Henrico Rec & Parks | (804) 501-PARK
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Table of Contents:
- A Letter from Our History Manager
- Robinson Park
- "The Hell Behind the Shell": Seven Pines Bag Loading Plant
- Crump Park Tobacco Barn
- Meet the Staff: Bryce Stanley
- Upcoming Programs
- Down on the Farm
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A Letter from Our History Manager |
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Dear History Friends,
Service to country and community has been and continues to be the measure of a cohesive society. Whether it is soldiers and medics in wartime or civilians in everyday life, individuals are often valued for their contributions to advance and/or protect the world around them. History, however, teaches us that advancement and protection often conflict. For many of the members of the Women’s Munition Reserve (WMR) patriotism was the main motivation for their service. So, what did it mean to be a “patriot” in 1918? Is it the same as today? And does being a patriot mean you are working to advance society or preserve the status quo?
There are no easy answers to these questions. As a nation, we are complex. Throughout our history, we have withstood challenges from other countries, but we have also endured disputes within our own borders. The women who supported the war effort in 1918 at Seven Pines were still fighting for the right to vote. Community leaders like Matthew Robinson, Sr., for whom Robinson Park in Henrico is named, worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life in the Black community while enduring the inequity of racial segregation.
For some, these analogies may seem unpatriotic and even harmful, when in fact, they are well-documented norms for the times. America’s past is both triumphant and tragic, but it is ours to explore. Through that exploration, we can be all at once – critical, proud, and hopeful.
As public historians, we will continue to research and connect our local stories to our national narrative. Henrico County has not only been impacted by global events, but the people and places have also contributed to the development of this country. And in the spirit of contributing, we welcome all feedback for our history programs, site interpretations, and publications. If you have a story you would like to share or just want to start a dialog about a particular topic, please let us know.
Have a safe, healthy, and happy holiday! The new year is full of historical possibilities!
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Sincerely,
Kim Sicola
Recreation Manager, History Programs
Henrico Recreation and Parks
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By Mary Ann Soldano, County Planner I |
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Henrico County acquired this neighborhood park, located on Westover Avenue, north of Nine Mile Road, in 1980. Totaling eight acres, it was once part of a larger tract of 173 acres of land known as “Vermead.” Early owners, James R. and Elizabeth Orem owned the property from 1874-1902. In 1878, they offered 75 acres of the larger tract for sale in the Daily Dispatch, the notice stating, “at the request of Mr. James R. Orem, who has more land than he can cultivate to advantage.” The advertisement describes the property as “sixty acres are open land …the buildings consist of an excellent dwelling containing seven rooms, a portion of which are handsomely papered, and the usual outbuildings, with a fine well of water at the back porch.”
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James R. Orem was from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and enlisted in the Union Army in 1861. He held the rank of captain, Company B, 104 Infantry, Pennsylvania. Orem was wounded in the left foot on May 31, 1862 in the Battle of Fair Oaks, Virginia and mustered out September 9, 1862. He died February 9, 1894, near Highland Springs and was buried at Seven Pines National Cemetery in Section E, number 803. |
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Wallace Walter Chenault, originally from King & Queen County, became the successor to the property and also farmed the land. He was buried at Oakwood Cemetery in 1943. The property continued to be subdivided and has had several owners leading up to the county’s purchase. |
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The park is named for Matthew James Robinson Sr. (1898-1979), a retired teacher with Henrico County Schools, civic leader, and former chairman of the Imperial Broom Company. Robinson was born in West Point in King William County, Virginia. He grew up in Richmond where his family moved during his infancy. According to family oral history, Robinson was inspired by his paternal grandfather, George Benjamin Robinson, who had learned the art of broom making prior to receiving a formal education after the Civil War. At the turn of the 20th century, several Black families, including the Robinsons, made brooms by hand in small backyard shops in Church Hill. For a time, they banded together in a joint business effort but eventually went their separate ways. The Robinsons stayed in the broom business and in 1900, Daniel S. Robinson started the Imperial Broom Company, and that same year young Matthew began working in the broom factory with his father when he was about 12 years old. Matthew took over the operation of the broom company in 1938, while his father retained the title of chairman until his death.
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Matthew Robinson graduated from Van de Vyver School in Richmond, an African American Catholic school. At the beginning of the 20th century, private schools like Van de Vyver provided elementary and secondary education to African American children as public school options were limited. As enrollment decreased, the church closed the school in 1969.
