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Emlen Institution for the Benefit of Children of African and Indian Descent records

Notifications

Held at: Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections [Contact Us]370 Lancaster Ave, Haverford, PA 19041

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
MC.999
Repository:
Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections
Extent:
1.25 linear ft. (3 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
Emlen Institution for the Benefit of Children of African and Indian Descent records (HC.MC.999) Quaker and Special Collections, Haverford College, Haverford, PA.
Date:
1765-1956 (inclusive) and 1838-1956 (bulk)
Creator:
Emlen Institution for the Benefit of Children of African and Indian Descent (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Form:
minutes (administrative records), receipts (financial records), and Business records
Abstract:
This collection includes various documents relating to the The Emlen Institution for the Benefit of Children of African and Indian descent, including business correspondence (chiefly on financial matters), treasurer's accounts and reports, receipts, bills, inventories, trustees minutes. Also a printed copy of will of Samuel Emlen and deed to land in Warminster, Bucks Co., 1765 (recorded 17[8]7).

The Emlen Institution for the Benefit of Children of African and Indian descent was the result of a bequest from Samuel Emlen, Jr., a Burlington, N.J. Friend who died in 1837. Emlen left money ($20,000) for the "education, maintenance and instruction in school learning and in agriculture and mechanical trades or arts, of free male orphan children of African or Indian descent..." Augustus Wattles and his wife, Susan Perley Wattles operated a manual labor school in Carthagena, Ohio for African Americans. They sold their property to Emlen's trustees in 1841 and continued as superintendents of the school. In 1857 the trustees sold the property in Ohio and chose another site which was closer (Solebury Twp., Bucks Co., Pa.). The soil proving poor, in 1873 the school was moved again, this time to Warminster Twp., Bucks Co.

Trustees of the Institute named at the first meeting in 1838 were Philip Physick, William Smith, Dr. H.L. Hodge, Daniel B. Smith, William White, Nathaniel Chauncey, Dr. Casper Morris and Dr. William Shippen.

[Note: The Emlen Institution was merged into the Fiduciary Corporation of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends, 12/31/1977 ­ actual effective date of merger 1/3/1978, according to a letter from Alan Reeve Hunt to Dorothy Hallowell in the papers of the Female Association of Philadelphia, Swarthmore College, Friends Historical Library .]

Includes business correspondence (chiefly on financial matters), treasurer's accounts and reports, receipts, bills, inventories, trustees minutes. Also a printed copy of will of Samuel Emlen and deed to land in Warminster, Bucks Co., 1765 (recorded 17[8]7).

Box and Folder Listing and More Information

Papers on the Emlen Institution are directly related to the Emlen Institution papers in the Edward Wanton Smith Collection (see Ms. Coll. 955; box 3, 45 items, ca. 1837­1848) of Haverford College.

People
Organization
Subject

Publisher
Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

Standard Federal Copyright Laws Apply (U.S. Title 17)

Collection Inventory

Deed and Extract of the will of Samuel E. Emlen, 1765.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

John Gilbert and wife to James Rankin, for 92 acres, 12 perches in Warminster, Bucks Co., 1765 (recorded 17[8]7) (draft of land on back of deed)

An extract from the will of Samuel Emlen, of Burlington, N.J., who died 12th month 29th, 1837, creating a trust for the benefit of Indigenous Americans and African Americans. Philadelphia, J. Richards, Printer, No. 130 N. Third St., 1839.

