

The Society for the Benefit of Decayed Pilots, their Widows and Children, was formed in 1788, and chartered in 1789.

The Bricklayers' Company, incorporated on the 11th of March, 1799, was a trade society which gave some attention to charity, to the widows and children of their members.

The Female Society for the Relief of the Dis- tressed .- The first society for temporary assistance of the distressed was formed in 1793, after the cessa- tion of the yellow fever, through the exertions of Ann Parrish, a member of the Society of Friends, and among women of that denomination only. They found room for their benevolence in the condition of many families which had been visited by the dis- ease and lost parents or children, and particularly in the condition of the latter, many of whom were with- out friends. The first meeting was held at the house of Isaac Parrish, southeast corner of Second Street and Pewterplatter Alley. The following were the original members : Ann Parrish, Catharine W. Morris,

Eliza Marshall, Mary Paul, Elizabeth Howell, Han- nah Elliott, Rebecca Gray, Anne Pancoast, Patience Marshall, Jr., Sarah Parrish, Jr., Hannah Hopkins, Jr., Hannah Lewis, Jr., Sarah Bacon, Anna L. Fisher, Deborah Parrish, Susannah Shoemaker, Rachel Lewis, Elizabeth Bacon, Sarah Marshall, Jr., Mary Fields, Mary Wheeler, Jane Hough, and Anne Shoemaker. Ann Parrish was clerk, and Catharine W. Morris treasurer. The society met in a room at the house of Rose Lowry, in Pewterplatter Alley. It was formed in November, 1795, and was called "The Female So- ciety for the Relief of the Distressed." Wood was distributed in the same winter to the poor and assist- ance given to the sick. In 1798 it was determined to establish a house of industry, at which work should be prepared for the employment of the poor and wages paid them for their labor. "The house desig- nated for spinners" was situate on the west side of Mickle's Court, which ran south from the south side of Arch Street, west of Second, originally built, it is believed, by William Chancellor, sailmaker, for his shop; it was afterwards used as a coach-house by Samuel Mickle and his son-in-law, Joseph Fox. Here the house for spinners was in operation for some years. In 1816 the society, which was then incorporated as " The Female Society of Philadelphia for the Relief and Employment of the Poor," removed the house of industry to a building in Ranstead's Court, running west from Fourth Street, above Chestnut. Here the house of industry was maintained for thirty years. In 1846 the property at No. 112 North Seventh Street, above Arch, was purchased, and has been occupied in the quiet charity of the association ever since.

The Female Association .- In 1800 a number of benevolent ladies associated themselves for the pur- pose of relief of women and children in reduced cir- cumstances. They prepared a room at No. 28 Chest- nut Street, where they received and disposed of to poor people clothing, groceries, and supplies, com- mencing with a donation of five hundred dollars, a portion of the money collected for the relief of the sufferers by the yellow fever in Baltimore, but not used for that purpose. This society was called "The Female Association." It opened the first soup-house established in the city, in the year 1803, at the corner of Sixth and Cherry Streets. In 1810 the president of the society was Mrs. Stocker; Treasurer, Mrs. Hodge ; Secretary, Miss Gratz.

The Female Hospitable Society was established in 1808. The object was to furnish employment for women. The workshop and wareroom was at No. 2 Appletree Alley. Spinning of flax was the first work done. Subsequently it was changed to the making up of garments. The women who were employed came to the workshop. Finally the plan was changed, and the work was given out to the women to be made up at their own homes. A store, in addition to the ware- room in Appletree Alley, was established at No. 54 North Fourth Street, where they sold sewing-thread

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spun in the establishment, with sheets, towels, table- linen, etc., prepared by the beneficiaries. In 1813, Mrs. Snyder, who resided at 35] High Street, was president ; Mrs. Van Pelt, treasurer ; and Mrs. Eliza Norman, secretary.

The Society for the Relief of the Children of the Poor, by furnishing them Fresh Air, established about 1816, was the first association of that kind in the United States. The special purpose was to for- nish in summer to infants the benefit of country air. The members were successful in obtaining the use of the City Hospital, on the south side of Coates Street, between Schuylkill Third and Fourth (Nineteenth and Twentieth). It was finely situated, with extensive gardens and grounds which ran southward nearly to Green Street. This institution was in operation some three or four years. It was the predecessor of the society which established summer excursions about 1870 and after, and of "The Country Week," a modern and most useful institution, the work of which has been well discharged ; also of the Sanitarium at Point Airy, in the lower part of Windmill Island.

