The Connections Congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of New York had with The New York Colored Orphan Asylum

The Connections congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of New York had with The New York Colored Orphan Asylum

Authored by Roberta Todd, member of Christ Church Riverdale, December 2019

The impetus for this story follows a reference to a falling out between the Christ Church Riverdale (CCR) vestry and the fourth minister, Rector Reverend Carstensen who allowed black youth from the New York Colored Orphan Asylum (COA ) to worship at the church. There is general consensus from newspaper clippings and CCR archival vestry correspondence that one of the main reason he resigned as rector in 1917 was the vestry disagreement over the youth worshiping at CCR. Historically, COA was the first orphanage in the nation for black children, originating in Manhattan and moving to Riverdale, Bronx in 1907. This significance warranted researching the overall benevolence of other churches, clergy and lay people associated with the EDNY provided to COA. The connections of the black churches in EDNY with COA appear to have been generated from personal connections of a member employed by COA, and the white churches were responding with general charitable deeds.

The key resources used to capture information beyond the CCR story were the COA annual reports that are part of archived records at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, the Angels of Mercy: White Women and the History of New York’s Colored Orphan Asylum book by Dr. William Seraile, archived editions of The New York Age (considered one of the most influential black newspapers of its time published from 1887 to 1960) and EDNY archives. The findings are organized in the same timeline/ chapters used in Dr. William Seraile’s book. The story includes references to financial, in kind (sundry) and spiritual support given by churches, clergy and lay people associated with the EDNY to COA between 1836 and 1938.  References obtained from the book Angels of Mercy: White Women and the History of New York’s Colored Orphan Asylum will appear (AM and page number). There will also be links to copies of source documents such as excerpts from COA annual reports, speeches, baptismal records or newspaper articles.

