Repository: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College / Subject: Lay ministry -- Society of Friends / Year: <span class="from" data-blrl-begin="1850">1850</span> to <span class="to" data-blrl-end="1899">1899</span> - Philadelphia Area Archives Search Results

Public Friends manuscripts collection, 1656-1899 (inclusive)

Extent:: .3 linear ft. (1 document box)
Abstract:: While the Society of Friends is a "ministry of all believers," historically certain members have been recognized for their spiritual gifts. Those who undertake to travel and preach with the approbation of their home meeting are known as Public Friends. Especially in the 17th, 18th, and 19th century, traveling ministers served a key role in forming Quaker social and theological networks, fostering unity within the Society of Friends, and providing spiritual enrichment to Quakers across the world. Ministers who felt a spiritual opening directing them to travel would tell their Monthly Meeting, and if approved, the meeting would write a minute for the minister to carry on their journey and present to the Meeting(s) they visited. Quaker Meetings would often keep records of the Public Friends who visited them. This collection consists of lists of Public Friends, as well as minutes from Quaker meetings approving ministers to travel. Items were written by various Quaker meetings or...(see more)

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Friends Historical Library collection of memorials, 1760-1920 (inclusive)

Extent:: .1 linear ft.
Abstract:: Memorials are brief biographical essays which testify to the spiritual values of a Quaker's life. Early meetings only wrote memorials for ministers, but today some meetings continue the practice to memorialize all deceased members. In the 19th century, in particular, some Yearly Meetings periodically published compilations of memorials. This collection consists of miscellaneous memorials, from various meetings and regarding various Friends, collected by the Friends Historical Library over time.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Howland-Kirby Family Papers, circa 1790-circa 1973 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1.5 linear ft. (3 boxes)
Abstract:: Howland and Kirby families were Quakers of Dartmouth, Fairhaven, and New Bedford, Mass. The collection contains primarily transcripts and photocopies of their papers. Of particular interest are dairies of Weston Howland, Jr., with notes on the arrival of whaling ships in New Bedford and details of a controversy over the New Bedford-Fairhaven bridge; those of Abby S., and Rachel, which describe a trip taken by Abby to New York, N.Y., and Washington, D.C. (1888) and women preaching at Friends meetings; and papers of George Kirby including town records (1827-1849) of Dartmouth, Mass., particularly relating to his duties as town treasurer; and genealogical materials.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Ann Paschall Jackson Family Papers, 1709-1936 (inclusive) 1810-1874 (bulk)

Extent:: 4 linear ft. (9 boxes)
Abstract:: The collection contains diaries of Ann Price Gibson Paschall Jackson (1792-1874) who served as a Quaker minister for over forty years. Ann P. Paschall (later Ann P. Jackson) was recorded as a minister of Darby Monthly Meeting (Hicksite) in 1831. In 1849, she moved to Birmingham Monthly Meeting where her children were members. The collection contains her manuscript diaries, 1814 to 1874, and a manuscript copy of extracts from her journals, 1813-1856, compiled by her daughter-in-law, Ann P. (Sharples) Paschall. The diaries concern religious and practical matters. The collection also includes a daily memo book kept by her father, Samuel Gibson; a brickyard account of Nathan H. Sharples of West Chester, Pa.; a daily farm diary of Nicholas W. Townsend of Birmingham Monthly Meeting, and some miscellaneous papers.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Purdy Family Papers, 1801-2004 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1 linear ft. (3 boxes)
Abstract:: The collection contains account books, financial papers, family correspondence, and miscellaneous papers of William Purdy, a New York Quaker preacher, and his family. He was a member of Amawalk Monthly Meeting, attending Croton preparative and worship meetings, and traveled in the ministry, leaving an undated record of the Friends and meetings that he visited. Purdy was donated money, land, and labor towards building a new bridge and school house in Cortlandt. Collection also includes genealogical information compiled by Elliott Baldwin Hunt and Arthur M. Tingue.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Hunn-Karsner Family Papers, 1809-1985 (inclusive) 1947-1974 (bulk)

