William Widdifield (1 results)

Condition: Good. Calligraphic document, signed and dated.20 x 32.5cm.This text represents a donor certificate for the Asylum for the Relief of Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason, commonly known as the Friends Asylum, which opened in May 1817 in the Frankford section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.The institution was the first private psychiatric hospital in the United States, founded by members of the Society of Friends (Quakers) to provide humane "moral treatment" for the mentally ill, utilizing compassion and therapeutic, tranquil environments rather than chains or abuse. .The Asylum was established on a 52-acre farm to provide "tender, sympathetic attention" to residents of Philadelphia suffering from mental illnesses.1817 Significance: The year 1817 is when the institution first opened its doors to patients.Contributors: Contributors were individuals who provided funds for the construction and initial operation of the facility. These were largely prominent Philadelphia Quakers.Widdifield Name: While not listed among the main, widely cited founders (like Robert Vaux or Thomas Scattergood), the Widdifield family had Quaker roots in the Philadelphia region during this era. This certificate indicates that William Widdifield was a contributor to the founding or early funding of the institution.The Vaux family was a prominent Philadelphia Quaker family active in a number of charitable concerns, particularly as relate to the education of African-Americans. This collection includes papers from three George Vauxes: 1832-1915, 1863-1927, and 1908-1996, spanning a little over a century from the 1890s to the 1990.From the collection of Frederick Ruffner (1926-2014), the founder of Gale Research, Detroit.