After a fire at his small broom plant in 1938, he started teaching to support his family but continued to make brooms on weekends. He taught at Fair Oaks and Gravel Hill Elementary Schools. Robinson also drove a school bus that served the children in the Fairfield and Varina districts. In 1941, he took the job of industrial arts teacher at Virginia Randolph High School. He worked with Virginia Randolph in securing additional land for the school complex. He retired from teaching in 1964.
In 1945, Matthew and his son, Matthew Robinson, Jr., incorporated the Imperial Broom Company. They built a modern plant at 214 N. 21st St. and moved the business there in 1979. Originally using natural fiber to make his brooms, Mr. Robinson later switched to synthetic fiber brooms as the market for natural fiber declined. The Robinsons expanded the business to sell additional items, including mops, janitorial supplies, and eventually, African wedding brooms (a little 4-foot-high model). The wedding brooms became so popular that they came to the attention of Martha Stewart, who included one in an edition of her wedding magazine.
Continuing his entrepreneurial spirit, he founded the Matthew J. Robinson Realty Company Inc. in 1957 and worked there with his son until they closed the realty business in 1975.
Matthew J. Robinson Jr. retired in 2008 and sold the Imperial Broom Company building. He was the fourth and last generation of his family to own the business started by his great-grandfather.
Both Robinsons, Senior and Junior, were longtime residents of Bungalow City, a Henrico County subdivision adjacent to the park. It was advertised as an exclusive subdivision for African Americans in 1920. Matthew J. Robinson Jr. helped lead the effort to gain water and sewer service for the once-neglected community and served for years as president of the Bungalow City Civic Association. For about 30 years Robinson Sr. was a director of the Bungalow City playground in the community. He was also active with the New Bridge Baptist Church where he is buried in the church’s cemetery.
The park continues to be a gathering spot for the neighborhood and features a picnic shelter, playground, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a youth baseball field.
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“The Hell Behind the Shell”:
Seven Pines Bag Loading Plant
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By Lisa Denton, Recreation Coordinator II, History Programs |
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In part 1 of this story, we learned that World War I brought a new wartime industry to Henrico, which was a production plant for the measuring and packaging of smokeless gun powder. The federal government contracted with DuPont to operate the facility and DuPont, in turn, hired Winfred Crenshaw, a vocational secretary for the Richmond YWCA to recruit and manage the staff of women. To achieve this, Crenshaw created the Women’s Munitions Reserve (WMR). In this second installment, we will explore the many firsts these plant workers, or “munitioneers," experienced such as enlisting, wearing uniforms, training, and receiving promotions.
Pledging Themselves to Uncle Sam
Winifred Crenshaw projected confidence as she provided constant updates to local newspapers. Certainly, she had every right to be positive with the support of many high-status women and leaders. Yet nothing like the WMR’s mission had ever been tried on this scale and to this degree of detail, so success was not guaranteed. Prior to World War I, women supported war efforts in a variety of unprecedented ways, including entering traditionally male-dominated occupational roles like the women and girls who staffed the Confederate States Laboratory on Brown’s Island during the Civil War.
As the first day of enrollment dawned on August 19, 1918, Crenshaw and her staff must have felt the weight of history and the anxiety of an unknown outcome. At 8 a.m. the doors opened at the WMR’s headquarters in downtown Richmond. Whatever concerns the staff had, were soon put to rest. The newspaper, Virginian, declared the next day: “Put to the test, Richmond girls and women yesterday gave concrete evidence of their patriotism…and before nightfall, more than one hundred had pledged themselves to help Uncle Sam.” Such was the demand it became necessary to add more telephone lines and telephones with even Miss Crenshaw assisting in answering calls. One woman called wishing to join and asked Miss Crenshaw to convince her husband. Crenshaw pointedly asked the husband to consider if he would want to be serving in France without powder to fire the guns. The article did not reveal if this woman joined the WMR, but certainly thousands of other women rushed to join. Elizabeth Adam of Grove Avenue (and later of Meadow Farm, Glen Allen) wrote to her future husband, Sheppard Crump who was serving in France that “[I] think nearly everyone in town is going down to the new Dupont [sic] munition factory to work.”
Local newspapers tracked the enrollment numbers during the first couple of weeks. These newspaper articles provided additional information not found amongst the WMR’s documents, which now reside at the Library of Virginia. On the second day of enrollment, newspapers reported that Miss Crenshaw and her personnel officers “were swamped by bright, eager women and girls, all more than anxious to enlist.” By the third day, enrollment neared 500 women. According to a summary of enrollments reported by a WMR staff member, on each day for the next two weeks, 150-200 women had enrolled. One week after opening, the WMR surpassed 1,500 enrollments. By August 30, the Richmond News Leader reported that Crenshaw hired additional office staff and that “even now, with nearly a dozen women, it is necessary to work overtime [regular office hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.] in order to keep the enlistment records straight.” That same day, enrollment exceeded 2,000 enlistees in total.
