View source for Maryland Gazette, 11 June 1752

[[File:MarylandGazette11June1752P3.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Detail from page 3 from the ''Maryland Gazette'' (Annapolis, MD) for 11 June 1752: an article concerning sponsors for the Charity Working School in Talbot Co., Maryland. From the [https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc4800/sc4872/001279/html/index.html Maryland Gazette Collection,] Maryland State Archives.
]]
On June 11, 1752, the ''Maryland Gazette'' of Annapolis published an account of contributions received from various donors in Virginia for a Charity Working School to be established in St. Peter's parish in Talbot County, Maryland, proposed by rector [[wikipedia:Thomas Bacon (priest)|Thomas Bacon]] (1711 &ndash; 1768).<ref> [https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc4800/sc4872/001279/html/m1279-0115.html ''Maryland Gazette''] (Annapolis, MD), June 11 1752, 3.</ref> An Episcopal priest, Bacon was concerned with the religious and practical education of poor children, and the children of enslaved African Americans.

Although Bacon preached to Black congregations, and taught that Blacks had souls which required saving just as much as any white parishioner's, his writings imply that religion would make better servants of the enslaved, and encourages slave owners to educate their slaves in order to to save their own souls.<ref>[https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/bf54e040-2117-0134-3556-00505686a51c ''Six Sermons, on the Several Duties of Masters, Mistresses, Slaves, Etc: Preached at the Parish Church of St. Peter, in Talbot County in the Province of Maryland''] (London: Printed by J. Oliver, 1751). Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library Digital Collections.</ref>

As early as 1750, Bacon sought to establish a school for the "maintenance and education of orphans and other poor children, and negroes."<ref>Thomas Bacon, "A Sermon Preached at the Parish Church of St. Peter's, in Talbot County, Maryland: On Sunday the 14th of October, 1750, for the Benefit of a Charity Working School to Be Set up in the Said Parish, for the Maintenance and Education of Orphans and Other Poor Children, and Negroes" (London: Printed by J. Oliver, 1751).</ref> The June, 1752 article appears to be an updated list of accounts first printed in the ''Virginia Gazette'' on October 11, 1751, which is much the same.<ref>"Virginia Gazette Extracts," ''William and Mary Quarterly'' 12, no. 3 (January 1904), 162-163.</ref> [[George Wythe|George Wythe's]] donation of "2 Pistoles" appears in the June, 1752 Maryland article, but not in the earlier article from Williamsburg.

Bacon visited Williamsburg several times in the early 1750s to raise money for the school, giving sermons and selling pamphlets.<ref>Bacon, "Sermon."</ref> The article mentions a "Concert of Music in the College Hall, for the Benefit of the School," which possibly took place during Bacon's visit in July. [[wikipedia:John Blair Sr.|John Blair]] in his diary entry for for July 16, 1751, mentions "Mr. Bacon, &c. din'd here, we had fine musick."<ref>"Diary of John Blair," ''William and Mary Quarterly'' 7, no. 3 (January 1899), 142.</ref> Bacon was an accomplished musician, and played the violin and viola da gamba.<ref>Elaine G. Breslaw, ''Dr. Alexander Hamilton and Provincial America: Expanding the Orbit of Scottish Culture'' (Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 2008), 226-228.</ref> An article in the [https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc4800/sc4872/001279/html/m1279-0626.html ''Maryland Gazette'' in December of 1754] lists another concert given in the "College Hall" and additional donations from Virginia.<ref>[https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc4800/sc4872/001279/html/m1279-0626.html "Benefactions Received in Virginia, by the Rev. Thomas Bacon, for Account of the Charity Working-School in Talbot County,"] ''Maryland Gazette'' (Annapolis), 19 December 1754, 3.</ref>

The 1752 article names such prominent Williamsburg residents as [[wikipedia:Peyton Randolph|Peyton Randolph]], the King's Attorney General; William Dawson, President of the College of William & Mary; Richard Graham, Professor of the Mathematics at the College; William Preston, Professor of Moral Philosophy; Thomas Nelson, Secretary for the Colony of Virginia; and [[wikipedia:John Robinson (Virginia politician)|John Robinson]], Speaker of the House of Burgesses. Also listed as a contributor is an "Hon. John Lewis, Esq.," possibly Wythe's former brother-in-law from Spotsylvania.

