MEETINGS IN AND NEAR GUILFORD COUNTY
CENTER MONTHLY MEETING
Guilford County, North Carolina
[usually called Centre Monthly Meeting in other records]
Center Meeting is located in Guilford County, North Carolina, about ten miles south of Greensboro. New Garden Monthly Meeting settled a first-day meeting at Center in 1757 and a monthly meeting was established in 1773, by authority of Western Quarterly Meeting. At first there were only a few families and the meetings were held in a private house. A little later a small meeting-house was built. Still later the settlement grew to be a large one and a large meeting-house was built. The rapid growth, which had been due to migration from the North, ceased at the outbreak of the Revolution. As was the case with other North Carolina meetings, Center lost many of its members through the great migration to the Middle West which began about the end of the eighteenth century.
The men’s minutes of Center Monthly Meeting prior to 1835 and the women’s minutes prior to 1825 have been lost. A list of early members at Center, extracted from the minutes of New Garden Monthly Meeting includes John Beals, Jr., William Beals, Benj. Beeson, Isaac Beeson, Richard Beeson, James Brown, Joseph Chamness, Thomas Dennis, Jr., Peter Dicks, Jesse Henley, Robert Hodgins, Isaac Jones, Joshua Lamb, Robert Lamb, John Mills, Jr., Richard Norton, Daniel Ozborn, Matthew Ozborn, Abraham Powel, Jeremiah Reynolds.
The following abstract of the records of the meeting has been compiled from the birth, death and marriage record (one volume), men’s minutes (1835-1884) and women’s minutes (1825-1890).
[this refers to the abstracts themselves, which I have not copied]
[from page 645]
DEEP RIVER MONTHLY MEETING
Guilford County, North Carolina
The minute of Western Quarterly meeting 1778, 8, 8, authorizing the establishment of Deep River Monthly Meeting, is as follows: “The friends appointed last meeting to inspect the capacity of friends at Deep River respecting their request of holding a monthly meeting amongst themselves report as follows: – We the committee appointed at last meeting to take under sollid consideration the request of friends of Deep River respecting their holding monthly meetings agree to report: – we had an opportunity with them, as also a number of our women friends who united with us, and after a time of waiting and sollidly confering thereon, Give it as our best sence and judgment that the granting of their request will be consistant with best wisdom. All which we submit to the meeting; with which judgment this meeting unites and establishes accordingly and orders the said meeting to be on the first second day of the week in each month. And directs the Clerk to transmit a copy of the above minute to the aforesaid meeting & report his care to next meeting.”
The first sitting of the new meeting was held 1778, 9, 7. John Talbot and Mary Talbot were appointed first clerks and John Rudduck, Jr., recorder of births, deaths and marriages.
The preparative meeting at Deep River had been under the jurisdiction of New Garden Monthly Meeting previous to the setting up of Deep River Monthly Meeting. The original membership of the new monthly meeting included Jemima Baldwin, John Baldwin, Catharine Barnard, Francis Barnard, Margaret Barnard, Tristram Barnard, Levinah Beard, Phebe Beeson, Ann Bond, Edward Bond, Sarah Brazelton, Sarah Brooks, Ann Clasby, Charles Clasby, Barnabas Coffin, Hannah Coffin, Libni Coffin, Lydia Coffin, Mary Coffin, Samuel Coffin, Seth Coffin, Mary Cook, Thomas Cook, Sarah Crues, Thomas Elmore, Latham Folger, Matilda Folger, Jonathan Gifford, Unice Gifford, Philip Ham, Priscilla Ham, Obadiah Harris, Rebekah Harris, Jonathan Harrold, Mary Haworth, Micajah Haworth, Phebe Haworth, Phebe Healy, John Hiatt, Sr., Mary Hiatt, Ruth Hinshaw, John Hoggatt, Joseph Hoggatt, Phebe Hoggatt, Ruth Hoggatt, Elizabeth Howell, Jonathan Howell, Ann Huff, Abner Hunt, Judith Johnson, Robert Johnson, Tarlton Johnson, Jemima Jones, Richard Jones, Hannah Kersey, Abigail Macy, John Macy, Sr., Matthew Macy, Phebe Marshall, Charity Mendenhall, Dinah Mendenhall, Jane Mendenhall, John Mendenhall, Mary Mendenhall, Moses Mendenhall, Stephen Mendenhall, Aaron Mills, Amos Mills, Henry Mills, Reuben Mills, Joseph Pattison, Elizabeth Pike, Nathan Pike, Jane Rudduck, John Rudduck, Jr., Sarah Rudduck, Hezekiah Sanders, Joel Sanders, John Sanders, John Sanders, Jr., Martha Sanders, Susanna Sanders, George Stalker, Sarah Stalker, Archelaus Stanly, Jehu Stuart, Sarah Stuart, John Sweet, John Talbot, Mary Talbot, Henry Thornbrugh, Joseph Thornbrugh, Rachel Thornbrugh, John Unthank, Manlove Wheeler, Isaac Williams.
