Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1888-11-02
GIFT OF A MILLION DOLLARS.
DANIEL HANDS MUNIFICENCE TO
THE NEGROES.
A Fortune Intrusted to the American
Missionary Association to Form
an Educational Fund.

The American Missionary association
which held its annual session in Providence,
r. l., last week received the largest gift
ever m ds in this country by living donor
to benevolent society. Daniel Hand, an
aged resident of Clinton, Ct, formerly a
merchant in the south, has given to the asso-
citation 81 900, ,894. % in interest bearing Sc
cuIities. to be held in trust and known as
"The Daniel Hand educational fund for
colored people" the income only to be used
for the education of colored people in the
southern states Mr.. Hand having made
his money in the south, and having seen the
ignorance and consequent suffering of the
co.ored people there, felt that he could not
use it better than in providing for their educa-
tion, and has chosen TO intrust to the Ameri-
can Missionary association, whose work is so
largely devoted to the elevation of that peo-
pie, the care Of this magnificent gift, so prac-
tical and useful in its design and the dis
bursemCnt Of its income in accordance with
the provisions Of the ust. The following
resolution, offered by Dea Samuel Holmes,
was passed., amid great enthusiasm, by ri
sing vote
Resolved, that we recognize the goodness
of Almighty God in putting it into the heart
Of Mr.. Daniel Hand to make the munifi-
cent gift of more than 100000 for the ed
ucation of the colcred youth of the south, to
he expended under tie direction of the
American Missionary association. We rejoice
in the flood Of beneficient influence which
will flow through all the years from this no.
bic service. We gratefully accept the trust
put upon lis, promising to use it as q stmu-
lus for increased activity on the part of the
Chr stian church.
Mr. Hand is about 81 years old, and was
engaged in business in the south, where he
had lived since his youth till the war, when
ne came north because of his loyalty. In the
.lorth he gave his attention to the in
vestmont Of his securities which
were very productive He has long
contemplated giving the Lulk of his
He intended at first to give it to some north
ern institutions, but his attention was turned
t. the wants Of tho negroes of the south,
and as he knew their privations on account
of their ignorance, he decided to make them
his benefciaries through the agency of the
American Missionary association.
There is an interesting story back of
Daniel Hands gift. When the war broke out
no was a thriving wholesale grocer at
Charleston, S. c. He was forced to leave
hurriedly, and left the property in charge of
his clerk George Williams, telling him to
use it to his best advantage till Hands re-
turn. Hand supposed his property had been
cOnflscatod by the confederates, and made
no inquiries for over twenty years.
He was then greatly surprised
to learn that Williams had sold the
Charleston property and invested the pro-
ceeds in pine timber lands, and it had in
creased in value to wonderful degree and
that Williams had faithfully held the profits
in trust, waiting to hear from Hand.
In 1887 the settlement was
nada and each man cleared about
SI,OOo,OOO This is supposed to be the
money that Hand now returns to the south
to educate the negroes. The settlement of
the property and the arrangements for the
gift were conducted by Judge Luzon B. Nor
ris, now DEM cratic candidate for governor
of Rhode Island