History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 66

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1162

USA > Pennsylvania > Chester County > History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches > Part 66

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2, 20, 1758 .-- " The ffrds appd to visit friends on the lower ead of Pikeland &c., are continned."

4, 17, 1758 .- " The ffrds appd to visit Pikeland ffriends report that they have visited friends on the lower end of Pikeland, &c., according to order, and do find that there are Eleven families of friends who live remote from any meeting, & seem unanimous ia desiring the privilego of having a meeting Established among them, they having also agreed upon a spot of Ground which we viewed & think may well answer the purpose when a Title for it can be procured, which they are endeavouring for. Wo are in hopes that if their request be granted it may be of advantage in a religious sease, as it will greatly ease them on account of travelling. Which being considered by this meeting it is concluded to be laid before our next Quarterly Meeting for their approbation."

William Lewis, Amos Davis, James Hancock, Elizabeth Lewis, and Jane Coates were overseers of this meeting

241

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.

prior to 1762. In 1772 several Friends had removed from the neighborhood, and the meeting was small, and it seemed doubtful whether they could continue to hold one. Joseph Starr, John Meredith, William Cooper, and Jona- than Rogers were overseers from 1775 to 1788. In 1802 a Preparative Meeting was established, and a new house erected for its accommodation.

UWCHLAN MONTHLY MEETING.

This was formed by the division of Goshen Monthly Meeting, and included the meetings of Uwchlan, Nant- meal, and Pikeland. The first meeting was held 1, 5, 1763, at Uwchlan meeting-house. John Milhouse was appointed clerk of the men's meeting, and Mercy Baldwin of the women's.

STANTON MEETING,

in New Castle Co., Del., was first held at the house of Hannah Lewden, at Christiana Bridge, about 1772.

WILLISTOWN MEETING.

Benjamin Hibberd and Mary Garrett were married at an appointed meeting in Willistown, 10, 19, 1769, but there is no further evidence of a meeting held there so early. At Goshen Monthly Meeting, 4, 9, 1784 :

"The ffrds who have usually held a meeting During the winter season at Willistowo, now Request, with the approbation of Goshen & Newtown, preparative meetings to have a meeting settled there & to hold a preparative meeting, which is left for further sollid considera- tion."

10, 8, 1784 .- " The Request for having a meeting settled at Willis- town having heen for some time before this meeting, & there not ap- pearing sufficient uniting in sentiment for it to Go forward it is Dropt at present."

6, 8, 1787 .- " The friends who have usually attended the Willistown meeting Requests to have a meeting settled there, to be held on first and fifth days, except the day before Goshen Mo. meeting which is left under consideration another mo."

7, 6, 1787 .- " The Request for having a meeting settled at Willis- towo coming under weighty consideration, & after much time spent thereon, it is concluded to be laid before our next Quarterly meeting."

10, 5, 1787 .- " The Quarterly meeting's committee on the request for having a meeting for worship settled at Willistown attended here & after a sollid conference thereon, the committee proposed having a meeting with the friends who are to constitue sd meeting."

The committee having made a favorable report, the meet- ing was established by the Quarterly Meeting held 11, 10, 1788, and in 1794 they were allowed to hold a Preparative Meeting. 2, 8, 1799, Report is made that " A new meeting house is built at Willistown, to supply the place of the old one."

DOWNINGTOWN MEETING.

In 1784 a meeting was allowed to be held on First-day afternoons during the summer, at a school-house at Mill- town (or Downingtown, as it was then sometimes called), and this privilege was repeated by Uwchlan Monthly Meet- ing 1785-89. In 1795 and 1798 similar meetings were held, and in 1800 an earnest effort was made to establish a permanent meeting, but this met with opposition. Its ad- vocates persisted in their efforts, and obtained an indulgence of holding meetings from time to time until 1806, when the meeting was established by the Quarterly Meeting. It was held at first in the school-house which formerly stood back of Clara Downing's, between Uwchlan and Lancaster Ave-

nues. In 1807 ground was purchased, and a meeting- house built.

WEST GROVE MEETING.

