A shed off Chandler Mill in Kennett Township.
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
Photo of the Week: Red Roof Shed Read More »
The Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Foundation has been bridging financial gaps in the school district since 1995 and the district loves the efforts.
Tim Hoffman, the principal at Charles F. Patton Middle School for four years, called the foundation fantastic.
“It’s another community partnership,” Hoffman said. “We have our PTOs, which are very helpful providing things for our teachers, but there are other projects…that can have high price tags.”
He said one of those projects was a Redcat audio amplification system for classrooms. The foundation provided a grant for four of the systems at the middle school. He said Redcat systems create an even sound throughout the classroom so that everyone can hear the teacher and everyone can hear the students when they read aloud.
“It’s quite a donation,” Hoffman added.
Shawn Dutkiewicz, now in his second year as principal at Chadds Ford Elementary School, agreed with Hoffman.
“The foundation is unlike anything. I’ve never heard of an organization within a school district that supports us in such a way. We just received two grants last week that will help do a great deal for our kids,” he said during Saturday night’s silent auction at The Gables on Route 1.
There was a $3,800 grant for the schools Maker Space, where students can explore projects they’re curious about, from crafts to high technology, and a $1,500 grant for a fifth-grade collaboration project, Dutkiewicz said.
Superintendent John Sanville said the administration and the school board appreciate the foundation’s efforts to support ideas the teachers have.
“It’s money that goes directly to helping the kids. I give the foundation and its leadership a lot of credit for what they do to help make our student experience better,” Sanville said.
Jen Hall was the auction chairman for the event this year. She said the foundation fills some of the gaps between what the district budget allows and what the individual school PTOs raise.
Teachers submit grants to the foundation, which vets the requests and then funds whatever it thinks best benefits the school and the community.
The silent auction is the foundation’s major fundraiser. Hall said the group raised $21,000 to $22,000 last year. This year’s goal, with 180 people attending the event, was $25,000.
The foundation has been in existence since 1995 and has raised nearly $280,000 to fund projects in the district.
Among the recent grants, in addition to the classroom audio systems and the Maker Space project, the foundation has also paid for some water bottle refilling stations on existing water fountains at Unionville High School, and some Chromebooks for the elementary schools, Hall said.
(Top photo: Chadds Ford Elementary School Principal Shawn Dutkiewicz, his wife Adriene and Hillandale Elementary School Principal Steve Dissinger attend the Unionville-Chadds Ford Education Foundation silent auction fundraiser Saturday night. Shawn Dutkiewicz said CFES just received more than $5,000 in grants from the foundation.)
Rich Schwartzman has been reporting on events in the greater Chadds Ford area since September 2001 when he became the founding editor of The Chadds Ford Post. In April 2009 he became managing editor of ChaddsFordLive. He is also an award-winning photographer.
District loves education foundation Read More »
Updated at 3:30 p.m. to change storm watch to warning
A winter storm warning has been issued for the region, starting from late on Monday, Feb. 8, through late Tuesday, Feb. 9, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.
The chance of precipitation is 80 percent approaching midnight on Monday with a low temperature of 31 expected. Accumulation of one to three inches is possible. The 80 percent chance of precipitation continues into Tuesday with the possibility of another accumulation of three to five inches, the NWS said.
The snow has the potential to be moderate to heavy on Tuesday into Tuesday night, especially south and west of Philadelphia. A high temperature of 35 and a low of 28 is predicted. The snow may mix with rain closer to the coast, reducing the accumulation. Northeast winds of 10 to 15 mph are forecast with gusts of 20 mph.
The wintry weather is likely to impact travel from late Monday night through Tuesday night, the NWS said. Drivers are urged to proceed with caution.
Winter storm warning issued for region Read More »
“The Wall That Heals,” a 250-foot, half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, is coming to Chester County this summer.
Hopewell United Methodist Church (UMC) and East Brandywine Township will host the replica memorial wall and accompanying mobile education center display, the only Chester County venue on a national tour, according to a township press release.
