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The Volume: XLIX | Winter 2013-2014 of Journalthe LYCOMING COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY A History of the Home for the Friendless, Williamsport, Pennsylvania Contents The Home for the Friendless A Ministry by Christian Women in Foreword Williamsport, Pennsylvania Welcome to the forty-ninth volume of the Journal of the 11872-1939 Lycoming County Historical Society. This year, the Journal explores the beginnings and maturation of the Home for the by Dr. John F. Piper, Jr. Friendless in Williamsport. Begun in 1872 by a dedicated corps of Christian women, the Home provided a haven for women and children who needed the comfort of a homelike setting. And over the ensuing decades, the Home A Glimpse into Art expanded to accommodate the elderly, the orphaned, and those that needed temporary shelter. As it evolved into the Collecting in Williamsport Williamsport Home, the organization continues to meet the 20 by Dr. Amy Golahny needs of the community, characterizing themselves as “truly a neighborhood of people caring for people.” During 2012, the transfer of the original records of the Home for the Friendless to LCHS was effected. This was facilitated with the gracious consent of Mr. Don Pote, Executive Director, and the Board of Managers of the Williamsport Home. The Minutes Books from 1878 forward, Annual Reports, newspaper clippings and photographs reveal the stalwart character of the organization and the women who led the way, substantially altering and adding to the richness of so many lives. The materials are now housed in archival-quality folders and boxes in our Archives, protected by temperature and humidity controls. To further preserve the collection, many of the items were digitized under the auspices of the Women’s History Project, spearheaded by Lycoming College. Janet Hurlbert and Mary Sieminski were instrumental in alerting us to this invaluable collection. Lycoming County is privileged to have the scholarship of Dr. John F. Piper, Jr. and Dr. Amy Golahny within the teaching corps of Lycoming College. Their knowledge of local history, their dynamic research abilities, and their willingness to share their wisdom with us is commendable. I sincerely hope you will read these latest writings, contributing to an understanding of the history of a place you call home. Gary W. Parks, Editor Published annually in Williamsport, PA 858 West Fourth Street 570.326.3326 | www.tabermuseum.org Editor: Gary W. Parks Assistant Editor: Scott Sagar Journal Layout & Design: Hilsher Graphics The Home for the Friendless A Ministry by Christian Women in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, 1872-1939 by Dr. John F. Piper, Jr. Initial Decisions The Home for the Friendless was a ministry founded by a a Charter of Incorporation from the County, and By-Laws. group of Christian women in Williamsport, Pennsylvania in The legal process took about a year and was completed on 1872. The original name of the ministry was the Woman’s November 26, 1873, with the able assistance of “the legal Christian Association, not related in any way to the Young gentleman who has served us so many times without charge.”3 Women’s Christian Association. The women changed the He was most certainly attorney James M. Wood who signed his name of their Association to the Home for the Friendless name to the legal document as the Solicitor for the Petitioner. in 1876. Over the years there were occasional objections to His wife Lou was a charter member of the Association, and the name on the grounds that it sounded unfriendly, if not he was a prominent member of the Williamsport community heartless. Efforts to change it were not successful until 1939 having served as its first mayor in 1866. when the Managers of the Home for the Friendless finally petitioned the Lycoming County Court to change the name to The text of Wanamaker’s speech has not been found but The Williamsport Home. The leaders of that home, which is the substance of it can be inferred from the mission the currently located on Ravine Road in Loyalsock Township on women adopted for their Association. Its “Object” as defined the northern boundary of Williamsport, modified the mission, in its Constitution, was to provide ways “of rendering aid, currently better defined as a program, but retained a significant temporary, moral and religious, especially to young women, 4 part of the vision of the founders. who are dependent on their own exertions for support.” Specifically, the members of the Board of Managers, “assisted The primary inspiration for the Woman’s Christian by the members of the Association,” were: Association came from women who were active in several to seek out women, taking up their residence in Protestant churches in Williamsport. The city was in the midst Williamsport, and endeavor to bring them under of a lumber boom, one of the greatest in the history of the