Deep River Meeting is located in the western part of Guilford County, about 12 miles from Greensboro. A midweek meeting was set up in 1753, and a preparative meeting established in 1758. Located in the same section and having its beginning only two years later, the history of Deep River is similar to that of New Garden. Both meetings enjoyed large growth through immigration from the North during the latter half of the eighteenth century, and both suffered great losses by migration to the Northwest during the first half of the nineteenth century. Writing of the latter movement, Dr. Weeks in “Southern Quakers and Slavery,” page 264, says: “Deep River is, and has been, one of the strongest monthly meetings. Its record of migration begins with 1811 and extends to 1860. As usual, they are all to Indiana except ten, which are divided between Tennessee, Ohio and Illinois. Between 1811 and 1845 the movement was quite uniform. The favorite objective point was the White Water Meeting, Ind. Deep River, like New Garden, has had sufficient vitality to withstand this constant drain on its strength.”
Preparative meetings under Deep River Monthly Meeting included Deep River, Springfield, Muddy Creek, Deep Creek, Belews Creek, Gum Swamp and Hitchcock.
The following abstract of the records of the meeting has been compiled from one volume of birth, death and marriage records, five volumes of men’s minutes (1778 to 1890), and two volumes of women’s minutes (1778 to 1892).
[this refers to the abstracts themselves, which I have not copied]
[from page 773]
DOVER MONTHLY MEETING
Guilford County, North Carolina
Dover Monthly Meeting was set up 9th month, 1815, by authority of New Garden Quarterly Meeting. Dover meeting house was located in Guilford County, about 5 or 6 miles northwest of New Garden. A meeting for worship, called Upper Reedy Fork, was established at this location about 1786 by New Garden Monthly Meeting. The name was changed to Dover in 1793.
There is no complete record of the names of those who became members of Dover Monthly Meeting at the time of its organization. The following list contains the names of those mentioned in the minutes during the first few months. Charles Benbow, Mary Benbow, Paris Benbow, Anna Bowman, Edmund Bowman, Richard Bowman, William Bowman, William Bowman, Jr., Isaac Brown, William Brown, Levi Buckingham, Levi Buckingham, Jr., Sarah Buckingham, Dinah Chase, Zimri Chase, Aaron Coffin, Zachariah Coffin, Elizabeth Dean, Hannah Gardner, Libni Gardner, Silvanus Gardner, John Gourley, Rhoda Gurley, Elwood Henley, Joel Hunt, Mary Hunt, Jonathan Knight, Jr., David Meredith, James Meridith, Jonathan Meridith, Anna Moore, Camm Moore, Charles Moore, Joshua Moore, Sophia Moore, Prudence Nelson, John Pattison, Jared Perkins, Nancy Perkins, Joseph Rich, Aaron Shaw, Mary Shaw, Noble Shaw, Israel Stanley, Jesse Stanley, John Stanley, Lydia Stanley, Mahlon Stanley, Michael Stanley, Nancy Stanley, Samuel Stanley, Sarah Stanley, Elihu Starbuck, Hezekiah Starbuck, Jane Starbuck, Judith Starbuck, Latham Starbuck, Mary Starbuck, Rebecca Starbuck, Reuben Starbuck, Thomas Starbuck, William Starbuck.
The following abstract of the records of Dover Monthly Meeting has been compiled from the birth, death and marriage record (one volume), and the minutes of the men’s and women’s meetings, 1815 to 1876 (one volume each).
[this refers to the abstracts themselves, which I have not copied]
[from page 585]
GREENSBORO MONTHLY MEETING
Guilford County, North Carolina
[this meeting is now known as First Friends Meeting of Greensboro]
Greensboro Monthly Meeting was set up 6 month, 5th, 1891, by New Garden Quarterly Meeting. The following abstract has been compiled from one volume of birth, death and marriage records and three volumes (1891-1927) of minutes.
[this refers to the abstracts themselves, which I have not copied]
[from page 609]
HOPEWELL MONTHLY MEETING
Guilford County, North Carolina
Hopewell Monthly Meeting was established, 4th month, 1824, pursuant to directions of New Garden Quarterly Meeting. Thomas Moore, Timothy Macy, William Stanley, Josiah Unthank, Jesse Stanley, Jonathan Harrold, Howland Swain, William Benbow, John Wilson, Nathan Pike, Miriam Macy, Prudence Stanly, Sarah Stanly, Lydia Stanly, Elizabeth Pitts, Elizabeth Mendenhall, Phebe Swain, Abigail Lambert and Mary Starbuck were appointed to attend the opening of the new meeting. Henry White was chosen to be clerk.
Hopewell Meeting was located in Guilford County about 4 miles from New Garden Meeting. The name, Hopewell, was selected by a committee of New Garden Monthly Meeting in 1793. A meeting for worship, called Lower Reedy Fork, had been held for some time previous to this.