The exhibition will be available for viewing throughout the day and night from July 28 to Aug. 1 at East Brandywine Township Community Park, 440 Dilworth Rd., Downingtown, Pa., 19335.
In anticipation of the event, Hopewell UMC and East Brandywine Township are inviting all Chester County residents to an informational meeting at the East Brandywine Township municipal building, 1214 Horseshoe Pike in Downingtown, on Thursday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. The meeting will outline plans for the exhibit, including volunteer opportunities, the release said.
“This is an exciting opportunity for Chester County residents to experience the impact of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, and we are asking for volunteers to help with visitor assistance and security during this leg of the tour,” Sandy Lammey, chair of East Brandywine Township’s Parks and Recreation Committee, said in the release. “The Wall is the most visited memorial in Washington D.C. and bears the names of the more than 58,000 men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam.”
Since its debut in 1996, more than two million people have visited “The Wall That Heals” sites. It has made stops in nearly 400 U.S. communities in addition to a tour of Ireland and a visit to Canada. The exhibit includes photos of service members whose names are found on The Wall; letters and memorabilia left at The Wall in D.C.; and a map of Vietnam and a chronological overview of the conflict in Vietnam.
“It is a privilege to have been selected to host ‘The Wall That Heals’ and to provide an opportunity for all residents – especially local veterans and their families – to see the memorial that honors the three million-plus Americans who served during the Vietnam War,” John Neider, pastor of Outreach Ministries at Hopewell UMC, said in the release.
“The Wall That Heals” will be open 24 hours a day during its Chester County display, and there is no charge for admission. The only other Pennsylvania stop scheduled in 2016 will occur in York from May 5 to May 8. For more information on the Downingtown stop, visit www.hopewellumc.org or www.ebrandywine.org.
With support from USAA, Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Trust, FedEx, and Geico, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) coordinates local stops of “The Wall That Heals” and the accompanying mobile education center. “The Wall That Heals” is transported from community to community by a 53-foot, fifth-wheel trailer with cases built into its sides, allowing it to tell the story of the Vietnam War, The Wall and the divisive era in American history.
Vietnam Wall replica coming to Chester County Read More »
For the eighth year, artists and art lovers converged on the Chadds Ford Historical Society’s (CFHS) Barn Visitors’ Center on Saturday, Feb. 6, for the “Plein Air Event” – an evening that proved challenging for some indecisive patrons.
Earlier in the day, 22 artists set up their palettes at area sites to paint plein air, French for “in the open air. ” Some artists gravitated to familiar scenes like the Kuerner Farm, one of Andrew Wyeths favorite haunts, while others fanned out along winding back roads looking for a picturesque vista.
A couple of artists found inspiration on the nearby farm of Greg Williams, who said he enjoyed watching them work. Even better, “I really liked the results,” he said.
So after a brief struggle to choose between two different artists’ interpretations, Williams bought one of each. Unbeknownst to him, someone else had been eyeing one of his selections and made a decision to purchase it only to learn that another fan had snagged it.
Kendal Reynolds, the CFHS board president, said the woman was slightly relieved when she learned that the buyer was Williams. “It turned out that she’s his neighbor,” Reynolds explained. And even though she was disappointed, “She said: ‘At least I can go visit the painting.’”
A couple of other attendees weren’t so fortunate. “Oh no, that’s the one I wanted,” one guest lamented as a painting disappeared from the wall.
Reynolds said she was pleased not only with the turnout for the event, which included returning as well as new visitors, but also the sales. By the end of the evening, 19 paintings had either been taken home by their new owner or displayed a red sold sticker. “I’m so happy for the artists,” said Reynolds.
She added that not everyone is able to make a quick decision. “Some people need to go home and think about it,” she said, adding that many paintings are sold in the weeks following the event.
Artist Jane Ramsey, a repeat participant who sold two paintings on Saturday evening, remembered one year when she came to pick up a painting that hadn’t sold on the day the display ended only to learn that someone had bought it hours earlier. “You never know what can happen,” she said, adding that she hopes to return next year. “I really enjoy painting in this area.”