Upon enrolling, ladies received a WMR badge denoting their membership and status of “on call.” Once called to begin training and work, ladies received a bronze badge shaped like a shield.
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“Womanalls”
To give the WMR a more official status, Winifred Crenshaw created the badges mentioned above and also uniforms for its members. Moreover, these outward displays of membership functioned in not only advertising the organization but promoted group pride and patriotism. Crenshaw took inspiration from the uniforms worn by the English WAACS (Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps). Made of gabardine, khaki, and serge, Crenshaw created two uniforms for the workers – one to wear while working and one to wear everywhere else – “street dress.” The Richmond News Leader provided its readers a description and photograph of the uniforms modeled by two ladies. The street dress uniform was optional for munitioneers and featured a design that combined appropriate women’s dress for the era with aspects of organizations connected to wartime service, such as the Red Cross. Yet, it was the work uniform that seemed to capture the attention of the newspapers. Dubbed “womanalls,” the name emphasized a practical design that was also modest and feminine. Features included a khaki fabric that fastened tightly at the ankles, a handkerchief pocket, and two additional pockets below the waist.
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Several decades before women wearing pants was socially acceptable and respectable, the local newspapers made sure to include that the volunteers thought highly of womanalls. One munitioneer reported that they were “…just fine. They do more than anything else to make us feel like real munition workers.” Womanalls received additional acceptance and popularity when Virginia’s First Lady Marguerite Davis donned the uniform to attend training classes along with the other women. However, the public did not see the womanalls worn around town or even as the workers commuted to the plant, which might have pushed the boundaries of clothing etiquette at the time. With a talent for detailed planning and insight into the upper-class society, Winifred Crenshaw walked a fine line between what was considered patriotic, respectable war work and the practical needs for the women to successfully complete daily tasks in a safe manner. Thus, she had factory officials build “change-houses” for the munitioneers to change from their everyday attire or street dress uniforms into their womanalls.
From Farmland to Factory
Production began at Seven Pines before construction could be completed on the extensive factory complex. It appears the critical infrastructure to begin creating the black powder bags was in place by late August 1918. It is difficult to determine every building that greeted the first class of munitioneers. To some extent, the facility can be pieced together using updates reported by the WMR’s newsletter, The Reservist.
Clearly, Miss Crenshaw had some influence with DuPont and government officials when it came to the finest of details to help women feel at ease in an unfamiliar environment. Even the training school building had window boxes with flowering plants.
Mrs. Phebe Brugh supervised five change houses, each of which had a matron and attendants. One munitioneer told a reporter from the Richmond Times-Dispatch that “[t]he first thing that impressed me was the fact that the restrooms at the plant are provided with window curtains. That may seem ridiculous to a man, but to a woman it means a lot, and, when coupled with competent maid services, lockers, showers, lunchroom facilities and every other convenience, it makes me, for one, feel that as long as the government is doing its part I must do mine.” Change houses included a snack bar selling items such as milk at cost, a lounge area, and even “a talking machine, which is provided with an ample supply of dance records.”
The factory had different buildings dedicated for each type of production – the gun house, igniter house, and howitzer house. When the 2nd edition of the WMR’s newsletter was published on November 9, 1918 (just 2 days before the Armistice), it implied that not all production buildings had been completed. Two buildings were devoted to ignitor production. The newsletters mention gun house number 1, 3, 4, 7, and 8. Why construction didn’t proceed in order is also a mystery. So, perhaps designers planned for eight buildings, but only five were completed. Howitzer production, which seemed to be a bigger operation, had 7 of perhaps 12 buildings operational by early November.
While its sister bag loading facilities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey had been photographed, no known exterior photographs exist of the Seven Pines’ overall structures at the time of this writing. A Richmond News Leader of women training in one of the rooms, it a rare interior image. Whether this was a classroom or a dedicated production building is unknown.
Workforce
Men served as superintendents of the police, traffic, supply, and mechanical departments. Engineers, electricians, and those packing ammunition into crates and loading into onto the trains also brought the daily male workforce to perhaps 40-50 individuals. The Foundation Company, which oversaw all construction at Seven Pines, recruited hundreds of carpenters, steamfitters, and sheet metal workers to rush completion of the factory and housing buildings. However, the munitioneers constituted most of the daily workforce within the first several weeks of operation.
