CANADIAN QUAKER HISTORY

CANADIAN FRIENDS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

ISSN 1180-968X 60 LOWTHER AVENUE, TORONTO, ONTARIO M5R 1 C7 Albert Schrauwers 594 Timothv Street Friends House Toronto Newmarket-, ON 1906 L3Y lR2 EXP/1 2/96/GM

No. 60 Contents Fall 1996

From the Dorland Room by Jane Zavitz Bond...... 1 Western Friends: Experience of the Spirit in My Life Introduction by Joe Awmack...... 3 Victoria Monthly Meeting by Joe Awmack...... 4 Pacific Life Community by Pashta Marymoon ...... 5 Why and how I came to Western Canada and became involved with the Queer folk called Quakers by Chrystal Kleiman ...... 6 An Isolated Friend finds Quaker Community by Arnold Ranneris...... 6 Memories of Argenta Monthly Meeting by John Stevenson ...... 7 Argenta Friends Meeting by Ruth Boyd...... 8 Pacific Yearly Meeting and Argenta by Phillip Wells ...... 8 Our Association with Friends by Sigurd Askevold...... 9 Formation of Vernon Monthly Meeting by Lesley Robertson ...... 10 A History of Calgary Meeting by Margaret McGruther ...... ll Edmonton and Calgary Meetings by Ron Mossman ...... 13 Another Glimpse of Early Friends Activities by Gordon Hirabayashi ...... 13 Learning with Calgary Friends by Margaret McGruther ...... 14 Nuclear Free Nanoose by Joy Newall ...... 15 Teaching Japanese Children by Wilson Hunsberger ...... 16 Articles:

Quakers in Early Prince Edward Island History by Nathan H. Mair ...... 17

The Quakers of Yonge Street by Jane Zavitz Bond...... 24

Report of the 24th Annual Meeting

Chairperson's Reportby Kyle Jolliffe ...... 35 Minutes ofthe 24th Annual Meeting ...... 36 Financial Statement...... 40 The Canadian Quaker History Journal is published twice annually in spring and fall issues by the Canadian Friends Historical Association (as part of the annual membership sUbscription to the Association). Applications for membership may be made to the address listed below. Membership fees for 1996 are:

Libraries and Institutions $20.00 General Membership $15.00 Seniors and Students $10.00 Life Membership $200.00

Contents of the published articles are the responsibility of the authors.

Copyright © 1996 Canadian Friends Historical Association.

ISSN 1180-968X G.S.T. No. R118831593

Editors: Jane Zavitz-Bond Alben Schrauwers

Production: Alben Schrauwers Jane Zavitz-Bond Sandra Fuller

Editorial Address:

Dorland Room Pickering College 16945 Bayview Avenue Newmarket,Ont., L3Y 4X2

Letters and submissions from readers are always welcome.

Subscriptions and Correspondence:

Canadian Friends Historical Association Friends House 60 Lowther Ave., Toronto, Ont., M5R 1C7 From the Dorland Room ...

"To Get Friends Into Upper Canada United" and new facets shine out After nearly fifty years of sharing in Canadian Quakerism, Welcome to the Fall issue of the this drawing together of many materials, Canadian Quaker History Journal. The and th.e history I have experienced directly, phrase from Timothy Rogers Journal, which including the accounts from older Friends led to his coming to Yonge Street, is recast will, I hope, give readers a fuller sense of to set this Fall Issue in a parallel context. the past and greater clearness to open the The article on Yonge Street is in the center way for more work in the future. Thoughts connecting the east, represented by Nathan opened doors and more had to be omitted! Mair's article on early Friends' settlement on Finally, after pondering the resources, I sat Prince Edward Island, and the west, repre­ and wrote. sented by the experiences of Friends in This is not the definitive history of meetings from the prairies to Vancouver Yonge Street, but I hope it is alive and Island shared at Sorento, B.c., during honest, and my perspectives are clear. Canadian Yearly Meeting. This Journal Perhaps some insights of truth may help to should assist in making members more make the next 200 years more fruitfuL In "united", aware of Friends' history across 1953, Arthur Dorland spoke in Yearly the continent. We are grateful to all the Meeting stating he believed Quakerism held contributors and encourage others to write the approaches the world needed but he their Quaker-related histories to further feared Friends lacked the vision and the enrich the archival store and, perchance, a discipline to bring it to fruition. May we Journal's content. seek vision and follow Truth as we are led. This year, the 200th anniversary of the Timothy Rogers tried, so can we. 1796 survey and trail-blazing of Yonge Jane Zavitz-Bond Street led us to celebrate the Yonge Street Friends' Settlement in 1801. The varied § celebrations involved frequent archival use. The CYM Archives is functioning, and with Recent Additions to the Dorland Room the newly-established webpage on the inter­ net will be even busier. We hope to keep • Winterton, John V. and Laureen E. The up, and welcome opportunities for greater Vernon Family Records: Descendants of access and additional resources. (The hold­ Robert Vernon (1682) (Higginson Book ings at Swarthmore and Haverford Friends Co., Salem MA., 1995) 116 pp. (gift of the Libraries are already available.) authors). The annual meeting's focus on the ·Walton, Charles Gorman & Suzanne Kay Yonge Street Friends called for an overview Major Jesse Walton: A Loyalist and His article. The many individuals who have Descendants (privately published), 97 pp. researched in the Archives over the years (Gift of Charles Walton). have contributed to this paper. Many are -Starr, Francis Dream Dreams, Then Write members of CFHA whose papers have Them. Aye, but live them first (manuscript appeared in the Journal. (You may want to memoirs), 40 pp. reread some of these). To be invited to • Williams, Lloyd and Philip Martin Lloyd present this paper was a privilege and a Williams - Ouaker (Part of an Oral History) pleasure. It began as a contribution to the & Lloyd Williams - Scholar and Teacher OGS publication, Researching Y onge (Part of an Oral History) (2 pamphlets, pri­ Street, a shorter piece. This paper has also vately published) 37, 15 pp., with copies of been edited for space. the original tapes. Donated by his daughter, Writing is a creative and learning Christine Ayoub. process as pieces of history come together • Committee on Archives and History, 1 United Church of Canada Guide to Family and history. The interiors of the older meet­ History Research in the Archival Repos­ ings looked much like .Yong,e Street itories of the United Church of Canada Meetinghouse. A few are snll acnve meet­ (Toronto, OGS, 1996). ings, others were emptied by migration and dispersal. We must welcome the opportu­ nities changes make, rather than mourn for News and Notes the past. All are welcome to attend the Quaker Historian & Archivists Conference. • Jane Zavitz-Bond officially retires as The next will be at Baltimore (Stonyrun) Librarian at Pickering College at the end of Meeting in June, 1998. . . 1996. She will continue as Canadian Yearly • We're online. The Canadian Fnends Meeting Archivist, and welcomes the oppor­ Historical Association has established a tunity in the archives. Appoin~ents are website at http://www.interhop.netlmuseum important for researchers. There IS work to thanks to the generosity of Interhop do! Join us in the enterprise. Communications Services. The web site • The next issue of the Journal features the contains information on the Association, 50th anniversary of the receipt of the 1947 Quaker History, the Yearly Meeting Nobel Peace Prize by Friends Service Archives, our Publications, and an online bodies. Also included will be additional edition of the Journal. Check the site out. articles on the experiences of Friends in • The Toronto Historical Board has also western Meetings. established a web presence at http://www.­ • Albert Schrauwers is leaving immediately torontohistory.on.ca. Their site contains for Indonesia and further anthropological information on Toronto's history, as well as research. This issue of the Journal has been an interactive History Quiz. published in record time, t~o days ~ter the • Gordon Carder of Woodstock read the annual meeting, so that hIS techmcal and following short article dated 21 Jan. 1897 editorial expertize was available. ¥!e ~e from the Norwich Gazette at the Annual grateful and wish him a safe and satlsfymg Meeting. It seemed worthy of a wider audi­ trip. Surely we may take space for such an ence. The paper's editor, Tom Bartholomew important note! wrote: "The Toronto Globe recently • Researchers are at work on theses and remarked on the length of years attained by papers which cover Quaker women's sub­ members of the Society of Friends." Their culture of folk lore/life style patterns and longevity can be attributed, he said, to the skills; the teaching of attitudes toward war following points: and peace, justice and related v~ues, as - They serve God and fear no man. they are represented by the h.terature - They live thrifty and frugal lives. choices in our textbooks and selectlons for - They never waste any money. . curriculums; the northern canoe and camp - They eat heartily and sleep well, havmg history as Pickering was related to this for good consciences. many years; John W. Holmes' biography. - They feel in their physical systems, the More requests appear weekly. encouraging influences of the esteem that • The Quaker Historian & Archivists Con­ surrounds them. ference's inclusion of Civilian Public - They read the Toronto Globe and the Service reminds us that 50 years have Norwich Gazette, and they never read a passed since the end of WWII and those paper \vithout having paid for it in who participated have been leaders among advance." us since. They are passing from the scene And might we conclude: ."an~ they prom.pt­ and we need to record this history now. The ly renew their membershIps In the CanadIan panel at Oakwood on Ju~e 21 st was Friends Historical Association." informative but also a rermnder that we need to h~ar from many more of their experiences. The conference was alS? a reminder of our ties to New York MeetIngs

2 WESTERN FRIENDS Experience of the Spirit in my life (A review of the presentation at Canadian Yearly Meeting, Sorrento, 1996)

Douglas Steere, in his Introduction to Bond was farming near Meaford with his Quaker Spirituality (1988), wrote: "People mother according to the census of that year. are drawn into the Society of Friends today He moved west, fIrst to Hartney in through a number of doors". This is illustrat­ Manitoba, and later was at Swarthmore in ed very much in the events of the last 100 1909, when the Meeting was established in years in Western Canada. It is my purpose the Quaker Colony started by his brother-in­ to introduce the history of Friends in law, W. I. Moore. By 1912, he had moved Western Canada. I hope to give a little of to Victoria, where he was an active part of the development of western meetings, but the Meeting assisting several projects. The will more appropriately show how the Victoria Cabin at Quaker Cove was built western meetings have been influenced by with money he donated to assist Young those who have come to these meetings Friends. through differing paths. Many Friends came west during the set­ The settlement of Western Canada fol­ tlement period. A few gathered together to lowed the building of the Canadian Pacific hold Quaker meetings, but many remained Railroad across the Prairies to British as isolated Friends allover Western Canada. Columbia; the last spike was driven in 1885. A large movement to British Columbia took The settlement of the North West Territory place during the fIrst decades of the 20th followed the surveying of vast tracts of the century, promoted largely by the C.P.R. to Canadian Prairies as the railroads were built. get settlers into the new lands opened by Among those moving west were Quakers, railroad building. The census of 1901 shows mostly from Ontario. Many settled around the non-indian population of B.C. was Hartney, Manitoba, where the fIrst Friends 178,657 and by 1911 it was 392,480. It is Meeting was established west of Ontario. reported that 1 million people from the Little information about this Meeting can be British Isles came to Canada between 1911 found. Settlement of groups of like-minded and 1913. As many of these came to B.C. people were encouraged by agreement with there were so many new settlers that many the government to establish colonies. The "workers wanted" signs had added "No best known of these were the Barr settlers Englishmen need apply". It was natural that who established a colony in Lloydminster. among the newcomers there would be many A colony called Swarthmore was estab­ Quakers. Many of these could still be found lished by a few Quakers from Ontario. This as "Isolated Friends" in many parts of the block of land, south-west of Battleford, near country in the 1950's and 1960's. the present Unity, Saskatchewan, was Where there were enough Quakers to settled mostly by Quakers from Ontario, but establish Meetings these were formed. The also had some who came directly from history of the Victoria Monthly Meeting has England and others from U.S. points. The been written as, Victoria Friends Meeting, A story of Swarthmore is to be found in The History 1907-1988. Gerald Turnbull writes Canadian Friend of Nov. 1909 (and # 53 of about early Meetings on Lulu Island and the Canadian Quaker History Journal, ed.). Barnston Island and the establishment of I would like to refer to the life of Allan Vancouver Meeting in 1911. There had been Bond, who I knew in the Victoria Meeting a number of meetings held in Calgary before in the 1930's to illustrate the movement of it became an offIcial Meeting in 1915. This Friends from Ontario to the west. Allan and later en tries of the Calgary Meeting Bond's mother came from Ireland early in have been recorded by Margaret McGruther. the 19th century and at 17 married Hiram Several Friends have written of their memo­ Bond. They were pioneers of the St. Vincent ries of the development of later Meetings at Meeting, near Owen Sound. In 1901 Allan Argenta and Vernon.