• The Early Years 1836-42
  Located on West 12th Street near 6th Avenue
  COA was founded by two Quaker women but received philanthropic support from other individuals and organizations associated with other Protestant denominations. There was initial support from the New York Manumission Society which had prominent members from Trinity Church, with St. Philip’s also providing financial support to the institution.  Dr. James McCune Smith, the first black physician in the United States and a St. Philip’s vestry member, who is also known as an educator, medical researcher, sociologist, political strategist contributed personal funds. He subsequently became the COA physician. He probably influenced the donations of St. Philip’s to the institution in the early years (AM page 14 of this chapter).
• Fifth Avenue Growth and Progress 1843-54
  Located on Fifth Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets
  John Jay II, the grandson of the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Jay, who attended St. Matthew’s Church, Bedford, gave a speech on December 11, 1843, the 7th anniversary of the orphanage, to encourage others to provide financial support.  Click here to read the speech.  This speech is not surprising as John Jay II was a strong voice within the EDNY against the institution of slavery and discrimination of people of African descent.
  In December 1846 Dr. James McCune Smith was hired as the physician for COA and he remained there for nearly 20 years until his death in 1865. St. Philip’s continued to make contributions to COA.  (AM page 3 of this chapter) Due to racial discrimination, the location of burial plots for orphan’s that died was challenging. At times the Trinity’s cemetery in upper Manhattan accommodated COA with burial plots (AM page 4 of this chapter). Dr. James McCune Smith was very dedicated to the institution and influenced COA to create a hospital wing to manage epidemics (AM page 5 of this chapter).
• Disaster and Rebirth 1855- 63
  Ann Jay and her sister Maria Jay Banyer, daughters of John Jay, the first chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, were known to give generously to COA. Additionally, Ann Jay left $1,000 in her will to COA. They both attended St. Bartholomew’s Manhattan. (AM page 2 of this chapter). Also notable during this period was that the black community continued to provide support, including St. Philip’s (AM page 6 of this chapter). Dr. James McCune Smith yielded strong influence in the community, and he raised funds to donate after the terrible draft riots that destroyed the orphanage.  None of the 233 children residing at the orphanage were killed and were relocated to various places prior to moving to Harlem. (AM pages 12-15 of this chapter).
• Harlem 1864-83
  Located on 143rd Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenues
  Dr. James McCune Smith died in 1865 which resulted in a disconnection in the relationship of COA and the black community. The records do not reflect donations from St. Philip’s to COA as it had in the past (AM page 6 of this chapter). The only Episcopal church noted in the annual reports of this period is a sundry donations in 1866 from Church of Holy Trinity.  Click here to review the reference from the COA 1866 annual report.
• Harlem 1884-1906
  The overall connection between the black community and COA had not improved, even though COA sent an appeal to “all the colored pastors in [New York City] asking them to raise funds with which to build another cottage on our new site and suggesting that the children of the neighborhoods raise money with which to buy a large bell called “the Roosevelt bell” (AM page 15 of this chapter).  Dr. William Seraile opines that the political climate associated with the Brownsville Texas Incident was the cause for the lack of response from the black community. This is when President Roosevelt had dishonorably discharged 176 members of the 25th Infantry Regiment (Buffalo Soldiers) based on accusations of townspeople when a white bartender was killed and a white police officer wounded by gunshots one night, even though their commanders said the soldiers had been in the barracks all night.  This decision was overturned in 1972, confirming that evidence had been planted against the soldiers as the black community believed (AM page 16 of this chapter). It should be noted that the COA annual reports mentions support from other Episcopal churches that had white congregations or organizations associated with these churches during this period.  Click here to view the references to sundry donations given by St. Timothy’s, St. Luke’s, St. Andrew’s, Church of the Intercession and Church of the Transfiguration  to COA.  Also the lack of response from St. Philips can be attributed to there not being a direct connection of anyone in the congregation to COA at this time.
• New Start in Riverdale 1907-22
  Located on the Palisades Avenue where the Hebrew Home for the Aged at Riverdale resides
  During this period Christ Church Riverdale (CCR), St. Andrew’s Memorial Church, Yonkers and St. Philip’s had direct associations with COA.  It should be noted there was not any reference to CCR support in COA’s annual reports, and CCR was only referenced in Dr. Seraile’s book with this quote “In October 1917, Dr. G. A. Carstensen, the rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Riverdale, resigned over opposition to “some of his policies and to the presence of children from [the asylum] at the church services” (AM page 23 of this chapter). [It should have read Christ Church Riverdale.] The information about CCR’s relationship with COA has been obtained from newspaper clippings and vestry records archived at CCR.
  Due to the importance of the sacrament of baptism, the baptism records of these three churches were reviewed to see the extent of spiritual interaction the churches had with the youth.  The only information on the youth being baptized by an Episcopal congregation is St. Andrew’s Memorial Church. This was evident because the youth were baptized on COA’s site and the location was noted in the records. It is possible more baptisms took place at the churches, but it is difficult to verify since the record format does not require notation of race or home address for individuals baptized.  It is doubtful the youth were baptized at CCR since this was not part of the vestry complaints, and it was noted in the newspaper the youth were seated in a location separate from the congregation and only remained in church for one hour.  The religious instructions associated with St. Philip’s were given by Clarence Robinson, who conducted services and instructions on Sunday afternoon on the premises of the institution. The annual reports would have noted had the youth attended St. Philip’s on a regular basis as the carfare would have been an added expense or a donation. The baptism records of St. Philip’s do not indicate any baptism at the Riverdale location during this period.
  • St. Andrew’s Memorial Church,Yonkers was referenced in the Annual Report of the institution as early as 1909 through 1916, indicating the children attended service at the church as well as the priest conducted services and religious instructions on COA premises. Research conducted did not find reference to objections of the youth attending St. Andrew’s even though this occurred at the same time youth were attending churches in Riverdale. As mentioned previously, the church’s baptism records indicate youth were baptized at COA.  Click here to review the COA annual report references and baptism records.
  • St. Philip’s relationship with COA improved during this period which can be attributed to the vestry member and lay reader Clarence A. Robinson who worked at the institution. He is thanked in the COA annual report for the religious instructions he provided to the youth at COA starting in 1914.  He also developed a relationship between COA and the Coloras club which was a benevolent organization he founded. Several annual reports mention how this club would visit the institution on special occasions such as Thanksgiving, Christmas or field days and provide sundry donations.A 1916 letter to the editor published in The New York Age from Clarence W. Robinson demonstrates his dedication to the institution. The letter was in defense of the management of the institution, which over the years had been criticized due to only white people holding managerial positions. By clicking here you can view the source documents from newspaper clippings and the COA annual reports that support the connections Clarence W. Robinson created for COA with black Episcopal churches and other organizations through 1938.  In 1921, he moved his affiliation from St. Philip’s to St. Luke’s Mission/ St. Martin’s. These churches became involved with COA, and St. Philip’s is not mentioned in annual reports after this.