The Jacksons, Micheners, Puseys, Prestons, and other families having settled in this neighborhood, a meeting- house was built, and a meeting indulged therein by New Garden Monthly Meeting in the year 1787. The next year the meeting was regularly established by the Quarterly Meeting.

FALLOWFIELD MEETING.

The Bakers, Modes, Harlans, Trumans, and others hav- ing settled here, had held meetings in the house of George Welsh prior to 1792, by indulgence of New Garden Monthly Meeting, and afterwards by Londongrove. A meeting-house was built in 1794, and the meeting estab- lished in 1795.

LONDONGROVE MONTHLY MEETING.

This was established in 1792 by the division of New Garden Monthly Meeting, and at that time contained but the one Preparative Meeting, but this was perhaps the largest one in the county.

CALN QUARTERLY MEETING,

composed of the Monthly Meetings of Bradford, Sads- bury, Uwchlan, and Robeson, was established in 1800, and the first meeting held 8th month 14th. Before this time Bradford and Sadsbury belonged to the Western Quarter, Uwchlan to Concord, and Robeson to Philadelphia.

MARLBOROUGH MEETING.

This sprang from an Indulged Meeting in Richard Bar- nard's school-house for some time prior to 1801, when a meeting-house was built, and a meeting established as a branch of Kennet Monthly Meeting. Several of the mem- bers had belonged to Londongrove, and others to Bradford Mcetings.

DOE RUN MEETING.

In 1805 several Friends living in Londonderry were al- lowed to hold meetings in a school-house there, and in 1808 a meeting-house was built, and a meeting established as a branch of Fallowfield Meeting.

CENTRE MONTHLY MEETING,

formed by the division of Kennet Monthly Meeting in 1808, was composed of the meetings of Centre and Hoc- kesson, at which places it was held alternately.

WEST CHESTER MEETING.

In 1810 the Friends in this neighborhood proposed the building of a meeting-house, but were discouraged by the Monthly Meetings to which they belonged, and instead thereof were allowed to hold meetings in a Friends' school- house near by in East Bradford. This indulgence was re- newed from time to time until 1812, in which year a meet- ing-house was built in West Chester, though it does not appear to have been occupied until 6th month 20, 1813. After the division in the society the Orthodox Friends held their meetings for a time in the east end of the house of George G. Ashbridge, now of John Rutter. In 1830 they built a meeting-house at the northwest corner of Church and Chestnut Streets, which was opened 12th month 26,

242

HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

1830, and is now used as two dwelling-houses. In 1844 they built a neat green-stone house on a lot at the north- east corner of the same streets. In 1868 the original meeting-house on High Street was greatly enlarged to ac- commodate the Quarterly Meeting and the increased atten- dance.

EAST SADSBURY MEETING

was established in Sadsbury, near the Lancaster Pike and Buck Run, about 1810. It was probably never very large, and is not now held.

FALLOWFIELD MONTHLY MEETING.

In 1811, Londongrove Monthly Meeting was divided, and the meetings of Fallowfield and Doe Run were made to constitute a Monthly Meeting under the above name. After 1828 the Orthodox members again became members of Londongrove Monthly Meeting.

KENNET SQUARE MEETING.

In 1812 a meeting was indulged at the house of John Phillips, near and to the westward of Kennet Square. In 1814 a meeting-house was built at Kennet Square, and a meeting established under that name.

BIRMINGHAM MONTHLY MEETING.

This was constituted of the meetings of West Chester and Birmingham, and first held 12th month 7, 1815. These meetings liad been branches of Coneord Monthly Meeting.

WHITELAND MEETING.

A meeting-house was built in East Whiteland, and a meeting held therein in 1816, being opened in the 11th month of that year. It was not regularly established until 1818. In 1822 a Preparative Meeting was established. The house is recently closed, and the membership trans- ferred to Malvern Meeting.

SCHUYLKILL MEETING.

A school-house in this township, at the " Corner Stores," was opened as a meeting-house in 1818.