There is no complete record of the names of those who, being members of Hopewell Preparative Meeting, automatically became members of Hopewell Monthly Meeting on the day of its organization. The following list contains a part of them — those who took some active part in the affairs of the meeting during the first few months of its existence. Rebeckah Aydlott, Josiah Baldwin, Ann Benbow, Benjamin Benbow, David Benbow, Lydia Benbow, Ann Canaday, Nathan Canaday, William Canaday, Sarah Carter, John Clark, Jonathan Clark, Ruth Clark, Naomi Coffin, Catharine Edwards, Hanuel Edwards, John Edwards, Nancy Edwards, Armeala Forster, John Forster, Phebe Hale, Sarah Hunt, Thomas Hunt, Mary Jessop, Rachel Jessop, Rebecca Jessop, Rebecca Lancaster, Catherine Macy (a minister), Enoch Macy, Nancy Macy, Thaddeus Macy, Moses Mendenhall, Abigail Merideth, Hannah Merideth, John Merideth, Mary Merideth, Samuel Middleton, Christianna Middleton, Hannah Perkins, Ann Rayl, Elizabeth Rayl, Hannah Rayl, Nathan Rayl, Thomas Rayl, William Rayl, Judith Rich, Abel Stanly, Abigail Stanly, Richard Stanly, Henry White, Isaac White, Mahala White, Mary White, Rebecca White, Sarah White, Stanton White and Thomas White.
Hopewell Monthly Meeting was laid down in 1849 and its members joined to New Garden Monthly Meeting. The following abstract has been compiled from the birth, death and marriage records (one volume) and the men’s and women’s minutes, 1824 to 1849, (one volume each).
[this refers to the abstracts themselves, which I have not copied]
[from page 599]
NEW GARDEN MONTHLY MEETING
Guilford County, North Carolina
New Garden Monthly Meeting was set up in 1754 by direction of Perquimans and Little River Quarterly Meeting. This action of the Quarterly Meeting is recorded in the following minutes. “Perquimans and Little River Quarterly Meeting held at Old Neck in the County of Perquimans, N. C., the 25th of the 5 mo. 1754. Friends at New Garden requested this meeting to Grant them the privilege of holding a Monthly Meeting amongst them by Reason of the hardship they underwent in Attending the monthly meeting at Cane Creek; And it appeared to this meeting that there is Near or Quite Forty Families of Friends seated in them parts; In consideration of which, this meeting thought propper to grant them there request.” New Garden Monthly Meeting Minutes. “From our Quarterly Meeting held at Old Neck, in the County of Perquimans, ye 25th to ye 26th of ye 5th mo. 1754. To Friends at New Garden in Capefair:- Dear Friends: These are to inform you that your request of having a Monthly Meeting settled among you, was laid before this meeting, and Friends having weightily considered thereof, unanimously agreed to grant your request. Signed on behalf, and by order of, our aforesaid meeting by Joseph Ratliff, Clerk.”
A list of the names of some of the men embraced in the original membership of New Garden Monthly Meeting includes Thomas Beals, Binjamin Beeson, near Deep River, Wm. Beeson, Abraham Cook, Daniel Dillon, Eleazar Hunt, William Hunt, Mordecai Mendenhall, near Deep River, John Mills, Henry Mills, Hur Mills, Thomas Mills, Benjamin Rudduck, John Rudduck, Thos. Thornbrugh, (appointed first clerk) Thomas Vestal, Richard Williams. Among those who became members by the presentation of certificates during the first few months were James Brown, William Smith, wife and children, Richard Beeson and wife, George Hyatt, Isaac Cox and wife, Anthony Hoggatt and wife, Benjamin Britain, Joseph Unthank, wife and children, Samuel Pearson, wife and children, Nathan Dicks, Zacharias Dicks, Peter Dicks, wife and children, Isaac Pidgeon and Joseph Hoggatt. Robert Hodgson, Hanuel Edwards and George Hodgson were received in membership by request.
The following account of the early history of New Garden Meeting is abstracted from “Southern Quakers and Slavery,” pages 104-108.
“Of the settlers who formed the New Garden meetings the first to arrive were doubtless the immigrants from Pennsylvania by way of Maryland. They brought the name with them from Pennsylvania. It has always been a characteristic of Quakers to reproduce the names of the sections with which they have been associated in former years. Many English Quaker names are reproduced in America. There is a New Garden and a Springfield in Pennsylvania. They were carried thence to North Carolina, and from there, in turn, to Indiana.” (Dr. Albert Cook Myers, in “Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania,” says that New Garden Meeting in Pennsylvania was named in remembrance of New Garden Meeting in County Carlow, Ireland.)
“The first settlement at New Garden was about 1750. In 1751 a meeting for worship was granted by Cane Creek Monthly Meeting. For the next three years the monthly meeting circulated between Cane Creek and New Garden. The settlement must have grown rapidly, for New Garden Monthly Meeting was set up in 1754. It was destined to become the most important meeting in the State, and was the mother of many others. In the first year, 1754, we have settlers coming in from Pennsylvania, from Hopewell and Fairfax meetings, Virginia. During 1755 nine certificates were received, representing Pennsylvania and Virginia only. According to the official minutes, which note all certificates received, there were brought in during the sixteen years, 1754-70, inclusive, eighty-six certificates in all. Of these forty-five came from Pennsylvania, thirty-five from Virginia, one from Maryland, and four from northeastern North Carolina.
