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Bucks Quarterly Meeting Records
Notifications
Held at: Quaker Meeting Records at Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections and Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Quaker Meeting Records at Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections and Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
Bucks Quarterly Meeting was established by Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in 1683. The first business sessions were held in 1684. After the Separation of 1827, there were two Bucks Quarterly Meetings. In 1898, Bucks Quarterly Meeting (Orthodox) was laid down and its members attached to Burlington Quarterly Meeting, renamed Burlington and Bucks Quarterly Meeting. Bucks Quarterly Meeting (Hicksite) merged with Burlington and Bucks Quarterly Meeting (Orthodox) in 1955. The constituent New Jersey meetings of the latter were transferred to the reunited Burlington Quarterly Meeting. The reunited Bucks Quarterly Meeting resumed the use of its pre-Separation name. It is currently active.
Records include: minutes of the men's meeting, 1684-1827; minutes of the Hicksite meeting, 1827–1955 (with joint men and women's sessions beginning in 1893); minutes of the Orthodox meeting, 1827-1898; minutes of the United meeting since 1955; Hicksite women's meeting minutes, 1685-1893; Orthodox women's meeting minutes, 1827-1898; records of births and deaths, 1680-1711; marriage records, 1683-1696; removals, 1682-1743; acknowledgements, 1683-1716; record of manumissions, 1776-1793; Orthodox membership list, 1827-1829; minutes of the Hicksite Ministers and Elders meeting, 1702-1955; minutes of the Orthodox Ministers and Elders meeting, 1827-1898; Worship and Ministry minutes and committee reports of the United meeting, 1958-1988, with gaps; minutes of some committes, 1777-1778, as well as other records.
Beginning in 2017, records have been deposited digitally and are accessible to Tri-College accounts or on campus users. Quakerphernalia, the newsletter of Bucks Quarterly Meeting, is available online 2017-2023 without access restrictions.
Deposits, Bucks Quarterly Meeting.
Orthodox records of Burlington and Bucks Quarterly Meeting may be found in the relevant finding aid.
Organization
- Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends (Hicksite : 1827-1955). Bucks Quarterly Meeting of Friends
- Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends (Orthodox : 1827-1955). Burlington and Bucks Quarterly Meeting of Friends
- Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends (Orthodox : 1827-1955). Bucks Quarterly Meeting of Friends
- Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Bucks Quarterly Meeting of Friends
Subject
- Publisher
- Quaker Meeting Records at Haverford College Quaker & Special Collections and Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
- Finding Aid Author
- Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Bucks Quarterly Meeting of Friends.
- Finding Aid Date
- 2011
- Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research. Access may be provided via digital or microfilm copy, per repository policy.
- Use Restrictions
-
Copyright has not been assigned to the Repositories All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to the individual Meeting or its successor. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Repositories as the holder(s) of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by reader.
Collection Inventory
At the time of the Separation in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in 1827-28, pre-Separation vital records were generally retained by the branch with which the recorder was affiliated. Researchers are advised to consider vital records which span this period carefully: in many cases, the meeting without the original records may have reconstructed these records for its membership only, giving the impression that individuals in the other branch were never members.
List of members belonging to Falls and Makefield Monthly Meetings before the separation in 1827, also showing changes up to 1mo. 1829. Also included are: members of Plumstead Preparative Meeting at the time of the Separation; membership of Solebury Monthly & Preparative Meetings at the time of Separation; members of Bristol Preparative Meeting; members of Middletown Preparative Meeting; members of Wrightstown Monthly Meeting. Some pages torn.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
36 p. + 1 sheet (in folder) ; 33-34 cm.
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Orthodox
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Register, 1680-1782. Includes the following records pertaining to Bucks Quarter: marriage records, 1683-1696; disownments, n.d.; births, 1680-1706. Also included are records of Bristol Preparative Meeting, 1682-1782. This register also includes: Extract from minutes of Bristol Preparative Meeting, 1777 4mo6; extract from minutes of Bristol Preparative Meeting Women's meeting, 1777 5mo15; burials (Bristol, Pa.), 1760-1782; birth (Bristol Preparative Meeting), 1782 7mo21.
Volume is too fragile to be handled or microfilmed.
This volume appears to have been vandalized (pages removed) some time after a copy was made in 1889; the copy may, in fact, represent the only source for information formerly contained in this original volume.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 v. ; 39 cm.