3 Of considerable interest has been the Adults were members of Meetings in close connection between Canadian Friends London Yearly Meeting with a few from in the West and Quakers in the coastal area eastern Canada and one from the United of U.S.A. This connection started with States. Because most of the members of the Young Friends at Quaker Cove in new meeting were from London Yearly Washington State, where Young Friends Meeting, the fIrst request for formation of a from Victoria and Vancouver met with new meeting was made there. London those from the Seattle area. Later develop­ Yearly Meeting suggested that the meeting ments led to the B.C. Meetings joining with should be established as part of Ca.'1ada Pacific Yearly Meeting while still remain­ Yearly Meeting and a member of Toronto ing with Canada Yearly Meeting (later Monthly Meeting. Thomas Harris, of Canadian Yearly Meeting) Moresby Island, was appointed to read the A few Friends were asked to write a Minute from Toronto offIcially accepting little of their involvement in some of the the Victoria Monthly Meeting. events that have affected western Quakers. Victoria hosted the Western Conference The sample displayed represents only a of Friends in July, 1911, at Burleith Hall, small part of what could show how Friends former home of James Dunsmuir. When could display "The Spirit in My Life". Vancouver Monthly Meeting was formed in J. W.Awmack 1911, decision was made to form a September 1996 Quarterly Meeting which was approved and established by Canada Yearly Meeting on July 13, 1912. In 1909 a committee was set up to con­ sider raising funds to build a Meetinghouse. In April, 1912 the committee reported that a suitable site had been found on Fern Street for $3,000.00. Plans developed called for a main meeting hall, caretaker's premises, reading room, cloakroom, and guest cham­ ber. The offIcial sod-turning took place on February 13th, 1913, and the fIrst meeting took place in the new building on May 1913, before the windows had been put in place. The Victoria Meeting suffered a decline in numbers during the War of 1914-18, and by 1930 the weekly attendance at meeting HISTORY of VICTORIA MONTHLY was about 10. About 1936 the Victoria MEETING Meeting joined with the University Meeting by Joe Awmack in Seattle in meetings that eventually became Northwest Quarterly Meeting of In 1988, Victoria Monthly Meeting PacifIc Yearly Meeting. Martha Vallance celebrated 75 Years of the present Meeting­ was the Victoria Meeting representative at house on Fern Street. At that time a commit­ the formation of the Canadian Yearly tee of the Meeting undertook the writing of Meeting at Pickering College in 1955. a history of Friends in Victoria. The result When Pacific Yearly Meeting decided to was Victoria Friends Meeting - A History split into several parts, the Victoria Meeting 1907 -1988. This booklet is available at felt that they had better put all their efforts CYM in Sorrento for those wishing a fuller into Canadian Yearly Meeting, while still history of the meeting. maintaining a strong fraternal relationship The fIrst offIcial meeting of Friends in with the new North PacifIc Yearly Meeting. Victoria was held in Harmony Hall on View In recent years the Victoria Meeting has Street on Nov. 17, 1907. A picture taken at grown both in depth and in numbers until it the Courtney Street Hall in 1911 shows 91 now includes Worship Groups in many adults and 8 children. The majority of the parts of Vancouver Island. 4 PLC (PACIFIC LIFE COMMUN1TY) in San Fransisco, Seattle, Vancouver and AND VICfORIA FRIENDS' MEETING Victoria. Pashta Marymoon Although Victoria Friends Meeting was considerably divided on the PLC commit­ I was born and raised in a very small ment to use civil disobedience as a means of and conservative town in Ontario. I met my making serious statements about the issues, now-ex husband, David Jackman, at the especially at first, their spiritual/political Everdale Place School (the fIrst Summerhill­ support and financial aid grew fmnly type school in Canada) when I was fourteen, behind the objectives. and dived into a world of socially/politically Through PLC I was led to take the non­ involved and active people (mid-60s) that violent training program with MNS was both totally new/foreign and yet felt (Movement for a New Society - members of more real and familiar than that of my home Quakers were co-founders of MNS) in town. Though surrounded by this kind of Philadelphia. Through that and other firm commitment, I was too busy dealing with connections between PLC and MNS, we my own personal issues to actively partici­ began giving non-violence training work­ pate. shops which Victoria Meeting members About the same time that David and I both supported and attended. The MNS started attending Friend's Meeting in approach to non-violence training spread Ottawa, I had become convinced that "crea­ and became the basis for the Creative ting a new reality" was more valuable than Conflict Resolution program and AVP, the trying to change the system, so David and I Alternative to Violence Program. headed west to find the elusive "intentional While studying in Philadelphia, I partic­ community" . We didn't find it: instead we ipated in a War-Tax Resistance campaign, and our young daughter settled in Victoria and became interested in seeing a similar and joined Friend's Meeting there. Before campaign started in Canada. When I PLC, my only "socially active" involvement returned, I brought the idea to Victoria was supporting (in a pretty minimal way) Meeting: Edith Adamson, also a member of the Meeting's involvement with Buddhists Victoria Meeting, picked up the concern rebuilding orphanages for Vietnamese which gave birth to the Peace Tax Fund, children. and later, Conscience Canada. When the founders of PLC began to One of the largest-scale projects PLC organize the original community, they sent undertook was Bangor Summer '78 - con­ letters out to different Friends' Meetings. In tinuous presence and action at the Bangor Victoria, David and Tobias (John) base throughout the summer by hundreds of Tomlinson chose to attend the initial inter­ people from across the continent. University national meeting of PLC in Seattle: I wasn't Friends Meeting in Seattle provided a gen­ interested, so dropped them off and went to erous seed grant for the project and a folk dancing festival in Tacoma instead. I members of Victoria Meeting took part in did, however, have an opportunity to meet the direct actions. the folks when I came back to pick David PLC also introduced me to feminism. I and Tobias up. I was so impressed with the don' t know if the idea existed beforehand, spiritual commitment and integrity of these but it was an axiom in PLC that if you people, that a month later, David and I wanted to start a serious political action chose not to move back east as we had been community, you talked to the radical considering, but rather joined PLC whole­ Catholics, the Quakers, and the feminists. heartedly, even though both of us were Muriel Gough-Azmuir of Victoria Meeting novices at such political activity. was my mentor/mother in this new direc­ PLC was an international spiritual/ polit­ tion: in a sense, both before and after her ical community committed to education and death. Not only did she guide and support direct action on the issues of war - particu­ my involvement in feminist activities while larly nuclear war - and weapons develop­ she was alive but after death as well; for one ment, and in the embodiment of the Bangor particular civil disobedience action I took Trident Base, 30 miles south of Victoria. part in, the wymyn decided to be arrested Originally, PLC had satellite communities under the names of wymyn who had died 5 and whom we considered to be out mentors, challenging years for me and support or just to honour their commitment which had plain concem have been abundant. Many of engendered ours - I was arrested as Muriel. my personal friends are from the Quaker PLC as a cohesive community only community. lasted for about 5 years but engendered My values and ideas are in the main several direct -action coalitions continuing reflected in Quaker tradition: simplicity, the work concerning nuclear war and thriftiness, a respect for other peoples and weapons development, who themselves for the natural environment, a desire to encouraged several similar coalitions and build consensus rather than dissension, a communities to be created across the conti­ responsibility to put my energy into the nent. I also belonged to one - ANV A, wider community (the world), and looking Alliance for Non-Violent Action - in south­ within for the light. I love the silence of ern Ontario once I had moved back there. Meeting. As noted above, several Quaker initiated One value important to me, but not par­ and supported projects across Canada and ticularly to Quakers, is a keen aesthetic eye. the U.S. also grew out of, in part, the ideals, When I was jailed for protest­ activities and impact of PLC - Peace Tax ing/protecting old growth forest on Van­ Fund, Conscience Canada, the Creative couver Island, I was very touched by the Confliction Resolution project and AVP, to letters and cards received while in jail. mention the ones that I am directly aware Some were from Quakers who did not know of. me. I felt a Quaker network of supportive hands from across the entire country helping Why and How I came to Western Canada me to endure. and became involved with the queer folk called Quakers AN ISOLATED FRIEND FINDS Chrystal Kleiman, Victoria Meeting QUAKER COMMUNITY Arnold Ranneris, Victoria Meeting In my 20's I was involved in marches and actions against the Vietnam War and During the 1960's, when I was seeking met many Quakers who inspired us younger as a young teacher in the southern interior folk. I lived in Philadelphia for 4 years, but of British Columbia, I became aware of the never attended a meeting for worship. deep spirituality of my students and their Because of the racism in the U.S., my parents, who were of the Doukhobor faith. African-American husband and I decided to Through reading, I learned that the leave the United States but didn't quite Doukhobors had been brought to Canada as know where to go. We drove through a result of intervention of British and Vancouver on our way to Vermont and American Quakers. I began my search for a when our job situation deteriorated returned "Quaker connection". to Canada. My husband was 4F, because he I recall writing to the Meeting in was too tall for the Army and so conscrip­ Vancouver for "information", but did not tion was not an issue. receive a reply. In those days there wasn't In Vancouver, I attended the Quaker the published material we have today. meeting a few times, but my children were However, I persisted, and during my time at not welcomed in that then predominantly U.B.C. Summer School, attended "meeting" aging community. So my children and I at the Vancouver Meeting House, then attended the North Shore Unitarian Worship located on West 10th Avenue. At U.B.C. Group. When I moved to Victoria, I found library I found the section on Quakerism, Victoria Monthly Meeting. I soon was on and in particular Rufus Jones' little book many different committees, even though an Finding the Trail of Life. I asked to be put attender, and helped start the women's on the mailing list for Vancouver Meeting, group which then drew me strongly into the and made contact with a "living meeting". community. Margaret and I were married, and I now feel rooted in Victoria and deeply moved to Revelstoke. Again, far from a planted in the nourishing soil of Victoria meeting. I knew Hugh Campbell-Brown and Meeting. These have been difficult and his wife Mary had "meeting" in Vernon. In 6 these early days of the Vietnam War, the Quakers took leadership in the anti-war movement, and I knew that this was where my spirit lay. I recall trying to dialogue with the United Church minister about the con­ cerns that tore at my soul, but with little satisfaction. In one of the monthly mailings from Vancouver Meeting, someone enclosed a brochure about the Wider Quaker Fellowship. The leaflet invited those who felt a kinship with Quakers to write a letter to the office in Philadelphia explaining why they might like to become affiliated with this worldwide fellowship of "friends of Friends", begun by Rufus Jones in the mid­ 1930's. I sat down at my desk and wrote a rvtEMORIES OF ARGENTA MONTHLY two-page reply! Thus began an association MEETING with W.Q.F. which continues to the present John Stevenson, Nelson Worship Group day. although I have long since become a member of the Society. The sense of being The first meeting of what would become connected, by a three-times yearly mailing Argenta Monthly Meeting took place on 14 of literature, with some 2800 seekers, nur­ May, 1952. This consisted of the Pollard tures my spirit still. and Stevenson families, who had just One of the first envelopes of materials arrived in Argenta the previous week. from the W.Q.F. included Douglas Steere's After the Boyd family and the Rush pamphlet "On Being Present Where You family arrived, we began to work as an Are". Somehow that pamphlet put into unrecognized Monthly Meeting. Our words my longing for a living spirituality. problem was to find a senior Meeting wi th More than 30 years have passed since that which to affiliate. first envelope. When I served as a Canadian The nearest Meetings were Calgary and Yearly Meeting representative on F.W.C.C., Vancouver, five hundred miles east and I was privileged to serve on the Wider west, respectively. At that time, they were Quaker Fellowship committee, and share each members of Pacific YM. As a result, with/in the process of selecting and nurtur­ we applied to PYM directly for recognition ing this fellowship. I have since commend­ as a Monthly Meeting. Although Pacific ed it to many others, and do so again, by Yearly Meeting suggested that we join offering the address: Northwestern Half Yearly Meeting, which included Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria Wider Quaker Fellowship as well as others in Washington State, we 1506 Race Street pointed out that at that time it would be Philadelphia, Pa. 19102 U.S.A. financially difficult to attend any of those meetings. Finally, we were accepted by Without this living connection, I would PYM, with which we had previous ties. probably have lost my connection with the Western Half Yearly Meeting started as Religious Society of Friends. Thank you, the Kootenay Friends Fellowship in the anonymous helper, for enclosing the spring of 1956 at Bobby Browns' home, at brochure. Thank you, Rufus Jones, for your Walker's Landing. Russ McArthur gives the vision. Thank you, committee members of following information about Herbert W.Q.F. (a program of FWCC), and volun­ (Bobby) Graham Brown: As far as we teer helpers who stuff 2800 envelopes three know, the first Friends to live in the times a year. Thank you, Spirit of God, for Kootenays were Herbert and Dorothy this living fellowship of "friends of Graham Brown, who had bought their ranch Friends". at Walker's Landing in the late twenties or 7 early thirties. They had moved there from It was not long before we felt the need England, and had set up a fruit and veget­ for a meeting house. Somehow we managed able growing business and raised nursery to build it, entirely of course with our own plants for sale. labour. Elmo Wolfe directed the building of At this meeting were the Askevolds, our beautiful fueplace. Browns, Boyds, Pollards, Rushes and In 1959 the meeting sponsored the perhaps others. The following year, a Argenta Friends' School. Helen and John meeting was held at Askevolds in Creston. Stevenson were in charge, but the rest of us, not only took a real interest in it, but assisted ARGENTA FRIENDS MEETING in many ways, some of us teaching a course Ruth Boyd, Argenta Meeting or two, most of us keeping students in our homes, where we endeavoured to make Argenta Friends Meeting has its roots in them members of our families, as far as both Tracy, California, where the Stevensons and work and play were concerned. Although Boyds, with a few other people, started a from time to time we had a few local stud­ meeting. I suppose there were generally ents, most of them came from somewhere in about twelve adults, almost all with young the States as various meetings learned of our children so we had a Sunday School each school. The school continued for twenty-two week before meeting, attended by both years when it seemed best to lay it down. children and adults. We started off with Sometime during this period, due to the hymn singing, frequently a recital of interest of a class in journalism, we spon­ Biblical verses learned by individuals during sored the Argenta Friends Press. It started the week, then classes. After classes the with a second hand press in the basement of children spent the fIrst fIfteen minutes of a student home, but now occupies a building meeting time with us, after which we took of its own with modern equipment and turns looking after them outside. manages to hire one full time employee and Our meeting was enriched with the several helpers. It puts out the bimonthly membership of a very devout blind black Canadian Friend and several other pam­ lady. A time thoroughly impressed on my phlets throughout the year. memory is the day she got down on her During the school's years, Hugh knees and poured her heart out, actually Campbell-Brown of Vernon, who had speaking in tongues. visited often and long been interested in In 1952 several of us decided to move to both our school and our meeting, started a Argenta, where we named ourselves Argenta worship group in his home town. This later Friends Meeting. The three families, became Vernon Monthly Meeting. At Pollards, Stevensons, Boyds (including present we are sponsors of two worship Mother Boyd), who came the fIrst year held groups in the Nelson area. Roughly four meeting in the Stevenson home. The follow­ times a year we hold meeting in Kaslo so ing year the Rushes and Wolfes arrived in that members of these groups can join with Argenta and joined with us. So that our us. children could sit with us during meeting, we shortened its time to about a half hour. PACIFIC YEARLY MEETING and From time to time we tried to manage a ARGENTA Sunday School, but the rigours of living in Phillip Wells, Argenta Meeting our situation made it so diffIcult that we gave it up until some years later when the As a seventeen year old fundamentalist meeting had grown considerably, at which Baptist boy, going off to Stanford time Helen Valentine, Mary Farley and University, I was introduced to Quakerism Hugh Herbison held a Sunday School during in the study of the Professor of Classical meeting for a year or two. Eventually their Literature, Augustus Tabor Murray, who enthusiasm expired and none of the rest of quoted the poetry of Whittier and opened the us seemed willing to give up meeting time New Testament to me in a new way. My for running the Sunday School, nor did we sights were broadened, and I was turned fInd suffIcient energy to hold it at another around. Later in Medical School, I met a time. nursing student, Marguerite Brown, who 8 made her home-away-from-home with PYM, and about that time Vernon Howard and Anna Brinton, who had Preparative Meeting of Argenta M. M. was brought her to California, when they trans­ formed. It later became Vemon M.M. Many ferred from Earlham to Mills College. Argenta Friends were familiar to us - in We were married in the Berkeley fact, we had introduced John and Helen Meeting, and the Brintons were our mar­ Stevenson to each other, and the Pollards riage committee. They had a great influence had been patients of mine for many years. on our lives. After a few years we moved to We helped with the Argenta School when the Pasedena area and Orange Grove we could until it closed in 1982. We contin­ Meeting, of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. I ue to enjoy the rich fellowship of the soon became involved in a leadership role Argenta Meeting. in the Young Friends Advancement Committee; in developing a lively, active OUR ASSOCIATION WITH FRIENDS Southern California branch of the AFSC; Sigurd Askevold, Argema Meeting and in the developing Pacific Coast Association of Friends. This organization The great war had ended; World War II began in Brinton's home in 1932. It includ­ would remain in history to be one of the ed unprogrammed Friends from up and most gruesome, the most inhumane that had down the Pacific Coast at its beginning. I ever been unleashed on humankind. And we served as Chairman of the Bulletin had both been in it, with no small experi­ Committee, which was the only continuing ences. Imme had survived more than one of committee of the Association. In this capac­ the most devastating air attacks on cities, ity I coordinated efforts leading to the for­ Hamburg and Kassel, while I had been mation of Pacific Yearly Meeting. This forced to stand by, helplessly, without being included smoothing out possible road­ able to help in any way. Myself, I had sur­ blocks, such as being sure that the Friends vived, miraculously, all these years, in spite Churches had no objection. I flew to of all the odds against me. Which was the Philadelphia to reassure Rufus Jones, who worst is hard to say. Was it the Russian resisted the idea until Howard Brinton and I winter with blizzard and minus fifty-five convinced him. degrees in summer clothing; was it the In 1946 the Association met in dehumanizing of human beings by the mili­ Pasadena, hoping to establish the yearly tary; or, was it witnessing one of the worst meeting. Howard Brinton from Pendle Hill episodes of that time, an episode of the came by way of Canada. He urged Victoria Holocaust? and Vancouver Friends to come. Several All that can be said, is that both Imme did: Margaret (Peggy) Lorenz, Martha and I had kept our sanity, our hope that Vallance, and Dorothy Lash. The way nothing like that would happen again, that opened, and we met in 1947 as Pacific the newly established United Nations would Yearly Meeting in Palo Alto. In the next be able to stop fighting among nations the few years, we were joined by meetings in moment the first shots were fired. Arizona, New Mexico, Mexico City, I was brought up Lutheran, not because Shanghai and especially Canada. Victoria, of my father, but because my mother Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary joined. wished that to be so. But during these recent When Friends from California came to years, I had seen priests and ministers, rep­ Canada in 1952 and 1953, they established resenting Christian denominations, bless Argenta Meeting as part of PYM. weapons to kill fellow Christians. When I By the late 1960's PYM had grown so came home, in 1946, I wanted to have large, both in numbers and in area, that nothing to do with that kind of religion, not there was a natural Friendly splitting into any more. four parts. Canadian Friends that I especial­ When my parents took me to a Quaker ly remember in PYM were Hugh Campbell­ Meeting for worship, I was very much Brown, Richard Broughton, and the impressed. And upon finding out more Argenta Friends. about the Religious Society of Friends, we Marguerite and I moved to Argenta in both decided that would be the religious 1970, at the time that Canadian Friends left orientation for us, something we could 9 believe and support. We never actually dis­ even thought of doing that. In fact, she cussed it for a decision. It just happened. joined us at Bonn and travelled with us to We kept going to meetings, and we have Stockholm, still a lot to accomplish during done so ever since, and as time progressed, that time. And I appreciated her presence as years passed by, we never regretted our and thanked her for helping me to make it decision, which was one of quietly taking possible. for granted we would go to "Meeting". The story of the Peace Caravan has been When we came to Creston, in 1952, written up as The Peace and Friendship there was no meeting anywhere within Caravan International, 1984. reach. We were all the more overjoyed, when we met Friends on their way to settle FORMATION OF VERNON MONTHLY in Argenta. And with that began nearly four MEETING decades of wonderful happenings and by Lesley Robertson getting to know Friends there. During these years our association with Although Vernon Monthly Meeting has Argenta Friends has grown stronger and evolved through the years thanks to the most memorable for our children. It was a contributions and faithfulness of many wonderful time we had with them, as well people, I think there would be little doubt in as with our friends and their children. anyone's mind that the Meeting owes its Having a place to stay enables us to go to existence primarily to the dedication of Meetings on Sundays, unless winter condi­ Hugh Campbell-Brown. Hugh had become tions forbid. But most important to us was interested in Friends in 1952 and joined the fact that now we had a spiritual com­ Vancouver Monthly Meeting the following munity akin to our own thinking. There year. At that time he and his wife, Mary, were our Friends and personal friends with and their family lived in Vernon. They whom we could communicate, with whom made it known that there was a Quaker we were on the same wave length. Meeting Meeting at their home Sunday mornings. for worship was held in Stevensons' living Much of the time in the early years Hugh room until the actual Meetinghouse was was the "meeting". By 1968 a few other built beside Kootenay Lake, right by the families became regular attenders. These beach. That is where Ragni had her included Shirley and Bill Lewis and Ruth wedding, as she always said she would, and and John Gracey. In 1970 Vernon became a that is where we had many a wonderful Preparative Meeting under the care of meeting, be it for worship, be it for getting Argenta and was accepted as a Monthly together and discussing everyday life prob­ Meeting at the fall W.H.Y.M. in October lems. 1980. Our first gathering as a Monthly No words about our association with Meeting was Nov. 9, 1980. In those early Friends can be complete without devoting years new "convinced" Friends in Vernon some space for a peace venture supported were grateful for the experiences of more by Friends, especially by Friends in seasoned Friends such as Evelyn and Albert Argenta. Moorman and Dulce and Julian Fry. We I have to take us back to Christmas appreciated the Bible studies lead by Hugh 1981, at the Creston Cross Country SId who was very knowledgeable. He was a cabin. I clearly remember saying to the person of strong values and determination. group I had just hatched out a very special He believed in Quakerly plain speaking project: an International Peace Caravan to tempered with care and understanding. take us half-way around the world. During the late 1970's and early 1980's Two years later and 2,000 letters sent we tried to meet every Sunday but as dis­ with the help of Argenta Friends, our tances were great many people couldn't "Peace and Friendship Caravan attend four times a month which resulted in International 1984" was on the way. My Friends often missing each other for weeks greatest support came from Imme. There is at a time. It was agreed that we would come no doubt about that. She knew I meant to on the second Sunday to Worship and carry out this plan, and she knew she Business Meeting and the fourth Sunday for couldn't and wouldn't stop me. She never Worship, fellowship, discussion and pot 10 luck. On alternate Sundays a few Friends Dec.1910 to April 1913, there were no would try to meet in Vernon, Kelowna and meetings held in Calgary. the North area. Although this did happen for In 1913, Frederick and Helen Sara a time these worship groups no longer meet arrived from England and with the help of and we retain the two Meetings a month. Walter Kennedy searched Calgary and the The years I treasure as being very surrounding district to fmd other Friends. A special were the meetings we had for a group started to meet every Sunday evening period of time when often we would have in the Sara home. Soon the meeting swelled nearly as many children at Meeting as in numbers so that 24 chai...