Francis A. Gregory Genealogical Collection

Collection

Identifier: 005

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection was artificially created by the Library and consists of the Shaed and Baltimore family papers; as well materials regarding Elzie Hoffman. It includes photographs, programs, published books, biographies, letters, certificates, diaries, scrapbooks, clippings, and other family memorabilia. The collection has been divided into series by family. Many of the items are related to Washington, D.C. educational institutions that most of the members of the families attended; Dunbar High School, Miners Teachers College, and Howard University. A biography of Clarence Sumner Greene, his wife Evelyn Gardiner, and Greene family photographs are also included.

Dates

Creation: 1902 - 1975

Creator

Shaed-Newton, Eunice (Person)
Hoffman, Elzie Schubert (Person)

Language of Materials

English

Biographical / Historical

The Shaed Family was a prominent family of educators and professionals in Washington, D.C. After their marriage in 1900, Gregory and Cenos Shaed moved from Florida to Washington, D.C. where Mr. Shaed became a printer with the Government Printing Office. The Shaeds had six children, Alice Evelyn, Ernestine Pamela, Helen Virginia, Dorothy Lee-Louise, Eunice Jane, and Gregory W., Jr. All of the Shaed daughters were graduates of Miner Normal School and became teachers for D.C. Public Schools. Gregory, became a physician after graduating from Howard Medical School in 1934 and practiced in Florida, Michigan, and Virginia. In 1971, Alice and Ernestine Shaed Elementary School located at 301 Douglas Street, NE was dedicated to honor the Shaed sisters’ careers at D.C. Public Schools. The school was closed in 2011. The Baltimore family was a prominent family of educators in Washington, D.C. Thelma Lane Baltimore, educated at Miner Normal School and Howard University, taught in D.C. schools ending her career as Director of Elementary Education in D.C. Charles Baltimore was a coach and vocational educator who taught at the Armstrong Training School and was a principal at Bell Vocational High School in the 1960s.

Extent

3 Linear feet

6 Boxes

Additional Description

Arrangement

Series 1: Shaed Family, 1902-1975 (1.25 linear ft.) The papers consist of letters, published books, programs, photographs, clippings, certificates, and biographical data sheets on family members collected by Eunice Shaed, daughter of Gregory W. and Cenos D. Shaed. The papers date from 1902 through 1975. The collection also contains a typewritten biography of the five Shaed daughters who were educators in D.C. schools. In addition, a journal/scrapbook kept by Eunice Shaed of her years at Dunbar High School (1926-1930) as well as commencement programs and clippings regarding Dunbar.

Series 2: Baltimore Family, 1902-1987 (.75 linear ft.) This series contains photographs, organizational publications, programs, clippings and other memorabilia from members of the Baltimore family in Washington, D.C. Most of the items relate to Charles Baltimore and Thelma Baltimore, teachers in the D.C. public schools. Items of significance include a 1926 edition of the Cadet, which commemorates an African-American high school military battalion formed in 1895, a 1902 yearbook of the Armstrong Manual Training School, and a publication saluting the establishment of the Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in D.C., and a scrapbook of clippings about boxer Joe Louis from the 1930s.

Series 3: Elzie Schubert Hoffman, 1898-1976 (1 bound volume) This series contains a bound notebook of programs, photographs, clippings, letters, and other memorabilia regarding Elzie Schubert Hoffman created by his daughter Sylvia Ruth Hoffman King. Elzie Hoffman was born in 1872 and was a long time resident and civic leader in Anacostia. Mr. Hoffman was a bandmaster, orchestra director, and musician who established the Hoffman Music Festival in 1900.

Custodial History

In the mid 1980s, Nora D. Gregory, a member of the Library’s Board of Directors, proposed the development of a genealogical collection to document the history of certain prominent African-American families in Washington, D.C. history. Eunice Shaed donated the Shaed family papers to the Library in 1988. There is no documentation surrounding the donations of the Baltimore or Hoffman materials.