The Cheltenham Township Historical Commission will host a presentation titled “The Montiers of Cheltenham” on Thursday, February 12 at 7:30pm at Curtis Hall (1250 Church Road, Wyncote).
Donald Scott, Sr., a local author, will lead the presentation. More details below:
Donald Scott Sr., the local historian, author, and journalist whose most recent book is, The Montiers: From Enslavement to Paul Robeson and Beyond, will speak about the African American Montier family of Cheltenham and related family lines, starting from the 18th century and continuing to the 1900s’ iconic human rights’ activist, scholar, athlete and entertainer, Robeson, and others. The talk will also address the family’s genesis, especially pertaining to the interracial relationship between Richard Morrey, son of Philadelphia’s first mayor, and Cremona, who had been enslaved by the Morrey family. Cremona received almost 200 Cheltenham-area acres from Richard, which led to the creation of a family cemetery and still-standing colonial home, as well as the early Black enclave, “Guineatown”. The illustrated talk will also highlight rare portrait paintings of two family members, as well as focus on other historic personalities. These include Cyrus Bustill, an African American activist who baked bread for the Continental Army; Moses Highgate, the early Black miller; David Bustill Bowser, an artist who designed Civil War flags for African American regiments at Camp William Penn; Anna Bustill Smith, the trailblazing Black genealogist; and William Pickens Sr., a co-founder of the NAACP.
In related news, Citizens for the Restoration of Historical LaMott (CROHL) will host a Black history lecture on Sunday, February 22 at 3:00pm on Zoom.
Dr. James M. Paradis and James G. Mundy will lead the lecture, which is titled “The Role of African Americans in John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry”.
According to CROHL, the talk will focus on the roles played by African Americans in planning and carrying out the bold attempt to liberate slaves in Virginia and throughout the South and will highlight some of the artifacts from Camp William Penn Museum that relate to John Brown and the Harpers Ferry Raid.
Dr. Paradis teaches at Arcadia University and recently retired from Doane Academy where he served as Dean of the Upper School and taught for 35 years. He has authored two books on roles played by African Americans in the Civil War. He was historical consultant and narrator for the documentary film, Black Soldiers in Blue: The Story of Camp William Penn. He has given many tours of Harpers Ferry.
James G. Mundy is the Historian Emeritus of the Union League Philadelphia and CROHL Board member.
To reserve a virtual seat for this event, send an email to pt@usct.org. You will be sent a link with a password giving you access to the presentation.
This program is funded in part by the Jenkintown Lyceum.
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