--s had to be pur~ adults. Children add a very vibrant energy chased. By early 1914, the numbers were which we are presently missing as situations too large for the house, and so it was change and families grow and move on. decided to convert a small garage on the We are grateful for the lives of many premises into a meeting house. This was Friends who have been part of Vernon done by the Friends themselves. So was Meeting and who have contributed to the born the first and only meeting house in spiritual depth of our community. We Calgary. It was said to be large enough to remember, as well as Mary and Hugh accommodate 50 people. It was used for a Campbell-Brown, Julian Fry, Margaret number of years until the fire department Chapman and Evelyn and Albert Moorman, condemned it as a meeting place because all of whom were long time members and there was no supply of water available. The faithful attenders of Meeting. They helped fITst formal business meeting minutes were to set the values of the Meeting which many dated September 23, 1914, and Meetings for of us still experience today, in their generos­ Worship for Business were held monthly. ity and sharing of their homes, money and By Jan., 1915, the meeting applied to of themselves. become a Monthly Meeting under the care of BC Quarterly Meeting. The members then applied for transfers from their home meetings in the U.S. and the British Isles to Vancouver MM. In Oct. 1915, Calgary offi­ cially became a Monthly Meeting, and Vancouver MM transferred all of the memberships to the new Calgary MM. This had been a period of rapid settle­ ment in Alberta when many Friends and others arrived from the United States and Britain to make a new home for themselves. Many were homesteaders. The Colonial Committee at Devonshire House, then the administrative headquarters for Friends in England, kept track of Friends who emigrat­ ed to Alberta, and notified the Friends in Calgary, giving their destination, if this was A HISTORY OF CALGARY MEETING known. Calgary Friends wrote many letters by Margaret McGruther to isolated Friends who were dotted allover the map of the province. For many of these The first Meeting for Worship in settlers there was no group of Friends close Calgary took place at the home of William by and they joined in worship with other and Frances Kennedy on August 26, 1908. local churches. Some from places such as The Kennedys had arrived from Moores­ Strathmore and even Claresholm held town, N.J., where they were members of membership in Calgary meeting. Chester MM. From that time a small group The young meeting was active. Twenty­ met regularly until December 13, 1910. On one people attended one Business Meeting. May 12, 1909, a daughter of the Kennedys Visitors came from the Quarterly Meeting married a member of Halcyonia Meeting and from Canada Yearly Meeting based in from Borden, Saskatchewan. From Ontario. Calgary kept in touch with these 11 bodies by correspondence. Members tried to building fund. In 1957, a suggestion was attend the sessions of Quarterly Meeting at made to form a Western Half Yearly the coast whenever possible. The war and Meeting to include all meetings between conscription were big concerns. The son of Calgary and Winnipeg. This did not happen, one family was killed in France. The but the next year Friends hosted a meeting meeting was in abeyance from Sept., 1918, of Prairie Friends at Mount Royal College. until the end of the year as the Board of Friends came from Argenta, Edmonton, Health forbade public gatherings in an Winnipeg, and Calgary. A Prairie Friends attempt to control an influenza epidemic. Conference was held in May in the follow­ Walter Kennedy, who had been associated ing years at various locations such as Mount with the meeting since 1908, died in Oct., Royal College, Indian residential schools in 1918. Morley and Gleichen, and a Baptist Centre. By 1920, concerns were being raised In 1960, Calgary again became a about inactive members. Friends tried Monthly Meeting, and Edmonton Allowed meeting in various locations and in Friends' Meeting became a Preparative Meeting homes. Some grown children were no under the care of Calgary 11M. By 196,1 longer interested, some Friends moved back Calgary Friends began to look for a place to England, others to Vancouver. The where they could meet every week on meeting carried on until Nov., 1925, when Sunday mornings. For a while they met at the last minutes were recorded. the French Canadian Club. When this was During the later 1940s new people who no longer an option, some families opened were eager to join with Friends moved to their homes for the meetings. For a year in Calgary. Some were members of the 1968-1969 they met in the downtown Fellowship of Reconciliation. Only William YMCA. They went back to private homes T. Hobson, who had transferred his mem­ until an arrangement was worked out with bership to Calgary from Ireland in 1925, the Students Union at the University of remained from the earlier meeting. The fIrst Calgary for a number of years. When this minutes of this group were dated Feb., was no longer possible, meetings were 1954, with Russell McArthur as temporary again held in private homes. When it was Clerk. Calgary became a Preparative Meet­ considered more desirable to meet in a ing under the care of Vancouver MM later public building, situated centrally, a long that year. A newspaper article in 1956 noted search to fInd a suitable location followed. that a group of forty Quakers met twice per Eventually a small offIce was rented in the month in the Ladies' Parlour of Hillhurst "Old Y" in the Beltline district of down­ United Church. Concerns of the time were town. The common room was booked for nuclear testing, corporal and capital punish­ Sunday Meetings for Worship. Another ment, and the portion of income tax that is room is rented for First Day SchooL spent on preparations for war. There was In the 1970s, Calgary Monthly correspondence with the Northland School, Meeting found that its commitments to two which had been set up in northern Alberta Yearly Meetings were becoming burden­ as a mission to the Lubicon Nation by a some. They were drawn toward Canadian group of Evangelical Friends from Ohio, Yearly Meeting, and they decided to sever under the leadership of Roland Smith. the ties with PacifIc Yearly Meeting, though In the east, three Yearly Meetings had many members had developed friendships amalgamated to become Canadian Yearly with PacifIc Friends. About the same time Meeting and Calgary Friends wondered the other Canadian meetings which had dual whether they should transfer their affiliation membership were also giving up formal to the new Yearly Meeting from PacifIc membership in PacifIc Yearly Meeting. Yearly Meeting. They decided to wait and Edmonton Preparative Meeting became a see what Vancouver and Victoria would do. Monthly Meeting. Efforts were made to Even though a parcel of land was offered by hold joint meetings in Calgary or Edmonton one couple as a site for a meeting house, from time to time. Friends did not have suffIcient funds to Over the years numbers have varied. erect a building on it. Eventually the land Calgary has never become a large meeting. was sold and this became the nucleus of the People leave Calgary for other places and 12 new people arrive. The meeting has benefit­ the Meeting. I agreed under one condition, ed greatly from the numbers of visitors who that if I found a suitable place for a meeting have passed through and stopped to share on Sunday morning, we would do so. I with us, from many contacts with Argenta approached the attenders, who willingly Friends who visited as they travelled east, accepted my proposal. I found that the and from meetings held jointly with "French Club" in Calgary had a pleasant Edmonton Monthly Meeting, when this meeting room which we could use, and at no could be arranged. Especially valued has charge. The Meeting was strengthened by a been contact v.ith Friends in Central Canada good meeting place. At this time Calgary when it became possible to have a represen­ was an Allowed Meeting of Vancouver tative at Representative Meeting, and for Monthly Meeting, and Edmonton was rec­ members to travel to Yearly Meeting and to ognised as a worship group of Calgary Meet­ Yearly Meeting committees. Calgary ing. Calgary became a Monthly Meeting Friends are fortunate in that some are able to while I was there. I remember going to attend Western Half Yearly Meetings at Edmonton with Jesse Johnson to see if we Sorrento in the west, in May, and Western could help in any way to strengthen their Half Yearly Meetings held on the prairies to Meeting. the east, in October. In the mid 60's, I returned to Edmonton and found the Meeting dormant with only EDMONTON and CALGARY MEETINGS Dee Heston as a member. There was some Ron Mossman money in the bank where we agreed to send most of to the Service Committee. The I came out from England to Calgary account was kept open as I was sure the towards the end of 1955. With a farming Meeting could and would be revived. I let it background, I hoped to farm in Alberta. be known that there would be a Meeting for There were many opportunities here and I Worship in my home on Sunday mornings. was quickly invited to join a young Some months went by but eventually people company, where I remained until retirement, contacted me and began to come for having become a shareholder and director. worship, including families. Later we had I had not been able to get any informa­ the opportunity to use the library of the tion about Friends in Western Canada Knox Metropolitan United Church. It meant before I left England. After getting settled I an afternoon Meeting, but we accepted it. did go to a meeting regarding the plight of The Meeting eventually became a Monthly the Indian Peoples. I was told there was a Meeting, and I became clerk for ten years, Friends Meeting and given the name of by which time I felt it was time for some Jesse Johnson. I contacted Jesse and eventu­ one else to take over. New blood had joined, ally went to a Meeting. I think it was in the and the Meeting had become established. home of the Hobsons. I attended Meeting off and on. As I was very busy all week, ANOTHER GLIMPSE of EARLY Sunday was my only day of rest. FRIENDS ACTIVITIES About a year later I was transferred to Gordon Hirabayashi Edmonton where I was very much involved with business, starting a new branch. I arrived in Edmonton in 1959 during Edmonton Friends were meeting for the huge indusuial development following worship infrequently. I had been in touch the Leduc oil discovery. Among the new­ with Dee Heston, and I think, Pauline comers to Edmonton were some Friends Hughes. There were many attenders, mostly from Britain, Eastern Canada and USA. In from the University faculty. due course these Friends found each other. I went back to Calgary two years later, During most of the 50s I was in the Arab and had more time to involve myself in the Middle East, primarily Beirut and Cairo. Meeting, which was meeting on Sunday Before that I was in Seattle, becoming a afternoons in the library of a church. The Friend in 1941, while a university student. afternoon was chosen to enable attenders, In retrospect, I arrived when Ron who belonged to other churches, to attend. Mossman was still in Calgary. The names Eventually I was asked to be Clerk of are mostly forgotten as we have a history of 13 losing our record books with changes of they were the only couple; the others were recording clerks. There were Potters from either single or only one of the married pair England, Cannen and Peter Brock (now of were attenders. Others were Helen Scheiber, Toronto), the Ackennans, Dee Heston, in all Dee Heston, Mary Englemann, Renate von about six families and some individuals. In Koenigsloew, and John and Joan Eddington. the early sixties we became a worship group under Calgary. LEARNlNG WIlli CALGARY FRIENDS Around 1963, we held our first-ever (to Margaret McGruther rr n vruUT kno".ledge)"1. Qnake'"U.l m"m'a.l"U..U.l 6--"" l'u.,J.Ji ~.lLl""".l lh.orta , except for the last legal step, Sojourning In Montreal, where I lived first in with us from Australia was Canada Council Canada, I attended the Quaker meeting, I post-doctoral Fellow in Geology, Keith was a birthright Friend from England but Crook. A month before returning to felt the need to find out about other fonns of Australia, Keith and regular attender Nonna worship so I also spent time attending Johnson, of Edmonton, asked to be married various church services, gradually attending in the manner of Friends. We quickly the meeting more and more. It was in appointed a Clearness Committee to visit Montreal that I met Frank who was not a the applicants, while another committee Friend, but often accompanied me to sought legal clearness via Calgary M.M. meeting. When he asked me to marry him, I Since there were no prior requests, Calgary said that I would like to be married in the had had no occasion to appoint a Marriage manner of Friends, and he agreed. I had Registrar. Checking with the Marriage decided that this was where I wanted to Bureau, we learned that Quaker Marriage make my spiritual home. I still did not Registrars can be appointed, but it would understand fully why Friends did things the take more than a month to accomplish. In way they did, and how it all fitted in with the meantime our Clearness Committee the belief and experience of "that of God" in reported back with enthusiasm, so the everyone. It has been, and continues to be, Edmonton Worship Group, with creative (if an on-going revelation. It was always much not divine) inspiration arranged a Meeting easier to grasp what Friends did not do. for Worship for Marriage after the manner Frank and I moved to Vennont for a few of Friends with a friendly United Church months before coming to Calgary in 1961. minister in attendance, who signed the mar­ The next year our daughter was born. I con­ riage document. tinued to attend Calgary meeting, and the Ron Mossman returned to Edmonton, family attended Western Half Yearly and he, with the encouragement of Fred Meetings in Edmonton, Argenta, Sorrento, Haslam of CYM, arranged for us to become and various locations in Saskatchewan. I a Monthly Meeting - with a Marriage had served as recording clerk and treasurer Registrar! Because of our earlier established of Calgary meeting before becoming clerk ties to Pacific Yearly Meeting, we main­ of Western Half Yearly Meeting from 1973 tained dual Yearly Meeting membership to 1975, and after that was clerk of Calgary during the sixties. Monthly Meeting for several years. Rapid population change, moving both Contacts with Argenta Friends were in and out, was a constant dynamic, among very important to me. Argenta Friends Friends, too. Following the early surge into attended Western Half Yearly Meetings, and Monthly Meeting status, we were again they would let someone in the meeting suddenly reduced to one couple and a few know when they were travelling through singles. Most of the latter 60's were very Calgary to and from Representative Meeting quiet, a slow process of rejuvenation, even­ so that any who were free could meet them tually meeting at Ron's home and later Knox at the airport and get a first-hand report of United Church library. One Meeting for Representative Meeting. Sometimes they Worship met, when locked out of the would break their journey and stay over­ library, in Richmond Longley's sedan. night with a Calgary family. When Argenta Moving into the 70's, Richmond and Friends' School held a couple of Margaret Longley, seekers from the Baptist "Intersessions" in Calgary some of the staff background, served as vital stabilizers, when and students were billeted with Calgary 14 families. Without these contacts I felt isolat­ war" technique that is still being perfected ed from Friends on the "outside", and had for an unknown enemy. Over my early not much idea of what was going on in the years in B.c., from 1982, I watched NCC world of Quakers. Written reports were grow from a group of what the locals called received, but these did not mean very much "peacenik hippies", who camped in teepees without the personal contact. across from the base, to a sophisticated Eventually it became possible for peace-action lobby. I was invited many Friends from all across the country to attend times to join the Board of Directors, but felt Representative Meeting and various com­ that with my career in television and film mittees of Canadian Yearly Meeting. This and my work with Conscience Canada sometimes brought several members of the commitments, I could not tackle more. I meeting, during any given year, in contact attended a court case in which some women with Friends in eastern Canada where we were charged with trespassing when they felt the influence of a strong Quaker tradi­ tried to have a peaceful picnic on the base tion. I served on Discipline Committee and shoreline, and was impressed by their Nominating Committee, and attended a passion and dignity. From that day I took number of Representative Meetings, as well more time to attend peace walks, vigils and as Canadian Yearly Meetings. I feel that I some meetings, and was often asked to par­ have gained many insights from all of this. ticipate by speaking at public events. My Life is an adventure, and there is still much fIrst public action was to request the to learn. Nanaimo City Council to declare support for NCC. They sat on the political fence, but NUCLEAR FREE NANOOSE: THE the issue became more publicly known. NANOOSE CONVERSION CAMPAIGN Two years ago, at an AGM for NCC, I by Joy Newall suggested a coalition with NCC and other organisations across Canada to make a The fIrst time I really saw the Naval wider and bigger lobby to ask the govern­ Base CFMETR in Nanoose Bay, B.C. was ment to cancel their contract with the USA. when I attended Meeting for Worship in So far more than 16 groups have joined, "The Peace House" situated across the bay including Conscience Canada, the BC from the base. This house was the place for United Church, Ten Days for World Devel­ peace groups to meet and work, led by the opment, Allied Workers and Fishermen's Nanoose Conversion Campaign (NCC). It Union. Four years ago, when NCC moved was also rented for once monthly Meeting to a Nanaimo offIce, my husband, Bob, and for Worship for the Mid-Island Worship I bought the "Peace House" and are convert­ Group from the owner, peace activist, Mr. ing it to our retirement home. We have con­ Schubart of Saltspring Island. It was the tinued to hold Meeting for Worship here absolute contrast between the Meeting and ever since, and it has become the home of the potential horrors practised and planned much Quaker and Peace action activity. We for at the base, that hit me hard. CFMETR look across at the base every day, and know is a Canadian Base used by the US Navy, we still have work to do. under agreement with the Canadian As a weekly columnist for the Nanaimo Government, as a site for torpedo testing Daily Free Press I write "The View From from nuclear powered submarines. It is on the Peace House" on peace related topics. the site of the traditional village of the There I frequently write about the urgency Sna'naw'was First Nations. Much debris is for ending this use of these beautiful waters, left on the ocean floor each time the range is and this attitude of preparation for war used for tests. The area known as WG (or in instead of planning for peace. It gets good the maritime alphabet: "whiskey golf') in readership response, though there are many Georgia Strait is out of bounds to all local diehard militarists around us. The peace boaters, commercial or otherwise, during testimony we live by is to do what we can to military operations. Several accidents have end all wars. occurred with subs damaging or sinking smaller craft, and there is the ever present danger of a nuclear accident. It is a "cold 15 TEACHING JAPANESE CHILDREN ity, no running water, no radio or newspa­ Wilson Hunsberger, Victoria Meeting pers. Sanitary facilities were primitive and were located far away. In June 1942, as a conscientious objec­ Compensation for whatever deprivation tor I was assigned to the RC. Forest Service I felt came from my daily encounters with to fight forest fires, to build roads and plant the children themselves. I quickly observed trees according to the changing seasons. how easily these youngsters had adapted to The camp was ten miles from the village of life in a lumber camp. They were invariably Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island. As cheerful and happy as they trudged up the time passed it was understood that the camp hill to their "school". Fortunately, for me, would be our home "for the duration". So, it they were bright and eager to learn. Never was a surprise for me to learn in October, had I encountered a more winsome class of 1943, that I had been assigned to teach students. They ranged from Fred in Grade 8 Japanese children in a lumber camp in to Jacqueline in Grade 1, six in all. Needless Northern Ontario. "Neys" was a forlorn flag to say, there were no discipline problems. stop on the C. P. R. transcontinental line. Time passed and as spring approached, The nearest town was White River, fre­ several of the families were allowed to quently cited as the coldest spot in Ontario. move to Toronto where labour shortages A t the tiny station building, I learned my were acute. The school broke up and I, too, final destination was the Pigeon River left, this time for my home community in Timber Company Site; again, it was ten southern Ontario. miles into the bush. The Camp consisted of Years passed and Neys became but a a cook house, a laundry, an office, housing memory. I had lost contact with the children for the lumber-jacks, stables for the horses, but had an urge to locate them and to learn and other sheds and outhouses. of their current life situations. On a chance, On a clearing on a wind swept hill, I addressed a letter to Richard M., whose some forty yards from the main buildings name I found in the Toronto telephone stood a tar paper covered shack designated book. I wrote that despite his rather com­ as the school-cum-domicile for the teacher. mon Japanese surname, he might be one of It was an improvisation. A Japanese family the students in my classroom at Neys, fifty occupied the larger part of the building. The years ago. My quest brought an immediate schoolroom allocation was about ten feet by response and soon I had letters from five of ten feet with a bedroom cubicle large the lumber camp pupils (one had died). enough for a cot and a small desk. The As I could have surmised, all have building was without insulation, nor was it become well established, three are now excavated under the floor. To compensate retired and two are grandparents. Jacque­ for such structural deficiencies in a cold line, my only girl, wrote me a delightful climate, a 45 gallon oil drum lay on its side letter advising that she was a professor at mounted on cement blocks. A blacksmith's McGill University. She has three girls in her skill had transformed the tank into a func­ family. Her classmate, Ken, is an Engineer tional wood stove. Manager in a large fmn in Toronto. The timber company· provided a pile of It was only recently, too, that I learned pine lumber and suggested I construct desks why this little enclave of Japanese and benches for the students. My carpentry Canadians were located in the remote spot skills were most limited (and still are), but I in the wilderness. Richard, my first corre­ succeeded in constructing two benches and spondent, disclosed that several men, includ­ a table as a substitute for desks. For several ing his father had protested their relocation days we had no supplies, and we never had from the west coast of B.c. As a reprimand a chalkboard, nor maps, nor art supplies, nor or punishment these "dissidents" were sent supplementary reading material. Somehow to Petawawa in eastern Ontario, separated we acquired the standard elementary texts from their families. In the fall of 1943 for Arithmetic, Literature and Spelling and Richard's father was allowed to reunite with a supply of exercise books. The limitation his mother and sons at Neys. Richard hadn't of supplies was depressing and the lack of seen his father for two years. amenities didn't help. There was no electric­ 16 Quakers in Early Prince Edward Island History