“The New Garden settlers were soon to be reinforced by other immigrants who also came from old Quaker stock. These were the settlers from Nantucket Island, Mass. This movement began in
[end of page 487]
1771, and Libni Coffin was the first Nantucket man to arrive at New Garden. During the period of five years from 1771 to 1775 there were forty-one certificates recorded at New Garden Monthly Meeting from Nantucket out of a total of fifty certificates received.”
Migration from the northward stopped suddenly at the outbreak of the Revolution. From that time the meetings were kept up by natural increase, not by new arrivals. About the end of the eighteenth century there began the great migration to the Middle West which sapped the strength of all North Carolina meetings and ended the existence of many. New Garden contributed in large numbers to the movement but had sufficient vitality to withstand the losses in membership.
The birth, death and marriage records of New Garden Monthly Meeting are in two volumes, designated as I and II. In the following abstract, page numbers without volume indication refer to records in volume I; page numbers followed by the figure 2, refer to records in volume II. The men’s minutes herein abstracted extend from 1754 to 1888; the women’s minutes from 1790 to 1878. The women’s minutes prior to 1790 were destroyed “when the house of Prudence Williams was laid waste by fire.”
[this refers to the abstracts themselves, which I have not copied]
[end of page 488]
MEETINGS IN COUNTIES SURROUNDING GUILFORD,
BUT WITH LINKS TO GUILFORD AND ITS MEETINGS
BACK CREEK MONTHLY MEETING
Randolph County, North Carolina
[Randolph County was part of Original Guilford County until 1779]
Back Creek Monthly meeting of Friends, Randolph County, North Carolina, was set up the 29th of 12th month, 1792, as authorized by the following minutes.
“At a Quarterly Meeting held at Cane Creek the 18th of 11th mo. 1792. The committee appointed last meeting to visit friends of Back Creek Preparative Meeting on account of their request of holding a Monthly Meeting: Report in writing as follows: To our Quarterly Meeting to be held at Cane Creek 12th of 11th mo. 1792. Dear Friends: We the committee appointed last meeting to visit Back Creek Preparative meeting in order to inspect their ability of holding a monthly meeting amongst themselves have complyd therewith and give it as our sense and judgment that their request be granted; which we submit to the Quarterly Meeting. – – – Zacharias Dicks, John Davies, Robert Morrison, James Newlin, Thomas Cox, Thomas Lindley and Jacob Marshill – – – With which this meeting unites and establishes said monthly meeting to be held on the last Seventh day in each month. – – – And their preparative meeting on the fourth day preceeding the last seventh day in each month & John Carter, John Beals, Jeremiah Reynolds, Robert Hodson & John Davies are appointed to attend the opening of the afore-said monthly meeting & report their care to next meeting. Extracted from the minutes by Jacob Marshill, Clerk.”
Previous to the establishment of Back Creek Monthly Meeting, Back Creek Preparative Meeting had been attached to Center Monthly Meeting. There is no list of the names of the persons who constituted the membership of Back Creek Preparative Meeting, who automatically became, on the day of its organization, the membership of the new monthly meeting. The following is a list of part of the original membership. Mary Albertson, John Bailey, Huldah Bundy, Margaret Bundy, Samuel Bundy, Gulielma Charles, Samuel Charles, Rachel Cole, Reuben Crow, Exum Elliott, Jacob Elliott, Elizabeth Fentress, Pharoah Fentress, Michael Harvey, Jemima Haskitt, Jesse Henley, John Henley, Kezia Henley, Mary Henley, Anna Hill, Jesse Hill, Joseph Hill, Mary Hill, William Hill, Elisha Hobbs, Fanny Hobbs, Andrew Hoover, Elizabeth Hoover, Jonas Hoover, Elizabeth Hunt, Phinehas Hunt, Edward Kenley, Margaret Kinley, Reuben Lam, William Lee, Mary Mills, Elizabeth Newby, Penelope Newby, William Newby, Milicent Nixon, Phinehas Nixon, Ephraim Overman, Rachel Overman, Jacob Pouts, Cornelius Ratliff, Elizabeth Ratliff, Elizabeth Small, Obediah Small, John Smith, Miriam Thornbrugh, Thomas Thornbrugh, Jesse Webb, Frederick Weymire, Enneon Williams, Martha Williams, Caroline Winslow, Thomas Winslow, Henry Yunt, Mary Yunt.
The following abstract of the records of the meeting has been compiled from the birth, death and marriage record (one volume), the men’s minutes, 1792-1903 (three volumes), and women’s minutes, 1793-1894 (one volume).
[this refers to the abstracts themselves, which I have not copied]
[from page ?]