Each week the WMR activated more women to begin training. The number of women completing classroom training peaked in the last week of October, with 200 women completing their training. The women of the WMR served in several capacities, but regardless of the role, all positions attended the training class. Approximately 40 support staff worked as clerks, messengers, and even a stenographer. Two nurses joined Dr. Chase Taylor at the plant’s hospital in early October. Several women worked as matrons, supervising the change houses (and perhaps other duties). A newspaper article noted a few African American women serving as change house attendants (“maids”), hinting that perhaps these were the only women of color working at the bag loading plant and probably were not enrolled in the WMR but perhaps hired by DuPont. The women working in the gun, howitzer, and igniter houses could not only be promoted but also rise to supervisory roles overseeing the operation of a designated house. The organization’s newsletter recognized the women receiving promotions. The first issue, printed about a month after operations began, listed twenty-two ladies moving up in rank or role. For example, it noted “Private Harriet Crewe as First Lieutenant of Igniter House, No. 2.”
Women continued to enroll and were organized and scheduled for training classes past the Armistice; however, it is unknown whether those scheduled to activate after the Armistice actually received training and started working. According to the WMR roster, the 54th class was scheduled for training on Wednesday, November 23 – 12 days after the Armistice. It is possible that the 54th class did receive training and began working, but more research is needed.
“The First Thirty”
On the morning of August 22, 1918, a crowd gathered to cheer thirty women as they left WMR headquarters at 3rd & Broad and boarded a bus transporting them to the plant. Most local papers made certain to list the name of each woman in the first class. “With splendid spirit and gay smiles, these women blazed the way for hundreds and thousands to follow. They compose the vanguard of the feminine army,” praised the Richmond News Leader.
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Initially, most training took 2-7 days, which implied that plant supervisors were not certain how long it would take women to learn the job duties. However, it does appear with each new class, instructors found a rhythm and learned how to condense the training down to only 1 or 2 days. Many women of “the first thirty” later rose to supervisory roles. Women learned how to measure the smokeless black powder and sew the silk bags closed to ready them for packing into large wooden crates. Local newspapers published articles the following day of “glowing accounts,” reporting they were “tired, but happy” (Richmond Times-Dispatch) . Mrs. Pauline Hodges declared, “[i]t was wonderful. Our work, we found, was not difficult. The machines were new and a bit stiff, but a few drops of oil and slight adjustments made them easy to operate. There was no grumbling.”
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Who Were the “First Thirty”?
While additional research continues to focus on individual munitioneers, biographical information of each member of the first class is not yet complete. Currently, just under half of the women can be confirmed or located with the initial research queries. Of the 30 women’s names provided in the roster of the first class, it noted that 17 were married. From the women who could be identified in census records and other primary sources, they ranged in age from 21 to 59 years old.
Helena Lefroy Caperton joined the WMR despite having six children at home ranging in age from 11 to 20 years old. Her oldest child, Arthur, joined the navy and then switched to the army to begin training as a pilot. Helen appears to have been a society lady and therefore most likely joined the WMR for patriotic purposes instead of financial reasons. There is also a Mrs. Lefroy in the first class, though her first name and potential connection to Helena Caperton have yet to be confirmed. It is possible that her 68-year-old widowed mother, Sallie Watson Montague Lefroy was the Mrs. Arthur Lefroy listed on the class roster. If this is the correct person, then this would increase the workers’ age range.
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The class roster also included two sets of sisters. Marie Smith, age 24, and her 21-year-old sister, Margaret, came from a well-to-do family. Before the war, they appeared in newspaper society columns and had attended four years of college. Their older brother, William, joined the U.S. Navy in May of 1918. The Smith sisters seemed to be dedicated to the WMR, with both receiving promotions to captain – Marie at Igniter House #1 and Margaret at Howitzer House #4. With a background in vocal performance, Margaret led the WMR chorus, which prepared for Liberty (Loan) Day festivities to raise money for war bonds. Lillian and Edith Wilson were also in their 20s when they joined the WMR. Two Wilson brothers served during WWI and were wounded in action on the Western Front. Census records reveal the family moved around with each enumeration and hints at a working middle-class socioeconomic standing. So, one can speculate the Wilson sisters may have joined the WMR for both patriotic and financial reasons.
Their Story and the Research Continues
The munitioneers of the WMR were without a doubt a courageous and patriotic group. Though their thoughts and feelings have not been recorded for posterity (or at least discovered by staff), a basic overview of who they were and what they experienced can be pieced together.
In part 3, we will continue to explore the story of the Seven Pines Bag Loading Plant. We will examine the community’s response as they eagerly followed the exciting news of the first bags off the production line and discover the muntioneers reactions to their first payday.