by Nathan H. Mair

In January, 1801, Quaker Joseph Hoag objectionable. Thus provided, and guided left his home in Vermont on a lengthy by John Cambridge, Hoag and Wing set out journey to visit "Friends" in New England to visit Friends in the isla..n.d's outports. and in "Nova Scotia and the adjoining Not many Prince Edward Islanders British provinces."l Hoag and a companion, today are aware of the part Quakers played Joseph Wing, arrived in Prince Edward in the Island's early history. One of them, Island on August 30th, 1801. While on the Elisha Coffin from Nantucket, was a Island the two were guests in Charlottetown member of the Island's first House of of John Cambridge, prominent Island mer­ Assembly, which met in 1773; and in 1785, chant, and his wife, Mary. The Cambridges an act of the Island's government complete considered themselves Quakers. On Sept. with royal assent, expressly granted to 11th the visitors supped with Benjamin Island Quakers a privilege which allowed Chappell, the well-known wheelwright, who them, except in criminal cases, to make an maintained a friendship with Quakers who "affmnation", rather than to swear upon the had been his neighbours in New London Bible in testifying in court.3 more than twenty-five years earlier. 2 Quakers objected to oaths because of Soon after their arrival, the Quakers met their belief that disciples of Christ "who Edmund Fanning, the Governor of Prince possessed His Spirit would speak the truth Edward Island, who, with his wife, attended in love on all occasions, and would be dis­ Hoag's first religious meeting on the island. loyal to him if they allowed the outward In a courteous gesture, Fanning provided form and ritual of the oath to constitute the Hoag with one of his personal riding horses sanction of their truth speaking."4 This and a fine saddle covered with a blanket so objection to swearing, along with their cus­ as not to hurt Hoag's feelings. The Quaker tom of wearing plain clothes, the employ­ would have found such a show of luxury ment of the friendly and democratic "thee"