CANE CREEK MONTHLY MEETING
Orange (now Alamance) County, North Carolina
[Cane Creek is close to the Guilford border, and was the “mother” of several area meetings]
Cane Creek Monthly Meeting was established 7th of 10th month, 1751, being located on the stream from which it took its name, in the central part of the large area which comprised Orange County. This area included all the present counties of Caswell, Person, Alamance, Chatham and Orange and parts of Rockingham, Guilford, Randolph, Lee, Wake and Durham. In 1771, Chatham, Guilford and Wake Counties were established — each taking a part of Orange County. The division line between Orange and Chatham was run a short distance to the south of the meeting house, so the meeting continued to be in Orange County, but the residences of many of the members were thrown into Chatham. This accounts for the fact that in a large number of families the older children are recorded as having been born in Orange County and the younger ones in Chatham County. In 1849 Orange County was again divided, the western portion, including the site of Cane Creek Meeting, being set off as Alamance County. The meeting house is today located in that county, adjacent to the village of Snow Camp, and about 15 miles south of Graham, the county seat.
The meeting was set up under authorization of Perquimans and Little River Quarterly Meeting as set forth in the following minutes, dated 1751, 6, 31: “Friends on Cane Creek wrote to our Quarterly Meeting Desiring a Monthly Meeting to be settled amongst them, which was referred to this meeting & several Friends of them parts appeared at this meeting and acquainted Friends that there is Thirty families and upwards of Friends settled in them parts & Desire still in behalf of themselves and their Friends to have a Monthly Meeting settled amongst them, which request upon mature consideration Friends think proper to grant & leave to themselves to settle it in the most convenient place amongst the Body.”
It is not possible to present a complete list of the thirty or more families of Friends who are referred to in the above minute. That the original membership was scattered over a large territory is shown by a minute in the proceedings of the first sitting, 1751, 10, 7, which states that “Friends of New Garden belonging to this monthly meeting, request the privilege of holding a meeting for worship on first days at that place.” The distance from Cane Creek to New Garden was upward of thirty miles. The Cane Creek birth records show that one or more children were born, in Orange County, North Carolina, prior to 10th month, 1751, in each of the following families: William and Hannah Brown, Anthony and Sarah Chamness, John and Abigail Pike, William and Sarah Piggott, Hugh and Mary Laughlin, John and Rachel Wright. At the opening session of the meeting, certificates were produced by John Powel, Martha Hiatt and children, John Hiatt, Joseph Doan, Robert Summers, wife and children, Simon Dixon, Aaron Jones, Henry Ballenger, wife and children, William Reynolds, wife and children, Elizabeth Vestal and sons, William and Thomas.
Other persons who are mentioned in the minutes during the first eighteen months include the following, some of whom were probably among the thirty families: Ann Armfield, William Baldwin, Mary Ballenger, Rachel Ballenger, Bowater Beals, Sarah Beals, Thomas Beals, Benjamin Beeson, William Beeson, Rebekah Branson, Thomas Branson, Juliatha Carr, Thomas Carr, Sarah Chapman, Benjamin Clark, Catherine Cox, William Cox, Charles Davies, Hannah Davies, Daniel Dillon, Peter Dillon, John Doan, Elinor Edwards, Jonathan Harrold, Richard Henderson, Martha Hiatt, Sarah Hiatt, William Hiatt, Sarah Hodgin, John Hodson, Sarah Hodson, John Hoggatt, William Hoggatt, Rachel Howard, Mary Hudson, Eleazar Hunt, Thomas Hunt, William Hunt, Elizabeth Jackson, Isaac Jackson, John Jones, Able Knight, Elizabeth Laky, William Marshill, Edward Matthews, Mary Matthews, William Matthews, Henry Maynor, Mordecai Mendenhall, Hur Mills, John Mills, Thomas Mills, Benjamin Moorman, Matthew Ozbun, Jeremiah Piggott, David Reynolds, Benjamin Ruddock, Joseph Ruddock, Richard Sidwell, Phebe Summers, Frances Taylor, James Taylor, Robert Taylor, Martha Thornton, Thomas Thornton, Thomas Thornburgh, William Thornburgh, Joseph Wells, Thomas Wilkisson, Jonathan Williams. John Hiatt and Sarah Hodson were married 1752, 4, 22. The list of witnesses includes George Hiatt, George Hodson, Henry Ballinger, Thomas Hunt, Eleazer Hunt, Thomas Beales, Martha Hiatt, Mary Hodson, Hannah Ballinger, Abigail Pike, Sarah Beals and Ann Hunt. Eleazer
[end of page 343]
Hunt and Catherine Cox were married 1752, 12, 4. Among the witnesses were Thomas Hunt, Zebulon Gaunt, John Wright, Charles Davis, Henry Mayner, William Piggott, Mary Jackson, Mary Matthews, Hannah Davis, Mary Wright and Rachel Mayner.
The birth and death records of Cane Creek Monthly Meeting are in two volumes, designated as II and III. In each volume the pages devoted to birth records and those devoted to death records are numbered separately. In the following abstract, page numbers without volume indication refer to the birth records in volume II. Page numbers followed by the designations D, 2 and 2D refer to death records in volume II, birth records in volume III, and death records in volume III, respectively. The abstract of the minutes and marriage records has been compiled from the men’s minutes 1751-1899 (four volumes), women’s minutes, 1751-1883 (three volumes), and the register of marriage certificates.
