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Jacksonville Baptist Home For Children (JBHC) Early History # 2
[Found in the papers of Percy Leon Thomas, Sr. of Jacksonville, Florida about 2006 by his Granddaughter Beth Learn. Author of the following is unknown but it appears to be a copy of a report to and/or by the Board of Trustees of the Home. 4 pages, each 8.5 X 11, typewritten, yellowing, paper clip rusting.]
The Baptist Home for Children, like most growing and successful social welfare agencies, has had several names. When the home was first conceived in the mind of the late Solomon J. Highsmith, it was with the idea of establishing a Baptist Orphanage. That was away back in 1923 or 1924.
According to the minutes of the Jacksonville Baptist Association, this thought was brought forward and into life by and through the appointment of a Committee to put such an idea into action. This Committee was appointed at the Association in October 1924, and consisted of W.G. Jones, A.E., Ogilvie, Dr. A.C. Shuler, T.F. Rivers and A.R. Colcord, and this Committee was appointed to raise $10,000.00 with which to start such a home.
In the minutes of the 1925 Association, we find tat Mr. Jones had resigned some time during the year and J.R. Castine had been named to succeed him, both as a member of the Committee and as Chairman of the Committee. Mr. Castine continued his connection with the Home for many years, as we shall later see. We also find that this year the sum of $2,416.28 was raised, most of which was applied on the purchase of the lot where the Home now stands.
The Home was incorporated December 16, 1926, with the following members, to-wit: John R. Castine, H.W. Edmundson, Percy L. Thomas, S.J. Highsmith, Alton R. Colcord, A. E. Ogilvie and Jas. S. Ramis. The Corporate name at the time was The Baptist Childrens Home of the Jacksonville Association. It bore this name until October 7, 1932, when the name was changed to: Baptist Home for Children. This was done by amending the Charter.
The Home has had four Presidents, or heads, as follows: John R. Castine, as Chairman of the Associational Committee was the first head of the Home and became its first president and served in this capacity until November 1, 1927. E.N. Upshaw was elected November 1, 1927 to succeed Mr. Castine and served until April 7, 1936, when he resigned to take a position in another City. Jas. S. Ramis was elected to succeed Mr. Upshaw, but declined to permit his nomination at the annual meeting in November 1936. Dr. John H. Mitchell was then elected and has since served as president.
The Home has had several superintendents and also several acting superintendents, the superintendents being as follows: Fred M. Feffers was the first Superintendent, being in charge when the Home was opened January 15, 1927, and he served until about the Middle of May 1927, when he was succeeded by Mrs. M.L. Leonard, as acting Superintendent, who served the balance of the year, and was elected Superintendent, in November 1927, and continued to fill the position until September 15, 1928. An acting Superintendent took over in September 1928 and served until November 16, 1928, when Rev. E. D. McDaniel was elected to the position. Mr. McDaniel served until July 9, 1929, and upon his resignation John R. Castine took the position over as acting Superintendent until February 11, 1930, when Mr. McDaniel was elected to take the position over for a second time. Mr. McDaniel then served until February 3, 1931, when he resigned and was succeeded by Mr. Brinson MacGowan, familiarly known and referred to as "Daddy Mack", who has so ably and so efficiently served the Home since.
The Home has been very successful in its leadership in that so far as the record discloses, no one connected in any official capacity has ever brought any reproach upon the home or upon themselves while serving the Home, a record of which the Baptist People may well feel proud.
The Home has been the beneficiary of one bequest under a will. Mrs. M. M. McKinney of Lake Butler, Union County, Florida, died on or about the 9th march, A.D., 1932, leaving a last Will and Testament in which she bequeathed a certain portion of her estate to the Home, and on the 23rd day of October, A.D., 1934, the Home received the sum of $529.89, as its portion under the terms and conditions of the will of the decedent.
The Home has been the recipient of one piece of property that was donated to it. The property was located at what was then known as Number 3017 Phoenix Avenue in the City of Jacksonville, Florida, and was given by Mr. Perry Nall, about may 5, 1931. The Home rented it for several years, finally disposing of it on the 29th day of October A.S., 1935, for the sum of $500.00.
While the Home is the product of the Jacksonville Baptist Association, it is now sponsored by two Associations, the Jacksonville Baptist Association and the Northeast Florida Baptist Association, the latter of which is composed of several Churches that formerly belonged to the Jacksonville Baptist Association.
According to the language used in the Charter of the Home, the General nature and Object of the Home is "The general nature, purpose and object of said corporation shall be to benevolently maintain, support and educate indigent white children." This purpose has been fulfilled through the entire period of its existence.
The Home has had two mortgages upon it, one away back in 1927, in favor of Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company for $9,500.00, and the other in favor of the Gould Foundation for Children for $10,500.00, the proceeds of the last one being used to pay off the first one and some old accounts of the Home. It may be said in passing, that on several occassions, when the Home had a substantial amount of money on hand, like when it received the McKinney bequest and when it sold the Nall property, that a lot of accounts in arrears were paid off at a very substantial discount.
Like the Charter, which has had to be amended, the By-Laws adopted January 21, 1927, has also been amended on two or more occassions.
The Home was conceived in the mind of the late Mr. Solomon J. Highsmith, and with the assistance of his Pastor, the late Dr. W.L.C. Mahon, the matter was brought to the attention of the Jacksonville Baptist Association and by it made a possibility, an activity and an asset of which not only denominational leaders are proud, but the leaders of the City and community in which it is located.
continue reading part 3 .....
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