The Island of Sf. John (Prince Edward Island)

Park Corner New London Bay Savage Harbour "Friend Cofrm It

Lot 21 was Robert Clarke's Colony 17 and "thou" ("you" had been introduced by hundred persons, Quakers among them, on Cavaliers in England as a special fonn of Grenville (or New London) Bay, and hoped respect which inferiors owed to their superi~ to combine business with a religious mis­ ors), the wearing of a hat as a symbol of sion somewhat in emulation of \Villiam respect to God (never merely lifted out of Penn who earlier had established the Quaker respect to a supposed superior), the use of refuge of Pennsylvania. Though concrete silence in religious meetings and decision~ evidence is not at hand, it seems possible making by what today would be called that Clark had some fonn of gentlemen's "group consensus", were Quaker hallmarks. agreement with Nathaniel Coffin and Yet, Quakers themselves needed some Phillips Callbeck and with the Nantucket fonn of vow to carry through transactions whalers. Benjamin Chappel whose "Day with customs and excise, to give evidence in Book" tells the story of life in early New defending their titles in coun or to sue for London, records the visits of Coffin ships, debts. Thus they developed their fonn of "af­ as well as others, which loaded cargo and frrmation." Apparently the Island govern­ sometimes were oiled and refitted there.7 ment enacted this right with an eye to en­ The operator of the saw-mill that Clark couraging these "dutiful and loyal people"5 established in New London was one Uriah to settle on the island. Indeed, as early as Coffin, of a Nantucket Quaker family. 1775, the Island government had passed a For Clark, the New London colony was similar act which in the disturbed conditions the embodiment of a "vision". The new of war-time had not succeeded in obtaining world, he believed, would offer hope to the necessary approval of Britain.6 This ear­ unemployed young men in London, who ly attempt to accommodate Quakers sug­ together with artisans and farmers would gests that, even before the American make a new start away from the evil Revolution, those on the island had made influences of the city. Since Clark was a the matter an issue for Island legislators. recognized local preacher,8 in England, and The 1775, legislation was probably due presumed himself to be a religious leader, largely to the efforts of Phillips Cal Ibeck, he no doubt believed that in the process of who at the time was acting governor of the their redemption those of his settlers who colony. Callbeck was a son-in~law and busi­ were not already Quakers would become so. ness associate of Nathaniel CoffIn, King's Joseph Roake was one of the "poor Friends" Cashier of the Customs and Receiver Gen­ from London who, letters of the time had eral in the port of Boston. The Massachu­ said, were to join Clark's colony as inden­ setts native had acquired property on the tured workrnen.9 Roake embarked with his Island of St. John (as Prince Edward Island wife and little daughter on April 6, 1774, on was then called) and was interested in fos­ board the scow, Elizabeth, bound for the tering trade connections between the two Island of St. John. He recorded in his colonies. CoffIns from Salem, Mass. had, at journal that "Friend Clark" joined them at least since 1768, maintained fishing stations Poole and that during the crossing worship on the Island. Whalers from Nantucket, services were held each "First Day" most of whom were Quakers, were present [Sunday] at which "our kind friend Clark in the Gulf waters. Indeed, Elisha CoffIn appeared in testimony and prayer. "10 Clark's had moved from Nova Scotia with his wife, Elizabeth, had recently died, and he family and, by 1772, had settled pennanent­ left in the care of others his young son and lyon the island's north shore. Encour­ daughter. 11 agement of the Nantucketers to establish The Elizabeth arrived in "Grenvile Bay" fishing stations and to settle on the Island on May 29th and the next day the new set~ must have seemed at the time an appropriate tiers came on shore to be met by a surprised policy. James Macdonald, who had been sent out By 1775, an additional reason to accom­ by Clark the year before to view the proper­ modate Quakers had developed. Robert ty and had settled at a place he named Eliz­ Clark, an English Quaker merchant, who abethtown, but had not been infonned of had obtained large tracts of Island property, Clark's voyage. Clark remained a few had established a settlement of some one months at New London starting the building 18 of row houses for workers at Elizabethtown mill, he said, operated inefftciently and the but then returned home to England, where miller and his family were on the verge of he married his second wife, Anne Be!:1:' starvation. Curtis concluded from what he Late in 1774, Quaker Edward Allen, 2 saw, and from the apparent severity of the whom Clark had appointed as agent in climate, that "this Island would not be charge of his interests at Elizabethtown, agreeable to an English constitution", 14 and arrived in the colony on the Lovely Kitty returned home by the ftrst available boat in with several additional settlers. Allen's job the spring, a trip also taken by twenty-one was to prove almost untenable. of the other settlers. Curtis claimed that in Three ftrst-hand accounts of conditions persuading him to make the trip to the in Clark's settlement during its early years Island, Clark had grossly exaggerated its have survived. One of these came from the attractions, promising that a fortune could pen of the Island's governor, Walter Pat­ be made in the timber trade, that "Deer and terson. In a report to the Colonial Offtce in Turkeys were so plentiful that a person 1784 (when Clark and others were engaged might shoot them sometimes from the in property suits against the governor) Pat­ windows",15 and that the money Curtis had terson described the situation at New Lon­ with him could be used to buy goods, when don as he experienced it 10 years before: actually it turned out that there was no cash in circulation in Elizabethtown. Some other [Clark] landed his Goods before he settlers who had arrived on the unfortunate had a House to store them, a part Elizabeth remained on the Island; among were on the open Beech, the remain­ them Robert Stewart, to be the Island's chief der covered with the sails of his justice, and the Townsend family, who Ship, all open to whoever chose to established themselves on Clark land at take of them. He had above a Park Corner. The Townsends were members hundred People to feed, and to pay, of the Farringdon Quaker Meeting in among whom were all the vaga­ Berkshire, England, where, it seems, Robert bonds of the Island, for those Clark had on occasion preached.16 Gentlemen flocked to him from all The most detailed and poignant descrip­ parts. .. He was open to flattery... tion of New London in its early years is He really thought himself a second found in Benjamin Chappell's Day Book. Penn... Depending on his powers as Chappell had been contracted by Clark as a a preacher, and the purity of his wheelwright and artisan-in-wood in general Figure, he brought out, with the and had arrived in 1774. His "Day Book," hopes of reclaiming them, a number which opens on January 1st, 1775, tells us of wild Youths who had before how "the people murmer for want of baffled the attempts of their Friends. bread. .. and decline their work not being Of those he made overseers, and I able,"l? and of Edward Allen's largely inef­ counted no less than eighteen who fectual attempts to ftnd food in neighbour­ only played and kept the others ing settlements. Benjamin Chappell himself, idle... I... advised him to turn about disappointed by ftnding "no master a­ their business a number who I coming nor no provision" considered named... He said he hoped to make leaving but changed his mind and resolved New London a place for recovering to "trust God for food. II 18 Among the names of Sinners. 13 of settlers noted by Chappell were McDon­ ald, Rook, Charor, Mellish, Adams, Smith, One, Thomas Curtis, has left us another Warren, Anderson, Cole, Atkinson, Yeo­ account. Curtis arrived in Elizabethtown in mans, Cofftn, Church ward and Hopkins. 1775, having survived the wreck, during a These accounts suggest some less than storm, of the Elizabeth and the loss of much desirable aspects of Robert Clark's character of the provisions she carried, on the Island's - at least a lack of candour and foresight. north shore. Curtis found the scene desolate, Indeed, Clark's conduct on other counts the row houses at Elizabethtown miserable, became a subject of concern for his meeting the settlers hungry and desperate. The saw in London. In 1786 he was accused of "di­ 19 sorderly conduct." Two Friends were ap­ ported, however, that large meetings were pointed to visit and deal with him. A few held at Park Corner, New London and at months later they reported that he had gone Malpeque, where the visiting Quakers were to the Island of St John's and thus no action welcomed by "a kind Friendly man's house, was taken against him.19 Robert Stewart. "24 One meeting was held in Clark and his wife, whose brother Wal­ James Townsend's barn where the preach­ ter Beny was now settled on the Island and er's "heart was much opened and enlarged in deeply embroiled in politics, took up peman­ Gospile love to the people. "25 The final ent residence at New London in the summer meeting in New London was so large that of 1786. In 1784, the aggressive John Cam­ the house could not hold them. Many who bridge had become Clark's agent on the Is­ attended these meetings, either out of curi­ land, Edward Allen havin~ moved to Green­ osity or from religious thirst were not Qua­ wich on St. Peters Bay.2ti Cambridge built kers, but it is reasonable to suppose that several ships at New London and had suc­ among them were some who believed them­ cessfully pursued Clark's legal interests, he sel ves to be Quakers - the remainder of with other proprietors had sued Governor Robert Clark's "poor Friends." Patterson and the Island government for The situation .had changed considerably discriminatory actions taken upon their pro­ by 1801 when Hoag and his companion perties, but soon after Clark's return these arrived on P.E.I. The Quakers' itinerary was two Quakers were at loggerheads and were planned to include, besides the Charlotte­ suing one another over money matters. 21 In town area, five locations on the Island 1789, the Clarks moved to Charlottetown where they had reason to believe, from in­ where Robert died in 1794. His last eight formation supplied by Cambridge or Chap­ years had been spent in futile attempts to pell or by some earlier American informant, make a success of New London and in ini­ that Quakers lived. These were "Tyra Vil­ tiating and responding to law suits. lage" (Tryon); "a settlement, mostly refu­ But what of the Quaker families in New gees" Bedeque; Parker's Corner (Park Com­ London during this period? Some of them er); "the east end of the Island" (East Point); were evidently still there in the summer of and "St. Petersburg" (St. Peter's Bay). Visits 1786, when they were visited from Nan­ to the first two locations were rewarding, tucket by John Townshend.22 (This addi­ though Hoag does not supply the names of tional evidence of a Nantucket-England­ any Quakers he may have met. But at Park Island of Saint John triangle deepens our Corner Hoag met "Farmer Tonsend," who suspicion that there was some more than had "formerly" been a Friend, and had a incidental connection between Quakers in meeting at his house on the eighth of 9th the three areas.) Townshend's journal of his month and his report was sad: religious visit to Quakers in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island mentions by We had to wade [through] deep suf­ name in the latter colony: his brother James ferings, feel the shipwreck of faith at Park Corner and his four children who and a good conscience. I had to deal "for want of a meeting... become like lost plain, close and solemn, shewing the to the Society"; John and Mrs. Cambridge desolation it produced where there "who have attended our meeting for some was a known departure from the years but we believe never visited nor Truth and what stumbling-blocks received members in London"; Benjamin such were to the honest seeker after Chappel and his wife who" having no relig­ righteousness, but it seemed like ious place of worship to go to seam to pouring water on a rock. 26 Lament their situation with some others"; Soloman Ball and his wife, and Joseph Before they left Park Corner the Qua­ Rooke who with his wife and four children kers heard a story which indicates for us the were members of Peele meeting in Lon­ fate of the New London Quakers in the don", and "divers others who go under the years between Townshend's visit in 1786, name of Quakers who have not been visited and Hoag's in 1801. Hoag recorded: nor received members. "23 Townshend re­ 20 I was informed... that a number of people at St. Peter's Bay, the party returned years past there came several fam­ to Charlottetown and on Oct. 24th took ilies of Friends and one approved passage to Pictou, Nova Scotia. In the eyes minister and settled in this place and of Joseph Hoag the Quakers of P.E.I. either had a meeting under the care of had lost their faith or were on the verge of Friends in England for some years. doing so. They lacked the support that a The preacher and the next principal continuing organization and effective lead­ member took to excessive drinking ership might have provided. as often to be disguised (disgust-:" Yet the Quakers cannot be said to have ing?). The people would not meet made no mark at all on Island history. For with them and the meeting had to their sake a law had been passed which was drop. When I heard this I did not a first step in enacting religious liberty. It marvel at the suffering we had to remained in the Island's statute books. John feeL 27 Cambridge continued to call himself a Qua­ ker, though his ruthlessness in business did The "preacher" referred to was certainly not add lustre to the Quaker name. Benja­ Robert Clark. The name of the "next princi­ min Chappell was almost desperately afraid pal member" is lost in the mists of history. of him on those grounds.30 Cambridge had The visiting Quakers then returned to admitted to a correspondent in a letter dated Charlottetown and after a rest there trav­ "12th Mt. 8th.1794" that in having to do so elled through the wilderness to East Point, much with worldly matters and worldly men accompanied by John Cambridge. Cam­ he was sorry that he lacked the vital spiritu­ bridge undoubtedly knew that Edward Allen ality he thought a religious man should now lived there, as did Uriah Coffin and his experience and that "I think I feel a degr-ee wife Hephsibah. Allen had married Lydia of Sorrow that I am not more SorrowfuL"31 Coffin, Uriah's daughter, and had three Benjamin Chappell, though not himself sons: Bartlett, Joseph and James. The a Quaker, more appreciatively preserved the Murrow family at East Point may also have memory of the Quakers of P.E.I. than been thought to be Quakers in sympathy for anyone. He retained a friendship, except for the elder Murrow had married a daughter of Cambridge, with the Quakers he knew. Not Elisha Coffin. Hoag's journal notes that "we many years after Hoag's visit Chappell went had a small meeting at one Coffin's former­ to the docks in Charlottetown to meet Ed­ ly from Nantucket and brought up a Friend. ward Allen and James Townsend as they There were others of this description pre­ returned from a visit to England.32 Allen sent." The meeting was "an exercising and may have stayed with him overnight, for the laborious time which is often the case when next day the two of them took a trip to see a we fall among people that know what the mill in which they were both interested. Nor truth is and who do not live up to it."28 At a was Robert Clark forgotten. He kept ac­ more "favored" meeting three miles distant, quaintance with Anne Clark until her escape the people tried to raise money to pay for from the Island and her creditors.33 In the Hoag's trip but he would not accept it. summer of 1803, Chappell visited Robert On the return trip to Charlottetown they Clark's grave in the Charlottetown burying called at St Peter's Bay. Elisha Coffin of ground and, noticing that the fence posts Savage Harbour, the Island's first Quaker, around the grave had rotted, he restored was now dead but his widow, Eunice, and a them.34 He repeated this in 1810 in respect large family survived. By this time Eunice to the memory of the Quaker whose vision had affiliated with St. Paul's Church in Char­ had brought them both to this Island. lottetown and the children had married into non-Quaker families. Here Hoag at first Appendix: Quaker Settlers on PEl experienced "great opposition in the minds of the people." Continuing his ministrations Robert Clarke, d. 1794. On the island 1774. 1785-94. he held up "the standard of truth to which Married 1) Elizabeth, with two children in the people inclined yet seemed to struggle England 2) Ann Berry, on the island 1785-1801. under it. "29 After a short visit with the No known descendants on PEL 21 Montgomery (of Anne of Green Gables fame) Edward Allen: d. ca. 1808. On PEl 1774-1808. families. Married Lydia Coffin, dau. of Uriah Coffin. Allen came to PEl in 1774 from London but John Cambridge: 1748-1831, on PEl with his wife may have originated in Nantucket. I have not Mary and family 1784·1814, and after the death been able to trace his membership but in testify­ of his wife for a time. Two daughters married ing before the Legislative Assembly of PEl in into the influential Wright family of PEL Other 1786 he was tenned a "Quaker" and made an descendants are in England. Cambridge was an affmnation rather than an oath. Children: agent for Robert Clark, then became a ship­ 1) Bartlett, m. Mary Coffin, dau. of Benj. Coffm. builder and merchant on his own. Eventually Had three sons and three daughters (for further owned large tracts of land on the island. information see Cousins: A genealogical Cambridge was not officially a member of a Resource in the Public Archives, PEl). Quaker meeting but considered himself, and 2) Joseph, m. 1) Elizabeth Coffin, dau. of Benj. 2) was considered by others, as a Quaker. Anne Simonson, by whom he had some twenty children. Among the New London settlers, some of whom 3) James, m. Margaret Livingstone (for children see were probably the "poor friends" from London Fulton Underhays Genealogies in PAPEI). referred to in the Welbam Forster letter cited in the article "Quakerism on Prince Edward Uriah Coffm: 1739-1806, on PEl ca. 1773-1806. He Island" by Kelsey in the Bulletin of the Friends was from a Quaker family in Nantucket, but was Historical Society 12 (1923), were James not a member of that meeting. Sawmill operator McDonald, John Adams, Joseph Smith, for the New London colony. Married Hephsibah Benjamin Warren, Chator, Anderson, Atkinson, Bunker. The Bakers and Morrows of PEl are Yeomans, Hopkins, etc. Many of these are descendants of their daughters. referred to in the daybooks of Benj. Chappell available in the Public Archives of PEL More Bartlett Coffin (Capt): 1737-1793, bro. of Uriah. On genealogical work is needed on these families, PEl from time to time ca. 1772·1790. Captain of some of whose descendants remain on PEL the Elizabeth, involved in coastal trade. Died at sea. Married, but no known descendants on PEL Not Quakers, but associated with the settlement