[this refers to the abstracts themselves, which I have not copied]
[end of page 344]
DEEP CREEK MONTHLY MEETING
Surry (now Yadkin) County, North Carolina
[there were a number of Surry settlers from Guilford County, and Surry was a neighbor to Guilford County for a while]
The establishment of Deep Creek Monthly meeting of Friends, Surry (now Yadkin) County, North Carolina, was authorized by the following minute. The first sitting was held the sixth of fourth month, 1793. William Hough was appointed the first clerk; Simon Hadley, recorder of births, deaths and marriages; Daniel Huff, treasurer.
“We of the Committee appointed to visit the preparative meeting of Deep Creek on their request to hold a monthly meeting among themselves, after visiting them, Report that we think it will be best to grant their request; with the Quarterly Meeting appointing a committee to attend the sittings thereof for their help and instruction as long as the Quarterly Meeting shall think necessary, all which we submit to the Quarterly Meeting: – Jacob Hunt, Joseph Hoggatt, Moses Gregg, Bowater Sumner, Enoch Macy. Which this Quarterly Meeting concurs with; and directs that they hold said meeting on the first Seventh day in each month, and their preparative meeting on the fifth of the same week and appoints John Talbot, Jacob Hunt, Tristim Barnard, James Thornbrugh, Allen Unthank and Abijah Coffin, to attend the first opening thereof, and Barnabas Coffin, Hezekiah Starbuck, John Sanders and Seth Coffin, to attend the other meetings in the Quarter at least two of them at each, who are to report their care and satisfaction to next meeting. From a Quarterly Meeting held at Deep River by adjournment the 13th of the 3rd mo. 1793. Jesse Williams, Clerk.”
Previous to the setting up of a monthly meeting at Deep Creek, the preparative meeting had been under the jurisdiction of Deep River Monthly Meeting. The following list contains the names of some of those who composed the original membership of Deep Creek Monthly Meeting. George Adams, Susana Adams, William Adams, Francis Barnard, Sr., Jane Barnet, Daniel Bills, Deborah Bills, Anna Bond, Charlotte Bond, John Bond, Garner Brian, Ann Brown, Jacob Brown, Jane Brown, Mary Brown, William Brown, James Burnside, Mary Burnsides, Adam Coffin, Hannah Davis, Joseph Davis, Ann Dobbins, Jacob Dobbins, Nathan Farmer, Bridget Hadley, Eunis Hadley, Simon Hadly, Ruth Hinshaw, Rebecca Hobson, Stephen Hobson, Israel Hough, Mary Hough, William Hough or Huff, Daniel Huff, Daniel Huff, Jr., Elizabeth Huff, Sarah Huff, Benjamin Hutchens, Gulielma Hutchens, Judith Hutchens, Nicholas Hutchens, Sarah Hutchens, Strangeman Hutchens, Susanna Hutchens, Thomas Hutchens, Jemima Johnson, John Johnson, Daniel Jones, Joseph Keys, Jr., Lydia Keys, Jos. Noblet, Samuel Pearson, Ann Philips, Sarah Reece, Catharine Russel, Charles Russell, Sarah Shugart, Zachariah Shugart, John Stanfield, Archelus Stanley, Ann Stockton, Thomas Vestal, Samuel Welch, Keziah Worth, Jemima Zacry, William Zachery.
Preparative meetings under Deep Creek Monthly Meeting included Deep Creek, Hunting Creek, S___ Creek and Forbush Creek.
The following abstract of the records of the meeting has been compiled from one volume of birth, death and marriage records, two volumes of men’s minutes (1793-1853), and one volume of women’s minutes (1793-1875). The men’s minutes, covering the period subsequent to 1853, have been lost.
[this refers to the abstracts themselves, which I have not copied]
[from page 971]
HOLLY SPRING MONTHLY MEETING
Randolph County, North Carolina
[Randolph was part of Original Guilford County until 1779]
Holly Spring Monthly Meeting, located in Randolph County, North Carolina, was opened the 18th of 4th month, 1818, by direction of Western Quarterly Meeting. Prior to this time Holly Spring Preparative Meeting had been attached to Cane Creek Monthly Meeting. The committee appointed by the Quarterly Meeting to attend the opening session of the new monthly meeting consisted of Job Worth, Peter Dicks, Mahlon Hoggett, Matthew Simons, Stephen Henley, Jesse Hinshaw, Frances Reynolds, William Morrison, Dugan Clark, Nathaniel Newlin, Nathan Dixon, John Hodson, Obediah Elliott, Sammuel Hill, Rachel Dicks, Sarah Hoggett, Mary Low, Rhoda Worth, Elisabeth Reynolds, Mary Harvy and Ruth Carter.