Bruno Baran, chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association and one of the participating artists, also applauded the results. He said about half of the artists in the exhibition belong to MAPAPA. “I think it’s a really strong show,” he said. “There’s a lot of talent, a lot of strong painting here.”
Sue Duerr, who recently joined the CFHS board, said she was attending the event for the first time. “I really love the smell of the paint,” she said as she surveyed one of the display rooms. “Plus, they’re really beautiful.”
Lisa Vonderstuck, owner of Brandywine View Antiques in Chadds Ford, fondly recalled her introduction to the event several years ago. She said someone who had attended it told her that one of the paintings featured her former shop in Pennsbury Township. Fortunately, the painting was still available when Vonderstuck went to the CFHS and bought it the following day, she said.
Since then, she has enjoyed a growing partnership with the society. For this year’s Plein Air Event, Vonderstuck brought in some antiques and collectibles, which were also for sale and were used to display some of the paintings. Last year, she teamed with the CFHS for a barn market that will be repeated. The Second Annual Spring Massive Barn Market is scheduled for Saturday, April 16, beginning at 9 a.m.
Artist Jacalyn Beam, one of the event organizers, said she believes the artists’ work dovetails beautifully with the mission of the historical society. “We’re basically documenting the historic Brandywine area in this time period,” she said, adding that the paintings would chronicle that history for years to come.
Beam said that this year marked the first time that artists were able to bring a couple of paintings done at other times. In the past, buyers could only choose from wintry scenes since the paintings were all completed in the same time frame. The change ensured that the CFHS walls never remained bare. If a painting sold and the owner wanted to take it right away, a new work quickly went up in its place.
For those who were unable to attend the event, the paintings will be available for inspection and sale at the Visitors’ Center through March 25. The Chadds Ford Historical Society is located on Creek Road, just north Route 1. Office hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call 610-388-7376, email info@chaddsfordhistory.org or visit www.chaddsfordhistory.org.
Paintings fly off wall at CFHS ‘Plein Air Event’ Read More »
Less than a year ago, a beloved, former NFL kicker died of neuroendocrine cancer and related brain tumors, an outcome fraught with cruel irony.
Garo Yepremian had been working for years to subsidize life-saving brain tumor research and treatment. He and his wife, Maritza, founded the nonprofit Garo Yepremian Foundation in 2001, after their daughter-in-law, Debby-Lu Tashjian Yepremian, a 1995 Unionville High graduate, had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor.
For more than a decade, the Yepremians organized celebrity-studded fundraisers to fight the disease, an effort that continued after their daughter-in-law lost her hard-fought battle in 2004. Then the unthinkable occurred: Garo Yepremian, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s choice as “Kicker of the Decade” from 1970-1980, received his fateful diagnosis in May 2014.
Friends and relatives said Yepremian reacted to the news with the same positive outlook and determination that pervaded his life. After all, the former NFL standout had never even seen a football game before playing in one. He came to the U.S. from Cyprus at age 22 because his brother had watched a football game on TV and thought his sibling could kick well enough to get a free education.
Yepremian went on to a 15-year NFL career that included stints with the Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Miami Dolphins. His retirement created new opportunities: He wrote three books, excelled on the speaking circuit, and took up oil painting – with proceeds going to the foundation.
He also maintained strong bonds with friends and relatives, ensuring that the work of the foundation would continue.
On Friday, Feb. 19, the foundation will host the Sixth Annual Casino Night, a fundraiser that encourages participants to roll the dice to support brain cancer research. It will be held at the Desmond Hotel in Malvern from 6 to 11 p.m.
Tickets, which must be purchased in advance, are $125 per person and include casino gaming chips, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, buffet, complimentary martini bar, celebrity guest appearances, auction items, table prizes, and a charitable contribution.
Sponsorship opportunities are encouraged and will include the sponsor’s logo on gaming table signs and a PowerPoint presentation. For more information, visit http://www.yepremian.org, write to Box 1231, Avondale, Pa., 19311, or call 610-268-2299.
