Lutheran Orphans’ Home and Asylum, Germantown PA 1892-1914

Philadelphia has been justly noted for its many charitable and benevolent institutions. Among these the “Orphans’ Home and Asylum for the Aged and Infirm of the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Germantown” holds a conspicuous place.

The design of founding a Home in Germantown Pennsylvania dates back to 1852, but nothing definite was done until 1858, and on the 18th of March, 1859, the first child was received into a small house on Main street, which, however, soon proved too small and inconvenient. In October of the same year the property on Main street above Carpenter, where the institution now stands, was purchased. It has a front on Main street of 138 feet, and extends back 1075 feet to Cresheim road. The design from the first was to provide a home for destitute orphan children, without regard to creed or country. The first charter is dated June 4, 1860, and was subsequently amended by an Act of Legislature, and the institution exempted from taxation. In 1862 a building was put up for a school and dormitory for the boys.

Lutheran Orphans Home and Asylum Germantown
Postcard depicting the Lutheran Orphans Home and Asylum Germantown

When so many children were made orphans during the late war, this institution was among the first to open its doors for these soldiers’ orphans, and 98 were admitted up to the time when the State provided homes for them. In 1865 the corner stone was laid for a large and suitable building to accommodate at least 80 children, which was finished in 1866 at a cost of $30,000. Although at times under clouds, the institution has prospered and grown more in favor with the Lutheran Church and community at large. In 1879 a building 140 feet long and 40 feet wide, with wings at the ends of 60 feet, was erected for the accommodation of the old and infirm, and was occupied May 1, 1880, after its cost of $20,000 had been raised by voluntary contributions, so that no debt remained. The grounds and buildings have been much improved during late years. Fronting on Main street is about an acre of well-kept lawn, dotted with flower-beds and planted with fruit trees. In the rear is a kitchen garden of about 2 acres, where all the vegetables needed for the institution are raised, with the exception of potatoes. The garden, with the help of one hired man and the assistance of the older boys under the management of the superintendent, is one of the best-cultivated gardens in Germantown.

Memorial Home for Infants
Memorial Home for Infants

The asylum for the old people is of brick with basement, two stories and mansard roof and is heated throughout by steam. It contains a large diningroom, chapel, parlor, two sitting-rooms, and thirty-five bed-rooms. Each inmate has a room to himself. A special feature are two porches, each one hundred feet long and twelve wide, sheltered for east, west, and north, and facing the lawn.

The orphanage is a stone building sixty feet square with a basement, three stories and attic. The basement contains the children’s dining-room, playroom, kitchen, laundry and bath-room. The latter is so arranged that the children can learn to swim. The first floor is occupied by the main schoolroom, superintendent’s dining-room and office, and the parlor; the next has the kindergarten, superintendent’s and assistant’s bed-room, and the sewing-room, and on the third are the children’s dormitories. The building has three separate stairways from the basement to the dormitories, and in addition is provided with a regular fire escape on the outside. The play ground is large where the children enjoy themselves when they are not at work or in the schoolroom. Of the five hundred and forty-six children received into the Home from the beginning many are now engaged in the various occupations of life. Three of the boys are now pursuing their studies to prepare for the ministry. There are now in the Home fifty-five boys and twenty-five girls. In the Asylum thirty-one have a home, some of whom have nearly reached four score and ten. Thus from a small beginning this institution has grown to a considerable magnitude, and is in a prosperous condition and deserves the support of all kind-hearted and generous people.

While the 1892-1894 annual reports showed the title in English, the later version of the annual reports have the title in German, Jahres-Bericht des Lutherischen Waisenhauses u. Altenheims. Some of the text within each manuscript is also in German, however, the lists of orphans and elderly are always in English.

List of Orphans for 1894

The list below contains only the known list of orphans as reported in the yearbook for 1894. The prior two years yearbooks failed to include any sort of a list of children, though they do list the names of benefactors and what they contributed to the organization. The subsequent years will be extracted over the coming month, as we make our list as complete as possible.

SurnameGivenSexAgeWhen AdmittedWhere Born
BennicoffEddieM418 Jul 1893Allentown, PA
BrechtJohnM117 Jan 1891Philadelphia, PA
BrechtHarryM97 Jan 1891Philadelphia, PA
BrechtMary A.F77 Jan 1891Philadelphia, PA
BreitmeierCatherine S.F1014 May 1891Philadelphia, PA
BreitmeierRosinaF714 May 1891Philadelphia, PA
BuehlCharlesM136 May 1886Philadelphia, PA
FornwaldHattie M.F135 Nov 1889Lebanon Co., PA
FryEmma M.F1129 Oct 1890Rupert, PA
GeilHermanM1316 Apr 1890Philadelphia, PA
GetzElisabethF1627 Apr 1885Philadelphia, PA
GoetzJuliusM1321 Jan 1887Philadelphia, PA
GoetzPaulineF1121 Jul 1887Philadelphia, PA
GrabowskyAnnaF713 Oct 1893Philadelphia, PA
HardingErnestM1428 Jul 1887Germany
HaseFrederickM313 Jan 1894Philadelphia, PA
HatzThomasM618 Jan 1891Camden, NJ
HatzEmilieF918 Jun 1891Camden, NJ
HeiseJohn GustaveM913 Jan 1894Philadelphia, PA
HeiseAnna F.F513 Jan 1894Philadelphia, PA
HeiseMary M.F213 Jan 1894Philadelphia, PA
HendershotHoward A.M122 Apr 1890Danville, Montour Co., PA
HendershotAlfred W.M102 Apr 1890Danville, Montour Co., PA
HenselAmeliaF1330 Jul 1885Philadelphia, PA
LampaterFred A.M817 Apr 1893Philadelphia, PA
LampaterEugene H.M517 Apr 1893Philadelphia, PA
LinnJ. EmersonM1528 Jan 1886Riverside PA
LoeligerCharlesM1419 Jul 1884Philadelphia, PA
LongStanton J.M1018 Jul 1893Allentown, PA
LongFulton J.M818 Jul 1893Allentown, PA
LoserJames W.M139 Feb 1888Union, Lebanon Co., PA
LoserO. ThomasM129 Feb 1888Swatara, Lebanon Co., PA
LundN. Grover G.M827 Apr 1890Philadelphia, PA
LutzErnest M.M1619 Mar 1885Philadelphia, PA
MarquetLouis T.M1428 Jan 1886Baltimore, MD
MartiC. MathildaF916 Mar 1892Wilmington, DE
MoyerGeorge SamuelM620 Jul 1893Lebanon, PA
MoyerStellaF520 Jul 1893Lebanon, PA
OttAnna E.F813 Feb 1884Richlandtown, PA
OttoWilliamM1222 Jan 1889Philadelphia, PA
RitzerCharlesM82 Nov 1888Baden, Germany
SchaalAugustM1422 Jul 1886Philadelphia, PA
SchaeferHelenF1028 Jun 1889Philadelphia, PA
SchaefferSylvesterM1410 Nov 1887Richland, Bucks Co., PA
SchaefferEugene C.M1110 Nov 1887Richland, Bucks Co., PA
SchellhasWilliamM914 Oct 1892Philadelphia, PA
SchellhasM. ElisabethF614 Oct 1892Philadelphia, PA
ScherleEllenF1019 Jul 1889Montgomery Co., PA
ScherleMartha A.F625 Mar 1892Lansdale, PA
SchneiderJacobM1519 Mar 1885Reading, PA

Topics:
Asylum, Orphans,

Collection:

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