An Appeal
January 25, 1908
Summary
A woman requests an appeal to the colored churches of Richmond to support the continuation and improvement of the Orphan Asylum.
Transcription
A the close of the Civil War there were many colored children left destitute, some having been sold from their parents and others whose parents were dead. Mr. John Bacon Crenshaw seeing their condition appealed to the city to give the ground for an Orphan Asylum and then appealed to the Friends’ of Quakers for aid in erecting a suitable building. Friends made liberal contributions and soon a $6000 building was erected and equipped and the orphans received.
A northern lady was employed as Matron and another as teacher. This was in 1868. This Asylum was under the case of Richmond Friends Meeting until July 3, 1871, when it was formally presented to the colored people of Richmond and Manchester and while Mr. John Bacon Crenshaw was re-elected president of the Board of Directors, John Adams was elected Treasurer and William Woolfolk Secretary. Cora Gray, a consecrated Christian colored woman, was elected matron. There was a Board of Trustees appointed composed of one or more representatives from the different colored churches who took charge of the property.
As soon as the colored people felt able to assume the entire responsibility, Mr. Crenshaw withdrew from an active part in the management but ever retained a deep interest in the institution and was always ready to advise or assist whenever needed.
I have written the above article because I find talking with the colored people that many living right in our midst know little or nothing about this Orphan Asylum and I think it would be well to make an appeal to every colored church in this city to add in the maintenance of this institution and in making some needed repairs to the building. There are no denominational lines. It make no difference whether you are Baptist, Methodist, or Episcopalian the Institution was given to the colored people of Richmond and Manchester and each church should feel they have a duty to perform in helping these orphans.
Respectfully,
Margaret E. Crenshaw
A northern lady was employed as Matron and another as teacher. This was in 1868. This Asylum was under the case of Richmond Friends Meeting until July 3, 1871, when it was formally presented to the colored people of Richmond and Manchester and while Mr. John Bacon Crenshaw was re-elected president of the Board of Directors, John Adams was elected Treasurer and William Woolfolk Secretary. Cora Gray, a consecrated Christian colored woman, was elected matron. There was a Board of Trustees appointed composed of one or more representatives from the different colored churches who took charge of the property.
As soon as the colored people felt able to assume the entire responsibility, Mr. Crenshaw withdrew from an active part in the management but ever retained a deep interest in the institution and was always ready to advise or assist whenever needed.
I have written the above article because I find talking with the colored people that many living right in our midst know little or nothing about this Orphan Asylum and I think it would be well to make an appeal to every colored church in this city to add in the maintenance of this institution and in making some needed repairs to the building. There are no denominational lines. It make no difference whether you are Baptist, Methodist, or Episcopalian the Institution was given to the colored people of Richmond and Manchester and each church should feel they have a duty to perform in helping these orphans.
Respectfully,
Margaret E. Crenshaw
About this article
Source
Location on Page
Upper Right Quadrant
Contributed By
Emma Alvarez
Citation
“An Appeal,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed October 9, 2026, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/119.