Rebecca Salome Foster

Last updated
Rebecca Salome Foster
Rebecca Salome Foster.jpg
Born(1848-10-24)October 24, 1848
DiedFebruary 22, 1902(1902-02-22) (aged 53)
NationalityAmerican
OccupationChristian missionary
Known forprison relief worker "The Tombs Angel"

Rebecca Salome Elliott Foster (October 24, 1848 - February 22, 1902) was an American woman from Alabama known as a City Missionary and prison relief worker in New York City. She became known as the "Tombs Angel" [1] [2] because of her ministry to suspects held before trial at The New York Halls of Justice and House of Detention (otherwise known as "The Tombs"). She expanded her work to include guidance, small financial support, job-seeking assistance, and other aid to newly released prisoners in an attempt to help them transition to the outside world. Foster's work predated most modern-day probation systems, including both the New York State Probation Commission (est. 1907) and the New York City Department of Probation. [3]

Contents

Biography

She was born as Rebecca Salome Elliott on October 24, 1848, in Alabama, the daughter of planter John Howard Elliott and his wife Margaret Adele (née Blue). Her parents likely moved to New York before or during the war, perhaps having been one of those planter families who had close ties with people in the city through business.

During the last year of the Civil War, at the age of 19 Rebecca Elliot married Union colonel and attorney John Armstrong Foster (March 5, 1833-February 11, 1890) [4] on February 28, 1865, at Calvary Church in New York. It was designed in 1848 by James Renwick Jr. at 4th Avenue and 21st Street. She continued to attend this church in the future. [5] One of her daughters later said she remembered family stories that a member of President Abraham Lincoln's cabinet attended her parents' wedding. [5] John Foster was mustered out of the Army in August 1865 and was brevetted as a brigadier general in September 1865. [4]

The Fosters had four children together, only two of whom survived to adulthood: Salome (Lomie) Elliott (1865-1867); Marie Louise (1867-), married Francis S. Colt; Jeanette Jennie (1873-1958), married William C. Bowers; and John (Johnnie) Armstrong (1873-1879).

Her husband John Armstrong Foster was from Schoharie County, New York. He had moved with his parents to New York City when young. At the age of 28, he had enlisted as a private in the Civil War in April 1861 in Co. “F” 7th NY Infantry SM, but was mustered out in June. The following year, in November 1862, he was commissioned into Field & Staff 175th NY Infantry, where he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. [4]

The newly married couple lived in New York City. In later life, John Foster suffered from alcoholism, lost his friends, and abandoned his family in 1888. [6] Foster initially supported herself and her daughters from her pay working for the Presbyterian City Mission Society of New York. After John Foster abandoned the family, she wore the black mourning clothes of a widow when in public. [6] Her husband died February 11, 1890, and she became a widow in fact. He was buried at the gravesite of his parents in Woodlawn Cemetery, The Bronx.

From the mid-1880s on, Rebecca Foster worked assisting people who were charged and defendants in the New York legal system, especially before they went to trial. She was involved with women defendants. She became known as a "Tombs Angel" because she ministered to suspects and criminals incarcerated at The New York Halls of Justice and House of Detention ("The Tombs"). She was one of two women who became notable in this role, the other being Ernestine Schaffner, who also worked on behalf of prisoners from about 1870 until her death in 1903. [7]

Foster eventually worked on her own as a volunteer with prisoners in the "Tombs". Besides ministering to the needs of the incarcerated pending trial, she had gained considerable respect from government officials. She acted as an unofficial court investigator and advisor, trying to ascertain the facts of each inmate's case and giving her judgment as to whether the person was innocent or guilty of charges. [1] [5] She also worked to support former prisoners in their lives after they were released, taking a role as a kind of ad hoc "probation officer" well before that formal system was established in New York in 1901. [5] [1]

In later life Rebecca Salome Foster lived as a resident at the Park Avenue Hotel. At the age of 54, she was one of at least 14 people who died in the destructive fire there on February 22, 1902.

Her funeral at Calvary Church was attended by a large crowd that spanned many classes. She was buried in the same plot as her husband and his parents at Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York. One tombstone monument is inscribed with all four of their names and dates. (See photo at Find-a-Grave)

Legacy and honors

The monument to Foster Rebecca Salome Foster monument, 1904.jpg
The monument to Foster

Foster's role as the somewhat anonymous "Tombs Angel" was publicized by newspapers after her death. Her funeral on February 25, 1902, at the Calvary Church in Manhattan, was attended by many people whom she had saved from conviction, notable reform figures, and officials and court judges. [8] [9]

After her death, leaders of the City Club initiated a campaign to commission a monument to honor her. Leading judges and President Theodore Roosevelt joined the fundraising effort. The sculptor Karl Bitter was commissioned to create a marble monument to Foster. It is a bas-relief, featuring her and a prisoner. It also had a medallion portrait of her, and a bronze frame by Charles Rollinson Lamb. The work was installed in 1904 at the old Criminal Courts building. It was removed to storage in 1940 when the building was being demolished for replacement.