Late NFL star’s brain cancer battle continues Read More »
Religion and politics are sometimes considered dirty topics. People pledge to keep these two topics off the table when gathering for family events. The media portrays families always having an argument between that gun toting confederate flag waving uncle and the pro choice gay marriage supporting niece. I am sure the reality is not that drastic but it still illustrates the point, that religion and politics should not be discussed amongst family.
One thing is true about religion and politics. They share at least one thing in common, they both are not for the faint hearted. Barack Obama himself said in 2004 “Everybody knows politics is a contact sport.” When Ted Cruz won in Iowa this past week some headlines read “Cruz draws first blood!” You cannot survive in politics if you are not ready for attacks, battles and much more.
Like politicians, Christians face a tough road. In Matthew 24:9, Jesus says “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.”
What a life, right? If you follow Jesus, people will hate you and persecute you and even put you to death. Who in their right mind would follow Jesus if this is what will befall them? Like politics, those who follow Christ do so knowing the risks and find that the risks are worth it. As a Christian, I can affirm that if following Christ leads to my death then so be it for Jesus first suffered for me and died. Risking my life is the least I could do for him.
You see the political system is dirty and ineffective. Congress has the lowest rating perhaps in its history and conservatives argue that Obama is the worst president America has ever had. It is no wonder that many people are excited to get behind someone that is not a lifelong politician or someone who is so anti political status quo that many in his own party hate him.
The argument from some of the political “outsiders” and anti-establishment candidates is that Washington is self-serving. Politicians get elected simply to enrich themselves and their lobbyists at the expense of the people and their tax dollars. Bills are passed full of money for political interests all the while things that really matter to Americans always stall in the halls of the government. For Christians, the government has continued to pass laws that demonize and criminalize what we have always held to be biblically true and godly.
There are many in and out of government that want more and a larger government, but why? If something is dirty, why on earth would we want more of it? Politics is dirty. But does it have to be this way? If this nation was founded on Judeo Christian principles and if the Bible is the bed rock on which the Constitution and many of our laws are grounded on, then maybe politics should be more just and righteous.
Perhaps this is all lofty thinking, but a man can dream, right? I love politics and I engage in it because it is my civic duty as an American. I also acknowledge that God is the one that ultimately has the say regarding who is elected.
Romans 13:1 makes that abundantly clear: Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
So we can argue all the day if our vote counts or not in an electoral college system but at the end of the day for good or for bad whoever is chosen and “established” is done so by God.
Given this, it would be my hope that we could once and for all baptize all of politics. For Christians, baptism by immersion means burying the old and raising the new.
Romans 6:3 says, Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
We need to take the whole political system and immerse it in the river of justice, baptize it in the ever-flowing stream of righteousness (Amos 5:24).
Burying the old corrupt, self-serving and debt ridden immoral system that from this river and from this stream might arise a renewed political system that honors God first and recognizing who is truly in charge. Rising anew to return to the moral basis of the Constitution grounded in a Judeo Christian ethic. This is my hope; this I do pray.
* The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the ownership or management of Chadds Ford Live. We welcome opposing viewpoints. Readers may comment in the comments section or they may submit a Letter to the Editor to: editor@chaddsfordlive.com
Rev. Marcos O. Almonte is senior pastor at Brandywine Baptist Church, the oldest Baptist Church west of Philadelphia. Pastor Marcos is a graduate of Palmer Theological Seminary with more than 10 years working with families with an expertise in theology, trauma and addictions. Pastor Marcos and his wife Mary have three children, Carmen, Joseph, and Lincoln.
Applied Belief: Baptizing politics Read More »
Pulling one over on a longtime detective takes some savvy scheming, but the top brass in the Chester County District Attorney’s Office managed to ambush former Chief County Detective James Vito on Friday, Feb. 5.
Vito, who was named 2015 Detective of the Year, was one of numerous honorees at the Chester County District Attorney’s Awards Ceremony at the Chester County Justice Center – and the only one who didn’t know exactly why he was there.
