History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 21

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372

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At Sadsbury monthly meeting, 1-3-1745-6: "The re- quest that went to last quarterly meeting was granted, i. e., that Newberry meeting has liberty to hold meetings of worship every first day and fourth day of the week, as Warrington has on every first day and fifth day of the week, and those two meetings to make up one pre- parative meeting, to be held at each place turn about."

2-7-1746: "Newberry preparative meeting recom- mends John Day and William Garretson for overseers in that meeting, which is approved in this meeting until further order."

At Warrington monthly meeting, 2-9-1771 : "This meeting received written answers from each of our pre- parative meetings except Newberry; and it appears that the care of this meeting towards that meeting is neces-

sary, which is left under consideration until next meet- ing."

4-13-1771 : " William Garretson, William Underwood, William Matthews, William Willis, William Penrose, John Griest and Peter Cleaver are appointed to attend Newberry preparative meeting and give such assistance as they may be enabled to do."

5-11-1771: "Four of the committee appointed to at- tend Newberry preparative meeting report they did and that the cause is not yet removed; this leaves the case of that meeting under consideration until next meeting.'

7-13-1771: "Newberry meeting continued under care of a committee."

12-14-1771: " The former committee is continued to visit Newberry preparative meeting and William Matthews, William Penrose, William Nevitt, William Willis and Herman Updegraff are added to their assist- ance ; and this meeting also appoints them to visit Men- allen and Huntingdon preparative meetings and make report to next meeting.

5-9-1772: "Part of the committee appointed to visit Newberry preparative reports that they have performed that service, and also reports that they decline to answer the queries, as they apprehend it will cause a breach of unity amongst them, which is to be hinted in the report to the quarterly meeting for their advice and assistance."

6-13-1772: "Agreeable to the request of last meeting, part of the committee from the quarterly meeting at- tended this meeting, and after some time in deliberation on the affair, advised the meeting to appoint a com- mittee to sit with Newberry and Huntingdon Friends at their preparative meetings, preceding the quarterly meeting, which is left under consideration until next meeting."

10-10-1772: "Three of the committee appointed to visit Newberry preparative meeting, reports that they have performed that service and also report that they are of the mind that a visit of solid Friends would be of benefit to that meeting, therefore this meeting ap- points William Willis and Benjamin Underwood, Ann Steer and Miriam Hussey to sit with them at their next meeting and make report to next meeting."

I-9-1773: The case of Newberry meeting left under solid consideration.

7-8-1775: "Some Friends living a considerable dis- tance from Newberry meeting, near Yellow Breeches, re- quest to be indulged with holding a week-day meeting at the house of William Maulsby.'

This place was in what is now Fairview Township. At the last session of the monthly meeting, Isaac Everett, Peter Cleaver, John Garretson, Sr., Joseph Elgar, John Underwood, Record Hussey and Wil- liam Underwood were appointed to sit with them at the place proposed to hold said meetings and report. Of the female mem- bers of the committee were Mary Chandlee, Jane Taylor, Joanna Heald, Ann Penrose, Hannah Cadwalader and Martha Everett.

A favorable report was granted to allow them to hold a meeting on the fifth day of each week, except the day of Newberry pre- parative meeting, which they were urged to attend. William Matthews, Ellis Lewis, Herman Updegraff, Timothy Kirk, William Garretson, William Penrose were asked to attend their meeting at William Maulsby's

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WARRINGTON FRIENDS' MEETING HOUSE

FRIENDS' MEETING HOUSE, NEWBERRYTOWN

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FRIENDS OR QUAKERS

house whenever convenient. Of the female house, and propose closing the former one, members Hannah Matthews, Sarah Kirk, it being full." Lydia Updegraff, Ann Penrose, Mary In 1848 Thomas Garretson was appointed trustee. A proposition to discontinue this meeting in 1855 was withdrawn. Chandlee, Rebecca Machlon and Miriam Hussey were appointed to meet with them and join the male Friends appointed to that service. WARRINGTON MEETING.

A discussion arose about building a meet- ing house near the residence of Widow Maulsby in what is now Fairview Town- ship, the religious services having before been held in her house. In 1780 the meet- ing was changed to the house of Samuel John, near the same place. This meeting was held at this place because the Newberry meeting house was not central enough for all members. It continued at the house of Samuel John until 6-12-1784, when a com- mittee consisting of Joseph Updegraff, Wil- liam Willis, Elisha Kirk, Joseph Elgar, Peter Cleaver, William Kersey, James Thomas, William Underwood, Daniel

Ragan, Benjamin Walker, Hannah Willis, Ruth Kirk, Deborah Thomas and Hannah Matthews reported that in their judgment this "indulged " meeting "would best be

discontinued and Friends in that locality 9 pence. The following list contains the

meet in the old Newberry meeting house. It would thus tend to the preservation of unity but recommend the building of a meeting house at a more central place for the body of Friends."

