Call Number:

SC.232

Repository:

Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College

Extent:

.1 linear ft. (.1 linear feet (1 folder.))

Preferred Citation:

Cite as: Correspondence Concerning John Unthank Gift, SC/232, Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College.

Date:

1835-1837 (inclusive)

Creator:

Parsons, Samuel, 1774-1841

Abstract:

Contains correspondence concerning the gift of Dr. John Unthank of Limerick, Ireland, of £1,000, to be divided between two concerns: first, to the Ohio, Indiana and Baltimore Yearly Meetings to be applied by them through their Indian committees toward promoting the so-called civilization and Christian instruction of Native Americans; and, secondly£250 each to Indiana and Ohio Yearly Meetings toward establishing boarding schools for the children of members. Samuel Parsons of New York Yearly Meeting (Orthodox) served as agent in distributing the funds.

John Unthank, M.D., was a Quaker of Limerick, Ireland. He was the son of Isaac and Mary Unthank, born in 1754 and died in 1840 at the age of 86. In 1811-1812, he placed a sum of £300 in trust, to be used after his death to aid the Indians of North America. In 1834, at the suggestion of Elisha Bates, an Ohio evangelical Quaker who crusaded for social causes including temperance, prison reform, and anti-slavery, this amount was amended to £1,000, to be immediately distributed. New York Yearly Meeting for Sufferings (Orthodox) appointed Samuel Parsons, long-time Clerk, to act as agent in distributing the funds.