Old Haverford Friends Meeting in the 17th and 18th Centuries

The first members of the Religious Society of Friends to settle along the Delaware River, arrived on 1675 aboard the ship Griffith. John Fenwick, Edward and John Wade, and Richard Noble made the first settlement at Salem, New Jersey.

On March 4, 1681, King Charles II granted the Patent to William Penn for the Province of what was to be Pennsylvania. In a letter dated June 14, 1681, Penn promised the inhabitants of Pennsylvania that they would be allowed to be governed by laws of their own making. In addition, he wrote that he would "heartily comply" with whatever "sober and free men could reasonably desire for the security and improvement of their own happiness."

On November 10, 1681, the first recorded Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends was held by Quakers living in Marcus Hook and Upland, in the home of Robert Wade. This Meeting eventually became Chester Monthly Meeting.

Among the early settlers to the Delaware County, the majority were Welsh Quakers. They had previously purchased about 40,000 acres of land before arriving in America. Those who came took up much of the west side of the Schulkill River, that would eventually become the townships of Haverford, Merion, and Radnor. These townships' names came from the Welsh phrase, "Hen wlad fy nhadau," which translates to "the land of our fathers."

Unlike the gentry of England, the teachings of George Fox were much better accepted by the Welsh aristocracy. Therefore, the Welsh settlers who came to reside in what would be called the "Great Welsh Tract" were better educated, and probably better off financially than the average English settler.

Welsh Quakers Establish Meeting (1683-1693)

The first Welsh settlers arrived in Haverford Township in 1682. Haverford was unique in that it was a wilderness, whereas many other settlements already had previous residents. Some of these families were the founders of Old Haverford Meeting, and as was the custom with the early Friends, until a Meeting House could be built, the homes of the members was where the Monthly Meetings were held. The first Monthly Meeting was held at the home of Thomas Duckett in on the 10th day of the second month, 1684.

Another Meeting was held at the home of John Bevan. His land was across the road from where Old Haverford Meeting now stands. Bevan's situation was unusual in that he and his wife only came to Pennsylvania temporarily, because they felt here would be a good place to raise their children. In 1704, when their children were grown-up and comfortably settled, they returned to their beloved Wales. Meetings were also held in the homes of William Warren and Hugh Roberts.

When Meetings stopped being held at members' homes, a log Meeting House was built. Dr. George Smith, the author of the book, The History of Delaware County, and a previous historian of Old Haverford Meeting, believed this edifice was erected in 1688. The land on which our Meeting House stands originally belonged to William Howell, who was an active member of Old Haverford Meeting. He was a Welsh settler who came here from Wales, aboard the ship Lyons in 1682. William Penn gave Howell a grant of 5,000 acres. He deeded to John Bevan, William Lewis, Henry Lewis, and Morris Llewellyn (the Trustees of Old Haverford Meeting) the grounds in 1693.

Meetinghouse is Built and Enlarged (1688-1800)

In 1688, money began to be raised in order to build a stone Meeting House, which was completed in 1700. It is believed that the southern portion of the Meeting House, with its rougher masonry, is the original building. The northern portion was added a century later in 1800. In 1694, a stable for horses was built. A large stone block (now facing the Meeting House porch) assisted in helping those coming on horseback to dismount.

The original Meeting House had no chimneys. It was heated by a "jamb stove" at either end of the building. The fuel was supplied and piled up outside the Meeting House. The smoke from these stoves escaped from a flue a few feet above the opening, through which more fuel could be added. Part of this arrangement can still be seen in the wall of the southern portion of the Meeting House.

Inside the building, a partition between the two sides was arranged with pulleys to raise and lower parts of each end, when the Meeting needed both rooms at the same time (these were removed in 1909). It was the custom then for men and women Friends to conduct their Business Meeting separately. In addition, the second floor contained a schoolroom where the children of the Meeting attended "First-Day School" (Sunday School).

Burial Ground

According to tradition, the window frames and sash were both made of lead, and during the American Revolution, they were seized and melted down and used for making musket balls.

An early necessity was the establishment of a burial place. A burial ground was laid out in 1684, on land that is believed to have belonged to William Howell. The first interment in the new cemetery was the body of William Sharpus, which occurred on the 9th month, 18th day in 1684.

First Marriages

The first marriage recorded at Old Haverford Monthly Meeting was that of Lewis David and Florence Jones on March 20, 1690. A Quaker wedding is conducted during a Meeting for Worship. The bride and groom enter the Meeting and take their places at the front of the room. During the period of worship, the couple stands up. Taking each other by the hand, they make their promises, first the groom and then the bride, using the following or similar words:

In the presence of God and these our friends, I take
thee (name of spouse) to be my wife/husband, promising
with Divine assistance to be unto thee a loving and faithful
wife/husband so long as we both shall live.

No priest or minister pronounces them husband and wife (Quakers do not have ordained clergy), because Friends believe that God alone can create such a union and give it significance.