The Philadelphia Society for Relieving the Mis- eries of Indigent Persons was in existence in 1813, when John Brown was president ; Nathan Fry, vice- president; George Willard, secretary ; and Jacob Mayland, treasurer.

but he was frequently seen in districts remote from the rooms of the Provident Society, ringing his bell and making his proclamations, and sometimes lead- ing to their parents the children who had been lost. This practice prevailed until the consolidation of the city and districts in 1854, when the establishment of police station-houses in the built-np portions of the town, with the convenience of the police and fire-alarm telegraph, by which there was communication between all the station-honses, rendered the old system un- necessary. After business invaded Sonth Alley, the Provident Society sought other quarters. It was established in Prune Street, below Sixth, in 1859.

The Spring Garden Association, for charitable purposes, met in 1819 at the public school-house and town hall, at the northeast corner of Eighth and Buttonwood Streets. The president was William Al- burger; Vice-President, William Warner; Secretary, David J. Sneathen.

The Western Charitable Society was in opera- tion in 1818.

The Western Temporary Home was, as a shelter for grown persons too weak to go to work yet dis- charged from hospitals or otherwise, but unable to labor, at Market Street, below Fortieth, in 1875. On October 5th, of the same year, the home was removed to No. 47 North Thirty-eighth Street. On Jan. 3, 1876, a building was secured on Fortieth Street, above Market, which was opened as the Western Temporary Home. Under the rules, each inmate was allowed to spend only ten days in the home, and required in the mean time to make efforts to obtain work. In case of sickness, indulgence is allowed to relax the regu- lation.

The Provident Society, established in February, 1824, was to enable persons in indigent circumstances to support themselves by their own industry. In the first year of its existence it gave employment to fourteen hundred persons, most of whom did the work at their own houses. "The House of Industry" was established on Market Street, west of Centre Square. One of the rooms was fitted up to teach The Howard Institution, under the care of an association of women Friends, incorporated Sept. 20, 1858, "for furnishing shelter, food, and clothing to poor outcast women," was in operation in 1876, at No. 1612 Poplar Street, and had at that time an average of more than forty inmates. Its peculiar object was to furnish discharged female prisoners re- leased from the jail or penitentiary with a place to stop at upon their release from confinement until they The women Friends who were associated with this society had been in the habit of visiting the prisons since 1830, and gave as their testimony, "as of fre- quent occurrence, that female prisoners give satisfac- tory evidence of repentance, and of earnest desires to reform and regain their lost characters; yet when discharged from prison, for want of employment, they are often reduced to great distress and subjected to sore temptations. the art of weaving straw hats and bonnets to chil- dren, they also being instructed in reading and writing. In 1825 the wareroom was removed to No. 3 Sonth Alley (now Commerce Street), between Fifth and Sixth Streets. Work was given out here, and the society incidentally added to its duties a new benevolent object. This was the receiving and sheltering of lost children until their parents or friends could be apprised of their place of refuge i can find some employment or return to their homes. and take them away. This was a most important and useful kindness. Before that time the only means of recovering lost children was by means of the public bell-man, who went through the streets ringing his bell and making proclamation at the cor- ners of the name of the child lost, with his age, de- scription of his clothing, the names and residence of his parents, and other particulars. After this, it being publicly known that the rooms of the Provi- dent Society were open for the reception of lost chil- The Midnight Mission (No. 919 Locust Street) was incorporated Feb. 15, 1871, and has for its object the rescue and salvation of fallen women through the ageney of meetings, suitable homes, and industrial pursuits. dren, they were frequently brought there by citizens who found them wandering in the streets. Parents and friends also went there to inquire for and recover the little strays. This establishment broke up sub- stantially the business of the town-crier and bell-man, Officers .- President, Rev. Samuel E. Appleton, D.D .; Secretary, Rev.

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B. H. Letrobe; Treasurer, John McCardle; Managere, Rev. George Bringhurst, Rev. Samnel E. Appleton, D.D., Rev. Bishop Simpson, D.D., Rev. B. H. Latrobe, Rev. T. L. Franklin, D.D., Howard Edwards, Mrs. Franklin Bacon, Mrs. S. M. Lyttle, Mrs. R. G. Stotesbury, Mrs Mary Adams, William Bucknell, W. A. Farr. John McCordle, De F. Willard, M.D., R. G. Curtio, M.D., John T. M. Cardeza, M.D., W. Curtis Taylor, Mrs. B. H. Cardeza, Mrs. F. Hoskins, Mrs. L. C. Wilmarth, Mrs. Mc- Ilveine, Mrs. John M. Marie.

The Northern Association of the city and county of Philadelphia, for the relief and employment of poor women, was organized in October, 1844, and in- corporated June 2, 1856. This is an industrial soci- ety, by which the aged and infirm, without regard to religious persuasion, are furnished with sewing, and paid therefor. There is a work room at No. 702 Green Street, or women may take ont work and make it up at their own homes. The articles prepared are mostly of clothing, and these, when made up, are ; that could be devised to reduce temptation and incite sold to charitable institutions at low rates, so that the to industry and honesty. institution is a double benefit.

