HISTORY OF THE ARCH SOCIAL CLUB
Contributed by Donna Tyler Hollie

Baltimore, Maryland in 1912 was a racially segregated city with little personal interaction between the races. As a result, African Americans had their own churches, fraternal groups and schools, patronized Black businesses and used the services of Black physicians and lawyers. Legally mandated racial segregation resulted in a Black community united without regard to class distinctions. With a spirit of community service in mind, Raymond Coates, Jeremiah S. Hill and Samuel L. Barney founded a club called The Cosmopolitans. The name was later changed to The Arch Social Club and was incorporated March 15, 1912.

The members originally gathered at Stokes’ Restaurant on the corner of Arch and Josephine Streets. Later, they established a clubhouse in a building at 655 Josephine Street which rented for $1.50 weekly. The club moved to its present location, 2426 Pennsylvania Avenue in 1972.

Charity, friendship and brotherly love were cornerstones of the club. Members were eligible for sick benefits and families received financial compensation when a member died. The men of the club were required to “sit with” sick members, attend funerals, visit houses of mourning and offer moral and emotional support to widows and orphans.

Many members owned their own businesses and were members of the professional class. The membership also included waiters, chauffeurs, porters, clerks and laborers. In the spirit of brotherhood, those who had education and skills shared their knowledge with those who did not. While most members lived in Baltimore City and County, there were also members from Virginia, New Jersey, the District of Columbia, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.

The Arch Social Club celebrated its 85th anniversary in March 1997.

ARCH SOCIAL CLUB MEMBERSHIP 1920-1921

 

NAME HOME ADDRESS OCCUPATION/BUSINESS ADDRESS OFFICE(S) HELD
Edward Austin 368 Forrest St. Laborer
Dr. Clarence Bailey 736 W. Franklin St. Dentist
George Bailey Eutaw-Mt. Winans Soft Drinks
Annapolis Avenue near B&O Railroad
President
Horace Banks 617 Cider Alley Porter
Walter E. Batson 118 N. Schroeder St. Porter Financial Secretary
James Boone 607 George St. Laborer
Clarence Booze 927 W. Fayette St. Soft Drinks
John Brooks 1813 McCulloh St. Waiter
Bernard Brown 767 Bradley St. Driver
Dr. Harry Brown 1501 Presstman St. Physician Medial Examiner
Joseph Brown 1309 Argyle Avenue Waiter
Wellington Brown 540 Robert St. Laborer
Wilbert Brown 114 B. Schroeder St. Undertaker
Edward Bryant 764 Waesche St. Laborer
Thomas Buckingham 1802 Druid Hill Avenue Barber
Frank Burns 1341 Carey St. Laborer
John Butler 642 W. Saratoga St. Waiter
William Butler 703 Raborg St. Printer
1938 White St. near Payson St.
Edward Carpenter 527 W. Lafayette Avenue Porter
Raymond Carter 922 Argyle Avenue Laborer
George Chapman 635 Vine St. Financial Secretary
Phillip Chapman 1902 White St.
Winfield Chester 1136 Druid Hill Avenue Chauffeur
Frank Clark 821 W. Saratoga St. Clerk
Raymond Coates 636 Josephine St. Founder, Chairman
of House Committee
Walter Coates 909 Argyle Avenue Laborer
William Cook 645 Josephine St.
Thomas Cornish 1208 Harlem Avenue Waiter
Fred Crosby 635 Josephine St. Laborer
Walter Curtis 225 Arch St. Driver Master of Arms
Rev. J. A. Davis 648 Josephine St.
Louis Davis 689 Mulberry St. Laborer
William Davis 235 Arch St.
Robert Dent 911 Born Alley Driver
Charles Douglass Camden Stock Farm,
Warrenton, Virginia
Herman Douglass 558 Presstman St. Waiter
Dr. Charles Fowler 1201 Druid Hill Avenue Physician
712 S. Sharp St. and 1065 Lexington St.
Charles Garner 605 George St. Clerk
Joseph H. Garner 692 W. Mulberry St. Chauffeur
Richard Garrett 120 Dover St. Organist, waiter
Robert Goodlow 1330 Druid Hill Avenue Soft Drinks
Walter Gough 403 N. Pine Street Laborer
Henry Green 605 Jasper St.
Eugene Greenleaf 738 Pierce St. Laborer
Lewis Hall 683 W. Mulberry St.
R. E. Hall 1619 Division St.
William Harris 1114 W. Lexington St. Laborer
William Harrod 520 N. Pine St. Florist
831 Druid Hill Avenue
John Hayes 1113 W. Lexington St. Laborer
John W. Hawkins 500 Druid Hill Avenue Pool Hall
Samuel T. Hemsley 578 W. Biddle St. Funeral Director
Robert Hendley 650 W. Saratoga St. Porter
Alex Henry 638 W. Mulberry St.
Samuel Henson 1205 Upton St.
Jeremiah Hill 737 George St. Manager Founder, Treasurer
William Hill 576 St. Mary St. Driver
George Holland 650 Josephine St. Undertaker