The monument was rediscovered in the 21st century, and restored, although the medallion and bronze frame had been lost ( or stolen) through the decades. It was rededicated on June 25, 2019, when it was installed in the lobby of the New York Supreme Court located at 60 Centre Street in Manhattan. Its restoration and dedication are part of an effort the city is making to recognize women whose contributions have not been formally memorialized. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gospel of James</span> Apocryphal gospel

The Gospel of James is a second-century infancy gospel telling of the miraculous conception of the Virgin Mary, her upbringing and marriage to Joseph, the journey of the couple to Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, and events immediately following. It is the earliest surviving assertion of the perpetual virginity of Mary, meaning her virginity not just prior to the birth of Jesus, but during and afterwards, and despite being condemned by Pope Innocent I in 405 and rejected by the Gelasian Decree around 500, became a widely influential source for Mariology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agnes of Rome</span> Christian virgin and saint

Agnes of Rome is a virgin martyr, venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church, Oriental Orthodox Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as the Anglican Communion and Lutheran Churches. She is one of several virgin martyrs commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kensal Green Cemetery</span> Cemetery in London, England

Kensal Green Cemetery is a cemetery in the Kensal Green area of North Kensington in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in London, England. Inspired by Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, it was founded by the barrister George Frederick Carden. The cemetery opened in 1833 and comprises 72 acres (29 ha) of grounds, including two conservation areas, adjoining a canal. The cemetery is home to at least 33 species of bird and other wildlife. This distinctive cemetery has memorials ranging from large mausoleums housing the rich and famous to many distinctive smaller graves and includes special areas dedicated to the very young. It has three chapels and serves all faiths. It is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries in London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calvary Cemetery (Queens)</span> Cemetery in Queens, New York City

Calvary Cemetery is a Catholic cemetery in Maspeth and Woodside, Queens, in New York City, New York, United States. With about three million burials, it has the largest number of interments of any cemetery in the United States. Established in 1848, Calvary Cemetery covers 365 acres (148 ha) and is owned by the Archdiocese of New York and managed by the Trustees of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Jacob Astor III</span> Union Army officer and capitalist

John Jacob Astor III was an American financier, philanthropist and a soldier during the American Civil War. He was a prominent member of the Astor family, becoming the wealthiest member in his generation and the founder of the English branch of the family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Y. Satterlee</span> American bishop

Henry Yates Satterlee was the first Episcopal Bishop of Washington, serving from 1896 to 1908. He established the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, popularly known as Washington National Cathedral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salome (disciple)</span> Follower of Jesus

In the New Testament, Salome was a follower of Jesus who appears briefly in the canonical gospels and in apocryphal writings. She is named by Mark as present at the crucifixion and as one of the Myrrhbearers, the women who found Jesus's empty tomb. Interpretation has further identified her with other women who are mentioned but not named in the canonical gospels. In particular, she is often identified as the wife of Zebedee, the mother of James and John, two of the Twelve apostles. In medieval tradition Salome was counted as one of the Three Marys who were daughters of Saint Anne, so making her the sister or half-sister of Mary, mother of Jesus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary of Clopas</span> One of the women present at the crucifixion of Jesus

According to the Gospel of John, Mary of Clopas was one of the women present at the crucifixion of Jesus and bringing supplies for his funeral. The expression Mary of Clopas in the Greek text is ambiguous as to whether Mary was the daughter or wife of Clopas, but exegesis has commonly favoured the reading "wife of Clopas". Hegesippus identified Clopas as a brother of Joseph. In the Roman Martyrology of the Catholic Church she is commemorated with Salome on April 24th.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anna Hall Roosevelt</span> Mother of American First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt (1863–1892)

Anna Rebecca Hall Roosevelt was an American socialite. She was the mother of First Lady of the United States, Eleanor Roosevelt. Anna was described as a celebrated beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Tombs</span> Detention complex in Manhattan, New York

The Tombs is the colloquial name for the Manhattan Detention Complex, a municipal jail at 125 White Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is also the nickname for three previous city-run jails in the former Five Points neighborhood of lower Manhattan, in an area now known as the Civic Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beheading of John the Baptist</span> Biblical event and Christian holy day

The beheading of John the Baptist, also known as the decollation of Saint John the Baptist or the beheading of the Forerunner, is a biblical event commemorated as a holy day by various Christian churches. According to the New Testament, Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee under the Roman Empire, had imprisoned John the Baptist because he had publicly reproved Herod for divorcing his first wife and unlawfully taking his sister-in-law as his second wife Herodias. He then ordered him to be killed by beheading.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick Clarke Withers</span> American architect

Frederick Clarke Withers was an English architect in America, especially renowned for his Gothic Revival ecclesiastical designs. For portions of his professional career, he partnered with fellow immigrant Calvert Vaux; both worked in the office of Andrew Jackson Downing in Newburgh, New York, where they began their careers following Downing's accidental death. Withers greatly participated in the introduction of the High Victorian Gothic style to the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calvary Church (Manhattan)</span>

Calvary Church is an Episcopal church located at 277 Park Avenue South on the corner of East 21st Street in the Gramercy Park neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, on the border of the Flatiron District. It was designed by James Renwick Jr., the architect who designed St. Patrick's Cathedral and Grace Church, and was completed in 1848. The church complex is located within the Gramercy Park Historic District and Extension. It is one of the two sanctuaries of the Calvary-St. George's Parish.

