When the Harford Historical Society took on the maintenance of historical buildings in Harford, they expected to have to do repairs sooner or later.  The Soldiers Orphans School did not prove them wrong.  What was unexpected was that a descendant of the original builder would be helping out with those repairs over 150 years later.

Lyman Richardson began the construction of the school in the 1830’s when the classes he was holding in his attic became too large.  The school grew and was granted a charter as an academy in 1837 and became a university in 1850.  In 1865, when public schools became more popular, the Harford University was converted to a school for the orphans of Civil War veterans.  The building was donated to the Harford Historical Society by Alan and Margery Rhodes, relations of the Richardson family, in 1987 and converted to a museum dedicated to the orphans’ school

When Caedmon Wisor came to visit his grandparents, Linda and Mike Berol, this summer in Harford, talk in the household centered on the basement door which needed repair.  The first step in this repair was taking the tongue and groove boards for the heavy sliding door and painting them.  This was the task that Caedmon took on.   

Painting tongue and groove boards is not easy and it took Caedmon 4 days to complete the initial coat and another day to complete the painting.

Caedmon Wisor working to preserve part of his history

The final carpentry work of assembling the door and hanging it was beyond the skills of 11 year old Caedmon and was completed by Mike Doney.   

The assembled door waiting to be hung

Caedmon was aware of the part he was playing in preserving his history.  When asked about a title for this article, he never hesitated when he chose the title – honoring a heritage.  It is a special event in the life of the Soldier’s Orphan School to have yet another descendant of the Richardson’s family keeping it for posterity.  And I am sure Caedmon’s ancestor is proud of the work he did on a family legacy.