Elisha Coffin: 1740-1785. Emigrated from Benjamin Chappell, settled in New London with Nantucket to Cape Sable Island, N .S. ca. 1762, Clark's colonists, and as a Clark employee from and to PEl in 1772. Settled at Savage Harbour. about 1774-1780. His daybook gives details of A nephew of Uriah and Bartlett Married Eunice activity in the colony in the early years. Myrick and had many children, ancestors of Chappell was a Methodist by persuasion but Coffms, Clarks, Douglas' (for children see continued throughout his lifetime to cherish his Fulton Underhays Genealogies in P APE I). friendship with various Quakers.

Joseph Roake: settled in New London colony in Nathaniel Coffin, related to the other PEl Coffins but 1774 with family. Leased land on PEl in 1784 not a Quaker, had business interests on the and signed a petition in 1787, but no trace after island from ca. 1772. Had the deed on a British 1788. Known to be a professing Quaker at the ship in New York in 1780. His daughter Anne time of John Townsend's visit in 1786. married Phillips Callbeck, Attorney-General of PEl and during the Revolutionary War, its James Towns(h)end: settled with his family at Park acting Governor. It was probably through Comer in Lot 21 (the Robert Clarke property in Callbeck's influence that Quakers were wel­ 1775, a few miles away from Elizabethtown). comed to PEl and given especially kind treat­ On board the Clark ship "Elizabeth" wrecked ment in the colony's early years. off the coast of PEL Family included wife Elizabeth, children John, James, Lucy, Richard and Mary, and a servant, Thas. Edmonds. James NOTES: was a member of Faringdal Monthly Meeting in 1. Christopher Densmore & Doris Calder, "The Jour­ Berkshire. Married with Stewarts, Cousins and nal of Joseph Haag: A Quaker in Atlantic Canada", 22 Faith. Friends and Fragmentation: Essays on Nine­ 18. Ibid., June 9,1775. teenth Century Quakerism in Canada, ed. Albert 19. Densmore and Calder, footnote 11, p. 49. Schrauwers, Monograph Series, No.1, CFHA, 1995, 20. In Meacham's 1880 Atlas of P.E.I., the name p.3l. Greenwich was applied to two localities; Queens 2. Benjamin Chappell, "Daybook," Sept. 11, 1801, County, Lot 21, encompassing the area on New Public Archives of Prince Edward Island (PAPED, London! Grenville Bay where Robert Clark's Eliza­ accession 2277. Chappell also maintained contact bethtown once stood and Kings County, Lot 40, on with the Nantucket Quaker whalers who had visited St. Peter's Bay. That Edward Allen had move-d from New London during his time there. The entry in Greenwich, Lot 21 to Greenwich, Lot 40 is estab­ Chappell's daybook for Dec. 18th 1780, for instance, lished by a reference in a legal action of 12 Mar., notes a visit from Bartlett Coffin. Bartlett was a 1789 which describes Allen as "being on the nearest brother of Uriah Coffm and uncle of Elisha Coffm. farm" to the Greenwich Estate" owned by John Rus­ 3. R.G. 3, PAPEI, House of Assembly Journals, sell Spence but which was being claimed by John 1775-1789; The Act was passed by the House of Cambridge and Wm. Bowley for non-payment of a Assembly on 29 March, 1785; by the Legislative loan to Spence. That the Greenwich Estate referred Council on 30 Mar. 1785 and assented to by Gov. to was on Lot 40 is confumed by the will of Bowley Patterson on Apr. 13, 1785. which locates it on "the north side of SL Peter's Bay" 4. William Braithwaite, The Second Period of and describes it as "formerly owned by John Russell Quakerism, (Cambridge, Cambridge University Spence." See CO 226/13/ pp. 22-30ff and Bowley's Press, second edition, 1961), p. 182. will of 1808. 5. House of Assembly Journals, Oct. 7, 1774. 21. See R.G. 6, PAPEI, Supreme Court case papers, 6. Letter of Phillips Callbeck to Colonial Office, 1784-1800 for years 1787-1791 and later. In a peti­ London, Eng., PAPEI CO 226/6/119 & CO 228. tion to the P .E.!. government April 7, 1786, Cam­ 7. ego Chappel, Mar. 18, 1775; Dec. 2, 1775, May bridge described Clark as "one of (if not the) greatest 16, 1777; May 2, 1778; Sept. 23, 1778. Benefactors to this Island," and mentions in particu­ 8. Mss., fl. 1762, Library of the Religious Society lar Clark's project of importing from Quebec "a car­ of Friends, London, England, as reported to the go of Cows, Sheep Horses and breeding Mares with author by Josef Keith of the Librery, 8 Feb., 1996. which he generously supplied the poor indigent set­ 9. R.W. Kelsey, "Quakerism on Prince Edward tlers," (See PAPEI CO 226/10/ p. 44; B 1241; CO Island in 1774," Bulletin of Friends Historical 226/9/196; CO 10/339/35.) But the relationship soon Society, XII ( 1923), pp.75-77, quoting a letter from soured after Clark's arrival on the Island in the William Forster to William Fairbank, I mo., 1774. summer of 1786. 10. Ibid., p.77, quoting "The Journal of Joseph 22. The spelling of the name varies. John's "Journal" Roake..." has it with an "h" as do many references to James' 11. Ibid., p. 76. family. In England, however, this Berkshire family 12. House of Assembly Journals, 12 April, 1786, was usually "".fownsend." I gather this from referenc­ record that "Mr. Edward Allen of Greenwich (being es in Friends' Library, London, and from a copy of a Quaker) was Affirmed and Examined by the the Townsends' embarkation papers in a listing for Petitioner's Counsel." The information here is from 14th to 21st of August, 1775, obtained by Daphne Allen's testimony at that time. Harker, Charlottetown, P.E.L 13. Letter of Governor Patterson to Colonial Office, 23. "John Townshend's Journal from Nantucket to London, 2 Dec. 1784, PAPEI, CO 226/8 pp. 165-7. Hallifax and to the Island Call'd St. John's in the Bay 14. "Voyage of Thos. Curtis," Journeys to the Island of St. Lawrence and back to Nantucket, 4th, 7th Mo., of St. John or Prince Edward Island, ed. D.C. 1786 to 24th 8th mo, 1786"; PAPEI, ace. 3130/1. Harvey, (Toronto, 1955), pp. 9-69, 45. 24. Ibid., p. 3 15. Ibid. ,pp.9-1O. 25. Ibid. 16. Information from the Library of the Society of 26. Densmore & Calder, "The Journal of Joseph Friends in Britain, supplied by Josef Keith Librarian, Hoag", p. 36. The underlining is in the original. 8 Feb., 1996. The quoted document notes that Clark 27. Ibid. "visited" Farringdon Meeting. I assume "preached" is 28. Ibid., p. 38. implied as for Townshend and Hoag of this paper. 29. Ibid. The fact seems corroborated by Hoag's "Journal" 30. Chappell, Mar. 9, 1803; Dec. 10, 1808. quoted in note 27. 31. Letter, John Cambridge to Evans, Dec. 8, 1794, 17. Chappell, Feb. 27,1775 and Mar. 1, 1775. 23 The Quakers of Y onge Street Address to the 24th Annual Meeting