NOTTINGHAM QUARTERLY MEETING

was first opened and held at East Nottingham Meeting, 5th month 19, 1819, and was composed of Nottingham, Little Britain, and Deer Creek Monthly Meetings, of which the two former were taken from Western Quarterly Meet- ing. This is a branch of Baltimore Yearly Meeting.

PENNSGROVE MEETING.

On the request of John Hambleton, Joseph Brown, Nathan Sharpless, and others, New Garden Monthly Meet- ing allowed them to hold a meeting at Joseph Brown's. It was afterwards held at John Hambleton's, but in 1828 was transferred to the house of Samuel Hadley. In 1833 the meeting-house of Pennsgrove was erected.

CAMBRIDGE MEETING.

This was first held about 1825, but no particulars have been obtained.

LITTLE ELK MEETING.

This was established in 1825, and a meeting-house built the following year. It is the only meeting within our county limits belonging to Baltimore Yearly Meeting.

HOMEVILLE MEETING.

Samuel Gatchell, Asa Walton, Isaac Clendenin, Mahlon Brosius, William Brosius, with their families, and other Friends, obtained leave to hold an Indulged Meeting in a school-house of Asa Walton's, in Coleraine, Lancaster County, in 1828. In 1839 the meeting-house at Homeville, Chester County, was built, and the meeting established therein.

LONDON BRITAIN MEETING.

In 1834 a number of Friends who had held meetings in a house of Richard Chambers, in White Clay Creek Hundred, purchased a piece of ground near Striekerville, whereon they erected a meeting-house. The Thompson, Chambers, Sharpless, and Passmore families were among the principal members.

MILL CREEK MEETING.

In 1838, James Thompson and thirty-two other Friends were allowed to have an Indulged Meeting at James Thomp- son's house, in Mill Creek, Del. In 1841 a commodious house was built, and the meeting settled therein as a branch of New Garden Monthly Meeting.

UNIONVILLE MEETING.

This was made up of members of Kennet and London- grove Monthly Meetings, and held under their joint care in a house built about 1845.

ROMANSVILLE MEETING.

After the division of 1827 the Orthodox Friends re- tained possession of Bradford meeting-house, and the others built on an adjoining lot; but after some years this prop- erty was sold, and about the year 1846 a house was erected near Romansville as being more central.

KIMBERTON MEETING.

A meeting was opened here about 1857.

OXFORD MEETING.

In 1878 an Indulged Meeting was held at Oxford by permission of Pennsgrove and Nottingham Monthly Meet- ings. In 1879 a house was built and opened for use on the 9th of 11th month.

MALVERN MEETING.

This house, fifty five by thirty-two feet in size, was built in 1879, of green or serpentine stone from the quarries of Thomas White, in East Goshen. In the following winter Whiteland Meeting was transferred to this place, and the first meeting held in the new house on the 15th of 2d month, 1880.

PROGRESSIVE FRIENDS.

About thirty years ago a number of persons, largely of the Society of Friends, deeply impressed with the need for more active exertions in the cause of humanity and moral- ity, began to hold meetings for the propagation of their

RESIDENCE OF JOB H. JACKSON, WEST GROVE.

FARM RESIDENCE OF EDWIN JAMES, EAST BRADFORD.

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SOCIETY OF FRIENDS.

views, in which they were assisted by prominent philan- thropists from other parts of our country. Slavery and intemperance were two of the great evils which they deter- mined to combat, but nothing which affected the condition of society or individuals was thought unworthy of notice. The name of " Progressive Friends" speaks at once of their origin, and of their central idea of progress in what- ever could benefit humanity. From the farm of John Cox, in East Marlborough, a piece of ground was donated by the owner, and here they erected

LONGWOOD MEETING,

where meetings were held weekly for several years. Since 1853 a Yearly Mecting has been held, at which have gath- ered such well-known humanitarians as Lucretia Mott, William Lloyd Garrison, Theodore Parker, Frederick Douglas, Oliver Johnson, Charles C. Burleigh, Mary Grew, Abby Kelly Foster, and a host of others from a dis- tance, besides a large number of our own citizens. Many of the leading questions of the day have been discussed, and " testimonies" prepared expressive of the sentiment of the meeting, to be published to the world.