Not all the news during the autumn of 1918 was positive, as we discover Miss Crenshaw faced new battles on the homefront. Rumors are afoot and a public health threat could impact recruitment, production, and the very lives of the Seven Pines Bag Loading Plant.
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By Mary Ann Soldano, County Planner I |
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In 2001, Old House Restoration marked, disassembled, and transported the remnants of several decaying log tobacco barns from Ridge Farm and reconstructed them into one functional tobacco barn at Crump Park.
Ridge Farm, now CrossRidge on Staples Mill Road, acquired its name because it was set on a ridge 65 feet higher than the nearby Laurel community. In the 19th century, the 453-acre farm belonged to the Courtney family (from whom nearby Courtney Road takes its name). A later owner, likely James Samuel Gordon (1863-1942), constructed six log tobacco barns when his family owned the property from 1919-1928.
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This saddle-notched log tobacco barn is unique in Henrico; while such flue-cure barns were common features of the Southside Virginia landscape, they are rarely seen north of the James. James Gordon was from Mecklenburg County which may explain its construction in Henrico.
The preservation of this structure was through a donation from Robert M. Atack to Henrico County.
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Staff Profile: Bryce Stanley |
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Bryce Stanley is the Senior Historic Preservation Specialist for Henrico Recreation & Parks.
Bryce Stanley is not going to talk about himself in third person, that’s just weird.
Yes, we write these ourselves, so I’ll just tell you some stuff about me. According to my official position title, I am the Senior Historic Preservation Conservator, which means I take care of old things and old buildings. Henrico owns a bunch of old things and old buildings. Sometimes I take the old things and put them in the old buildings so people can look at them. I also manage the Historical Roadside Marker Program. I write the green signs on the side of the road that say, “George Washington slept here.” I’m kidding, none of our markers say that, but you should check them out anyway. Finally, the part of my job description which says, “other duties as assigned,” I do a whole lot of that.
I went to school for way too long and acquired way too much debt, in return I received several pieces of paper which are still rolled up in tubes in the top of my closet. These papers proclaim that I earned a B.S. in Psychology, a B.A. in Anthropology, and a M.A. in Social Science with an emphasis in historical archaeology.
Prior to coming to work for Henrico in 2015, I was a real live archaeologist. Yes, it’s a real profession, and no we don’t carry whips or wear fedoras, and no we don’t dig up dinosaurs. I worked up and down the east coast from Florida to Maryland and finally ended up back here in Henrico where I grew up.
When I’m not doing history, my hobbies include cooking, eating, general tomfoolery, and rocking out as hard as I can.
Ok, the more I write about myself, the more this reads like a dating profile, so I’ll be done now.
Favorite quote: “Stay gold, Ponyboy.” – S.E. Hinton
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Howdy y’all, or should I say, “mooooooo!”? My name is Marigold and I’m the newest addition to the farm. I’ve been here since October and, let me tell you, I’ve seen and heard a lot already! Planes, trains, and automobiles, Oh My! I’m a Jersey Cow who just loves to have my picture taken! If you’re planning to stop by, I’m the one with one horn. Some people call me a unicorn…whatever that means!
When I first arrived at Meadow Farm, I passed by a building that everyone calls the Parsons Community Center. Molly the Mule, who is wise about these sorts of things, told me that the center was just reopened right before I got here! I must say and don’t tell the animal folks, that I was curious about it, and I decided to peek inside. Wow, oh wow! I don’t know what the building looked like before, but I like it. I’ll definitely have to go inside when they’re open and then schedule an appointment to tour the farmhouse.
One of the most exciting things about being at Meadow Farm has been the school groups. Every week, dozens of little people come by and say hello to me! They ask questions and tell the adults what they know about cows. I’ve never been so popular! Apparently, the little people come out to learn about history or something, but I seem to steal the show. They come up to the fence and many of them start trying to talk to me! I’ve never heard so many cow accents! Well, bless their hearts, at least they try.
The other animals and I have been watching carefully all the comings and goings on the farm. New fences have gone up, Emily and I are getting a new shelter, there’s even a new kitchen being built! There was a movie night one night, and the adult people have been offering tours and programs of some sort. There was even one program about Tom the Turkey! He’s so popular now, I can’t even get over to see him anymore. Must be nice to have a program written about you. Maybe soon there will be one called “Marigold the Magnificent,” or “Marvelous Marigold!” Well, a girl can dream, can’t she?
-Marigold the Jersey Cow
Translated by Julian Charity, Meadow Farm Site Coordinator
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Henrico Rec & Parks | (804) 501-PARK
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