9-13-1794: Newberry meeting stated that there was but one surviving trustee, Samuel Garretson. James Wickersham and Ezekiel Kirk were then appointed.

12-19-1810: Newberry preparative meet- ing desired to sell land where old meeting · house is built, and purchase other in a more central place, whereupon Jesse Wickersham and George Wickersham were appointed trustees, who were also requested to secure the passage of an act of Legislature to sell the land connected with the old meeting house.

4-23-1823: Joel Garretson and Jesse Wickersham were appointed trustees of Newberry burying ground.

In 1830 Job Hoopes and Benjamin Gar- retson became trustees of meeting house property.

5-21-1840: "Newberry Friends informed the monthly meeting that they have en- closed a graveyard at the new meeting

The Warrington meeting, in Warrington Township, about nine miles southwest of Newberry and midway between the present villages of Wellsville and Rossville, was regularly established in 1745, and a log meeting house erected the same year on a tract of 29 acres and 156 perches, " near the land of Stephen Eyles (Ailes) on a branch of Conewago" Creek. A warrant, dated July 5, 1745, was issued for the land to be held in trust for the Society of Friends, but owing to an irregularity, the land was later by proclamation, declared vacant and after- ward granted by patent, dated I mo. 22 da., 1767, from John Penn, Lieutenant-Gov- ernor, to William Garretson, William Un- derwood, William Penrose and Peter Cleaver, in trust for the Society, the con- sideration being 9 pounds, 12 shillings and names of some of the original members, who contributed toward paying for the land warrant and survey :

We, the subscribers, knowing the necessity of public worship, and being destitute of a piece of land to set a meeting house, do, each of us, unite to pay the respective sums under written, in order to get a warrant for twenty-five acres of land adjoining Stephen Ailes' land, as witness our hands.

John Earl 5s.

Alexander Underwood 3s.

Thomas Cox 5s.

Joseph Garretson 5s.

William Garretson 5s.

Christopher Hussey 5s.

James Frazer 4S.

Hall Cox 3s.

Samuel Underwood 3s.

Thomas Cook 3s.

Richard Wickersham 3s.

William Underwood 3s.

Peter Cook Is. 6d.

Received of Thomas Cox, two pounds, eight shillings and six pence in order to take out a warrant for twenty- five acres of land on a branch of Conewago, near Stephen Ailes'.

6-20-1745. THOMAS COOKSON.

In 1769 a new stone meeting house was built near the old one. In 1782 it was found necessary to enlarge the building to almost double its original size in order to ac- commodate the quarterly meeting, and a stone addition was made to the north end.

II2

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

The following year the old end was thor- oughly repaired and given a new floor and a new roof. With the exception of a slate roof and other repairs, effected in 1888, the old structure remains substantially as it was in 1782, and is still surrounded by a strip of the primitive forest. On account of the emigration the regular meeting was dis- continued about the middle of the nine- teenth century, and now meetings are held on only one first-day each year. " A large number of Irish

Friends.

Irish Friends," says Albert Cook My- ers, " made their way to the War- rington settlement. Among them were Thomas Wilson, from Grange, near Charlemont, in 1748, a little later removing to Fairfax meeting, Virginia; Thomas

magh, in 1749; the brothers George, John and William McMillan, from Nantmeal, Chester County, 1750: John Marsh and sons John, Joshua, Jonathan and William, also from Nantmeal, 1750; Peter Marsh, brother of John, from the same place and same date ; William Nevitt, a minister of the Society, from Moate, County West Meath, 1751; William Hutton, from New Garden, Chester County, 1751 ; Samuel Hutton, from Exeter, Berks County, 1753; Nicholas Steer, from Sadsbury, 1759; John Boyd and son Wil- liam, from Sadsbury, the former in 1765, and the latter in 1754; James Love, from Sadsbury, 1761; Francis and Thomas Wilkinson, with their mother, Elizabeth, widow of Joseph Wilkinson, from Chester County, in 1760; Francis Hobson, from Ballyhagen, County Armagh, 1764; Aaron Coates, from Bradford, Chester County, 1767; William Pillar, from Grange, near Charlemont, 1767, returning to Ireland 1769; William Chandlee, from Deer Creek meeting, Maryland, 1773; Peter Milhous, from Chester County."