The Union Benevolent Association was organ- ized in October, 1831, and incorporated March 28, 1837. The main object is to assist the deserving poor to help themselves, and to reform as well as to alle- viate by visiting, counseling, and affording such sym- pathy for body and mind as their cases require. The city is divided for the accomplishment of these ends into districts, and each district into sections. This machinery is managed by volunteer committees of from eight to one hundred females, who visit the poor, ascertain their wants, and give assistance when- ever it can be judiciously offered. The society, about 1850, purchased a lot of ground at the northwest corner of Seventh and Sansom Streets, upon which a large building was erected for the purposes of the charity, considerable revenue being derived from stores and offices below, and apartments in the upper stories. Since its organization members of the asso- ciation have visited 250,000 families in distress ; fur- nished material relief to 350,000 persons in need; judiciously distributed $1,000,000 in money and ma- terials; furnished to the worthy poor 50,000 tons of coal ; administered to 40,000 sick ; procured employ- ment to many thonsands unemployed; and given moral and religious instruction to 400,000 persons.

The ladies' branch of the association conducts a store at No. 202 South Eleventh Street, for the em- ployment of needy sewing women, where needle-work of all kinds is done cheaply, both in men's and women's wear.

Officers,-President, Hon. William A. Porter; Vice-Presidents, J. Fisher Leaming, Thomas Latimer; Treasurer, Louis C Madeira; Cor- responding Secretary, James Laws, M.D .; Recording Secretary. Joho H. Atwood ; Solicitor, John B. Gest ; Managers. J. Fisher Leaming, Thomae Latimer, William Purves, Joho H. Atwood, Richard Wood, Charles S. Wurts, M.D., E. R. Wood, John E. Graeff, Henry D. Sherrerd, John B. Gest, Albert F. Damon, Caleb J. Milne, Hon. William A. Porter, S. Weir Lewis, Alexander P. Colesherry, Louis C. Madeira, Nathaniel Burt, James Laws, M.D., Heory Bettle, Henry T. Coates, J. Ralston Grant, Alfred L. Clay, Frederick W. Morris, Horace W. Pitkin.

The Moyamensing House of Industry .- About 1847 was founded the Philadelphia Society for the

Employment and Instruction of the Poor, and it was incorporated the next year. Shortly afterward the association erected a large building on Catharine Street, above Seventh, which has since been known as the Moyamensing Ilouse of Industry. This insti- tution fills a comprehensive object. It is a dispensary for medical advice, medical attendance, and the free distribution of medicines. It is an industrial school for white and colored persons, with an average winter attendance of nearly two hundred. It disposes of clothing for the thinly-clad, prepares meals for the hungry, has lodgings for one hundred and fifty per- sons daily, has large conveniences for free bathing and for washing clothing. Placed in the midst of a population poor, thriftless, degraded, and frequently vicious, the objects to which it is devoted are the best

The Home Missionary Society was organized in 1835, and was incorporated in 1845, and in 1860 had its office at No. 841 East North Street. 1ts objects were the promotion of religion, temperance, industry, and the support of the poor, the latter being provided for by means of a poor-fund specially devoted to that use.

Officers,-President, Thomas L. Gillespie : Vice-Presidents, Samuel R. Shipley, Samuel G. Lewis; Recording Secretary, William M Capp; Corresponding Secretary, Joseph H. Schenck, M.D. ; Treasurer, William H. Lucas; Solicitor, William H. Sutton ; George Il. Stuart, Hoa, Wil- liam B. Hagoa, William H. Sutton, Samuel R. Shipley, Joseph A. Schenck, M.D., Edmund A. Crenshaw, William M Wilson, Henry E. Dwight, M.D., Henry M. Kimmey, Horatio G. Kern, Joseph Thompson, Samuel G. Lewis, Caleb J. Milve, William M. Holloway, M. D., William M. Shoemaker, Thomas L. Gillespie, Andrew II Miller, William Gula- ger, William M. Capp, William I1. Lucas, Solomon Smucker, Jr., John H. Watt, William Waterall, Eben C. Jayne, Levi D. Rrowo; General Agent and Collector, Emanuel H."Toland; Missionary, John Barry ; Visitor, J. W. Field.

Soup Societies .- Following the example of the Female Society in the establishment of a soup- house, the Philadelphia Soup Society was in oper- ation in 1818 at No. 30 Springett's Alley, running from Second to Third Street, south of Lombard Street, and the Northern Soup Society was in operation in the Northern Liberties. In 1876 there were ten soup societies in the city,-the Philadelphia, incorporated in 1841, and located at 338 Griscom Street; the Southwark, 1842, in Southerland Street, near Queen ; Spring Garden, 1852, 1329 Buttonwood Street ; North- ern, established 1817, and incorporated 1839, at No. 817 North Fourth Street; Northeastern, 2052 North Front Street; Northwestern, corner of Nineteenth and Thompson Streets; Kensington, 1853, No. 1936 Crease Street ; Central Soup- and Bath-House, 708 and 711 Cherry Street; Moyamensing, 1835, corner of Eighth and Marriott Streets; Western, No. 1615 South Street.

