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Friends' Association of Philadelphia for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen, Annual Reports
Report of the Executive Board of Friends' Association for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen, Read at the Meeting of the Association
Yearly reports printed for annual meeting of the association. Largely consist of narrative accounts of the freedmen's progress, drawn from letters sent by teachers who operated colored schools under the care of the association. Most years, a list of the society's officers, the treasurer's report, accounts of donations received in cash and goods, and an overview of distributions made were also included.
1864 - 1871
192 p. ; 22 cm.
reformatted digital
SG 3
Friends Freedmen's Association Records--http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/4024frfr
The Women's Association of Philadelphia for the Relief of the Freedmen was founded in 1862 to provide charitable assistance to recently freed slaves. Many Quakers were involved in this organization, but it was not until the following year that a similar group that was officially affiliated with the Society of Friends emerged. The Friends Association of Philadelphia and its Vicinity for the Relief of Colored Freedmen, was founded by Orthodox Quaker men in 1863. Soon after, in 1864, an equivalent group was established by Hicksite Quakers of both sexes: the Friends' Association for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen (amended to the more precise "Friends' Association of Philadelphia for the Aid and Elevation of the Freedmen"), which incorporated the Women's Association in 1865. It is unclear when this association closed, but it was in existence at least as late as 1872. Its Orthodox counterpart, renamed Friends' Freedmen's Association circa 1873, continued to operate in various capacities--most recently as a scholarship fund--until it was dissolved in 1982.
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father to help and encourage me, I am afraid I would almost
give it up.
““Mrs. Gould has sold her farm, and is going north Christ-
- mas; she sends her regards. The box arrived in safety, and
there could not have been a prettier present sent to myself. I
receive the papers, and derive much pleasure in reading them.”
From our friend Jos. M. Wood, to whom we are much indebt-
ed for oversight of our schools :
‘Woodlawn, 12th mo. 26, 1868.
“On last evening we distributed the Christmas presents sent
by you to the school at this place. The teacher, Sallie E. Lloyd,
was not able to be in attendance, she being confined to her room
with the measels, caught in her school. But my wife and self
acted as masters of ceremonies, and handed out the presents tg
the scholars and to some others, as we thought best. There are
more people living in this neighborhood than at Gum Springs.
At both places we had a general turn-out, both old and young ;
the houses were filled (especially here) to overflowing, and the
interest manifested by all was encouraging. ‘The ceremonies
consisted in reading select pieces from the Band of Hope Review,
Independent, Whittier’s Poems, and some other papers. Appro-
priate remarks were made and anecdotes related by an interested
person present. Christmas trees were finely decorated at both
places with: the presents sent by you. After the things were
distributed, an invitation was given to those present to express
their feelings on the occasion; whereupon an old woman from
the Mount Vernon Estate arose and expressed her thanks to the
Lord for his blessings, and also to the ‘people of the north,’ ‘a
thousand times,’ for the presents and teachers sent ‘down here
for their benefit. Several others followed in remarks to the
same effect, and none were more pleased than were the teachers
in being able to fill their little hearts with gladness once more;
and the same feeling of thankfulness was exhibited by the child-
ren as at Gum Spring; and at the close, a vote of thanks was
passed to you in Philadelphia. One little incident: as I un-
rolled a parcel of papers, among other things came out three
likenesses of Lincoln and one of Grant. Iheld them up; a
dozen voices asked for them; each seemed to have as good a
right as the other. I asked what should be done with them.
‘Put them up to the highest bidder,’ was the unanimous re-
sponse; and after talking the matter over some of them offered
25 cents for two of Lincoln’s pictures, and got them; but Grant
fared differently ; a quite lively scene was presented, and $1.05
was bid by a colored man that had been a soldier under him.
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Friends Freedmen's Association Records --http://archives.tricolib.brynmawr.edu/resources/4024frfr