Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-17
THE ABRAHAMS HOME
ONE OF sAVANNARs WORTH
EST INSTITUTIONS.

selves into an association for the relief OF
poor widows. On January 1, 1S9a, an or
ganization was perfected by the cleo
tion Of board of directresses,
twenty-fOur in number. The for
NAL institution Of the association took
place on the 9th Of April of the same year.
The society entered upon its work with
no large sum of money at its credit with
which to second the individual efforts Of
its members, but the devotion of the
ladies 10 their mission soon commanded
the cordial support of the people Of differ
ent religious views who contributed in
one way or another to assist the under
taking.
JOINING OF THE CEEEDS.
At that time the respective denomina-
tionS had no church societies OF their own
engaged in a similar work, and they illus
trated their charity by uniting in work
of whic the ladies Of the Widows So
clety were the leading and honored re-
representatives..
1t would be a simple act Of justice to
these good women if the roll Of the mem
bers ofthe society IN those days could be
pu hhshed. 1t W would show how lsraelite
and Gentle, Catholic and Protestant, were
combined in one sisterhoOd to succor
the widow and to alleviate the pain or
tighten the sorrows which too frequently
are the accomplishments of declining
years.
THE EARLY RECORDS DESTROYED.
The roll is, however. inaccessible from
/ the fact that the records Ofthe society were
stored in Mrs. Cummings residence dur
ing the war, where some of the soldiers
/ in Gen. Towards command seized and
wantonly destroyed them.
One or two books were fortunately
! overlooked, which contain the monthly
! statements of the Treasurer, from 1922 to
/ 1929, inclusive. During this period Mrs.
b. {. Robertson was Treasurer. with T
Barron acting as Treasurer pro TEN. for
a short time in 1873. These statements
show that the society was continuing
in its good work from month 10 month
and year to year, with small balance
ever in the Treasury.
1t had no large structure for the
accommodation of the widows in its
charge, but owned here and there about
| the city small houses in which homes
were furnished, and where the necessi-
ties of the benefciaries were supplied.
One Of these houses vas on the southeast
corner Of South Broad and Habersham
streets, and is still standing. The build
ings were sold a year or two ago, though
the society several years previous had
moved those under its care to the struc-
tuTe now known as
THE ABRAHAMs' HOME.
Among the Jealous members Of the so
ciety during the early years Of its exist
ence was Mrs. D0rothea Abrahams, widow
OfCapt, Abrahams de Lyon Abrahams. She /
was a lady OF great beauty. and
TO the influence of her pres
ence were added the accomplishments /
due to a superior education. She had in /
herited wealth, and her late husband was
also in afiuent circumstances. During I
her experience as a member Of the society 4
she conceived the idea Of leaving a sum /
Of money at her death sufficient /
TO erect cOmmOdiOus structure 1
on her property on the corner Of Brough- /
ton and East Broad streets. She referred /
to the subject in the presence of one or
two Of her immediate personal friends, /
and fully explained what she thought I
should be the conditions under which I
widows should be admitted TO the Insti-
tuition, so that when her Will
was formally opened, after her death.
some of the members of the society IN
derstOOd how to interpret its provisions
relative to the particular bequest.
A GENEROUS BENEFACTREss.
She directed her executor, Mr.. Jacob
DeLamotta, after executing certain lega-
cies, TO turn over the residue of her es-
tate TO the Widows Society for
the purpose Of erecting a home for
widows Of any sect or nationality. and
she expressly charged that no children
should ever be permitted to reside at the
Home.
Miss Susan c. Tufts, who has been the
Treasurer of the society for forty years. I
stated to a reporter of the MORNING
NEWS that, as near as she could
recOllect, the amount expended Z
in the erection Of the edifice was from
SIC. 600 to $4,000. The work was begun
81
architect named Norris in the year 1857.
and was completed on Friday, Sept. 3,
1873. 1t was formally turned over to the
society on Oct. !, 1853, to the Board Of
DiTectresses, who at that time were as
follows;
OFFICERS.
First Directress-Mrs. John G. Jack
son.
Second Dlrectress-Mrs. Joseph Bur-
roughs.
Treasurer-Miss Susan c. Tufts.
Secretary-Mrs. Wallace Cumming.
DIRECTREssEs.
Mrs. Ann Davis, Mrs. John stoddard,
Mrs. ThOs. K. Mills, Mrs. Geo. L. Cope.
Mrs. Jacob Waldburg, Mrs. Martha Bliss,
Mrs. Charles West Mrs. f. 4. Habersham. I
Mrs. n. I. snyder, Mrs. Jos. Washburne
Mrs. " y. Habersham, Mrs. f. Gilmer,
Mrs. Capt. PhilbricS, Mrs. Lewis FairchiId,
Mrs. Geo ". Willy, Mrs. NJ. Dillon,
.
Mrs. J. Habersham. Miss Hartridge.
Miss G. Cohen, Miss Sarah Mackay.
By resolution Of the society, the new
institution was named The Abrahams
Home in grateful tribute to the memory
of the deceased benefactress, The lot On
which it stands has front of 12O feet on
BrOughtOn street and depth of9O feet on
East Broad street. The structure, how
eyer 91 has a 'front.' Of 80 feet and a depth Of
Az ieet, ana Of brick. three stories IN
-1Ignt on a basement.
THE HOME AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.
a spacious yard, planted in shrubbery
and enclosed by a brick wall, occupies
the remainder Of the lot. The basement
is divided into a kitchen and store
rooms. The first floor is divided by
two halls, each about feet in width,
one leading across the structure from
the main entrance on Broughton
street to the rear, and the other
leading from the east to the
rSkst end of the building. and intersecting
the main passageway at the centre Of the
edifice. There are on this floor large
diningrOom, with dumb-waiter leading
into the kitchen, a storeroom,
matron's room, and six rooms
for the accommodation Of the inmates Of
the institution. The second floor is divided
into eleven rooms, one Of which is used as
a reception room, chapel and meeting
room for the board.
The third floor is divided into twelve
rooms of a uniform size. All the 4
apartments are comfortably fur I
nished, the majority Of them I
BY the aged occupants according as 1
their means or fancy dictates.
SOME OF THE INMATEfaye
The reporter who visited the tole saw
a number of ladies who wsnt over 1
three score years and ten. Two had been |
in the Home over twenty-three years. |
Two are over 50 years old, one /
being s. and the other 81 years. |
OF the thirty-twO now there the majority |
are able to walk up and down stairs, |
while many 20 out and earn small sums I
Of money by mending linen or doing other
light work during the day, always re-
turning to the Home by nightfall.
The Home furnishes fuel, light and
food and other necessaries only at an aver
age cost Of something less than $500 per
month. Some months the expenses are
not much over $3.50.
THE BILL OF FARE.
Three meals are supplied daily, consist
ing of tea, coffee, hominy, cold meats, eggs,
a-srl= Of bacon and broad and hnffnF