jaylar
Two mansions, located on one property in an up scale part of town, were given to the Church by the Alexander family. These mansions were to be a ‘sanctuary’ for Church members who were old or ill, or alone.
The property was named Miriam House, after Miriam Alexander.
When the last local Alexander died, (seven years after the gift) the Board of Directors, which ‘ran’ the church and over saw the property decided to turn it into a girl’s dormitory taking all comers.
This was to make money.
Behind the Front Mansion, invisible from the road, was a line of small rooms with a bathroom between. This was the ‘dormitory.’. The rooms were to be rented to ‘students’.
To maintain the guise of ‘sanctuary’, the Front and Back Mansions would house ill or indigent members. A Matron would be hired to look after these people as well as handle matters concerning the dorm.
To avoid any question of ‘hotel’ the Board maintained Miriam House as a private home. Hence the cost of water and electricity was born by the Board.
The first Matron hired was ‘one of them’, Bertha McGill, Grand daughter of the once wealthy McGill clan.
