Society of Friends (Quakers) in the United States

United States   Church Records   Society of Friends (Quaker) Church Records

History in the United States

 * Quakers, also called Friends, are a historically Christian denomination whose formal name is the Religious Society of Friends or Friends Church. The movement started in England in the 17th century, and has spread throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Central America. Some Quakers originally came to North America to spread their beliefs to the British colonists there, while others came to escape the persecution they experienced in Europe.
 * The first known Quakers to set foot in the New World traveled from England to Barbados in 1655, and then went on to the Massachusetts Bay Colony to spread the beliefs of the Friends among the colonists. They were persecuted, imprisoned, and their books were burned. Due to the intolerance of the Puritans, the Quakers eventually left the Massachusetts bay colonies and migrated to the more tolerant colonies in Rhode Island.
 * Friends who settled along the Delaware River, forming a settlement at Salem, New Jersey, in 1675. In 1681, King Charles II allowed William Penn, a Quaker, a charter for the area that was to become Pennsylvania. Penn guaranteed the settlers of his colony freedom of religion. He advertised the policy across Europe so that Quakers and other religious dissidents would know that they could live there safely.
 * Quakers in North America are diverse in their beliefs and practices. Friends there have split into various groups because of disagreements throughout the years.
 * Branches of Quakers include:
 * Friends General Conference
 * Friends United Meeting: concentrated in Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey.
 * Pastoral Friends: found primarily in Indiana, North Carolina, Iowa, and Ohio.
 * Conservative Friends: found primarily in Iowa, Ohio, and North Carolina.
 * Evangelical Friends: concentrated in Ohio, California, Oregon, and Kansas.

Types of Church Records
Most Quaker records include births, marriages and deaths as well as certificates of removal when a member moved from one congregation (meeting) to another.


 * Berry, Ellen Thomas and David Allen. Our Quaker Ancestors : finding them in Quaker records. Baltimore, Maryland : Genealogical Pub. Co., c1987. Book 973 D27bq  Worldcat entry Free to view at books.google.com

Finding Aid

 * Quakermeetings.com is a website devoted to recording information concerning all Quaker congregations (meetings)which have existed in America, including the date of the first and last meeting, where records are kept and subordinate congregations.

Writing to Local Churches

 * Friends General Conference Directory
 * '''Friends United Meeting Directory"

Archives

 * Orthodox Records

Haverford College Library Haverford, PA 19041 Telephone: 610-896-1175 Fax: 610-896-1102 Website

A few images showing the Quaker and Special Collections at Haverford College and a very small sampling of records available.


 * Hicksite Records

Swarthmore College Friends Historical Library 500 College Avenue Swarthmore, PA 19081 Telephone: 610-328-8496 Internet: www.swarthmore.edu/library/friends/

A few images showing the Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College and a small sampling of records available.

A few images showing the Friends Historical Collection at Guilford College and a very small sampling of records available.

Cyndi's List - Quaker http://www.cyndislist.com/quaker/


 * Quaker Information Center: A Gateway to Quakerism: A service of Earlham School of Religion

Lists Major Collections and other resources

Guides to Records

 * Hinshaw, William Wade. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy. Six Volumes. www.erhs.info Ann Arbor, Michigan: Edwards Brothers, 1936-1950. Book 973 D2he];  Film 432597-606;  Fiche 6051371-79. Worldcat entry
 * Hill, Thomas C. Monthly Meetings in North America: An Index. Second Edition. Cincinnati, Ohio: N.p., 1993. Book 973 K22h 1998;  film 1698282 item 11. Alphabetical by monthly meeting. Gives address and sometimes location of records. worldcat entry

See also U.S. Quaker Research (Society of Friends).