Bacon circulated his proposal in 1750, which included the proviso for "such Negro children as shall be sent by order of the Trustees to the said School shall be taught to read and write, and instructed in the Knowledge and Fear of the Lord ''gratis;'' but maintained at the Expence of their respective Owners."<ref>[https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc4800/sc4872/001278/html/m1278-1251.html ''Maryland Gazette''] (Annapolis, MD) September 19, 1750, 1-2. Reprinted in Oswald Tilghman, [https://books.google.com/books?id=V2UlAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA477 ''History of Talbot County, Maryland, 1661-1861''] 2: 477-495.</ref> The scheme for Bacon's school was also advertised in Williamsburg in the ''Virginia Gazette'' for July 25, 1751, in a request for contributions. Though it claims to be a school where "poor children of both sexes are to be fed, cloathed, lodged and taught," the scheme does not mention educating free or enslaved Black children.<ref>''Virginia Gazette'' (Hunter), July 25, 1751, 3. See also, "Virginia Gazette Extracts," ''William and Mary Quarterly'' 12, no. 3 (January 1904), 156-157.</ref> It it not thought, however, that any children of the enslaved actually attended Bacon's school in Talbot County, and the school was converted into a poor house in 1758 or later, after Reverend Bacon moved to Frederick County.<ref>Edgar Legare Pennington,"Thomas Bray's Associates and Their Work Among the Negroes," ''Proceedings of the American Antiquarian Society'' 48, no. 2 (October 1938), 368.</ref>

A [[wikipedia:Williamsburg Bray School|similar school in Williamsburg]], in operation from 1760 to 1774, was one of several schools for African American children founded in the Colonies on the model of Dr. Bray.<ref>Joanne Kimberlin, [https://www.pilotonline.com/history/vp-nw-bray-school-colonial-williamsburg-20210226-ka6wwqddjvfcdinxzj6dserp34-story.html "Hiding in Plain Sight, William & Mary Building Identified as New World's Oldest Still-Standing School for Black Children,"] ''Virginian-Pilot,'' February 26, 2021.</ref>

Thomas Bacon was affiliated with the "Associates of the Late Dr. Bray," a group formed in honor of [[wikipedia:Thomas Bray|Thomas Bray]], the priest who helped establish the Church of England in Maryland, and who sought to educate the enslaved in the North American Colonies. In 1761, Bacon founded another school for the instruction of free and enslaved Black children in Frederick, Maryland.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=wicUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA271 Thomas Bacon to the Vestry of All Saints Parish,] ''Maryland Historical Magazine'' 6, no. 3 (September 1911), 271-272.</ref> Bacon's younger brother, Anthony Bacon (c. 1717-1786), was a member of the Associates of Dr. Bray, elected in 1761.<ref>''Religious Philanthropy and Colonial Slavery: The American Correspondence of the Associates of Dr. Bray, 1717-1777'' (Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 1985), n274.</ref>

==Article text, 11 June 1752==
===Page 3===

<blockquote>
<span style="font-size="2">THE Trustees and Managers,</span> for the <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Charity Working School,</span> now setting up in ''Talbot'' County, ''Maryland,'' having received the following Contributions to the said pious Design, by the Hands of the Rev. Mr. <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">Bacon,</span> from the under named Gentlemen and Ladies in ''Virginia,'' do hereby return their sincere Thanks, to the worthy Benefactors for the same; ''viz.''

::''For Benefactions received by Mr. Bacon, in'' July ''last.''