by Jane Zavitz Bond the Niagara region organized in 1799. Rogers envisioned a settlement half way between the other two "to be helpful to get Friends into Upper Canada united." His manuscript Journal relates that he traveled with his son-in-law, Rufus Rogers, north of Toronto forty miles into the back country and found the land that seemed right to his "leading" . Returning home, Timothy encouraged several related families from Monkton and Ferrisburgh meetings, to remove to the Yonge Street wilderness. They left the Yonge Street Meeting House rolling plain east of Lake Champlain where they had recently pioneered new communi­ The Friends Meetinghouse on Yonge ties. Why this move? Except for the north­ Street still stands as a reminder of the settle­ south passage through the mountains they ment begun in 1800. When built in 1810, it were isolated from their roots in New York marked the border of organised religion Yearly Meeting. As the good land close to north of Toronto. Today the meetinghouse the lake was taken up, the settlement was is the oldest place of continuous worship in pressured by the burgeoning population. the area. This account covers the back­ These Friends had set a pattern of moving to ground to and the establishment of the the frontier from the 1660's. The Vermont Yonge Street settlement, the building of the Quakers came primarily from Quaker Hill meetinghouse, and, some happenings under in the Oblong area on the east side of the its roof. Most of these events parallel the Hudson River, itself a result of earlier history of Friends in Canada; others are a western expansion.3 counterpoint to the melody, usually, but not In their migrations Friends took the always, in harmony.! security of their spiritual beliefs and the The road that is now Yonge Street stability of their meeting communities with began at Governor John Graves Simcoe's them. Firm in their faith, Friends were well direction in the spring of 1796. It was equipped to open up the new land; they had originally planned as the artery from York a clearly defined understanding of their to maintain British military and naval estab­ responsibilities to God, their neighbours, lishments on Georgian Bay. Once surveyed, their families, and themselves. These settlers were sought; domestic growth later strengths were as important to their success outstripped the military uses for Yonge as the physical supplies and tools in their Street. wagons. Prior to each group move a few At the same time Timothy Rogers, a men had gone forth to find the best sites for pioneer in Ferrisburgh, Vermont, was the settlements, as they pushed the frontier dreaming of founding a Quaker community into the continent. to the North and West. He learned of the As Timothy Rogers and his Vermont opening wilderness in Upper Canada and companions set out, he wrote, "On the 17th came to look over the prospects.2 He found (January) I started seven sleighs and all my a good mill site at what is today New­ effects and had a tedious voyage. My wife market, between the Friends settlements of Sarah had a son just before I started that I Adolphus on the Bay of Quinte, set up as a named after the Chief Justice, John Elmsley monthly meeting in 1798, and Pelham in Rogers. We had a great move and many 24 trials, but got on the ground about the fIrst they heard words to the effect that: "Land is of fIfth month (May), 1801."4 excellent, cheap- virtually free, well The winter permitted easier travel by drained, wooded with mixed timber, and a sleigh over frozen ground. His brief entry road broken through the wilderness, which leaves us to reconstruct the route.S They you may help maintain in lieu of taxes. must have gone north over or along Lake Other Friends have already committed to Champlain ice, then up the St La'\Wence, the settlement."7 Hearts quickened at the stopping in bad weather, or when reaching opportunity for better land and the shared the settlements along the river. They forged adventure of pioneering. For those refusing on to the Adolphus settlement on the eastern to war with their fellow men, the wilderness end of Lake Ontario. Here they rested as held adventure, and new homes their spring thaws began. They visited and made, reward. or renewed, ties with Friends who shared These Pennsylvanian Quakers from their interests in the Canadian future. Surely Bucks County had settled meetings at they encouraged some to consider joining Catawissa, Muncy, Fishing Creek and the new settlement; some did, according to Roaring Creek in the valleys clustered on the later membership records at Y onge the north bend of the Susquahanna River. Street. The Vermont travelers surely sailed They were in the fIrst wave of the Great from the Bay of Quinte to York (Toronto), Migration surging west at the time of the likely on Adolphus Quaker vessels, landing American Revolution. Slipping over the near the foot of Yonge Street. Finally, they mountains through river valleys and gaps to trekked the last forty miles by wagon up the the Susquahanna they quickly formed new rudimentary road to their long sought wil­ settlements. But within a generation the derness destination. West beckoned yet again. Land was richer, Their early May arrival permitted six valleys wider, and water transport easier on short months to plant food for winter, store the Ohio, Muskingum, and Miami rivers meadow hay, and build small cabins against (the Old Northwest Territory), an area the rigors of the coming winter. Timothy opened to settlement under the Ordinance of Rogers sought settlers with the essential 1787. So many Quakers trailed over the crafts and skills to build the new communi­ mountains that some meetings in the ty: blacksmith, mill\\TIght,and carpenter. Susquahanna valley were laid down before The mill was quickly set up, the forge fIred, they had replaced the log meetinghouses and the carpenter's tools pulled out of the with improved buildings of brick or stone, chests and put to work. Nearly all the as their forebears had done in the east. The immigrants were subsistence farmers with log Meetinghouse in Catawissa stands as a most practical experience.6 Migrating marker to the Great Migration's path. Quakers always located good land on the The forty patents were quickly taken up. frontier for settlement. The indefatigable The migration gathered momentum and Timothy was particularly experienced in more Quakers followed to settle around the land exploration and settlement. He had Yonge Street nucleus. The British govern­ traveled over much of the eastern frontier as ment, represented by Lieutenant-Governor it expanded and knew the Friends in most Peter Hunter, was well disposed toward the settlements in the north and eastern-Atlantic Quakers. Their reputation as settlers and regions. good citizens favourably impressed him, In York, Timothy Rogers learned that since he needed experienced pioneers to two Friends from Muncy, Pennsylvania, open up the Yonge Street corridor. Samuel Lundy and Isaac Phillips, had By virtue of numbers, Yonge Street was received patents for twenty families in more an offshoot of the Susquahanna meet­ Whitchurch township, to the east of his ings, and therefore of Philadelphia Yearly grant of forty 200 acre parcels. With only a Meeting. Traveling through Niagara to few families coming from Vermont, Rogers reach their new holdings, Friends left their needed more settlers. The Susquahanna membership certifIcates in Pelham Monthly Friends were soon convinced to move when Meeting. The early Pelham records contain

25 the names of families who were Y onge did not mean that Friends in New York Street settlers, including the Uxbridge con­ were disinterested in the settlement. Jacob tingent, although they never lived at Winn, a fine and tender minister from Pelham. The invaluable, and unique, Yonge Vermont, sat head of Yonge Street Street "Family Book" lists the earliest Meeting. lO Memberships were exchanged members by family, giving marriage dates between meetings of different yearly meet­ and lists children by name, birth date, and at ings as they recognized each other's times death.8 Later, memberships were members. entered in the official meeting recorder's The meeting grew and was the core of book. social as well as the religious life in the The Yonge Street settlers met for pioneer community. Some settlers who were worship at Timothy Rogers' home imme­ not Quakers were drawn into membership. diately upon arrival, and then soon received Life in a settlement includes death, and so a permission to hold an indulged, or allowed, burying ground began on part of land set off meeting for worship at Rufus Rogers' . from Asa Rogers' lot 92, concession one, of Pelham Monthly Meeting appointed a King Township.12 Friends permitted burial, committee of oversight to visit regularly. A whether the individual had been a member committee of the Yearly Meeting from or not, a practice that continues. Philadelphia visited to assure that the meet­ The request to become a Monthly ing's leadership included a recorded min­ Meeting was granted in September, 1806, ister, and that there were sufficient numbers but given the distance from other Friends to support a meeting. The request in 1802 Yonge Street was continued under the direct for a preparative meeting at Yonge Street care of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. under Pelham Monthly Meeting, was Pelham was entrusted with making three granted in 1804. Care was always taken in monthly reports to supplement the yearly establishing meetings and this was done as meeting visitors' reports. This requirement quickly as travel and yearly meeting times may indicate the concern of Philadelphia permitted. On the 21st of Sixth Month Friends that frontier Friends follow the (June) Nathaniel Pearson, the Friend named Discipline. as presiding clerk, wrote and read the The Yonge Street settlement rapidly opening minute for the first business expanded in these early decades, creating meeting at Yonge Street.9 Due to their subordinate satellite meetings. Yonge limited numbers the men and women were Street, as founding body, was established as permitted to meet together. a preparative meeting in 1806; Whitchurch It was a major accomplishment for (Pine Orchard) and Queen Street (Sharon) Timothy Rogers to find the site in 1800, get in 1810; Uxbridge in 1817; Pickering in the patents, return to Vermont, gather the 1819; with "western" preparatives at settlers there, lead the trek to Yonge Street Tecumseh and Schomberg coming in the in 1801, begin the settlement, and then for 1830's, and Grey County meetings in the the meeting to make the requests through 1840's. Although members of Yonge Street the Pelham and Philadelphia meetings to Monthly Meeting, their local meetings for have a preparative meeting in place by worship sought preparative meeting status 1804. Yonge Street always held meeting when they were deemed strong enough to for worship, and accepted the delays as they carry out the responsibilities stipulated in followed all the requirements of the the Discipline. Discipline. To have dedicated individuals Immediately upon receiving Monthly accept the Discipline's structure for meet­ Meeting status the various servants/officers ings and to work together to follow it was a of Yonge Street Meeting were appointed. major component in the success of the Among them: Nathaniel Pearson continued Yonge Street settlements. as clerk; David Willson was the librarian; New York Yearly Meeting was not ini­ and, Amos and Martha Armitage were tially involved since Pelham was directly elders. Marriage committees and their under Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, but this reports quickly became a regular part of the

26 business meetings. The arrival of members Street Meetinghouse, between 1810 and from distant meetings increased the number 1812. of young Friends from which to choose a By 1810, two additional acres were mate. There were also marriages of older added from the Doan holdings on the next members who had lost a spouse in the rigors lot. Plans changed, however, after many of pioneer life. The membership certificates deaths in a sudden epidemic; the building's received for youth often included a state­ size was decreased to thirty by sixty feet. ment that they were clear to many. This The boards in the middle of each ceiling eliminated months of delay to send for were shortened to give up the ten feet, fIve "clearness" from their previous meeting feet on each half, a mute memorial to the should they request to be married "under the death of over thirty of the settlement's care of the meeting". William Pearson and inhabitants. Hannah James' marriage was the fIrst Timothy Rogers, who lost eight mem­ recorded. bers of his family in this typhus and/or Having attended to organizational measles epidemic had already left to found affairs in that opening meeting for business, yet another settlement, Pickering, at the 30-8-1806, they turned outward to "the mouth of Duffln's Creek on Lake Ontario. world" and wrote "an address" to new Lieu­ After eight years Y onge Street was in place; tenant-Governor Sir Francis Gore,13 just Pickering was a new challenge. Quickly arrived in Canada. Timothy Rogers and settled, it became one of Yonge Street's Amos Armitage were appointed to deliver satellite preparative meetings by 1819. it, and receive any response. They penned There were other valuable leaders in the the scriptural basis for, and their determina­ Monthly Meeting, freeing Timothy to move. tion to fulfIll their role as faithful citizens. He always maintained an important role in The petition wished Sir Francis and the Yonge Street Meeting, especially as it province well, but clearly stated their testi­ related to other meetings. In 1812, he repre­ mony against participation in the military, sented Canada Half Yearly Meeting at New or payment of taxes to support it. The king's York Yearly Meeting, receiving a letter of representative sent a written response that safe passage through the battle lines of the did not commit the government regarding war in progress. Both sides respected the pacifIst position, but Sir Francis was Friends and honoured the document. appreciative of Quaker support and gave Rogers' appointment and trip reflects the them assurance of his in return. sense of community among Friends which By 1807, Job Hughes came from the is greater than international borders. This Susquahanna area as a valued minister. outlook made the choice to move to Canada That year, too, the monthly meeting named easier. Nathaniel Brown, Amos Armitage and Amos Armitage, clerk of the meeting Israel Lundy as property trustees when Asa and an elder, was instrumental in the migra­ and Mary Rogers donated two acres of their tion from Pennsylvania, supporting it fully land. Plans were made for a one story from the start and obviously one whose frame meetinghouse, thirty-fIve by seventy opinions carried weight. Amos and his wife, feet, to cost one thousand seven hundred Martha Doan had seven children, all of and fIfty dollars. The builder-architect was whom were part of the Yonge Street settle­ John Doan, from Bucks County, whose ment. Timothy Rogers and his two wives, family had built the New Jersey state Sarah and Mary, had twenty-one children. house. 14 Eleazer Lewis, a young joiner No wonder the index for Yonge Street apprenticed to Reuben Burr, lived near the Records requires pages for several of the meetinghouse and may have worked on it early family entries. with Doan. Lewis used a carpenter's book Timothy Rogers' original dream be­ by Owen Biddle, published in Philadelphia came a reality in 1808 with the request for a in 1805, now in the CYM Archives. It was Half Yearly Meeting in Canada. This was a the latest guide for builders. The meeting natural outgrowth for the three Monthly members assisted with building Yonge Meetings. Timothy Rogers, Jacob Winn,

27 Job Hughes and Amos Annitage visited Adolphustown and encouraged that meeting to join in this request Both Philadelphia and New York Yearly Meetings considered the matter and a joint committee was appointed and sent to visit Canada yet again. Adolphus was under New York; Pelham and Yonge Street under Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. After due consideration Canada Half Yearly Meeting was established under New York. Geographically closer, it was willing to have the Half Yearly Meeting assume the duties of a Quarterly Meeting. The Yonge Street Friends now needed their new meetinghouse to hold sessions of Interior, Yonge St. Meetinghouse Canada Half Yearly Meeting, alternating with West Lake. Amos Armitage was clerk of the Men's Meeting and Lydia Dorland, of stoves in the middle of each half permitted Adolphus, was the women's clerk. They heat for what was literally a bam. The sill were ready to build. Funds had been collect­ beams rested upon large field stones at each ed, plans made, and then delayed. Now they corner. Later, after the invention of stove must proceed. pipes, the chimneys were moved to the ends Roofed with shake shingles, it is a of the roof, where they are today. This gave simple rectangular timber frame structure, more heat. The two cast iron stoves are sided with lapping boards on the exterior ­ identical rectangular boxes with moulded later replaced with batten board siding - and period design on the long sides. finished inside with planed horizontal pine The small paned windows, made by the boards. The benches and railings on the carpenters were glazed with hand rolled raised gallery show simple plane and lathe glass shipped up Yonge Street in barrels of work. A straight sturdy tree trunk was molasses so they would not break. These turned with a plain rounded cap to support ~indo~s were placed proportionately on the thirty foot expanse from the middle par­ eIther SIde of the two doors of the south side tition on each side halfway to the end walls. and on each side of the doors in the east and The pine floor was level with platforms west ends. Six were balanced on the north to serve as steps up to the raised seats at the side behind the raised benches where the front. The two clerk's tables were boards ministers and elders sat. No stained glass hinged to the railing and held up by the separated Friends from the natural world in single stick held in place by a hollow in the which they lived and worked in harmony. floor and one in the table board. The They looked out on some of the same trees benches on the main floor section were we see from the windows today; trees that slightly raised as a simple balance to the have lived through the same seasons of ministers and elders seats. It gave silent tes­ storm and tranquility as the meetinghouse. timony to the belief that all are equal in The light streaming into meeting on meeting for worship and had the right, and sunny days is a metaphor for the Light they responsibility, to speak if given a message sought in guidance for their lives. The to share. It also allowed any to stand and shelves built inconspicuously into the north­ speak, and be heard with greater ease. The east corner, held the library books, another movable partitions, open for worship on source for nourishment of the mind and First and Fourth Days, and closed during spirit, supplied by Philadelphia Yearly business held on Fourth Days, separated the Meeting for the members of Yonge Street. men's and women's sides of the meeting­ The records of the meeting may well have house. been kept there for protection and conven­ A chimney directly above the box ience. Natural light was all they had to use,

28 except for a candle or lantern. A lamp shelf from a clear guideline for proceeding with is still fastened to the walL It was a bam the affairs and business of the meeting, and structure with a simple finished interior, especially from the Queries and Advices on basic and functional in its balanced beauty. subjects vital to individual and corporate The events that transpired in this build­ life. The thin line between keeping the spirit ing allow us to trace the history of the of the law and the letter of the law is a deli­ meeting and of Friends in Canada from cate matter. Not all Friends could tread 1810 to tlie present. One major event was lightly... or walk in the "full" light ... then the publication of the 1810 Book of or now, for all are human with the frailties Discipline for New York Yearly Meeting. entailed. New England's Discipline was printed in At Yonge Street the shift from pioneer 1785 and was known to Friends from New beginnings to an established community England, such as Timothy Rogers. The also permitted individuals to be more inde­ Pennsylvania Friends did not yet have theirs pendent as their farm homes and businesses published, but the London Yearly Meeting were established. The Yonge Street road Discipline was available for guidance. Prior functioned well and brought ideas and pro­ to publication, the Philadelphia Discipline ducts in on the main artery it was intended had been copied by hand, compared and to be. The small Eden could not last long verified with the original. with the impact of the fast changing world. With printed copies available in 1810 One aspect of the "garden" was the the yearly meeting directed that one be school; eating of the tree of knowledge given to each household. This allowed a within the community under God's care was perceptible shift to a more legalistic encouraged. Education of their children was approach. There are an increase in the a concern of Friends from the beginning of number of business meeting minutes refer­ Quakerism. iS Families taught their own ring to the actions and conduct of the children until the meeting's school began in various members, or the manner in which 1802. Arthur Dorland stated that it was still the business is to be carried out. Elders were the only school for twenty miles around in specifically encouraged to look for aberra­ 1809. Held in the log meetinghouse on the tions. There were also positive benefits northeast corner of the property, it con­ J

I

...... I "- ., r-~' " \ \NARlfOsA '. "­ \ --.,- ­ \ 'I I.GWlll MBURY\ \ / wrsr: fAST \ TECUMS£TH i .SHARO~ _-, 1 - -\ \ {P \ . N~"1AR"£T_ '-1"" - :-. UXBRI P('£ ./. \ KING iWHITCHU~q _.; " \ - _:_ :- - - \ I \ YONOE;l d' _ ...... ----,..­ QUARTERST'PIC~ER ,1/'1_ ..: r: .' ~ \

Yonge Street Quarter, from Dorland, 1968.