The Charitable School .- The first association which supported free schools was composed of the subscribers to the New Building erected in Fourth Street, below Arch, as a place where the Rev. John

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Whitefield could preach. It stood back from the street, and was subsequently known as the Academy, and was occupied by the College of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania. From the beginning it was intended that this house should be occupied for public worship and the use of a char- itable school. The ground was purchased from Jona- than Price and wife by deed Sept. 15, 1740, which was made to Edmund Woolley (carpenter), John Coates (brick-maker), John Howell (mariner), and William Price (carpenter), subject to a quit-rent and yearly ground-rent of fifteen dollars. In less than a month afterward the grantees conveyed the lot to George Whitefield, of the province of Georgia, clerk, Wil- liam Seward, of London, in the kingdom of Great Britain, John Stephen Benezet, of the city of Phila- delphia, merchant, Thomas Noval, of the city of New York, merchant, Samuel Hazard, of the city of New York, merchant, Robert Eastburn, of Philadelphia, blacksmith, James Read, of Philadelphia, gentleman, Edward Evans, of Philadelphia, cordwainer, and Charles Brockden, of Philadelphia, gentleman.1

The deed recited that a considerable number of persons of different denominations in religion had united their endeavors to erect a large building upon the lot in the deed described, intending that the same should be appointed to the use of a charity school for the instruction of poor children gratis in useful litera- Although the establishment of a charity school was the principal object in the erection of the new building, the trustees took no care to carry out that intention. The project rested for some years, until, in 1749, Benjamin Franklin wrote, printed, and distributed a pamphlet entitled, "Proposals Relating to the Edu- cation of Youth in Pennsylvania," and set about obtaining a subscription, the amounts to be paid in yearly quotas during five years. He was so successful that five thousand pounds were subscribed. This was independent of the charity school intended to be pro- vided in the new building. A house was therefore obtained and hired, where the school was opened in 1749-50. The pupils soon became numerous, and a larger building was necessary. While looking round for a lot, Franklin was elected a trustee of the New Building, in the place of a Moravian trustee, who was dead. Franklin at once saw the opportunity for ture and in the Christian religion; and also that the same should be used as a house of public worship, and that it was agreed that the use of the said build- ing should be under the direction of certain trus- tees, viz., the persons above named, Whitefield and others, with power to appoint new trustees, etc., also with power " to appoint fit and able schoolmasters and schoolmistresses for the service of the said school, and to introduce such Protestant ministers to preach the gospel in the said house as they should judge sound in their principles, zealous and faithful in the discharge of their duty, and acquainted with the re- ligion of the heart and experimental piety, without any regard to those distinctions or different sentiments in lesser matters which have been to the scandal of religion, unhappily dividing real Christians." The building was one hundred feet long and seventy feet broad. The front, occupying the entire eastern side, . the academy which he had founded. The trustees of was broken in the centre, where the door was placed, hy a sort of porch supported by pillars to the second story, upon which there was a balustrade and gallery with plain pilasters in the rear supporting a pedi- ment. This small gallery might have been intended as a place from which to preach or address persons assembled in the yard, which extended out to Fourth Street some forty or fifty feet. It is not known whether it was ever used for such purpose. The building was crowned by a small square cupola and spire on the south end. The south end showed four

round-headed windows in the first and in the second story. There were three round-headed windows for each story of the northern portion. The building was rough-cast, and was quaint and peculiar in ap- pearance. Here Whitefield preached in November, 1740, before there was a roof on the structure, sixteen times. He also preached there in 1745 and 1746. Meanwhile a religious congregation had been wor- shiping in the building. They were the New Lights, seceders from the First Presbyterian Church, under the leadership of Rev. Gilbert Tennent and William ! Tennent, who followed the style of Whitefield in their preaching. These persons withdrew from the Pres- byterian congregation, and went to the New Building, worshiping under the ministrations of Rev. Samuel Finley and Rev. Gilbert Tennent. This congregation, in 1743, offered George Whitefield eight hundred pounds if he would remain with them six months and preach. He refused the offer. The congrega- tion then became the Second Presbyterian Church, and not being in favor with the Presbytery of Phila- delphia, they connected themselves with the Pres- bytery of Londonderry and New Brunswick. The Second Church remained in this building until the end of May, 1752, when they removed to their new meeting-house at the northwest corner of Third and Arch Streets.

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History of Philadelphia, 1609-1884, Part 144

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 992

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn; Westcott, Thompson, 1820-1888, joint author
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : L. H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 992