Thursday, October 11, 2007

THE LEXINGTON ORPHAN ASYLUM

The Lexington Orphan Asylum was established in 1833 to care for children bereft of parents by the epidemic of cholera which carried off five hundred citizens that year.

A public meeting was held at the court-house on Wednesday, July 17, 1883, to raise funds to establish an asylum for these children. It was largely attended, and $4,400 were collected for the purpose. A house and lot, formerlyalester, Mrs. Ross, Mrs. Geohegan, Mrs. Edmiston, Miss Barry, Miss M. Merrill, and Mrs. Short. The managers furnished the house, procured a matron and an assistant, and gathered and sheltered all the dest the property of Dr. James Fishback, and located on Third Street, between Broadway and Jefferson was purchased.

On Wednesday, August 14th, the institution was organized with the following managers, viz: Mrs. Wickliffe, Mrs. Sayre, Mrs. Tilford, Mrs. Gratz, Mrs. Erwin, Mrs. Bruen, Mrs. W. Richardson, Mrs. Putnam, Mrs. Chipley, Mrs. J. Norton, Mrs. Graves, Mrs. Dewees, Mrs. Ward, Mrs. L. Stephens, Mrs. J.W. Hunt, Mrs. Peers, Mrs. Leavy, Mrs. Mac
itute orphans in the city who had been deprived of both parents.

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