History of American Red Cross
York-Poquoson Chapter

The York County Chapter of the American Red Cross experienced its inception during the initial years of World War I (1915) under the facade of Dupont Factory No. 37 in Penniman, Virginia. Dupont was an ammunition plant that during increased activity initiated a myriad of articles to three local newspapers. These reports indicated that an increased number of people were coming to work at the factory and that the government was building quarters by the hundreds in the area of the factory. With the population increasing and a host of places going up such as: dormitories, a store, a post office, bank, police station, church, YWCA, YMCA, Mess Halls canteen, and a hospital. This wartime complex was an appropriate site for Red Cross work as it reflected a need for a local chapter to be chartered.

The first officers were workers at the Dupont/Penniman plant. The chairman was the Reverend J. M. Wellford, a native of Gloucester and a visiting minister of the Presbyterian Church. Litleton Fitzgerald, a resident of Richmond, the manager of the branch bank at the complex, and the former treasurer of the Bruton Chapter served as treasurer; and the secretary was Sarah M. Lawrence who was also the Chairwoman of the Yorktown League. The chapter under the leadership of these persons focused attention on Home Service and welfare assistance to the employees and their families (numbering at least 10,000). This continued until 1918 when Spanish influenza victimized the complex. Due to the overwhelming amount of patients extra nurses were recruited and supplementary staff members were required to handle to extra case loads.

In November of that same year the armistice was signed, which meant the end of the war and the ammunitions plant. The village eventually deteriorated and closed.

The chapter soon assumed new quarters in Grafton under the chairmanship of Reverend A. J. Renforth, who had been affiliated with the Bruton Chapter. The vice-chairpersons were Mrs. Elizabeth Wainwright and Mrs. Sadie Wainwright. Most of the work at this time was welfare work, providing clothes, food and similar necessities to the destitute. It is believed that at this time the chapter meetings were held at the "Red Men's Hall." They did not have permission to use this location for meetings and were eventually forced to relocate.

The most notable achievement made by the chapter was the provision for a public health nurse service. This recommendation made by the chairman, Reverend Renforth, received little support in spite of statistics that indicated that influenza and comparable diseases were due -- in part -- to lack of health-oriented knowledge. The chapter eventually raised the necessary funds to finance the Public Health Nurse Program and it was activated. At this time members of the chapter were quite discouraged by the lack of interest and activity displayed by the people of York County and often threatened to quit themselves. The single force, which was believed to have rejuvenated their spirits, was the persistent dedication of Reverend Renforth.

The group re-established headquarters in a vacated 2 room building on Ballard Street in Yorktown. From the Ballard Street location the chapter moved to one room of the old Customhouse, a 1929 purchase by the Daughters of the American Revolution. These constant shifts didn't affect the service of the chapter to the people of the county.

During the Sesquicentennial in 1931 the Red Cross Nurse and the First Aid Workers pitched tents on Yorktown Beach and administered first aid to minor wounds.

Two years later the county was victimized by destructive hurricane winds, which left many homeless. The chapter provided disaster relief by furnishing clothing, food, flour, blankets, and money for temporary housing. A total of 365 families and 1,865 individuals received assistance during this disaster.

The next major involvement for the County's Red Cross Program was the war years (1941-1945) the chapter maintained its headquarters at the Old Customhouse. The DAR even granted them permission to use the entire house during this crucial period. As a result of this total effort, the chapter packed and shipped slightly less than one million dressings. The Production Team was also responsible for making hundreds of gowns and bags for those men who were hospitalized.

In addition the "Colored Auxiliary" led by Professor Charles Brown and Mrs. Margaret Burke contributed immensely to the success of the chapter by raising funds in support of the annual War Fund Drive and also by providing food and other commodities for the indigent.

Thanks to the generosity of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, the York County employees and the able leadership of the chairwoman, the quotas of $9,000 for the annual War Fund Drive more than doubled for the years 1944 to 1945.

From 1944 and throughout the post-war years, Home Service a program of civilian relief, increased markedly. By mid-October of 1944 the activities of the chapter had grown to such an extent that the Board of Directors authorized the employment of Mrs. Helen Campbell as Home Service Secretary.

The York County Red Cross Chapter became well known and achieved its own special service place in the community as a result of the special service projects the chapter directed during the war.

At the close of the war, the chapter discovered that once again they were in need of an office as the DAR expressed the desire to resume use of the Old Customhouse as an attraction for tourists. It was then that the chapter moved to an undersized building, which was part of a small construction site near the Customhouse. Because of the inadequacy of this office, the chapter assumed office space in the only other space available, a cell of the County jail. The chapter maintained headquarters there until the latter part of 1946 when the County Board of Supervisors gave permission to have a chapter house constructed on county property.

In the new headquarters the chapter resumed its work and began to implement new programs. The first of these was the Water Safety Program which had a two-fold purpose: to immediately train lifeguards to monitor the Yorktown Beach as numerous lives had been lost in drowning incidents, and to instruct children the proper way to handle themselves in water.

By 1947 World War II had ended but many persons were concerned about the availability of blood in large quantities, if such a need were to ever exist. As a result, the chapter established a blood program, which would hold bloodmobile visits and collect large quantities from volunteer donors. The first such visit was held on November 18, 1949 at the Naval Mine Depot. Eighty-two units of blood were collected on that day.

By 1950 the First Aid Program which had its inception in the twenties had grown to where it was being taught in the public schools.

During the early 50's the chapter was concerned with the outbreak of the Korean War. They did meet the needs for blood in Korea. The chapter increased the Home Service and First Aid and Disaster Committees which were in great demand at that time also.

The latter 50's and the ensuing years of the Vietnam War required continuous service from the chapter. Under the chairmanship of Loyal Faulconer, a new program "Voices from Home" emerged. This program availed families of servicemen the opportunity to tape personal messages to send the men overseas.

With the arrival of the seventies the York Chapter continued its multi-faceted organization. This offered a number of programs and opportunities to anyone interested.

The York County Chapter of the American Red Cross is proud of its history, it programs, its leaders and volunteers. With effective leadership, dedicated workers, and community support, the chapter should persist in its goal "to relieve human suffering and continue to provide for all of the people throughout the area being served.