When the couple are seated again, the marriage certificate is brought for them to sign. Then someone (who had be previously asked to do so) reads the certificate aloud. The Meeting continues in silent worship, or through spoken messages.

Finally, those present are asked to sign the certificate as witnesses to the marriage. Quaker marriage certificates often become a cherished possession in the new home, recalling the company of loving friends who took part in the wedding.

Another marriage that was held at Old Haverford Meeting took place in 1687 between David Thomas and Elinor Vaughn. The certificate was signed by:

In addition, since the majority of the population of Delaware County at this time was Quaker, it was common for non-members to request permission to marry in the "manner of Friends." These requests were usually granted.

In 1698, Old Haverford Monthly Meeting made the decision that town meetings were to be held to settle municipal concerns, and Monthly Meetings were to be held only for religious matters.

William Penn Visits (1699)

In 1699, William Penn attended a general Meeting at Old Haverford Meeting House. However, since many of the members had still not mastered the English language, they were unable to understand the sermon he preached on that day.

On another visit, a little girl named Rebecca Wood was walking from Darby (where she lived) when she was overtaken by Penn who was on horseback. When he asked her where she was going, and was told she was headed for Old Haverford Friends Meeting, he had her get up behind him on the horse, and they rode to the Meeting House together.

Never forgetting their beloved homeland, the members of Old Haverford Meeting, and other Meeting Houses in the "Welsh Tract" maintained direct correspondence with the Yearly Meeting in Wales. Ellis Pugh, a Welsh Quaker minister, who lived in Radnor and then moved to Gwynedd, went back to Wales in 1707. After his return, he wrote a book entitled, To Direct the Unlearned Britains of Low Degree, to Know God and Christ, the Life Eternal. This book was published in 1718, and is believed to be the only book published in Philadelphia in the Welsh language. It was translated into English and republished in 1727.

Early Quakers and War

During the French and Indian War, financial support was ordered by the Crown. This caused a great debate between Pennsylvania's Governor Morris (who represented the English Crown) and the local Councils, which were composed of a majority of Quakers. In spite of this, the local Assembly voted funds of 60,000 pounds in 1756 and 30,000 pounds in 1757 for "the King's use." In addition, 66 wagon loads of supplies for the British troops fighting in America were sent.

While the great majority of Quakers were (and are) pacifists, in times of war, there are commonly a number of Friends who feel it is their duty to defend their country; and this was especially true during the American Revolution. By the end of the war, a number of Quaker Meetings within what is now Delaware County, had disowned (or "read out of meeting") 110 young men for participating in the war effort. Throughout the state of Pennsylvania, a total of 906 Quakers, who fought or assisted in the war effort, were "read out of meeting."

Old Haverford in the Twentieth Century

During the 20th century, additions were added to the original structure. During the summer of 1930, a stone addition was built on the south side of the old Meeting House, in order to have a room for First-Day School activities. In 1949, another addition, constructed by members of the Meeting, doubled the area of this room. Another section was added in 1959,

This latest addition included powder rooms and a basement with a gas fired furnace, the first central, automatic heating system installed at the Meeting House.

On May 18, 1951, the Trustees of Old Haverford Monthly Meeting became incorporated. Old Haverford Friends Meeting is the oldest house of worship in the Delaware County.

In conclusion, although there have been many changes in the 300 plus years that Old Haverford Meeting has been in existence, some things still remain the same. The most important of these is our Meeting for Worship. Just like the first members of Old Haverford Meeting, the current members worship in silence. The reason why Quakers choose to worship in silence can best be illustrated in the words of Caroline E. Stephens. After she attended her first Quaker Meeting in 1890, she wrote the following:

On one never-to-be-forgotten Sunday morning, I found
myself one of a small company of silent worshipers, who were content
to sit down together without words, that each might feel after
and draw near to the Divine Presence...My whole soul was filled
with the unutterable peace of the undisturbed opportunity for
communion with God, with the sense that at last I had found a
place where I might...join with others in simply seeking His presence.
To sit down in silence could at least pledge me to nothing; it
might open to me (as it did that morning) the very gates of heaven.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

• C.F.J. [No date]. Old Haverford Meeting House.
• Dickenson, Mary C. [no date]. An Historical Sketch of Old Haverford Friends Meeting.
• [No name] [No date]. The History of Delaware County as seen from Old Haverford Friends Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends.
• Philadelphia Yearly Meeting [No date]. A Quaker Marriage.
• Philadelphia Yearly Meeting [1997]. Faith & Practice: A Book of Christian Discipline (Revised).

The majority of material found in this short history came from research papers written by past members of Old Haverford Meeting. Unfortunately, most of these papers had no dates, or even names. However, I wanted to list them in this bibliography because of the outstanding research and invaluable material they contained.

Diane M. Laurent
Meeting House Historian