Warrington

Warrington monthly meet- ing, composed of Newberry

Monthly and Warrington preparative Meeting. meetings, was established by authority of the quarterly meeting. In 1747 Sadsbury meeting ap- pointed a committee to visit Friends west of the Susquehanna. A favorable report was made by this committee, 9-9-1747, and liberty granted to organize the meeting " for discipline and the affairs of truth."

The first monthly meeting was held 10-9- 1747. William Underwood was chosen clerk. The Warrington meeting house was nearly a central point of the settlement of Friends in the northern part of this county at that time, hence it was decided to hold the monthly meeting there, although it was sometimes held at Huntingdon (York Springs), and frequently at Newberry. The Warrington monthly meeting, 4-12-1783, agreed to pay 100 pounds toward building an addition to Warrington meeting house, which was ordered to be brought to the next monthly meeting.

In 1793 Newberry meeting requests that the monthly meeting be held in their meet- ing house. Jesse Wickersham, Edward Jones, James Thomas, Benjamin Under- Blackburn, from Ballyhagen, County Ar- wood, Peter Cleaver, Samuel Garretson, Jonathan Marsh, Joseph Garretson, Thomas Leech, James Bean, Jolin Cleaver, Cornelius Garretson, Thomas McMillan, William Nevitt, Benjamin Walker, Ann Marsh, Ann McMillan and Margaret Underwood were appointed to report whether this request be granted. It caused great discussion. Eze- kiel Kirk, James Hancock, Miriam Hussey, Deborah Thomas, Ruth Bane, Jane Hussey, Abigail Whinnery, Sarah Williams, Anna Wickersham and Sarah Thomas were added to the committee. In 1794 they report that they " could not unite in sentiment with said request." In 1795, once every three months, the Warrington monthly meeting was ordered to be held at Newberry meet- ing house. In 1805 it was ordered by the quarterly meeting that the monthly meeting be held alternately at Newberry and War- rington.

Warrington Meeting

Records.

At Warrington monthly meeting, 2-16-1748: Friends of Warrington meeting request to have a preparative meeting settled among them, and Friends of Menallen request to have their meeting settled; the requests are, gone in the reports to the quar-

terly meeting.

At quarterly meeting, 3-9-1748: The Friends of War- rington meeting with the approbation of their quarterly meeting, request that they may have the liberty of keep- ing a preparative meeting among them, which this meet- ing allows until further order.

At Warrington monthly meeting, 4-13-1782: A com- mittee is appointed to make additions and repairs to Warrington meeting house to accommodate the quar- terly meeting.

II-13-1784: The committee appointed to repair this house and build the addition, requested that some Friends might be appointed to settle with them. There- fore, James Hancock, Harmon Updegraff, Jacob Wor-

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FRIENDS OR QUAKERS

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ley, Joseph Updegraff and Samuel Miller are appointed to that service, to report to next meeting.

8-13-1785 : Report :- We, of the committee appointed to settle the accounts with the trustees who were ap- pointed to have the care of building the addition and re- pairing of Warrington meeting house, met, and after examining the accounts find that all the meetings have paid in their quotas except Warrington, which is yet behind the sum of 8 pounds, I shilling and 8 pence. which is due to Benjamin Underwood; and it appears that there yet remains the further sum of 9 pounds, 12 shillings and 8 pence, due from the monthly meeting to him, the whole amounting to 17 pounds, 14 shillings and 4 pence. Signed by James Hancock, Joseph Updegraff, John Marsh, Harmon Updegraff, Samuel Miller.

6-8-1793: Warrington preparative meeting informs that they apprehend it may be needful to appoint an additional number of suitable Friends as trustees for the land belonging to their meeting, as three of the former are deceased; this meeting therefore, after con- sidering that case appoints Benjamin Walker, Thomas McMillan, Joshua Vale and John Cleaver to that trust.

9-7-1805 : As there has often appeared a difficulty with Warrington preparative meeting in raising money neces- sary for the purposes of the society, under consideration of which this meeting appoints Samuel Garretson, Sam- uel Miller, Thomas McMillan, Robert Vale, John Cleaver, William Edmundson, Elisha Cook, James Bane and Isaac Kirk to apportion the members of that meet- ing as justly and nearly agreeable their circumstances as may be, and make report to next meeting of their care therein.

2-20-1822: Warrington preparative meeting submits the following proposition to this meeting : propose that the families of Friends in the western end of that par- ticular meeting be indulged with a meeting for worship, which being considered this meeting appoints Jesse Wickersham, Thomas Leech, Zephaniah Underwood, Aaron Frazer, Samuel Garretson, John L. Garretson, Thomas McMillan, Willing Griest and Amos Griffith to unite with a like committee of women Friends, Hannah Leech, Phoebe Wickersham, Ann Garretson, Sarah Cook, Ruth McMillan, in considering the subject and report their prospects thereon to next or a future meet- ing.

