Central Employment Association (Philadelphia, Pa.) Records
Scope and Contents
This collection contains the records of the Central Employment Association, a women's charity established circa 1840 in Philadelphia by Hicksite Quakers as the Northern Female Association for the Relief of the Sick and Infirm Poor. The collection contains the charter and by-laws, work and financial records, and correspondence, 1840-1942.
Dates
- Creation: 1840-1942
Creator
- Central Employment Association (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Organization)
- Northern Female Association for the Relief of the Sick and Infirm Poor (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Contributor, Organization)
- Female Association of Philadelphia for the Relief of the Sick and Infirm Poor with Clothing (Contributor, Organization)
Language of Materials
Collection material is in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Some of the items in this collection may be protected by copyright. The user is solely responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns to reuse, publish, or reproduce relevant items beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to the law. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/.
Biographical / Historical
The Northern Female Association for the Relief of the Sick and Infirm Poor was organized in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, about 1840 by Hicksite Quaker women to distribute food and clothing to poor people. On 12 month 1, 1857, the name was changed to the Central Employment Association, and in addition to relieving the poor, the Association sought to provide employment, primarily sewing, to the poor who were able to work. Priscilla H. Henrey was appointed President, and Sallie H. Henrey, Treasurer, and Ann H. Townsend, Secretary.
The policy was for each person assisted to be visited by a member of the Association. Poor people were provided with materials to sew garments, and they were paid for the work completed. Garments were distributed without charge to those poor people unable to work, due to illness or infirmity.
The Central Employment Association was incorporated in 1874. In 1884 it was located at 4th and Green Street, Philadelphia. The Association continued to function until 1940 when it was dissolved, and it assets were given to the Female Association of Philadelphia for the Relief of the Sick and Infirm Poor with Clothing.
Organizations of this kind, of which there were several in the Philadelphia area in the late 1800's, were often referred to as “Houses of Industry.”
Extent
1 linear ft. (2 boxes)
Abstract
The Central Employment Association, a women's charity, was established circa 1840 in Philadelphia by Hicksite Quakers as the Northern Female Association for the Relief of the Sick and Infirm Poor. The collection contains the charter and by-laws, work and financial records, and correspondence, 1840-1942.
Arrangement
The collection is organized into 5 series. The series are:
- Constitution
- Minutes
- Work Reports
- Correspondence
- Financial Records
For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Physical Location
For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donor: Central Employment Association
Date: 1942
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of the Central Employment Association in 1942, upon the dissolution of the Association in 1941.
Topical
- Charities -- Pennsylvania
- Charities -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
- Poor -- Employment -- Pennsylvania
- Poor -- Services for -- Pennsylvania
- Quaker women -- Charities
- Quakers -- Pennsylvania -- Poor -- Services for
- Sick -- Employment -- Pennsylvania
- Sick -- Services for -- Pennsylvania
- Social service -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia
- Society of Friends -- Charities
- Society of Friends -- Charities -- Records and correspondence
- Women -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia -- Societies, etc.
- Women -- Pennsylvania -- Societies and clubs
- Women -- Pennsylvania -- Societies, etc.
- Women in charitable work -- Pennsylvania
- Title
- An Inventory of the Central Employment Association (Philadelphia, Pa.) Records, 1840-1942
- Author
- FHL staff
- Date
- 2000
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Sponsor
- Encoding made possible by a grant by the Gladys Kriebel Delmas Foundation to the Philadelphia Consortium of Special Collections Libraries
Find It at the Library
Most of the materials in this catalog are not digitized and can only be accessed in person. Please see our website for more information about visiting or requesting repoductions from Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College Library