moral and religious influence – by aiding them nation, and was growing rapidly. A group of Christian women in the selection of suitable boarding houses had been considering “for some time” the possibility of helping and employment, by introducing them to the meet the physical and spiritual needs of young women who members and privileges of this Association. were moving to town from nearby rural communities in search Encouraging their attendance at some place of of work.1 They had not yet decided on a way to accomplish worship and by every means in their power, this when some of them attended a meeting at Pine Street surrounding them with Christian associates.5 Methodist Church on November 18, 1872, at the invitation of H. Howard Otto, one of the leaders of the recently organized The Association retained throughout its history its primary Young Men’s Christian Association. He had arranged for John motivation, the gender of its leaders, and its organizational Wanamaker, founder of John Wanamaker and Sons department structure. The motivation was the Christian faith’s imperative store in Philadelphia, who was in town for a meeting of the to help those in need. In their First Annual Report, published YMCA, to speak to them. One of the women remembered that in 1874, the key leaders of the group identified the exact Wanamaker had made a “most touching appeal.”2 nature of their Christian inspiration. The women’s readiness to act combined with Wanamaker’s We remember, with gratitude to Him whose appeal stimulated them to create the Association. They set love has dwelt in our hearts, the delightful about writing a Constitution, which was necessary to obtain fact that harmony and peace have been our The JOURNAL | Home for the Friendless 1 constant companions during the whole year. leading lumberman of the region, to join it. Records suggest As an Association we have been educated up that the professionals typically donated their time and the to a higher standard of faith, benevolence, Board members were always volunteers. The women hired charity and zeal. May God continue to teach us men to do the janitorial and repair work on their buildings, how to work in His vineyard. For all the good and to keep the grounds in good condition. that has been accomplished, we thank Him who has established us, and opened the hearts The women organized their Association around an annual of those who have come to our aid. The cause meeting. They elected a group of officers and standing is the Lord’s, and our faith abides that He will committees. The primary action item at the annual meetings continue to direct our steps, we acknowledge was the election of officers. The President, Treasurer, and Him in all our ways.6 Corresponding Secretary were the key officers and their reports were the main ones at the annual meetings. The Women were invited to membership if they were members of founding members created in addition to these groups a a Protestant church and paid dues of one dollar a year. They Board of Managers, which included members chosen from could become life members for a single payment of $20.7 Protestant churches. The first officers were: President, Adelia Swartz (Mrs. Rev. Joel); Vice Presidents, M. Alcesta Reiley The ministry was founded by women and run by them. (Mrs. Rev. J. McKendree) and Caroline Clapp (Mrs. T. L.); Changes in leadership came after 1939, but the Board of the Recording Secretary, Miss Lizzie Updegraff; Corresponding Williamsport Home continues to be all female. Women were Secretary, Frances Dayton (Mrs. John E.); Treasurer, Elizabeth the leaders, raised funds for the work, made changes when Hepburn (Mrs. William); and Assistant Treasurer, Sarah 11 new needs arose, and managed all the affairs of the ministry. McDowell (Mrs. Lewis). Before the first year was over both They were Christians but not feminists, at least not as a vice presidents had left the city and were replaced by Cordelia group, in either the 19th century right to vote meaning of the Ayres (Mrs. J. J.) and Encie Herdic (Mrs. Peter). Mary Miller term or the 20th century right to full equality translation of it. (Mrs. H. C.) took Lizzie Updegraff’s place and Moriah Noble Occasionally some note in a report indicates that they thought (Mrs. S. J.) stepped in for Frances Dayton. After these initial they did some things better than men, as when the Secretary changes the leadership remained quite stable, with many of the Annual Meeting in 1878 noted that the meeting moved officers serving for twenty or more years, sometimes in to the election of officers, “without any of the unnecessary different roles, establishing a pattern which continued until 1939. When Adelia Swartz left the Association in 1875 to delay that so often occurs with the other sex.”8 However, such follow her Lutheran pastor husband to a new appointment in comments were the exception and not the rule.

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