Ledger.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution ­ Treasurer's Account Book, 1/1/1912 to 12/31/1940

-treasurer's accounts kept by George Vaux, Jr. from 1912 to 1927; kept by A.G. Scattergood from 1928 to 1940 ­-a loose account "Investments Emlen Institution 1879" ­-small account book labeled "Emlen Institution Account Book ­ S.M. Bines, Treasurer" 1879­1883 (Samuel M. Bines)

Summary of Accounts, 1896, 1902, 1908, 1912-1922.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Summary of accounts, 1896, 1902, 1908, 1913­-1922 (13 items: typescript)

Treasurer's reports and relevant correspondence, 1928-1950.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Alfred G. Scattergood, Treasurer, Treasurer's reports and relevant correspondence, 1928-­1950 (ca. 75 items: chiefly typescript)

Treasurer's reports and relevant correspondence, 1951-1956.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Alfred G. Scattergood, Treasurer, Treasurer's reports and relevant correspondence, 1951­-1956 (ca. 100 items: chiefly typescript)

Papers, miscellaneous, mainly redisbursements, 1891-1932.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Papers, miscellaneous, mainly re: disbursements, 1891­1932 (ca. 101 items: chiefly business correspondence related to financial matters (letters, manuscripts, and typed copies), accounts, receipts, checks)

Papers, miscellaneous, mainly redisbursements, 1933-1943.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Papers, miscellaneous, mainly re: disbursements, 1933­1943 (ca. 109 items: chiefly business correspondence related to financial matters (letters), accounts, minutes)

Papers, miscellaneous, mainly redisbursements, 1944-1954.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Papers, miscellaneous, mainly re: disbursements, 1944-­1954 (ca. 85 items: chiefly business correspondence related to financial matters (letters), accounts, minutes)

Papers, re-investments, 1924-1935.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Papers, re: investments, 1924­-1935 (ca. 116 items: chiefly business correspondence (letters) related to finances of Emlen Institution)

Papers, re-investments, 1936-1942.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Papers, re: investments, 1936-­1942 (ca. 109 items: chiefly business correspondence (letters) related to finances of Emlen Institution)

Papers, re-investments, 1943-1947.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Papers, re: investments, 1943-­1947 (ca. 100 items: chiefly business correspondence (letters) related to finances of Emlen Institution)

Papers, re-investments, 1948-1954.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Papers, re: Investments, 1948-­1954 (ca. 71 items: chiefly business correspondence (letters) related to finances of Emlen Institution)

Papers, re-holdings, 1928-1955.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Papers, re: holdings, 1928-­1955 (ca. 78 items: includes bank statements, business correspondence (letters), etc.)

Minutes of the Trustees of the Emlen Institution, 1838-1856.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Trustees minute book, 1838-­1884 inscribed "Minutes of the Trustees of the Emlen Institution for the Education of Children of African and of Indian Descent"

School reports, student applications, superintendent's report, 1862-1892.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Papers: school reports, student applications, superintendent's report, 1862-­1892: (15 items) Student application and statement of health for George Adams (approximately 59K)

Reference; newspaper articles; postcards; sketch of wagon house.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Papers: reference

(4 items: 2 postcards, clipping, and sketch of wagon house) Sketch of Wagon House (approximately 59K).

Correspondence, 1876-1892.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Papers: correspondence, 1876-­1892: (ca. 17 items) students, superintendent's reports, trustees meetings, applications [for employment], receipts, case of [attempted?] arson of barn [1892]

Financial records, receipts, bills, 1890.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Financial records: receipts, bills, 1890 (ca. 16 items)

Financial records, Treasurer's records, 1891-1895.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Financial records: Treasurer's records, 1891-­1895: (ca. 15 items) -Josiah W. Leeds, treasurer

Inventories, 1886, 1892, 1894.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Papers: inventories, 1886, 1892: (3 items) includes:

-notebook inscribed "Inventory of personal property of Emlen Institute for the year 1892" lists items room by room

-"Inventory and appraisement personal property at Emlen Institution Warminster Township, Bucks Co. 1 mo. 1892" gives items and assigned value

-"Inventory of personal property of Emlen Institute for the year 1886 taken on February 2, 1886" lists items room by room

Financial records, receipts, bills, 1891.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Financial records: receipts, bills, 1891 (ca. 64 items)

Financial records, receipts, bills, 1892.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Emlen Institution, Financial records: receipts, bills, 1892 (ca. 65 items)

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