Name/Title
Book, AccountEntry/Object ID
2017.9.1R1Description
Account book of the School for Colored Soldiers' Orphans, 1868. Bound with thin leather covers, stitched binding. "No. 12" is written on the front cover. 40 lined, unpaginated pages, three of which have been torn out. Dimensions: 4 x 6.5". Includes handwritten names of donors and amounts which they have donated towards the purchase of a house and lot for the organization. Glued onto first page is a typed request for funding, with the following content:
"Philadelphia, Feb. 11, 1868.
The 'Colored Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans Committee' have had printed and widely distributed, a Circular explaining the necessity of purchasing a house and lot of ground for the use of these Orphans, who will then be cared for and educated in the manner provided by the State Legislature.
The sum of $10,000 in cash is required for this purpose, and subscriptions are now asked upon the following conditions:
Subscriptions will be due and payable to the Treasurer of the 'Colored Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans Committee' so soon as the whole sum specified shall be pledged.
The choice and purchase of a suitable property will be made by the 'Colored Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans Committee.'
The title to the property purchased by the said Committee will be conveyed to three trustees, to be appointed by the subscribers to the said fund.
The trustees will let the property to a school superintendent, appointed by the State Superintendent of Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans Schools, and by the said Committee, for such annual sum of money as the Committee may approve, and the money so received will be divided annually among the subscribers, after payment of taxes and other necessary expenses.
It is anticipated that after the expiration of about eight years from this date, the work undertaken by the State of educating Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans will terminate. Whenever this shall occur, and the property be no longer required for the use of such Orphans, it will become the duty of the trustees to sell the premises at public or private sale, and to divide the proceeds pro rata among the subscribers.
The Treasurer of the Committee is BENJAMIN P. HUNT."
The list of the Committee then follows, and includes Edward S. Buckley, E. W. Clark, Joseph G. Rosengarten, James A. Wright, Philip P. Randolph, William Still, and Benjamin P. Hunt.
On the following pages are lists of donors/ pledges, some written in ink and others in pencil, written in order of the amounts donated.
Those donating $500 include William W. Justice, Hames A. Wright, William Sellers and Co., Merrick and Sons.
Those donating $420 include "Miss Jackson's list."
Those donating $300 include M. Baird and Co.
Those donating $250 include E. W. Clark and Co., A. Whitney, and Evan Randolph.
Those donating $200 include Matthews and Moore, Thomas Sparks, and B. H. Bartol.
Those donating $100 include H. Duhring, W. H. Newbold, [Henderson?], John/ Jonathan Jordan, Charles E. Smith, Samuel I. Reeves, Elizabeth Rhoades, Atherton Blight, [Davis?] McKean and Co., Frederick Collins, [Benjamin Bullock Jno.?], Field and Kech...?, Joseph Lauren, Hoopes [Hoops?] and Townsend, Edward S. Buckley, Steel and Worth J. M. B. Co., Mrs. E. W. Clark, Evan Rogers, Dr. Rhea Barton, Enoch Lown, J. W. Price, A. Campbell, Henry M. Laing, William Still.
Those donating $50 include Cabeen and Co., Joseph Patterson, T. A. Biddle, Lawrence Lewis, James Rowland and Co., Dr. Samuel Lewis, W. G. Thomas, T. Griffiths, W. P. [Lentz?], Henry Jones, Richard Richardson, [illegible] B. Rogers, P. P. Randolph.
This is followed by three blank pages, presumably left open to accommodate additional $50 donations.
Those donating $25 include R. McMurtrie, Aubrey H. Smith, S. Robbins, and Charles Wise. Three cash donations of $25 were also given.
This is followed by five blank pages, and three additional pages which have been torn out.
A page with notes in pencil then follows, with what appears to be property information and lot dimensions, presumably for the property purchased by the organization. It is noted as being located 205 feet 11 1/2 inches north of [Cheltenham?]. The lot measured 22 x 109', and was purchased by John Donnelly. The attorney listed was H. E. Wallace, with the attorney's office located at 6th Street below Sansom. The property apparently sold at Sheriff's sale, and the deeds were apparently searched for by John C. Alhle. The back of this page is unused, as is the front of the following page.
The back of the page mentioned above lists donations of $20. Donors include Hoffman and Kennedy, [illegible], Al. Caldwell and Co., Charles H. Gumery [this might also be spelled "Gummere"], Conrad Gr...," W. G. Warden, Elias Kennedy, and W. W. Steel [or Still]. Some of the names are written ink, superimposed on names written in pencil. It is unclear as to whether the names written in ink are the same as the names written in pencil beneath them.
The front of the next page has been left blank. On the back of this page, "Cash Donations to the Colored Soldiers + Sailors Orphans Home" is written in ink. However, house and lot dimensions are drawn in pencil beneath this, and on the following page. The house is shown as being adjacent to Gothier Street, with a sketch of what appears to be the facades of four rowhouses drawn on the following page.
The back of this page has miscellaneous donations listed, including those of H. Coulter, Levi Cromwell, and Elison [?] Roberts.
On the following pages, a few notes are listed, in pencil: irons for windows, Building back 2 feet, Cellar Doors. Chimneys.
On the back of the preceding page, a few more donors are listed, including [illegible] Welsh, John Welsh, [illegible], W. P. McKean, Evan Randolph, A. Campbell, and M. L. Lawson. Beneath this, "Greenleaf," "decimals," and "cubit root" etc. are written.
A loose page is inserted into the book. This has a list of additional donors, including Massey [Hustrinko?], M. Adamson, Charles Knecht, James Steel and Co., Charles Sharpless, Owen Hughes, S. S. White, Stephen Smith, Henry Winton, W. Kirby, Richard D. Wood, with a few illegible notes beneath it. A few additional illegible notes are written inside the back cover.Collection
Pamphlet Box Collection