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Brooklyn charitable organizations for the aged publications

Call Number

1985.105

Date

1883-1942, inclusive

Creator

Ladies' Benevolent Association of Greenpoint (Brooklyn, New York, N.Y.)
Brooklyn Home for Aged Colored People (New York, N.Y.)

Extent

0.2 Linear Feet in one manuscript box.

Language of Materials

English .

Abstract

Brooklyn charitable organizations for the aged publications includes material from the Brooklyn Home for Aged Colored People, Ladies Benevolent Association of Greenpoint and Greenpoint Home for the Aged, and Chapin Home for the Aged and Infirm.

Historical note

In colonial New York, the aged and infirm were cared for by family members or institutionalized in almshouses. Manhattan's first almshouse opened in 1736, with progressively larger facilities built as the elderly population grew. In contrast, Brooklyn's first public almshouse was not opened until 1870; care provided by private organizations for the elderly was a more common option in Brooklyn. Many of these organizations were funded through church donations or philanthropists. For instance, the Brooklyn Society for the Relief of Respectable, Aged, Indigent Females was established in 1851 by John Graham Bell, and the Baptist Home of Brooklyn was founded in 1869 by the Long Island Baptist Association.

In colonial New York, the aged and infirm were cared for by family members or institutionalized in almshouses. Manhattan's first almshouse opened in 1736, with progressively larger facilities built as the elderly population grew. In contrast, Brooklyn's first public almshouse was not opened until 1870, as care provided by private organizations for the elderly was a more common option in Brooklyn. Many of these organizations were funded through church donations or philanthropists. For instance, the Brooklyn Society for the Relief of Respectable, Aged, Indigent Females was established in 1851 by John Bell Graham, and the Baptist Home of Brooklyn was founded in 1869 by the Long Island Baptist Association.

Sources

  1. Erickson, Alana J. "Elderly." In Encyclopedia of New York City, ed. Kenneth T. Jackson, 367. New Haven: Yale University Press; New York: New-York Historical Society, 1995.

Scope and Contents

Brooklyn charitable organizations for the aged publications includes material from the Brooklyn Home for Aged Colored People, Ladies Benevolent Association of Greenpoint and Greenpoint Home for the Aged, and Chapin Home for the Aged and Infirm. The collection is primarily composed of annual reports for these institutions, as well as a printed history of the Brooklyn Home for Aged Colored People. Annual reports include lists of officers, trustees, committee members, and donors; treasurer's reports; board of directors or trustees reports; and the organization's constitution, bylaws, and rules of operation. Annual reports for the Brooklyn Home for Aged Colored People, Greenpoint Home for the Aged, and Chapin Home for the Aged and Infirm also include inmate lists--rosters which provide an occupant's name, date of admission, and date of death.

Conditions Governing Access

Open to researchers without restriction.

Preferred Citation

Identification of item, date (if known); Brooklyn charitable organizations for the aged publications, 1985.105, Box and Folder number;Center for Brooklyn History, Brooklyn Public Library.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source and date of the accession are unknown. This collection was formally accessioned in 1985.

Collection processed by

Weatherly Stephan

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 11:19:07 +0000.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: English

Repository

Brooklyn Historical Society
Center for Brooklyn History
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201