5-23-1822: The committee on the subject of an in- dulged meeting requests assistance ; this meeting there- fore adds Nathan Thomas, Thomas Garretson, Daniel Cookson, John S. Garretson, Jacob McMillan, Joseph Taylor, John Cleaver, and Joseph Garretson, Sarah Cookson, Anne Griest, Susannah Cleaver, Deborah Grif- fith, Martha Vale, Sarah Walker and Anne Wickersham to that meeting.

6-19-1822: The committee on the indulged meeting report they cannot unite in believing the time is yet come for a division of Warrington meeting.

3-18-1830: John Cookson and Cyrus Griest are ap- pointed trustees for Warrington meeting house and land in the room of Benjamin Walker and John Cleaver, de- ceased.

4-22-1835: Warrington preparative meeting proposes Jacob McMillan and Asabel Walker, trustees for War- rington meeting house and land in the room of Thomas McMillan and Joshua Vale, deceased, which is concurred with and they appointed to the trust.

3-21-1839: Daniel Garretson, Solomon Griest and Joshua Griest are appointed trustees for Warrington meeting house property in the room of Cyrus Griest, Jacob McMillan and John Cookson.

5-18-1843: John Cook, Sr., and William Armitage are appointed to have care of Warrington graveyard and funerals, those formerly appointed having removed.

5-18-1854: William Cadwalader, Asabel Walker and George W. Cook are appointed, on request of Warring- ton meeting, to have care of the graveyard and over- sight of funerals.

4-23-1856: William Cadwalader is appointed trustee for Warrington meeting house property in room of Daniel Garretson.

FAWN MEETING.

At a western quarterly meeting, held at London Grove, Chester County, 8-15-1763. Deer Creek, Md., monthly meeting mentions that a few families of Friends settled in Fawn Township, York County, were desirous of having the privilege of holding a meeting, having selected a spot of ground on which they designed to build a meeting house. Thomas Jackson, Thomas Bar- ret, Joshua Brown, Thomas Carlton, William Sanborn, William Swayne, and Isaac Whitelock were appointed to visit them and make a report.

II-21-1763: The committee reported: That, having met and viewed the place purposed by them to build a meeting house on which place being not yet secured and the winter season approaching, they are of a mind that it is best for this meeting to defer granting their request until the spring; yet that Deer Creek monthly meeting may allow them the same liberty as formerly, and have a watchful eye over them to see whether they maintain the privilege granted them with reputation, which report was signed by all the committee, and being twice read and considered, it is particularly recom- mended to Deer Creek monthly meeting to make a close inspection how the Friends of Fawn Township keep up their meeting the ensuing winter, and make report thereof hereafter to this meeting.

2-20-1764: The case of the Friends in and near Fawn Township in York County is still continued under the care of 'Deer Creek monthly meeting.

There is no further mention of this monthly meeting in the minutes of western quarterly meeting up to 5th mo .. 1779.

In Levi K. Brown's brief account of the meetings, belonging to Baltimore yearly meeting, 1875, it is stated that :

"This meeting, a branch of Deer Creek monthly meet- ing, was probably held as early as 1780, then a branch of the Gun Powder monthly meeting. In 1790 the first meeting house was built, and in the fifth month, 1792, the preparative meeting was started. In 1870 there were thirty-four families and parts of families. Total, 100 members. Midweek meetings fourth days, at 10 o'clock summer, II winter. It probably never belonged to Gun Powder meeting.

At Warrington monthly meeting, 1-8-1785, Our Friend, Ruth Kirk, in a solid manner, expressed a con- cern that hath for some time attended her mind to at- tend a little meeting of Friends in Fawn Township, and to visit the families belonging to it. And our Friend, Hannah Willis, having expressed a freedom to go with her, which, being considered in this meeting, there ap- peared a uniting therewith, and Joseph Updegraff ap- pointed to accompany them therein."

The Fawn meeting house is located in the village of Fawn Grove, in Fawn Township. First day and fourth day meetings are regularly held and a regular organization kept up.

HUNTINGDON MEETING.