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Pre-Separation
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
1889 manuscript copy of Bucks Quarterly Meeting Register, 1680-1782. Includes the following records pertaining to Bucks Quarter: Removals received, 1682-1743; acknowledgements, 1683-1716; marriage records, 1683- 1696; disownments, n.d.; births, 1680-1706; burials, 1682-1711. Also included are records of Bristol Preparative Meeting, 1682-1782. This register also includes: Extract from minutes of Bristol Preparative Meeting, 1777 4mo6; extract from minutes of Bristol Preparative Meeting Women's meeting, 1777 5mo15; burials (Bristol, Pa.), 1760-1782; birth (Bristol Preparative Meeting), 1782 7mo21.
It appears that this 1889 copy of the Bucks County register, 1680-1782, was made before the original was vandalized (pages cut out).
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: MR-Ph 50, 738
- Haverford: No Film
1 v. (211 p. )
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Pre-Separation
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Official records of proceedings kept for all Quaker business meetings. Beginning at the end of the 19th century, men and women ceased to hold separate business meetings, meeting instead in joint session.
Minutes of Bucks Quarterly Meeting since 1684. Included are: Minutes of the pre-Separation men's meeting, 1684-1827; minutes of the Hicksite meeting (men and women's joint sessions begin in 1893), 1827-1955; minutes of the united meeting, 1955-72 and 1982-2005. Later volumes include treasurer's reports, reports from monthly meetings, committee reports. Volumes are 1.1 1684-1774, 1.2 1774-1805, 1.3 1805-1835, 1.4 1836-1873, 1.5 1873-1912, 1.6 1912-1937, 1.7 1937-1958, 1.8 1958-1968, 1.9 1969-1972, 1.14 1977-1981, 1.11 1982-1989, 1.12 1990-1997, 1.13 1998-2005, 1.15 2006-2011.
Minutes filmed from 1805-1972.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: Microfilm MR-Ph48 (1805-35, 1836-73, 1873-1912, 1912-37, 1937-45)
- Swarthmore: Microfilm MR-Ph49 (1945-57, 1958-68, 1969-72)
- Haverford: No Film
10 vols. + 3 boxes + 1 folder; 2.2 linear feet
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Pre-Separation/Hicksite/United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Title transcribed from cover; on cover: no. 22.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 v. (114 p. in folder) ; 33 cm.
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Pre-Separation
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: Microfilm MR-Ph64
- Haverford: Microfilm 15*
1 vol. (443 p.)
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Orthodox
Physical LocationHaverford College Quaker and Special Collections
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: Microfilm MR-Ph64
- Haverford: Microfilm 15*
1 vol. (82 p.)
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Orthodox
Physical LocationHaverford College Quaker and Special Collections
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 box (7 folders) [On search 1/2021]
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Hicksite
Physical LocationHaverford College Quaker and Special Collections
1 folder
Material Specific DetailsUnited
Digital Bucks Quarterly Meeting minutes, including monthly meeting reports, from November 2019 through the end of 2022.
Physical Description17 files (PDF)
Women's meeting minutes, 1685-1893. Includes minutes of the pre-Separation women's meeting, 1685 6mo5-1827 2mo22, and minutes of the Hicksite women's meeting, 1827 5mo31-1893 2mo23. Joint sessions in which men and women met together for business began 1893 11mo30. Volume for 1869-1893 is lacking recorded minutes for 5th and 8th mos. 1893. Volumes are 2.1 1685-1805, 2.2 1806-1869, and 2.3 1869-1893.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
3 v. ; 36 cm. or smaller
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Pre-Separation/Hicksite
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: Microfilm MR-Ph64
- Haverford: Microfilm 15*
1 vol. (309 p.)
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Orthodox
Physical LocationHaverford College Quaker and Special Collections
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: Microfilm MR-Ph51
- Haverford: Microfilm 16*
1 vol. (188 p.)
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Orthodox
Physical LocationHaverford College Quaker and Special Collections
Clerk's copies of minutes of the women's meeting, 1836 11mo24-1840 8mo27. Date entered for 1840 11mo, but no minutes were recorded.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 v. (26 p.) ; 20 cm.
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Hicksite
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Clerk's copy of minutes of the women's meeting, 1888 8mo30-1893 8mo31. Contains minutes of 5mo & 8mo 1893 which were omitted from the official minute book.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 v. (44 p.) ; 21 cm.
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Hicksite
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Committee which had care of the spiritual welfare of the meeting, particularly the meeting for worship. Ministry and Counsel committees were established in 1918 by Hicksite meetings, which no longer designated members as ministers or elders. The predecessor of Ministry and Counsel was the Preparative Meeting of Ministers and Elders.