Early members of Holly Spring Monthly Meeting included Herman Allen, John Allen, Joseph Allen, Hannah Allen, Martha Allen, Nancy Allen, Rebecca Allen, Enoch Barker, John Barker, Simon Barker, Elizabeth Barker, Lydia Barker, Thamer Barker, Amos Comer, Rebecca Comer, Benjamin Cox, Daniel Cox, Jesse Cox, Joshua Cox, Mahlon Cox, Nathan Cox, Solomon Cox, Stephen Cox, William Cox, Sen., William Cox, Amy Cox, Hannah Cox, Lydia Cox, Mary Cox, Phebe Cox, Rachel Cox, Ruth Cox, Charles Davis, Mary Davis, Rachel Davis, Abraham Hammer, Benjamin Haydock, Ruth Haydock, Jacob Hinshaw, Jacob Hinshaw, Jr., Phebe Hinshaw, John Kemp, Peter Larrance, Abigail Larrance, Susanna Larrance, Robert Moffitt, William Moffitt, Martha Moffitt, Joseph Stout, Samuel Stuart and Hannah Stuart.
At the present time there are two groups of Friends, each bearing the name of Holly Spring Monthly Meeting. One, with a membership of about 55, is affiliated with North Carolina Yearly Meeting held at Guilford College. The other, a smaller group, is affiliated with the Yearly Meeting held at Woodland, N.C.
The record books from which the following abstract has been compiled consist of one volume of marriage records, two volumes of birth and death records, men’s minutes, 1818 to 1889, and women’s minutes, 1818 to 1889. All these books are in the care of Holly Spring Monthly Meeting (Guilford College affiliate) near Ramseur, N. C.
[this refers to the abstracts themselves, which I have not copied]
[from page 457]
MARLBOROUGH MONTHLY MEETING
Randolph County, North Carolina
[Randolph was part of Original Guilford until 1779]
Marlborough Monthly Meeting opened at Salem Meeting House the 7th of 9th month, 1816. A Committee appointed at the last Quarterly Meeting produced the following extracts.
“The Committee appointed by Center Monthly Meeting to visit Marlborough and Salem Preparative meetings on account of their request for holding a monthly meeting circular between them, report in favor of their request being granted, with which this meeting unites, and directs that said meeting be opened at Salem meeting house on the first seventh day of the ninth month next, and by the name of Marlborough Monthly Meeting. Joseph Hill, John Winslow, Jesse Towel, Joshua Chamness, Sarah Dixon, Hannah Thompson, Ann Hill and Anna Peacock, are appointed to attend the opening of the same and report to next meeting. Extracted from the minutes of a Quarterly Meeting held at Spring Meeting House, the 10th of the 8th month, 1816. By Stephen Henley, Clerk.”
Previous to the setting up of the new monthly meeting, the preparative meetings or Marlborough and Salem had been under the jurisdiction of Center Monthly Meeting. The following list contains the names of some of those who composed the original membership of Marlborough Monthly Meeting. It is not a complete list as it includes only those persons whose names appear in the minutes for the first few months.
Rebecca Carter, Dougan Clark, Abigail Coffin, John Coffin, Jesse Davis, Mary Davis, Miller Davis, Delilah Dennis, Elizabeth Dennis, William Dennis, Peter Dicks, Ann Dix, Ruth Dix, Huldah Elliott, Joseph Elliott, Ruth Elliott, George Farlow, Hannah Farlow, Isaac Farlow, Jane Farlow, Mary Farlow, Michael Farlow, Stephen Henley, Annis Hinshaw, Benjamin Hinshaw, Eunice Hinshaw, Hannah Hinshaw, Jacob Hinshaw, Jesse Hinshaw, Rebecca Hinshaw, Sarah Hinshaw, Seth Hinshaw, Thomas Hinshaw, James Hodgin, Joseph Hodgins, Ruth Hodson, William Jones, Hannah Justis, Nancy McCollum, Daniel McCracken, Elizabeth McRacken, Mary McCrakin, Robert McCracken and wife, Martha, Rachel Marmon, John Newlin, Sarah Newlin, Elizabeth Norton, Henry Powel, Mournen Powel, Susannah Powel, Isaac Spencer, Mary Spencer, John Stalker, Keziah Stalker, Elizabeth Symons, Matthew Simons, Sarah Symons, Lydia Sweany, Sarah Thornborough, Abigail Wilson.
William Dennis was appointed the first clerk, with Michael Farlow as assistant clerk. Hannah Hinshaw was chosen as clerk of the women’s meeting.
Record books used in the preparation of the following abstract include one volume of birth and death records, one volume of marriage records, three volumes of men’s minutes (1816-1890), and one volume of women’s minutes (1816-1903).
[this refers to the abstracts themselves, which I have not copied]
[from page 741]
SPRING MONTHLY MEETING
Orange (now Alamance) County, North Carolina
[this section of Orange is close to the Guilford border]
Spring Meeting is located in the southeastern corner of Alamance County, about 15 miles southeast of Graham and a few miles east of Cane Creek Meeting. In 1773 the Quarterly Meeting granted the request of “the meeting of friends near Thomas Lindley’s called now Spring Meeting” for the establishment of a meeting for worship. A monthly meeting was established in 1793. The meeting had been under the jurisdiction of Cane Creek Monthly Meeting prior to that date.