Druid HIll Ave. & Wilson St.

Jeremiah Holland 63 West St. Laborer
George Hudgins 660 Raborg St.
Charles Hunt 226 N. Pine St. Laborer
George Johnson 763 Vine St. Laborer
Edward Jones 225 Arch St. Poerter
Samuel Jones 721 W. Frankklin St.
William A. Jones 1332 N. Stricker St. Porter Recording Secretary
William Liggins 436 Fremont Avenue Porter
Henry Lockman 1015 Shields Alley
William F. Long 818 McCulloh St.
John Matthews 451 St. Mary St.
William McCard 1940 Druid Hill Avenue Lawyer
14 E. Pleasant St.
Legal Advisor
Robert Morsell 624 Raborg St. Barber
Richard Morsell 642 Josephine St. Barber
Dennis Moore 1914 Division St.
Albert Morris 318 Diamond St.
William O. Maker 368 Forrest St.
Charles Mason 938 Argyle Avenue Chauffeur
Louis Nicholson 205 N. Pine St.
Moulton Oram 819 George St. Waiter
Robert J. Overton 522 Brune St.
William C. Palmer 936 Leadenhall St.
Fred Pinder 704 W. Franklin St.
John Powell 222 N. Pine St.
Frank Pratt 1703 Druid Hill Avenue
William Purvis 701 Raborg St.
John R. Ray 1940 White St.
Samuel Ray 627 Penn Alley Laborer
Henry Randolph 1522 Arctic Avenue
Atlantic city, N. J.
Walter Rice 223 Arlington Avenue
Charles Riley 1311 Argyle Avenue
Charles Ringgold 534 N. Caroline St. Waiter
Charles Robinson 644 Raborg St.
Isaac Russell 110 N. Amity St. Laborer
Edward Satchell 1426 Riggs Avenue Driver
Joseph Satterwhite 635 Josephine St.
E. L. W. Scott 647 Lee St. Chaplain
Edward Simms 226 N. Pine St.
Thomas H. Smith 665 Sarah Ann St.
Thomas R. Smith 2035 Druid Hill Avenue Hotel Owner
435-437 ½ Druid
William Smith 1220 Druid Hill Avenue Bartender
William Snowden 222 N. Pine Street
George Summerville 653 Josephine Street
Henry Steward 1230 Pennsylvania Avenue Confectioner
John Taylor 256 Arlington Avenue Waiter
Henry Thomas 735 George St.
Charles Tibbs 621 Penn Alley Master of Arms
Charles Tinson 638 Josephine St. Driver
Perry Tolson 848 W. Lafayette Avenue Laborer
Robert Towles 729 Pierce St.
James H. Wade 311 N. Stricker St. Waiter
Albert Washington 433 Henrietta St. Pool Hall
435 Henrietta St.
James Washington 640 Josephine St. Waiter
John S. Washington 449 E. 23rd St. Chauffeur
Harvey Waters Vice President
Harrison Watts 1607 Riggs Avenue Barber
27 E. Lee Highway
Asbury White 425 Conaway St. Laborer
Patrick White 635 Vine St.
Walter Wiley 730 Dolphin St. Soft Drinks

511 Claggett Alley

Basiel Williams 769 Bradley St.
Howard Williams 768 George St. Porter
Nathaniel Wilson 2010 Division St. Manager