To what lengths did his former colleagues go to ensure his presence without divulging the reason? They told him that another detective was receiving the recognition. “I congratulated that person in the elevator on the way up here,” Vito said later.
Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan called Vito “the backbone of law enforcement for three decades” as well as someone who espoused teamwork and shunned the limelight. Chester County Chief Detective Kevin Dykes described his former boss as someone who is “as honest, compassionate and loyal as they come.”
Vito said that he was honored and that he would put the award in a place where it would remind him to salute the great work that his former co-workers do every day.
Hogan presented a special commendation to Sen. Pat Toomey for his work on several issues this past year. Toomey pushed legislation to keep sex offenders out of schools, protected funds for crime victims, and stood up for embattled law enforcers, Hogan said.
Surveying Courtroom One, which was filled with men and women in blue, Toomey said that although it has been a difficult year for police officers, citizens value them. “I know because I speak to Pennsylvanians every day,” he said. “The vast majority of Pennsylvanians are grateful to you … My main message to you today is to say thank you for the great work that you do.”
District Attorney Chief of Staff Charles Gaza extended the praise, presenting commendations to departments and individuals involved in five events. Department of Emergency Services (DES) Executive Director Robert Kagel, Safe Schools Planning Coordinator Chrissy DePaolantonio, and Pat Davis, deputy director for law enforcement services at DES, were cited for coordinating a multi-department active-shooter drill, and members of the Sheriff’s Office garnered praise for their handling of a knife-wielding attacker at the Justice Center in August.
Former Pennsylvania State Police Capt. William White accepted honors for the role his department played in a high-profile child-abuse case. Hogan pointed out that White was recently promoted to major and would be leaving Troop J to work in Hershey.
During White’s supervision of the Avondale and Embreeville barracks, his investigators succeeded in bringing Warren Yerger Sr. to trial, where he was convicted and received a prison term of 339 to 690 years – the longest jail sentence in county history, Hogan said.
The Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department garnered accolades for bringing the last of six defendants, who had been on the lam for more than a decade, to justice for a terrifying robbery of a Genuardi’s supermarket in 2000. And the West Goshen Police Department was lauded for its work on the case involving Edward Charsha and Stephanie Matusky, who embezzled $200,000 from their employer, an electrical contractor.
The Prosecutor of the Year Award went to Deputy District Attorney Carlos Barraza. First Assistant District Attorney Michael G. Noone said Barraza had adeptly filled a variety of roles in the office, including mentoring new hires, handling grand-jury investigations, and heading the drug unit.
“Carlos is skilled in many areas. Just ask him; he’ll tell you,” Noone joked.
Barraza insisted that many others “could and should be here” receiving this award: his wife, for example. “Let’s be real. She’s married to me so she should be the one up here receiving this award,” he suggested.
He expressed profuse praise for a host of people, referencing numerous colleagues and insisting that his support staff stand and be recognized. “You’re overworked, you’re underpaid. But the one thing you’re not is underappreciated,” he said.
Barraza delivered his tribute to his family in Spanish. Besides his wife and two of their three children, Barraza’s father, Luciano; his mother, Martha; his brother Luciano; his sister Alejandra; a niece, and two nephews all attended the ceremony.
Finally, Hogan presented Downingtown Det. Andy Trautmann with the Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award. Hogan noted that Trautmann possesses police skills that normally don’t coexist. He works fearlessly as a SWAT officer and tenaciously as a white-collar crime investigator, but also excels as a resource officer for the Downingtown school district, a position that requires a very different demeanor, Hogan said.
“I am truly humbled. I am truly honored; This is not what I do my job for,” Trautmann said. “One thing I try to remember is that I work for those who can’t work for themselves.”
Hogan ended the program on a somber note. “We have a solemn duty to remember fallen officers,” he said, a prelude to an evocative song from Deputy Sheriff Wayne Johnson, who also opened the ceremony with an a cappella version “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
At this court proceeding, sentences adulatory Read More »
A West Goshen Township father faces charges after an altercation preceded his 16-year-old son’s brain hemorrhage on Friday, Feb. 5, said a press release from the West Goshen Township Police Department.
