Leake and Watts Children's Home

The Leake and Watts Children's Home is an orphanage in New York City.[1][2]

Contents

History

John George Leake (1752–1827) was a New York lawyer who had no children or siblings.[1] He died on June 2, 1827 at his home on Park Row in Manhattan. His estate had personal property valued at about $300,000 and real estate worth an additional $86,000.[3] In his legal papers was an unsigned and undated draft of a will in his handwriting. He left money in that will to create a home for orphaned children, and assigned his friend, John Watts, to administer the home.[1] John Watts is sometimes referred to as John's "brother-in-law." The Public Administrator of New York took charge of the estate, ruling that Leake had died intestate. After a court decision the cash was released to the orphanage but his real estate was kept by New York State.[3]

The 1843 building was designed by Ithiel Town and constructed by Samuel Thomson in the Greek revival style.[1][2] As the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine neared completion, the orphanage was to be torn down. Instead, a renovation of the orphanage was completed in 2006.

Timeline

  • 1827 Death of Leake[1]
  • 1831 Leake & Watts Orphan House is founded in New York City for "the maintenance and education of helpless orphan children" by John Watts, according to the terms of a bequest by his brother-in-law, John George Leake.
  • 1838 Cornerstone for new building laid[1]
  • 1843 The Leake & Watts Orphan House moves to the current site of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Upper Manhattan.[1]
  • 1850 Leake & Watts Orphan House opens its doors to girls.
  • 1891 The Home is moved outside the city to the 40-acre (160,000 m2) farm of Edwin Forrest, the grounds were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.[1]
  • 1921 The "cottage system" is implemented at Leake & Watts. First implemented for girls, the system featured six cottages with cottage parents, housing 10-30 girls each on the Yonkers campus.
  • 1937 A Social Services Department with trained social work staff is established.
  • 1944 The Foster Home Department is established.
  • 1947 Leake & Watts merges with the Orphan Home and Asylum of the Episcopal Church and the Sevilla-Hopewell Society of Brooklyn.[4]

Archive

External links

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Gray, Christopher (June 24, 1990). "The Leake & Watts Orphan Asylum. A Castoff in the Path of a Growing, Great Cathedral.". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE2DB113BF937A15755C0A966958260. Retrieved 2008-12-25. "The researcher, Geoffrey Carter, found that the Greek Revival-style orphanage was designed by Ithiel Town, a major New York City architect. ... John George Leake was a leading lawyer in early 19th-century New York but had no children or sibilings. According to the Rev. J. F. Richmond's 1872 New York and Its Institutions, Leake searched for other relations, but finally 'experienced the sadness of knowing that, of all the scattered millions of Earth, not one existing was bound to him by ties of consanguinity.'" 
  2. ^ a b Dunlap, David W. (December 9, 2004). "A Giant Takes Steps to Rebuild Its Smaller Neighbor". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/09/nyregion/09blocks.html?pagewanted=print&position=. Retrieved 2008-12-25. "The former Leake Watts Orphan House, one of the most monumental Greek Revival temples in New York City, still stands after 161 years as a poignant testament to social history and to the transformation of Morningside Heights from suburb to city. ... Now, reversing the course of demolition by neglect, the cathedral is restoring Leake & Watts, renamed the Town Building in honor of its architect, Ithiel Town." 
  3. ^ a b "Leake Heirs Sue The State. Seek to Recover $86,608. How They Trace Their Relationship to John George Leake.". New York Times. December 18, 1900. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9801EED8153DE433A2575BC1A9649D946197D6CF. Retrieved 2008-12-25. "The State Court of Claims met yesterday in the City Court Building and took testimony in the claims of the heirs of John George Leake against the State. The action is to recover $86,608.35, the amount realized by the State from the sale of the property of Mr. Leake, which escheated to the State because he was supposed to have no heirs." 
  4. ^ "Leake and Watts and Orphans' Home and Asylum Receive Mayor's Praise for Action". New York Times. June 19, 1947. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40F10FF3958147B93CBA8178DD85F438485F9. Retrieved 2008-12-25. "Two of the oldest child-caring institutions in New York City announced yesterday their merger and at the same time released a letter from Mayor O'Dwyer congratulating them on the step."