Extent:: 4.75 linear ft. (10 boxes)
Abstract:: The collection contains correspondence, writings, and other papers of the family of Ezekiel Hunn and Lydia Jones Sharpless Hunn, Philadelphia and Delaware Quakers. The papers were compiled by their granddaughter Katherine Hunn Karsner (1899-1993). She was a Philadelphia Quaker minister and married Joseph Reed Karsner in 1930 under the care of Philadelphia Monthly Meeting (Hicksite). The bulk of the collection is composed of correspondence from their daughter, Mary Ann Karsner Kegler (1932-1983) who moved to Alaska in 1950 and was one of the founders of Chena Ridge Monthly Meeting. The collection also contains earlier family correspondence between Ezekiel and Lydia Jenkins Hunn and other members of the Hunn family. The writings include diaries and writings by Katherine Hunn Karsner, her sister Lydia Hunn Williamson, Joseph Karsner, and Mary Ann Karsner Kegler.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Sharpless-Reeve family papers, 1852-1957 (inclusive)

Extent:: 2.5 linear ft. (5 boxes)
Abstract:: The collected papers of the Sharpless and Reeve family of New Jersey and Philadelphia. Much of the correspondence is between Edward Sharpless (1831-1894), a New Jersey Quaker minister, and his sister, Anna N. Sharpless, who married John Newbold Reeve in 1857. Their daughter, Mary Offley Reeve, worked as a school teacher when young and became involved in temperance and evangelical Christianity. She shared these interests, reflected in diaries and other writings, with Annie Way Smith, a long-time friend and member of Fishertown Monthly Meeting. The collection illustrates Quaker responses to early twentieth century social and religious trends.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Edwin L. Peirce carbon paper letter book, circa 1885-1891 (inclusive)

Extent:: 1 folders
Abstract:: This carbon paper letter book was written by Edwin L. Peirce, a convinced Friend and acknowledged minister of Green Street Monthly Meeting. It contains his correspondence with prominent Friends including Rufus P, King, Rebecca Janney and Nathaniel Richardson. Of special interest is the report he made representing a committee of Philadelphia Quarterly Meeting circa 1885-1886 concerning visits to meetings under its care. Also, his comments on Quaker schools, especially Swarthmore College which he recommended be under the care of the Yearly Meeting rather than embracing progressive ideals.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Smedley Family Papers, 1751-1996 (inclusive) 1821-1950 (bulk)

Extent:: 12 linear ft. (23 boxes plus photographs)
Abstract:: The collection contains correspondence, journals and other writings, business and legal papers, and miscellaneous items of the Smedley family, a large and prominent Quaker family of Penncrest Farm, Middletown Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The family was related to the Kite and Sharples/Sharpless families of Chester and Delaware Counties. The papers include significant correspondence of the Kite family, especially Thomas Kite (1785-1845) and Mary Kite (1792-1861), both prominent Quaker ministers, and Thomas's daughter, Susanna Kite (1809-1844) who married Aaron Sharpless. Their daughter, Elizabeth S. Sharpless married Edward G. Smedley of Middletown, thus merging the Smedley-Sharples-Kite families. In the 20th century, the property became the home of Edward Smedley's nephew, Walter Smedley (1862-1939), a Philadelphia architect, and his wife, Ida Wilkins Roberts Smedley (1896-1993). She married second C. Canby Balderston. The papers cover a wide range of subjects...(see more)

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

Mary Bradway correspondence, 1829-1886 (inclusive)

Extent:: .1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (8 folders.))
Abstract:: This collection includes the personal correspondence of Mary S. Bradway with John Comly, John and Judith Cornell, and John Hallowell. The letters are personal in content, with some discussion of the nature of contemporary Quaker spirituality.

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]

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