The first sitting of Spring Monthly Meeting appears to have been on the 7th of 10th month, 1793. The women’s minutes for that date record the choice of Mary Woody for clerk and Hannah Thomson for assistant clerk. The men’s minutes prior to 9th month, 1815, were “lost by accident” according to a statement in the oldest existing book of men’s minutes.
The following list of women who were members at the time of the organization of the monthly meeting has been compiled from the first pages of the minutes. Because of the loss of the men’s minutes, no list of the male members is available. Hannah Andrew, Ann Carter, Sarah Chaimbers, Mary Dicks, Ruth Fauset, Elizabeth Hadly, Rachel Hadly, Ruth Hadly, Agness Hervy, Elizabeth Hervy, Catharine Holaday, Hannah Holaday, Jane Holladay, Lydia Holaday, Mary Jackson, of Eno, Hannah Jones, Jemima Jones, Susanna Lee, Deborah Lindley, Sarah Lindley, of Eno, Ann McCracken, of Eno, Elizabeth Mardock, Hannah Morrison, Sarah Newlin, Sarah Piggott, of Eno, Martha Shy, Hannah Thomson, Elenor White, Katharine White, Mary Woody.
Preparative meetings under the jurisdiction of Spring Monthly Meeting included Spring, Eno, South Fork and Chatham.
Like Cane Creek Meeting, Spring was originally in Orange County, — in that section which was set off, in 1849, to form Alamance County. Cane Creek and Spring have had similar histories. Located near together, their memberships were from the same family groups, mostly immigrants from Pennsylvania. Both meetings suffered from the migration to the northwest at the beginning of the nineteenth century, but not to the same extent, apparently, as some other meetings; both have survived to the present day.
The following abstract has been compiled from one volume of birth and death records, one marriage register, two volumes of men’s minutes (1815-1885), and two volumes of women’s minutes (1793-1882).
[this refers to the abstracts themselves, which I have not copied]
[from page 431]
WESTFIELD MONTHLY MEETING
Surry County, North Carolina
[there were Surry settlers from Guilford County, and Surry was a neighbor of Guilford County for a while]
“A copy of a minute of the Quarterly Meeting held at Cane Creek 1786, 11, 13. The committee appointed last meeting to visit the Preparative Meeting of Tom’s Creek report as follows: – – We of the committee appointed to visit the Preparative Meeting of Tom’s Creek, and inspect with their capability of holding a monthly meeting to the honor of truth, have complyed with the appointment, and do give it as our sense and judgement that their request may be granted which we submit to the Quarterly Meeting; John Talbot, John Hocket, Obediah Harris, Thomas Winslow, William Tomlinson, William Hill; which judgement this meeting confirms and directs that the said meeting be held on Seventh Day preceeding the last seventh day in each month, also that it be known in the future by the name of Westfield. Extracted from the minutes of said Quarterly Meeting by Jesse Williams, Clerk.”
Agreeable to the foregoing direction, friends meet the 23 day of ye 12 month, 1786. The representatives from the preparative meeting were David Ballard and Thomas Jessop. Boater Sumner was appointed clerk; Samuel Bond, recorder.
Tom’s Creek Meeting, the predecessor of Westfield, was located in Surry County, N.C., not far from the Virginia line. The meeting for worship was organized about 1771; the preparative meeting in 1784. As noted above, the name was changed to Westfield when the monthly meeting was established, in 1786. Previous to this time, Tom’s Creek Preparative Meeting had been attached to New Garden Monthly Meeting. In addition to Surry and adjoining counties in North Carolina, the verge of Westfield Monthly Meeting included adjacent territory in Virginia and settlements in Greene and Jefferson Counties, in Tennessee.
The following list of names, taken from the early minutes, represents a part of the original membership of Westfield Monthly Meeting. No complete list is available. Byrom Ballard, David Ballard, Garman Ballard, Moorman Ballard, Thomas Ballard, John Bowater Beales, William Beals, Amasa Beeson, Samuel Bond, Gardner Briant, John Briant, John Burris, Sr., John Burris, Jr., Benjamin Carr, John Carson, Thomas Davis, Thomas Davis, Jr., Samuel Frazier, Moses Grigg, Joseph Hart, John Hiatt, Joseph Hiatt, Joseph Hiatt, Jr., William Hiatt, Curtis Jackson, Jacob Jackson, John Jackson, Joseph Jackson, Hannah Jessop, Joseph Jessop, Thomas Jessop, Timothy Jessop, William Jessop, Isaac Jones, James Mackiney, Richard Pinson, Thomas Puckett, David Reece, William Rudduck, Royal Simmons, Bowater Sumner, Caleb Sumner, Thomas Sumner, William White.
Westfield Monthly Meeting and Westfield Quarterly Meeting were laid down about 1832, most of the members having removed to the West. Those that had not removed were attached to Deep Creek Monthly Meeting, and it joined to Deep River Quarterly Meeting.
The following abstract has been compiled from one volume of birth, death and marriage records and one volume of men’s minutes, 1786 to 1828. The women’s minutes have been lost.
[this refers to the minute abstracts, which I did not copy]
[from page ?]