• • Christ Church Riverdale, as already mentioned, is not acknowledged in any COA annual reports as having received youth even though the church was mentioned in the newspaper articles discussing how youth from the institution attended CCR.  The Riverdale Presbyterian church was acknowledged for several years in the annual reports.  A newspaper article and vestry correspondence reflect unanimous objection did not exist within the church or the community regarding youth from COA attending services at CCR.  Per the article that raised concern, fifty youth attended service for one hour at CCR and received instructions from white young women in the transept, separate from the pews. The vestry correspondence did not provide any specificity to how the youth attended or the objections. Reverend Carstensen’s obituary indicated he was viewed as an “extreme liberal” however his response to allowing the youth to attend CCR services appeared to be a Christian charitable response to COA’s superintendent’s request that the churches in the area allow the youth to attend services. The correspondence on this subject does not have any indication he was taking a racially liberal position to open up CCR to black worshipers. You can review the newspaper articles and vestry correspondence by clicking here .
• Riverdale Trials and Tribulations 1923-1936
  Clarence W. Robinson maintained his strong connection with COA until his death. He held afternoon Sunday services until an illness in 1930 prevented him from doing so.  The Coloras club continued to provide sundry donations and attended functions at COA. St. Philip’s was not mentioned in COA annual reports during this period, which can be attributed to the change in his affiliation to St. Luke’s Mission which was associated with St. Martin’s Church. The annual reports indicated donations from St Martin’s in 1935 & 1936, and Reverend Johnson, the rector of St. Martin, addressing the youth at a 1937 event sponsored by the Coloras club. Additionally, Clarence W. Robinson was probably responsible for the youth choir visiting black Episcopal churches. A glee club was mentioned in the COA annual report that performed around the city, but there was not a specific reference to performance locations.  The 1927 edition of The New York Age contains a notice of a performance of the choir at St. David’s, the first independent black Episcopal church in the Bronx.  This can be viewed by clicking here.
• From the Colored Orphan Asylum to Riverdale Children’s Association 1937-46
  The COA annual reports did not provide any indication that Episcopal churches or the Coloras club were associated with providing support past 1938 when Clarence Robinson died.

It can be concluded that the relationship of COA with churches, clergy and lay people associated within the EDNY was developed mainly on personal connections of individuals within the churches or direct solicitation by COA, which generated charitable contributions. It started with the close relationship members of the Manumission Society had with the Quaker women that founded COA, continued when Dr. James McCune Smith, a St. Philip’s vestry member who was the COA doctor, and ended with the death of Clarence W. Robinson, who was employed over 20 years at COA and was first a member of St. Philip’s and then become associated with St. Martin’s.

This story is not a judgement on the EDNY’s churches, clergy and lay people support or connection with COA but simply a description of these connections. The COA institution from its onset and throughout its existence relied on philanthropic support from individuals and organizations.  During the life of the institution, when municipalities engaged in child welfare, COA was also a recipient of government funds. The organization it folded into, the Harlem Dowling West Side Center, follows the same philanthropic model. It is heartening to know that churches, clergy and lay people associated with the EDNY were party to philanthropic support for this organization, the first orphanage in the United States for people of African descent, throughout most of its history.