{| width="75%" style="border-collapse: collapse;"
| width="70%" | To ''Peyton Randolph,'' Esq; his Majesty's Attorney General for
| width="30%" | 2 Guineas
|-
| To the Rev. Mr. ''Richard Graham,'' Professor of the Mathematics, in ''William and Mary'' College, at ''Williamsburg,'' for
| 1 Pistole
|-
| To the Rev. Mr. ''William Preston,'' Professor of Moral Philosophy, in Ditto, for
| 1 Pistole
|-
| colspan="2" |
::''The three last mentioned Benefactions, received by the Hands of the Hon. and Rev. Mr Commissary'' Dawson.
|-
| To the Hon. and Rev. ''William Dawson,'' D. D. President of the College, for
| &pound; 5 Sterling
|-
| To the Hon. ''John Blair,'' Auditor General of ''Virginia,'' for
| 5 Guineas
|-
| Ditto, for his annual Subscription of 2 Guineas, of which received for the past Year
| 2 Guineas
|-
| To the Rev. Mr. ''Thomas Dawson,'' Rector of ''Williamsburg,'' for
| &pound; 3 12 Sterling
|-
| To a Gentleman desiring to be unknown, for
| 4 Pistoles
|-
| To a Lady desiring to be unknown, for
| 4 Pistoles,
|-
| To Miss ''Priscilla Bassett,'' for
| 1 Pistole
|-
| colspan="2" |
::''The two last Benefactions, received by the Hands of the Rev. Mr.'' Thomas Dawson.
|-
| To Dr. ''George Gilmer,'' for
| 2 Pistoles
|-
| To a Gentleman desiring to be unknown, for
| 1 Guinea
|-
| To ''Walter King,'' Esq; for
| 8 Pistoles
|-
| To the Hon. ''Thomas Nelson,'' Esq; Secretary for
| 4 Pistoles
|-
| To the Rev. Mr. ''John Camm,'' Rector of ''York Hampton,'' for
| 1 Pistole
|-
| To ''Warner Lewis,'' Esq; for
| 4 Pistoles
|-
| To a Gentleman desiring to be unknown, for
| 1 Guinea
|-
| To the Hon. ''John Lewis,'' Esq; for
| 4 Pistoles
|-
| To the Hon. ''William Nelson,'' Esq; for
| 4 Pistoles
|-
| To the Rev. Mr. ''William Yates,'' Rector of ''Abingdon,'' in ''Gloucester'' County, for
| 4 Pistoles
|-
| To the Rev. Mr. ''John Fox,'' Rector of ''Ware,'' in ''Gloucester'' County, for
| 4 Pistoles
|-
| To ''Ralph Wormley,'' Esq; for
| 4 Pistoles
|-
| To ''Peter Robinson,'' Esq; for
| 2 Pistoles
|-
| To Col. ''Francis Willis,'' for his annual Subscription of 3 Pistoles, of which he has paid, for the past Year.
| 3 Pistoles,
|-
| To Mrs. ''Willis,'' for
| 4 Pistoles
|-
| To Mr. ''Mordecai Booth,'' for
| 2 Pistoles
|-
|who is also a Subscriber of 1 Guinea ''per'' Ann.
| 
|-
| colspan="2" |
::''For Benefactions received by Mr'' Bacon, ''in'' October ''and'' November ''last.''
|-
| To the Hon. ''John Robinson,'' Esq; Speaker, for
| 4 Pistoles
|-
| To ''[[George Wythe]],'' Esq; for
| 2 Pistoles
|-
| To ''Richard Lee,'' Esq; for
| 1 Guinea
|-
| To a Clergyman desiring to be unknown for
| 1 Pistole
|-
| To ''James Power,'' Esq; for
| 2 Pistoles
|-
| To ''Zachariah Lewis,'' Esq; for
| 1 Pistole
|-
| To a Gentleman desiring to be unknown, for
| 4 Pistoles
|-
| To the Hon. ''Philip Grimes,'' Esq; for
| 5 Pistoles
|-
| To Mr. ''John Holt,'' for
| 1 Pistole
|-
| To Mrs. ''Lightfoot'' (Widow), for
| 2 Pistoles
|-
| To ''Richard Ambler,'' Esq; for
| 1 Guinea
|-
| To ''Francis Willis,'' junior, Esq; for
| 5 Pistoles
|-
| To Mr. ''John Norton,'' for
| 2 Pistoles and a half,
|-
| To the Gentlemen and Ladies, who attended a Concert of Music in the College Hall, for the Benefit of the School, for
| 23 Pistoles and a half.
|}
</blockquote>

==See also==
*[[George Wythe and Slavery]]
*[[Oration, Pronounced at the Funeral of George Wythe]]

==References==
<references/>

==Further reading==
*"The Charity Working School of Parson Bacon," ''Easton Star'' (Easton, MD), February 24, 1880, 1; and March 2, 1880, 1.

==External links==
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=NZw9AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA430 "Rev. Thomas Bacon&mdash;1765&mdash;1768,"] ''American Quarterly Church Review and Ecclesiastical Register'' 17, no. 3 (October 1865), 430-451.
*Thomas Bacon, [https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/bf54e040-2117-0134-3556-00505686a51c ''Six Sermons, on the Several Duties of Masters, Mistresses, Slaves, Etc: Preached at the Parish Church of St. Peter, in Talbot County in the Province of Maryland''] (London: Printed by J. Oliver, 1751). Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division, The New York Public Library Digital Collections.
*[https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000075/html/am75np--1.html "Thomas Bacon's Life,"] Archives of Maryland Online.

[[Category: Biographies (Articles)]]
[[Category: Education]]
[[Category: Newspaper Articles]]
[[Category: Slavery]]