Catherine Josephine Seton was the daughter of Elizabeth Ann Seton, founder of the American branch of the Sisters of Charity. Catherine was the first American to join the Irish Sisters of Mercy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Armstrong Crawford Vanderbilt</span> American socialite and philanthropist (1839–1885)

Frank Armstrong Crawford-Vanderbilt was an American socialite and philanthropist. During the American Civil War, she was a strong supporter of the Confederate States of America. After the war, she lived in New York City and married multi-millionaire Cornelius Vanderbilt.

Roland Doré was a 17th-century sculptor and his workshop or "atelier" produced many sculptures for the enclos paroissiaux or "parish church enclosure or closes" of Brittany. In particular his work can be seen on calvaries and in the church's south porch. He was born in 1616 and died in 1660. Little detail of his life is known but it is recorded that he practised as an architect in Landerneau, as well as running his workshop, and was recorded as calling himself the "Sculpteur du Roi". His works, all of an ecclesiastical nature, are mainly located in Léon and the north of Cornouaille. They can be taken as works by Doré's workshop rather than just by Doré himself. Brittany is particularly rich in calvaries, some of a very elaborate nature. In most cases the calvary involves both the crucifixion cross and side crosses or gibbets bearing the good and the bad robbers. Below this, on the crosspieces, were statues of those present at the crucifixion. A feature of Breton calvaries is that most of the statues were carved as a pair and effectively back to back. Doré's output was prodigious and he worked on nine monuments in Saint-Thégonnec, five in Logonna-Daoulas and four in the parish of Plougastel-Daoulas. He also received four commissions to work in Hanvec, three in Guiclan, Irvillac and Lampaul-Guimiliau and two commissions in Cléden-Cap-Sizun, Hôpital-Camfrout, Landerneau, La Martyre, Plabennec, Pleyben, Plogonnec, Saint-Nic, Saint-Servais and Saint-Urbain.

The Calvary at Saint-Thégonnec is part of the enclosure of the parish church of Notre-Dame in Saint-Thégonnec. Erected in 1610 it is the last of the monumental calvaries of Brittany. See also Saint-Thégonnec Parish close.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">February 1902</span> List of events that occurred in February 1902

The following events occurred in February 1902:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen Maitland Armstrong</span> American stained glass artist (1869–1948)

Helen Maitland Armstrong was an American stained glass artist who worked both solo and in partnership with her father, Maitland Armstrong. Her work is considered among the finest produced in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernestine Schaffner</span>

Ernestine Schaffner was a German-born American prison reformer. She was the first to do volunteer missionary work among those detained in the New York City Prison, known as The Tombs, having the financial means to indulge her charitable leanings in a substantial way. Daily, she left her luxurious home in New York City to try and right some of the wrongs inflicted by society and the law. In 1890, Schaffner's philanthropic work had grown to be so extensive that she engaged a salaried lawyer to attend to the legal part of it, and at the same time, she opened an office near The Tombs at 23 Centre Street. Here she advertised: ‘Free Advice to the Poor and the Innocent Accused.’ Schaffner was regularly out US$20,000 in bail bonds, and she had a considerable sum lent to those who had been prisoners. She and Rebecca Salome Foster were known as "The Angels of the Tombs".

References

  1. 1 2 3 Herbert Mitgang, The Man Who Rode the Tiger: The Life and Times of Judge Samuel Seabury, New York: Fordham Univ Press, 1996, p. 36
  2. DOUGLAS C. McGILL, "Uncovering New York City's Art Collection", New York Times, 24 September 1987
  3. "History of Probation - Probation". NYC Probation . Retrieved 2022-03-06.
  4. 1 2 3 "CDV OF JOHN ARMSTRONG FOSTER, 175TH NEW YORK INFANTRY". The Horse Soldier website. n.d. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Arthur Henry, "Editorial: The Tombs Angel", The Outlook, Volume 72, Outlook Company, 1902, pp. 163 - 165
  6. 1 2 Obituary: Rebecca Salome Elliott", New York Times, February 23, 1902, p. 2
  7. John Josiah Munro, The New York Tombs, Inside and Out!: Scenes and Reminiscences Coming Down to the Present, 1909, pp. 248-249
  8. "Death of Mrs Foster the Tombs Angel", The Churchman, Volume 85, Churchman Company, 1902, p. 285
  9. "James Renwick Jr's 1848 Calvary Episcopal Church", Daytonian in Manhattan blog, June 2011
  10. Libbey, Peter (16 June 2019). "New York's Tribute to the 'Tombs Angel': Lost, Found, Now Restored". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 June 2019.