3 folders
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Includes: Minutes of the pre-Separation quarterly meeting of Ministers and Elders, 1701-1827; minutes of the Hicksite meeting of Ministers and Elders and, after 1918, Ministry and Counsel, then Worship & Ministry, 1827-1955. The committee underwent two name changes, beginning in 1918 11mo it was called Ministry and Counsel, and on 1954 5mo28 it became Worship and Ministry. Volumes are 4.1 1701-1815, 4.2 1816-1891, 4.3 1891-1928, 4.4 1928-1955.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: Microfilm MR-Ph692 (1702-1815)
- Swarthmore: Microfilm MR-Ph693 (1816-1891, 1891-1928, 1928-1955)
- Haverford: Microfilm 31 (1816-1891, 1891-1928, 1928-1955)
- Haverford: Microfilm 32 (1702-1815)
4 v. ; 36 cm. or smaller
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Pre-Separation/Hicksite/United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Clerk's copies of minutes, 1746 6mo24-1748 8mo25. There appear to be at least four notebooks bound together.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 v. (ca. 200 p.) ; 20 cm. or smaller
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Pre-Separation
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Clerk's copy of minutes, 1824 5mo26-1835 5mo27. Minutes of the Hicksite meeting begin 1827 5th mo.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1v. (64 p.) ; 21 cm.
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Pre-Separation/Hicksite
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore:
- Haverford: No Film
1 vol. (32 p.)
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Orthodox
Physical LocationHaverford College Quaker and Special Collections
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: Microfilm MR-Ph51
- Haverford: Microfilm 16*
1 vol. (153 p.)
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Orthodox
Physical LocationHaverford College Quaker and Special Collections
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: Microfilm MR-Ph51
- Haverford: Microfilm 16*
1 vol. (102 p.)
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Orthodox
Physical LocationHaverford College Quaker and Special Collections
1 folder
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 folder
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
38 files (PDF)
Photocopy of four receipts, 1749-1772, laid in page 47 of original Bucks Quarterly Meeting Register, 1680-1782.
Photocopy also laid in page 171 of 1889 manuscript copy of register.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 item (in folder)
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Pre-Separation
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
3 folders (in box) + 1 folder
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
1 folder
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Stored in box with minutes, 1981-84.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 folder (in box)
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Reports of the Quarterly Meeting Coordinator to the Committee of Oversight.
Stored in box with minutes, 1981-84.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
3 folders (in box) + 1 folder
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
1 folder
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
. Minutes, 1897 4mo7-1928 9mo29.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 v. (96 p.) ; 21 cm.
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Hicksite
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Minutes of the First Day School Union, 6.9 1873 10mo9-1898 4mo23; 6.10 1898 9mo24- 1935 5mo4.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
2 v. ; 33 cm. or smaller
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Hicksite
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Minutes of the Philanthropic Committee and its predecessor, Friends Temperance Committee, 1882-1912 and 1913-18. Also included are reports to quarterly meeting and to yearly meeting; lists of persons appointed to the committee and accounts, 1883-1912, entered in the back of volume 1882-1912, in opposite direction to minutes. Volumes are 6.11 1895-1912 and 6.12 1913-1918.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
2 v. ; 22 cm.
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Hicksite
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Minutes Regarding plainness, visiting committees and other committee business
Purchased from Family Album, 1978, acc. no. 3726
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 folder
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Orthodox
Physical LocationHaverford College Quaker and Special Collections
Record of manumissions within the compass of Bucks Quarterly Meeting, 1776- 1793.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 v. (74 p.) ; 19 cm.
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Pre-Separation
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Description based on: Dec. 1977; title from caption.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
28 cm.
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Some gaps. Description based on: Fall 1973; title from caption. Newsletter for Bucks Quarterly Meeting.
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
2 folders
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
1 folder
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
78 files (PDF)
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 folder
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 folder
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 folder
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Available on microfilm in the following location(s):
- Swarthmore: No Film
- Haverford: No Film
1 sheet (in folder) ; 34 cm.
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: Pre-Separation
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
3 folders
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
1 folder
Material Specific DetailsAffiliation: United
Physical LocationFriends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Includes both monthly Coordinator reports to the Committee of Oversight (2019-2022, with gaps) and Coordinator reports to Quarterly Meeting (2020-2022).
Physical Description60 files (PDF)