In connection with the meeting a cemetery was laid out, which promises to be a spot of more than usual interest in the future.

THE SUFFERINGS OF FRIENDS.

The following paper, showing Friends' sufferings on ac- count of their " testimony" against war, has been specially prepared by E. Michener :

History informs us that during the early centuries of our era Christians held it to be unlawful for them to fight, and that the most cruel tortures, even death itself, could in nowise induce them to do so.

It is also well known that the Religious Society of Friends from its incipiency has ever borne a like "testimony" against all wars and fightings and preparations for war ; and they, too, have endured a full share of suffering, in person and in property, for the maintenance of this " Christian testimony," more especially during the war of Revolution, and, strange as it may appear, right here in the " land of Penn," whose great and noble purpose it was to estab- lish a government where religious liberty and the rights of conscience should be respected and secured. The pioneer settlers in a large portion of Chester County were almost entirely Friends, who had received their titles directly from the proprietary. The purpose of this paper is to give a brief notice of the sufferings of them and their immediate descendants during the Revolutionary war. In doing this, it is necessary first to consider how Friends view the practice of war, in order to properly comprehend the grounds of their " testimony" against it.

WHAT THEN IS WAR?

War is a game of hazard, at which kings and rulers and their courtiers play, leaving we, the people, to pay the for- feits which they incur with our treasure and our lives.

Already the educational and financial resources of the nation are profusely lavished upon the gamesters to fit them for war ; already the richest emoluments, the highest honors which it can bestow, are given to the warriors ; al-

ready the Western domain is made a camping-ground for the new recruits, and Indians the targets for them to prac- tice on ; already the candidates for almost any office, civil or military, from a constable to the President, are fain to rest the claim upon their military record. Such appears to be war in the popular estimation.

But from whence come wars and fightings ? Come they not even of your lusts,-the lust for power, the lust for conquest and plunder, the lust for fame, the lust for re- venge ? Divest war of its meretricious tapestry, its emol- uments, its honors, and the halo of false glory which has been thrown as a pall over its atrocities, and it soon sinks into unmitigated, cold-blooded murder. Such I under- stand to be the view which Friends take of war, and such the evil which they testify against.

With the progress of the war the requisitions upon Friends for aid in carrying it on increased. Under the advice and direction of the Yearly Meeting, the Western Quarterly Meeting, and the Monthly Meetings which then constituted it (seven in number), each appointed a large standing committee to attend to suffering cases. It was made the duty of those of the Monthly Meetings,-

1. To advise, encourage, and assist their members when under trial and suffering.

2. To collect and prepare accounts of suffering cases, and report them to the Monthly Meetings.

3. To visit those in anthority, to explain to them the principles held by the society, and endeavor to convince them of their consist- ency with the teachings of the Christ.

4. To mect once a month with the Quarterly Meeting's committee in a general conference for consultation and united action.

This organization was continued, with occasional new appointments, for eight years. The entire minutes of the Conference, and many of those of the constituent commit- tees, are now before me. It affords me pleasure to be able to record the names of the Conference, taken at random, for the year 1779,-men whose memories have come down through the ages as persons of unblemished integrity and undoubted piety. These are they who have been de- nounced by men who " knew not Joseph" as Quaker Tories and traitors to their country, because they chose to obey God and could not violate their own consciences. They held the sacredness of human life, and the sinfulness of taking it away; they acknowledged the brotherhood of men, and could not do violence to any by forcibly pulling down or setting up governments.

THE COMMITTEE OF CONFERENCE.

Committee of the Western Monthly Meeting .- William Harvey, Thomas Pimm, John Ferree, Amos Davis, William Jackson, Jr., Rob- ert Moore, Benjamin Mason, George Churchman, John Millhouse, Isaac Jackson, William Swayne, Samuel Sharp, Samuel England, William Cox, John Jackson, William Downing, Ellis Pusey, John Sharpless.

