New-York tribune., 1897-12-19

lNNIVFRSARY PKOMlNfNi iO'NA>
WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN AND ARE
AMONG ITS MANAGERS.
r,. oldest charity organization in New-York-in
II probability in America-celebrates the one-hun-
redtb anniversary OF It's founding tomorrow al'e'-
oon al O'Clock in the Assembly Hall OF the Pres
vterian Building. No l56 Fifth-ave. There the oi-
actresses and managers will receive theH i'o''u
,to-mally. Bishop Potter and James c. Carter VIII
euver addresses For the first time in the one hun
rod wear. OF its existence the details OF the WORK
re- 20 be told beyond limited circle. lnousn
rarly reports are printed. the society mas away
yo,ded anything like publicity or pubic houce' II
only now on the occasion or ltS centennial '"a'
is willing to have the story of the quaint charlN
nchanged during a century. SCI out that Il may ne
cad.
This organization is the Society for the Relief OF
,oor Widows with Small Children Colloquially II is
nown as the widows Society. Ii has no head
uarters or rooms This has been the custom ever
,rce It's founding in order that every cent OF IN
ONE might be put TO purposes OF charity. Inc So
ietv /. merely an association OF fifty 20 ffty-hve
iomen of the Oldest and finest families OF New
ork banded together 10 give aid along the societys
ocular lines The meetings are held fortnightly at
,e houses OF the managers in turn on Mondays
nd each manager then reports upon her district
ives the personal history OF the widows she Is car
Ig for and. when necessary. gets special appropria-
ons for cases o. extreme destitution
me city is divided into districts. from seventy
fth-st. down. the sOcietys funds not allowing the
managers 10 cover any more territory thoroughly
I'd eacn manager has her district assigned 10 her.
he keeps this district year after year. II possible
citing 20 know every room In every tenement
ousa within its bounds The keynote ~ the work
the society is perfect system OF diSric; visiting
ne manager for certain streets anl blocks must
OF only ail with the supplies that the sOcietys
honey furnishes. but she must exercise material
over each poor woman thus assisted. find out
,at woman's wo-thiness through personal contact
first; and then visit her at leaS; once month.
dvisng her. guarding her and helping her to work
hen possible Tie money spent by ihe society on
ach case is really small part OF the service done
HAS NO PRESIDENT
one OF the strange things abou the society is
nat It has no president. Its chief officer goes by
he OF first directress. and that post is filed
q Mrs. William Preston Griffin, OF No 20S East
fieenth-st. Mrs. George Macculloch Miller is the
econd drectress: Miss Mary l.. Dey. of East Twen-
y-fourthst. the third directress Miss Margaret a.
ackson is secretary. and Mrs. Theodore B. Bron-
on. OF No 107 East Twenty -hfth-st. is treasurer.
he bylaws provide tina: three men shall act as an
advisory Committee, and these present are
George Maccuoch Miller George F. Belts and
leOrge s. Bovdoin.
The Board Of Managers. as has been said each
nth her own district. comprises some OF the lead
ng women in New-York social life and represents
lot few families who have been in New-York
natter Of a hundred and fifty two hundred years.
Yet another interesting thing about IL is that very
frequently daughter succeeds mother and niece aunt
N the rol, OF the managers and that as a whole
he younger women IN the society to-day are OF the
ame families that carried the organization along
,al. century ago.
While mentioning these women Of the past and
present II should not be forgotten that the society
vas the active force that brought into existence
ne New-York Orphan Asylum some six or seven
Sears after the society itself was founded This
he members OF to-day proudly regard as an impor-
ant achievement OF the organization The found
RS Of the Widows Society were Mrs Isabella
-s-ebann Mrs Bethune. her daughter. and Mrs
sarah Hoffman. Ereat-aunt of Dean Hoffman.
Mrs. George Maccuoch Miller OF the society to-
lay is Mrs. Hoffmans great-granddaughter. Her
mother. Mrs Hoffman. was the frs: directress of
ne society for years Another member Of to-day.
iso a descendant Of Mrs. Sarah Hoffman, is Mrs.
Mary l.. Dey, great-niece. whose mother. Mrs.
Richard Varick Dey. was prominently Identified
With the society for very many years.
Family ties have been strangely strong in this
organization. and the length OF service OF many of
she women is little short Of remarkable. Mrs. j.
r. Bailey, who died recently. manager for
over fifty years She is represented the rolls
today by Mrs. Theodore r. Bronson, her niece.
The grandmother Of Miss Margaret Jackson, the
secretary, was an old-time manager. Mrs. Pierre
Mall, now on the roll succeeds her mother. Mrs.
John Taylor Johnston. who dlrectress. Miss
5. Grace Prayers aunt Miss Kenan. was for forty
years a manager. and Miss Chshom's mother was
IN the society for thirty years. Mrs. A 6. Speyers
succeeds her mother. NJ S. James Lawrence. There
Is among the managers to-day woman of over
ninety Mrs. II. l. Brown. who has been with the
Widows Society for foryhve years and still active
~ visits her district.
THE BOARD OF MANAGERS
This will show, partly at leas,, the energy and
enthusiasm thnt. continued over n full century,
have made the Widows Society what it is. The
present Board OF Managers. for OF course, the list
changes slightly year by year. is:
Miss Chisholm, Miss Dey
Mrs Nicholson. Mrs a. O. SJeyers.
Mrs William p Grlrfa, Mrs. Charles Burke
Mira. +. Holsten. bliss s. Grace Frazer,
Pierre Mall. Mrs. G. ProudfOOt Carew,
Mrs. A. G. Stephens. Mrs. James f. Andrews
Miss Mccall. Miss Lydia Wheaton.
Mrs. A. Dey Nichols Mrs. !. F. Ril!s.
Miss A. NJ. Brooks Mrs G. Waddngton,
Mrr J. H. Hews3r. Miss Mcmahon.
Mrs r. p. North. Mrs r. l. Brown,
Mrs VIM Livingston, Mrs. A Maitland.
Miss Ward Mrs. r. F. (hickernE.
Mrs. j. NJ. White. Miss Madeleine Smith.
Miss Taber Mrs. NJ. a. Kingsbury.
Mrs ~. A. Williamson. Miss Macculoch Miller.
Miss Pryer Mrs ~. I< Roy Cox
Mrs. Theodore p. Bronson. Mrs. e. II. Hoffman