About nine miles southwest of Warring- ton, in Latimer, now Huntingdon Town-

II4

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

ship, Adams County, originally York attended, and with the exception of Fawn County, is Huntingdon meeting house, meeting, in the southeast corner of York County, is the only surviving meeting of the original York County. situated on a wooded ridge overlooking Bermudian Creek, some two miles southeast of the borough of York Springs, formerly In its early years Menallen meeting was distinctively an Irish meeting, the majority of its members being from Ireland. Among them were John Blackburn, judge of the York County court in 1764, county treas- urer in 1759 and 1766, and member of As- sembly; Daniel Winter, William Delap, Joseph Hewitt and son George, from Bally- Petersburg. Unauthorized meetings were held in the neighborhood as early as 1745, for at Sadsbury monthly meeting, 9 mo., 4 da., 1745, William Garretson was directed to read three papers of acknowledgment "at Huntingdon meeting." These meet- ings evidently convened at the house of John Cox, where nearly all the early mar- hagen meeting, County Armagh; John riages are known to have occurred. The Wright, from Castleshane, County Mona- ghan; John Morton, from New Garden, Chester County; Thomas Nevitt, from Sadsbury; William Newlin and Moses Har- lan, son of George, from Chester County; George Wilson, Solomon Shepperd and Jacob Hinshaw, from Grange, near Charle- granted to Beals by the proprietors' war- mont; Robert Mickle, from Dublin; and Francis Hobson, Jr. meeting was not regularly established until 1750. The meeting land, consisting of a rectangular tract of five acres, called " Zion," was conveyed to trustees of the meeting by William Beals, by deed of. 12 mo., 9 da., 1766, and was part of fifty acres rant of June 24, 1763. The present edifice, erected in 1790, has recently been covered YORK MEETING. with a slate roof and otherwise placed in a good state of preservation, but regular meetings have long ceased to be held.

MENALLEN MEETING.

The first location of Menallen meeting was about seven miles west of Huntingdon, on the east side of Opossum Creek, in Men- allen, now Butler Township, Adams County, originally York County. 6 mo., 4 da., 1746, Sadsbury monthly meeting "tolerates the Friends of Menallen to have meetings of worship to be kept on First Day and Fifth Day until further orders." 2 mo., 16 da., 1748, "Friends of Menallen request to have their meeting settled," and later in the year the meeting was regularly established. The meeting land, consisting of 20 acres and 153 perches, was not granted until May 26, 1788. It is not known when the first edifice was built, but Nicholas Scull's map of the state shows that one had been erected as early as 1758. In 1838 the original site was abandoned; the old log meeting house was taken down, removed about three miles to the northwest and rebuilt in a more con- mile south of what is now Bendersville. In 1884 the old log house gave way to the present brick building, erected to the rear of the former one on a plot of 84 perches, pur- chased in 1871. The meeting is still well

The Quakers were among the earliest set- tlers in York County. Most of them located north of the Conewago Creek, extending their settlements westward into the present area of Adams County. After the erection of York County, in 1749, a number of in- fluential Quakers moved to the vicinity of York, when it became the seat of justice. Among them were Nathan Hussey, Wil- liam Willis and John Day, who became the first president justice of the county courts. In 1754 they obtained permission of the Warrington monthly meeting to hold an "indulged " meeting in York.

The original meeting house, which is yet standing, is located on West Philadelphia Street, between Beaver and Water Streets. Meetings are still kept up, though the Society is very small at present. The east- ern part of the lot on which the meeting house stands was purchased in the year 1765, from Nathan Hussey and his wife, Edith, for the use of the Society of Friends. During the following year the eastern part of the present building was erected. The venient place, near Flora Dale, about one records give the following named persons as contributors :

Nathan Hussey 15 pounds.

William Willis

Joseph Updegraff 15

Joseph Garretson 12

William Matthews 12

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FRIENDS' MEETING HOUSE, YORK

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FRIENDS OR QUAKERS

Herman Updegraff 12 pounds.

Jesse Flakner. James Love. John Collins. Joseph Collins.

In 1773 the western portion of the lot on which the meeting house is built was do- nated to the Society of Friends forever. Ten years later the western division of the present meeting house was added. By this time the membership had greatly increased. Warrington monthly meeting included the preparative meetings of York, Newberry, Warrington, Huntingdon and Menallen.

Among the leading preachers who con- ducted services in York meeting house during the days of the past were Peter Far- nell, Margaret Elgar, William Matthews, deputy state surveyor; Elisha Kirk, Ann Jessop, Jesse Kersey, and Thomas Wether- ald. Characteristic of all Friends' meeting houses, records of births, marriages and deaths of this one were carefully kept, as well as minutes of regular meetings. They are still in existence, except those taken away with the flood of the Codorus in 1817.

Job Scott, one of the most celebrated preachers of the Quaker faith, made a tour of America, visiting the different meetings of his Society. In 1790 he came to York County. The following is from a journal published by him the same year :

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 21

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1372

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372