Committee of Kennet Monthly Meeting .- William Lamhorn, James Wilson, Jonathan Ganse, John Lamborn, James Bennet, Joseph Walter, Jr., Thomas Gibson, John Parker, Joshna Way, James Jack- son, Caleb Pierce, James Bryan, Christopher Hollingsworth, William Phillips, Jr., William Walter, John Way, John Marshall, David Grave.

Committee of New Garden Monthly Meeting .- Joseph Moore, Joshua Pusey, Joseph Richardson, Daniel Thompson, William Miller, Jacob Lindley, Thomas Millhouse, David Hoopes, Thomas Wood, Thomas Woodward, Henry Chalfant, Isaac Jackson, Jr., Joel Bailey, Joseph Pyle, Jacob Halliday, Isaac Pyle, Francis Lamhorn.

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HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.

Committee of Nottingham Monthly Meeting .- Abraham Bunting, Joseph England, Joseph Harlan, Timothy Kirk, William Brown, Benjamin Hough, Elisha Brown, William Haines, William Webster, Jeremiah Brown, Richard Reynolds, Thomas Chambers.

Committee of Sadsbury Monthly Meeting .- James Moore, Isaao Taylor, James Miller, Andrew Moore, James Webb, John Cope, John Truman, Abraham Gibbons, Joseph Brinton.

Committee of Bradford Monthly Meeting .- Richard Barnard, Sam- uel Fisher, Thomas Baldwin, Nathan Cope, Abia Taylor, Isaac Coates, Thomas Fisher, William Mode, Samuel Cope, William Iddings, Ed- ward Vernon.

Committee of Duck Creek Monthly Meeting (Del.) .- Robert Halli- day, John Barnes, Israel Ashton, Joseph Cowgill, Warner Mifflin, Henry Cowgill, Ezekiel Cowgill, Baptist Lay, William Wilson, Isaiah Roland, Fenwick Fisher, John Dickinson.

Committee of Deer Creek Monthly Meeting .- Joseph Husbands, Phillip Cole, John Wilson, William Cole, Benjamin Barnes.

Here we have one of the most remarkable, perhaps one of the most important, incidents of the war. A committee of more than a hundred stalwart members of the Society of Friends, citizens of three several States, holding public meetings once a month for eight years, encouraging and sustaining their members to withhold their aid and support of the war; and visiting and revisiting, by committees, many of the military and civil officers, not excepting Gen. Washington himself, and memorializing the General As- sembly for a redress of their wrongs. Now it is well that we should consider. Were those men of peace, those fear- less advocates of the rights of conscience, traitors to their country ? Did the loyal authorities of that day consider them traitors ? Certainly they did not. Else why did they not disperse those traitorous meetings and punish the traitors ? Their not having done so affords an all-sufficient and conclusive vindication of Friends against the aspersions so often and so illiberally cast upon them by those least competent to judge. Indeed, the visited received their visits kindly, some of them particularly so, and most of them acknowledged that the Gospel Dispensation called for the disuse of carnal weapons.

About the period of George Fox, the arbitrary domination of kings and priests over the liberties of the people seems to have reached its ultimatum, and was suddenly brought into conflict with a power more potent than its own,-the revelation of Eternal Truth in the souls of men, enabling and requiring them to patiently endure the pains and penal- ties for obeying its holy requirements.

But the people do not sufficiently estimate the price which has been thus paid for the civil and religious liberties which they now enjoy. Nor can it be denied that Friends have contributed a full share of their substance, their sufferings, and their lives for the attainment of this desirable end.

If George Fox had not asserted man's primary allegiance unto God; if he had not maintained that civil and religious liberty and the rights of conscience are paramount to all human laws; if innocent women had not been scourged upon their naked backs, at the cart tail, through the streets of Boston ; if Laurence Southwick and his sons had not borne their cars to be cut off; if William Robinson, Mar- maduke Stephenson, William Leddra, and Mary Dyer had not sealed their testimony to the truth with their blood on Boston Common ; and if William Penn had not published "The Frame of Government for Pennsylvania," it is not probable that Thomas Jefferson would have written thie

Declaration of American Independence. "Coming events cast their shadows before."