West Goshen Township Police and medical personnel responded to the 500 block of Taylors Mill Road in West Chester at 11:32 p.m. on Friday night for the report of a cardiac arrest. Upon arrival, officers learned that the teenage male was unresponsive, the release said.
The victim’s mother told detectives that her son had been involved in a physical altercation with his father and then collapsed. The boy was transported to Chester County Hospital by ambulance, where doctors determined he was suffering a brain hemorrhage and had him flown to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Police said the boy remains in the intensive care unit at CHOP.
After interviewing the 43-year-old father, Christian Joseph Turse, West Goshen detectives charged him with aggravated assault, simple assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and related offenses, the release said.
Turse was arraigned before District Justice Michael J. Cabry III, who set bail at $100,000 unsecured. Turse was released to await a preliminary hearing scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 11, at 8:30 a.m. in West Goshen district court, court records said.
W. Goshen teen hospitalized; father charged Read More »
An African American trailblazer with local roots seems more suited to modern times than life 150 years ago.
Mary Ann Shadd Cary worked as a teacher, journalist, editor, lecturer, lawyer, civil rights activist, suffragette, abolitionist, wife and mother, fitting the profile of today’s super woman. Her accomplishments proved even more remarkable for a woman of color, making her a worthy subject for anyone inspired to research area notables during Black History Month.
Shadd Cary’s family roots date back to 1755, before America’s founding, according to Jane Rhodes, whose research led to the publication of Mary Ann Shadd Cary: The Black Press and Protest in the Nineteenth Century in 1998. Rhodes offers the following account of Shadd Cary’s journey from Delaware to Canada to Washington, D.C.:
In the year leading up to the French and Indian War, a Hessian mercenary under the command of General Braddock was wounded and sent to Chadds Ford to recuperate. His nurses were a free black woman, Elizabeth Jackson, and her daughter, also named Elizabeth. The younger Elizabeth and the soldier, Hans Schad, fell in love and married. The couple had two sons, Hans Jr. and Jeremiah, and eventually moved just over the Pennsylvania-Delaware line to Millcreek Hundred. Over time, the spelling of the family name changed to Shad and then to Shadd.
One of Jeremiah Shadd’s sons, Abraham (1801-1882), became a leader in Wilmington’s community of free blacks. He was a delegate to annual conventions for free blacks and served as president. He was also a delegate to Anti-Slavery Society conventions, where he met and formed lasting friendships with Pennsylvania Quakers. Working with Wilmington Quaker Thomas Garrett, he helped fugitive slaves travel through the northern Delaware portion of the Underground Railroad.
Abraham Shadd’s 13 children grew up in a home centered on social activism, and as adults they all chose careers that gave them the opportunity to improve conditions for their race and fellow citizens. Among the activist children, though, Mary Ann Shadd was the most outstanding.
The eldest child, she was 10 years old when the family, with help from their Pennsylvania Quaker friends, moved to West Chester. The move made it possible for all the Shadd children – the boys and the girls – to receive an education, something that was not possible at that time in Delaware. Their father continued to prosper in business and became a leader in his new community.
Through her teacher, Phoebe Darlington, Mary Ann Shadd learned the values of the Society of Friends, including the brotherhood of man and the importance of education. When her studies were complete, she taught in several area schools while sharing her strong opinions about integration, slavery, and education in various newspapers. Casting her net further, she wrote a short pamphlet called, “Hints to the Colored People of the North” in 1949 in which she encouraged thrift and encouraged her readers to live within their means. The pamphlet caught the attention of Frederick Douglass, and soon she began writing articles on black independence and need for self-respect for his North Star publication.
Writer W.E.B. Du Bois described Mary Ann Shadd as “tall, slim and beautiful, having that ravishing dream-born beauty – that twilight of races that we call mulatto.” For her part, Shadd preferred not to think about her color and, when discussing color, referred to people as having “complexional differences.” By all accounts, her beauty, combined with her intellect and strong personality, made her remarkable in any setting. Although she could be abrasive, her arguments often sparkled with wit and humor.
