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| staff [2024/05/29 14:27] – [Sources] bant05 | staff [2024/05/29 14:46] (current) – [Depictions] bant05 |
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| ===== William C. Adams (1831-1902) ===== | ===== William C. Adams (1831-1902) ===== |
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| [{{:10.2307_community.34506007-1.jpg?200 |William C. Adams in about 1875. Photo Credit: Trinity College Archives}}] | [{{:10.2307_community.34506007-1.jpg?200 |William C. Adams, ca. 1875. Photo Credit: Trinity College Archives}}] |
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| William C. Adams was born in Maryland in 1831 and arrived in Hartford in about 1841. He joined the College staff to assist James Williams in 1849. As Williams aged and his physical health declined, Adams took over the Class Day duties of serving punch. He also cared for some of the students' rooms, and did "general outside work." | William C. Adams was born in Maryland in 1831 and arrived in Hartford in about 1841. He joined the College staff to assist James Williams in 1849. As Williams aged and his physical health declined, Adams took over the Class Day duties of serving punch. He also cared for some of the students' rooms, and did "general outside work." |
| ===== Benjamin Franklin Anderson (1838-1887) ===== | ===== Benjamin Franklin Anderson (1838-1887) ===== |
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| [{{ :10.2307_community.34506008-1.jpg?200|Benjamin Franklin Anderson in about 1875. Photo Credit: Trinity College Archives}}] | [{{ :10.2307_community.34506008-1.jpg?200|Benjamin Franklin Anderson, ca. 1875. Photo Credit: Trinity College Archives}}] |
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| Benjamin Franklin Anderson, called "Franklin" in College publications, was purportedly born in the South in 1838. He was hired to assist Williams and Adams in 1867, as Williams was in failing health. “A large part of the Janitor’s duties–-in fact, nearly all except the ringing of the bell and the care of the chapel–fell to his lot at once.” When Williams died in 1878, Anderson was made Head Janitor. He was married to a woman named Eliza Jane. | Benjamin Franklin Anderson, called "Franklin" in College publications, was purportedly born in the South in 1838. He was hired to assist Williams and Adams in 1867, as Williams was in failing health. “A large part of the Janitor’s duties–-in fact, nearly all except the ringing of the bell and the care of the chapel–fell to his lot at once.” When Williams died in 1878, Anderson was made Head Janitor. He was married to a woman named Eliza Jane. |
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| ===== Adolphus A. Hall (abt. 1847-1922) ===== | ===== Adolphus A. Hall (abt. 1847-1922) ===== |
| [{{ :10.2307_community.34506009-1_1_.jpg?200|Adolphus A. Hall in about 1875. Photo Credit: Trinity College Archives}}] | [{{ :10.2307_community.34506009-1_1_.jpg?200|Adolphus A. Hall, ca. 1875. Photo Credit: Trinity College Archives}}] |
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| Adolphus A. Hall was born between 1846 and 1848 in Washington D.C. to William W and Minty Jane Keys [it is unknown whether he was enslaved]. He appears in a student's 1873-1875 photograph album, labeled in handwriting as "Adolphus." He was a member of the Trinity College staff between about 1873 and 1883. | Adolphus A. Hall was born between 1846 and 1848 in Washington D.C. to William W and Minty Jane Keys [it is unknown whether he was enslaved]. He appears in a student's 1873-1875 photograph album, labeled in handwriting as "Adolphus." He was a member of the Trinity College staff between about 1873 and 1883. |
| ===== "Professor John" ===== | ===== "Professor John" ===== |
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| [{{:10.2307_community.34506010-1.jpg?200 |Image of unidentified man labled "Prof. John" in about 1875. Photo Credit: Trinity College Archives}}] | [{{:10.2307_community.34506010-1.jpg?200 |Image of unidentified man labled "Prof. John," ca. 1875. Photo Credit: Trinity College Archives}}] |
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| During the early- to mid-19th century in the North, "Africans and Native Americans were seen and treated as servants and inferior beings. Race prejudice was firmly in place" and these men "became a fixture in the workplace...through unfailing deference to whites." ((Beeching, p. 70)) In the 1830s, Edward Abdy observed that "there is, perhaps, no city, containing the same amount of population, where the blacks meet with more contumely and unkindness than at this place [Hartford, Conn.]. Some of them told me it was hardly safe for them to be in the streets alone at night." ((Beeching, p. 17)) | During the early- to mid-19th century in the North, "Africans and Native Americans were seen and treated as servants and inferior beings. Race prejudice was firmly in place" and these men "became a fixture in the workplace...through unfailing deference to whites." ((Beeching, p. 70)) In the 1830s, Edward Abdy observed that "there is, perhaps, no city, containing the same amount of population, where the blacks meet with more contumely and unkindness than at this place [Hartford, Conn.]. Some of them told me it was hardly safe for them to be in the streets alone at night." ((Beeching, p. 17)) |
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| {{ :prof._jim.png?400|Lithograph of "Prof. Jim," by D.W. Kellogg & Co. Photo Credit: [[http://emuseum.chs.org/emuseum/objects/3046/prof-jim?ctx=61a695c42886edc2890fe4922fbb4d52b3c4645b&idx=0|Connecticut Museum of Culture and History]].}} | [{{ :prof._jim.png?400|Lithograph of "Prof. Jim," by D.W. Kellogg & Co. Photo Credit: [[http://emuseum.chs.org/emuseum/objects/3046/prof-jim?ctx=61a695c42886edc2890fe4922fbb4d52b3c4645b&idx=0|Connecticut Museum of Culture and History]]}}] |