It may even be worthy of serious thought how far that independence was achieved by the arms of the warrior, and how far by the humble dependence on and hopeful " look- ing unto God" for aid and preservation by those patient and persecuted ones who could in nowise seek to obtain it by force, but whose constant, earnest prayer was, "Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thy heritage to reproach."

One of the reports alluded to-" Read and approved at New Garden Monthly Meeting the 4th of the 8th month, 1781, signed on behalf thereof, Joshua Pusey, Clk."-fur- nishes the details of distraints made from the members thereof during the preceding year, amounting to £1619 3s. 3d. From that report I have copied such distraints only as were made within the two townships of New Garden and Londongrove.

For the township of New Garden. £458 10 3

Londongrove. 387 18 10

£846 9 1

This list is long, but its value is proportioned to its length, and would be greatly impaired by further curtail- ment. The demands were various, and sometimes made by unscrupulous persons, without any show of authority, hence distraints were often made in quick succession.

LIST OF PROPERTY DISTRAINED, ETC.

1 .- By William Whiteside, New Garden, from 11th mo. 1780 to 5th mo. 1781.

£ s. d.

From Thompson Parker, a mare, a coverlet, and blanket ...... 27 10 0

From Wm. McConnell, a cow and a heifer, 1 ton of hay, 20

b. of corn, 2} of wheat, 2 pair chains, a bag. 16 9 3 From Hannah Miller, a cow, 4 y. cattle, 38 b. oats, 14 of

corn, 9 of rye, and 9 of wheat. 20

4 0

From Isaac Richards, a horse, 4 y. cattle, & 10 b. oats 27

5 0

From William Dixon, a mare ... 25

0 0

From Thos. Lamhorn, 2 cows, 6 sheep, and 4 lambs ... 17 10 0

From Thos. Hutton, 11 sheep, 5 lambs, & 3} tons of hay ..... 15 16 6 From Moses Rowen, a cow, a steer, & a bull, 2 b. wheat & bag, 4 of oats, & a blind bridle, and a steer. 12 19 6

From James Pyle, a bull, 9 b. oats, & 8 of rye.

5 4 6

From Benjamin Hutton, a horse & a cow 22

0 0

From Joseph Hutton, a mare, 5 sheep, & 2 lambs .. 23 15 0

From David Hoopes, 17ibs upper leather, & 3 of harness 3 6 1 From Benjamin Allen, 2 cows, 80 b. oats, & 20 of corn 23 2 6 3 6 From Joseph Hurford, a collar, hames, and ox chain. 1

From Nicholas Hurford, 9 h. wheat. 2 18 6

From Nathaniel Scarlet, a mare .. 18 0 0

From William Allen, 2 pr chains, a collar, & hames. 1 8 0

From Thos. Millhouse, a cow (for his son) 5 5 0

2 .- By Joseph Buffington, New Garden, 2d & 3d mos. 1781.

£ s. d.

From Thompson Parker, 3 pewter dishes.

1 3 0

From Wm. McConnell, a coverlet

1 10 0

From Hannah Miller, a horse. 28 00

From Isaac Richards, 1} tons of hay . 3 10 0

From Thomas Lamborn, 2 pewter dishes & 2 plates 1 13 0

From James Pyle, 2 sheep .. 1 7 0

From Joseph Hutton, 11 yds. blanketing ..

2 4 0

From Moses Rowen, 1 h. cloverseed & bag. 3 15 0

From Isaac Jackson, Jun., 4 sheep, 2 10 0

1 16 0

From Benjamin Allen, 1 ton of hay. 3 00

From Nicholas Hurford, 2 sheep. 1 10 0

From Wm. Allen, about a ton of bay

2 00

To these are added scattering cases by various authorities : 8. d.

From John Hadley, a cow, heifer, & 2 shcep.

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History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical and biographical sketches, Part 66

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928 Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts Number of Pages: 1162

Author: Futhey, John Smith, 1820-1888; Cope, Gilbert, 1840-1928
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Philadelphia, L. H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1162