With the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, many blacks – those free-born and those “self-emancipated” – chose to leave the U.S. and settle just across the Detroit River in Canada. In “Canada West,” they could finally live without the constant fear of being sold into slavery in the South. It was to this safe haven that the entire Shadd family moved in 1852. Almost immediately, Mary Ann Shadd began to teach in a makeshift school, and with her brother Isaac, founded a newspaper to serve the immigrant population.
Called “The Provincial Freeman,” the paper’s masthead declared, “Self-reliance is the True Road to Independence.” During this same period of time, she wrote another pamphlet, printed in Wilmington, which extolled the advantages for blacks living in Canada. Ignoring the danger of travelling alone, Mary Ann Shadd lectured throughout the U.S., promoting immigration and selling her booklet, “Notes on Canada West.”
In 1856, Shadd took time out from her hectic schedule to marry a politically active Toronto barber originally from Virginia, Thomas Cary. Cary had three children from a previous marriage and added two more children to the family with his new wife. By 1860, “The Provincial Freeman” had stopped printing, and Thomas Cary had died, leaving his widow with five children to support.
To earn extra income and to support the Union cause, Shadd Cary accepted a commission to recruit black soldiers for the Union Army, excelling once again in her duties. After the Civil War, she and her children moved to Washington, D.C. Here, Shadd Cary taught children who were part of the huge migration of black families to that city following the end of the war. She continued her fiery writing and was a frequent contributor to Frederick Douglass’ “New National Era” and John Wesley Cromwell’s “The Advocate.“
Shadd Cary’s attention next turned to the issue of women’s suffrage. She became involved with the National Women’s Suffrage Association, where Susan B. Anthony and Lucretia Mott recognized her as a gifted speaker and invited her to address the association’s convention in 1878. Later, she appeared with Cady Stanton and Anthony to argue before Congress that the 14th and 15th Amendments provided the right to vote to all its citizens and taxpayers.
At age 46, Shadd Cary entered Howard University’s newly established Law School with 45 other students. Research suggests that she was the first African American woman to study law and one of the first American women of any race to seek a law degree. Although she excelled in her courses, curiously she did not graduate with the 10 students who finished the program. Many explanations have been proffered, but it couldn’t have helped that the legal profession at that time was a white, male-dominated profession in the 1800s, and it was difficult for women across the country to get admitted to the bar.
Shadd Cary was 60 years old when she finally became a lawyer. With her license in hand, she focused on serving the downtrodden in her community until her death in 1893 at the age of 70. Several years earlier, Bishop Daniel Payne of the African Methodist Episcopal Church wrote that, “her energy and perseverance, as well as her ability to suffer in the causes she espoused, entitled her to rank among the reformers of the time. She left to others to carry forward the torch she had ignited.”
In recognition of her important contributions to the educational and economic advancement of blacks and women, her Washington, D.C. home, 1421 W. Street, NW, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. In 1997, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women, and in 1998, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, N.Y. Shadd descendants came from across the U.S. and Canada to witness the proud moment in their family history – a journey that began in Chadds Ford when a wounded Hessian soldier was nursed back to health 260 years ago.
Lora has a passion for art, gardening, yoga, music and dancing. She continues to research the life of locally born abolitionist and 1998 National Women's Hall of Fame inductee Mary Ann Shadd Cary. She is a dedicated community volunteer, working with the American Association of University Women, Wilmington, DE branch (programs chair), Chadds Ford Historical Society (former board member) and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art. Lora lives in Birmingham Township with her husband Bill and son Brad. Daughter Erika lives in Pittsburgh with husband Bob and baby Wilhelmina. She is a former French, Spanish and ESL teacher, bilingual life insurance underwriter and public relations coordinator for Delaware Art Museum and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.
Chadds Ford chance encounter begets pioneer Read More »
