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Protestant Foster Home Record Book (1848 - 1911)
RepositoryNewark Public Library, Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center
Collection IDMG Nwk PFH
Size1 volume
Collection Description
The Protestant Foster Home Society, located at 284 Belleville Avenue, was founded in 1849. Originally the Home was governed by an all-male Board of Trustees who handled the Home's legal and financial affairs, and an all-female Board of Managers who oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Home. In 1912 officers included Mrs. Joseph Fewsmith, Jr., Chair of the Admissions Committee; Mrs. Charles Borcherling, Directress of the Board of Managers; Mrs. Robert Stanwood, Corresponding Secretary; Mrs. James Higbie, Recording Secretary; and Mrs. Robert F. Ballantine, Treasurer. In 1948 the Protestant Foster Home merged with the Newark Orphan Asylum, becoming the Newark Home for Foster Care.
Collection Contents
The collection consists of a ledger with entries for children numbered 681 through 1151, and for three children without numbers. Each entry includes the child's name, age, dated admitted, parents' names, street address, religion, "nation," occupation, and remarks. The remarks include information regarding the child's health, parents' health (e.g., "consumptive") and habits (e.g., "drinks"), whether the parents will pay board, and dates and details of the child's discharge from the home. Most of the children listed are from Newark. (1886-1911).

Inserted in the ledger is one loose page of records for 6 children admitted in 1848.

NOTE: See also, Protestant Foster Home Society, Newark, "Constitution and By-laws of the Protestant Foster Home Society, and its auxiliary: organized March 28th, 1848" (12 pages, Newark: A. Stephen Holbrook, printer, 1860). Bound with its Annual Reports, 1st-16th (1849-1868?). Available at the New Jersey Historical Society, Call no. N 362.7 Es7n4
FormatTextual materials
SubjectsEthnic History; Medicine / Public Health; Poverty / Philanthropy / Charities; Religion / Churches
Time Periods19th Century; 20th Century
LanguageEnglish
Access policyOpen for research
Catalog URLhttps://newarkpubliclibrary.libraryhost.com/repositories/3/resources/227