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| Students nicknamed the men who worked at Trinity facetiously, "mocking their lowly status" ((Beeching, p. 6)) with nicknames like "Professor Jim" for James Williams and "Uncle Billy" for William Adams. This callousness was ubiquitous for the white students who viewed Williams, Adams, and others as their subordinates. As one student wrote, "Whatever were Jim's capabilities and character, his circumstances were such as to render the chance of his ever becoming the president of a college, or the chief officer of a corporation, a moral impossibility." ((Trinity //Tablet//, June 8, 1878, p. 74)) | Students nicknamed the men who worked at Trinity facetiously, "mocking their lowly status" ((Beeching, p. 6)) with nicknames like "Professor Jim" for James Williams and "Uncle Billy" for William Adams. This callousness was ubiquitous for the white students who viewed Williams, Adams, and others as their subordinates. As one student wrote, "Whatever were Jim's capabilities and character, his circumstances were such as to render the chance of his ever becoming the president of a college, or the chief officer of a corporation, a moral impossibility." ((Trinity //Tablet//, June 8, 1878, p. 74)) |
| Students described Williams as the "genial janitor," ((Trinity Tablet, April 1908)) active and mirthful, never missing a day of work, keen to keep their secrets. Many others noted his infallible memory and capacity for details of all the people he had known in life. ((Hartford Courant, 21 May 1878)) They remembered his “humorous smile,” wit, and “sparkling eyes," but also "devotion and fidelity common to his race." ((Trinity Tablet, April 1870)) | Students described Williams as the "genial janitor," ((Trinity Tablet, April 1908)) active and mirthful, never missing a day of work, keen to keep their secrets. Many others noted his infallible memory and capacity for details of all the people he had known in life. ((Hartford Courant, 21 May 1878)) They remembered his “humorous smile,” wit, and “sparkling eyes," but also "devotion and fidelity common to his race." ((Trinity Tablet, April 1870)) |
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| Like the lithograph depicts him with the tools of the janitorial job, Williams was best known as Trinity's "most faithful servitor." Servitor, which literally means "male servant," was a word that could refer to janitorial work, but also could reinforce societal inferiority, as "servant" was a common euphemism for slave. "Jim" was praised for the number of years he worked diligently at the College; he was "humble," "trusty," and "punctual," happy to work hard and loyal to his white employers. The Trinity students said that "he is a living example of those venerable stewards...in a service of inflexible attachment to their lords, and of unswerving devotion to their interests." It is this that the students say is "no juster claim" to a reward of comfort, repose, and financial stability, "so ought Trinity to honor Prof. Jim" at the end of his life. "In the undeviating fulfillment of his humble capacity, he has been a hero, unnoticed perhaps here, but recognized above." ((Trinity //Tablet//, April 1870, p. 51-52)) The use of the word "hero" mirrors Donald Bogle in his book //Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, & Bucks// (1994): "Always as toms are chased, harassed, hounded, flogged, enslaved, and insulted, they keep the faith, n'er turn against their white massas, and remain hearty, submissive, stoic, generous, selfless, and oh-so-very kind. Thus they endear themselves to white audiences and emerge as heroes of sorts." (pp. 5-6). | Like the lithograph depicts him with the tools of the janitorial job, Williams was best known as Trinity's "most faithful servitor." Servitor, which literally means "male servant," was a word that could refer to janitorial work, but also could reinforce societal inferiority, as "servant" was a common euphemism for slave. "Jim" was praised for the number of years he worked diligently at the College; he was "humble," "trusty," and "punctual," happy to work hard and loyal to his white employers. The Trinity students said that "he is a living example of those venerable stewards...in a service of inflexible attachment to their lords, and of unswerving devotion to their interests." It is this that the students say is "no juster claim" to a reward of comfort, repose, and financial stability, "so ought Trinity to honor Prof. Jim" at the end of his life. "In the undeviating fulfillment of his humble capacity, he has been a hero, unnoticed perhaps here, but recognized above." ((Trinity //Tablet//, April 1870, pp. 51-52)) The use of the word "hero" mirrors Donald Bogle in his book //Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, & Bucks// (1994): "Always as toms are chased, harassed, hounded, flogged, enslaved, and insulted, they keep the faith, n'er turn against their white massas, and remain hearty, submissive, stoic, generous, selfless, and oh-so-very kind. Thus they endear themselves to white audiences and emerge as heroes of sorts." (pp. 5-6). |
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| At the time of Williams' funeral, an article appeared in the //Tablet// in which a student ruminates on why he, "the man of low estate," was so revered and respected "not only by his equals, but by those who were more than his equals." The student concluded that it was "first, the force of strong character; and, secondly, the influence | At the time of Williams' funeral, an article appeared in the //Tablet// in which a student ruminates on why he, "the man of low estate," was so revered and respected "not only by his equals, but by those who were more than his equals." The student concluded that it was "first, the force of strong character; and, secondly, the influence |