29 tinued there when the new meetinghouse formed Queen Street Preparative Meeting in was finished. East Gwillimbury township. Willson was a All the adults could read, write and "convinced" Friend, brought up in Dutchess cipher, and were expected to perform the County, N.Y., as a Pres-byterian. He had functions of the meeting and attend to their traveled to the Caribbean, and had a wider personal affairs. Joseph Collins' handwrit­ view of the world and the various people in ten arithmetic texts, brought from it, than many of his Yonge Street neigh­ Catawissa, and his account book from the bours. His wife. Phoebe Titus, was a birth­ mill at Uxbridge illustrate this well. The right Friend from Dutchess County, dis­ library books were read; letters and journals owned for marrying out, and reinstated were written. Timothy Rogers' Journal when David Willson became a member in shows his ability to leave an account of 1805. events with only a few months of schooling. Over a thousand pages of his thoughts, Once the basic skills were acquired they some reflecting upon the separation from were practiced and honed by Friends. Yonge Street, are still being studied after In 1812, the War between the United their recent discovery in the Ark at the States and Great Britain began. Friends Temple. His books, sermons, and hymns were little involved, keeping to themselves comprise a significant body of early except when passing through the lines! The Canadian material. Another significant pan Niagara Friends were closer to the actual of our Canadian cultural heritage is the battles and a meetinghouse was used as a Temple at Sharon. Ebenezer Doan trans­ hospital. The Epistle from London Yearly formed Willson's ideas, based on the Meeting to New York Yearly Meeting, imagery of Solomon's Temple, into reality. which included Canada Half Yearly The unique building has been pan of Yonge Meeting, was brought through the lines and Street Quaker related history since it was printed in Kingston for distribution in begun, in 1828. Canada. It shared the sense of the sad losses Only a few Quaker homes remain along of war and the hope tranquility would soon Yonge Street, sentinels from earlier history. again reign. Seneca Doan's home, just south of the Another issue of 1812 which claimed Yonge Street Meetinghouse, built in the more local attention and concern was the early 1840's is one of these. Augustus schism within Y onge Street Monthly Rogers' square red brick house to the south, Meeting. 16 David Willson and other built in the 1850's, is derelict, awaiting members left to form the Children of Peace demolition. Across the road stood the at Sharon. He was later disowned at the matriarch, Sarah Pearson Rogers' Victorian direction of the Meeting of Ministers and home of the 1870's, was torn down to make Elders. There were statements that he did way for urbanization. not ritualistically remove his hat and stand They represent different styles and when others knelt to pray aloud. He sought materials. Yet nearly all had orchards. Most a like response to his prayer and was told of the homes were farm houses with several that his words were not thought to be divi­ barns, sheds and outbuildings to support the nely inspired. He found this hypocritical, comfortable self-sufficient agrarian life and said so. Some of the members of the which followed the subsistence period of meeting, including Amos and Martha the early pioneer. They lived with a sense of Armitage, left with him feeling he had not wholeness and balance in their daily lives been properly treated. They later returned. where work was familiar. A Query asked if The Doans, who built Y onge Street their homes were places of peace and con­ Meetinghouse, also left and built the Tem­ tentment, referring to the spirit of the life ple at Sharon. found there. The affmnative answer did not David Willson was charismatic. Active refer to the physical ease, but to the on committees, he wished for further leader­ welcome and care for those under the roof ship in the meeting that was not forthcom­ that was as evident in the frrst cabin, as in ing. His farm and home was in the newly the Victorian mansion. These were the same

30 families who had founded the settlement in Orthodox. This generalization is not abso­ 1800 and most still embodied the spirit and lute; the Browns were from Vermont and exemplified the values of their forebears became Hicksite, but the Rogers were whether they remained members of the nearly all Orthodox. Religious Society of Friends or not. This tragic drama was played out in One factor that remained common Yonge Street Meetinghouse, and in the end throughout the history of Quakerism was the Orthodox stayed. The Hicksites with­ the traveling minister who felt called to visit drew to the hamlet of Annitage, less than a Friends. They came with a minute from mile south on Y onge Street. It was a con­ their home meeting which give them the flict, but there were no disorderly scenes right to come into other meetings and the equal to some reponed in the United States. homes of their members. This was particu­ By 1834, Genesee Yearly Meeting, cover­ larly important to the pioneer settlements far ing western New York and Upper Canada from the populous Quaker centres in Hicksite Meetings, was formed. London or Philadelphia. In 1804, and again They were soon concerned with anti­ in 1811, Elias Hicks, from Jericho on Long slavery, women's rights, temperance, peace, Island, came to Y onge Street. His Journal and other social concerns, and less with the records these visits.17 Friends were appre­ structure of the body or set theological ciative of his service and their memory of statements. In 1904, the Friends General this and the fact that he was a rural quietis­ Conference of North American Hicksite tic Friend may have influenced those who Yearly Meetings was held in Toronto for a were later forced to choose sides in the week, with many speakers and papers. The Separation of 1828. Hicksites were making statements on their There were others who followed Hicks testimonies, as they continue to do, for their who pointed out that they felt he was concerns are still issues in today's society. unsound in his beliefs. A number, including Lack of more formal structures, westward Thomas Shillitoe, came to Canadian meet­ movement and marriage out decreased ings representing the Orthodox cause. membership during the next 70 years. By Present at Pickering Preparative Meeting in the end of World War I their meetings in the 10th Month (October) 1827, he recorded his Yonge Street corridor were laid down. account of some Friends in that meeting When they built the two story frame refusing to accept the statements of belief building with a school upstairs and a porch by the Orthodox Party of New York Yearly across the front, facing east, their numbers Meeting. I8 Later the same Orthodox com­ were strong. By the early 1940's the build­ mittee visited West Lake and Friends there ing was dismantled and sold. The cemetery divided on the issue of approving the state­ stones tell us which Friends chose to be ment of belief. By Ninth Month, 1828, Hicksites; Amos and Martha Annitage are Pickering Meeting, Orthodox Party, dis­ buried here, some Hughes, Irwin's, Phillips, owned Nicholas Brown, an acknowledged and Pearsons. All families from early days minister of that meeting, and soon after in the settlement. fifteen other outstanding Hicksites in their The last separation in Canada occurred meeting. in 1881 within the orthodox yearly meeting The Hicksite Separation soon divided (set off from New York Yearly Meeting in Canadian Friends. It had as much impact on 1867). This brought division to the Yonge the history of Friends as the Great Street Friends yet again and once more the Migration, but this time the results were conservative and progressive strands were negative to the life of Friends in Canada. It pulled apart, each claiming to be the true was a sad time, forcing Friends to divide Quakers. There were ministers visiting who their energies and waste the life of the sought meeting suppon for this separation, meeting with "in house" battles, breaking too. It was a continuation of division that the peaceful spirit that is expected to reside had developed in New England in the in a Friends meeting. Many of the 1840's and spread until Canada Yearly Susquahanna Friends became "Hicksites"; Meeting divided in 1881. It was far from and, more of the Vermont Settlers were simple, but the Gurneyites, as they were 31 called., were the larger group and became Newmarket and Canada Yearly Meeting. the evangelical church Friends. The Yonge Marjorie Moore Keffer was the daughter of Street members of this group moved. to a William 1. Moore, of the prominent Newmarket chapel on Queen Street and Benjamin Moore family of Grey County. later acquired the former Congregational William Moore was the Friends pastor and Church building on Botsford Street. The leader in Toronto, and editor of The service assumed. a programmatic Protestant Canadian Friend when it began in 1904, form with a leader, often an evangelist, or a under the Home Mission Board. Moore was pastor engaged. by the meeting who lived. in the founder of the Friends colony at the parsonage attached.. Swarthmore, Sask. William Allen, a former slave from the Meanwhile, the Canada Yearly Meet­ United. States, Frank Cornell, Harry Parry, ing, Conservative, also formed out of the and Bunon S. Hill, were among those who 1881 Separation, kept the Meetinghouse on served. the Newmarket Meeting. The work Yonge Street and continued. the practice of in home and foreign missions was important silent meeting. They maintained the life to them. They carried. peace concerns and style of plain dress and speech, and kept the supported the Canadian Friends Service historic testimonies of Friends. They left the Committee after it was formed in 1931. frivolity of "the world" to others. Elmer and Young Friends were active and encouraged. Elma Starr and family, whose pioneer farm The Sunday School was important and out­ home on Woodbine was a gathering place reach into Newmarket added. to member­ for many visitors, were the mainstay for this ship. After World War II the renewal of meeting in later years when membership silent worship with new members from post declined. They encouraged. the revitalization war immigration in Toronto Meeting, to of the meeting and served as a living link which Newmarket was closely tied, atten­ from the past to the present. Elma Starr was dance declined. and the Y onge Street the last Friend in Canada to wear her Meeting Newmarket was laid down in the Quaker bonnet to meeting. Her serene smile 1950's. For the last few years services were greeted all who came. Francis Starr, their held once a month for a faithful few. son, served with Friends Ambulance Unit in Much was accomplished. by this Friends China, and later worked in India. Another Church in the century of its existence. It son, Stuart, kept the farm, went on the boats kept ties between Pelham and Yonge Street to take cattle to South America after WWII, Quarterly Meetings active with Young was active at Nee-Kau-Nis, with Young Friends, mission work supporting the Friends and spent time with the conserva­ Binfords in Japan, and shared leadership tive Friends community in Monte Verde, through the pastors. The work in the west Costa Rica. These activities involved. was also supported particularly by Yonge Friends from other yearly meetings and Street Quarterly Meeting. Both Alma Gould advanced. reunification. Dale and William I. Moore went out as At some point after the 1828 Separation pioneers to found meetings in support of a porch across the front was added to the Friends who had gone west. Descendants of 1810 meetinghouse; batten boards replaced Yonge Street Quakers, they both left prema­ the clap boards to improve the building. turely because of health. The churches con­ This may be when the chimneys were tinued and became part of the United changed to the ends of the roof. Perhaps, Church of Canada, in 1925. The youth when the Hicksite meetinghouse was new, could not come east to keep ties with after 1834, the Orthodox felt concerned to Friends through Pickering College, as many improve their older building and keep pace had before, after it closed in 1917. The rural with change. Horse drawn wagons and experience drew farming families into a buggies could pull along side the porch to church community naturally. The meeting­ let passengers step directly onto the porch. houses still stand in at least two communi­ The drivers could face the horses into the ties. long shed on the west side, with hay to The Doan, Cleland, Rogers, and Keffer munch during the long meetings. The families made important contributions to wagons still hitched. behind, ready for the 32 trip home by chore time. Toronto, including blacks, were conducted In 1838, Joseph John Gurney, a leading under CFSC auspices at Nee-Kau-Nis, near English Friend and the brother of Elizabeth Waubashene, on Georgian Bay. Toronto Fry, the prison reformer, attended Canada Monthly Meeting initiated the camp work Half Yearly Meeting at Yonge Street. but shifted it to allow all three yearly meet­ During the business session he encouraged ings to share the work under the CFSC Orthodox Friends to establish a boarding umbrella, a uniting factor. Toronto Meeting school for their youth. and donated gen­ House/Church built on Maitland Street, with erously for it. In 1841, West Lake Boarding a columned entrance very similar to School opened. Subsequently, a school Pickering College, became the centre for continued at Pickering. Pickering College CSFC offices with Fred Haslam as treasurer reopened in 1910 at Newmarket, rebuilt and General Secretary. after a disastrous ftre at the previous site. A Toronto Meeting, established in the young architect, James Lyle, designed 1870's, was a younger meeting in Yonge Rogers House, the main building with col­ Street Half Yearly and Canada Yearly umned portico that can be seen from Yonge Meeting under the orthodox body, but with Street. the Service Committee Executive Members, Pickering College continues as a major the Young Friends, and the shared concerns educational institution to the present day. for peace education, relief and reconstruc­ Although under the orthodox body, all three tion work during and after WWII, the three groups of Friends sent youth there. bodies drew together after a century and a Coeducational from the start, it closed in quarter of separation to become Canadian 1917, serving as a hospital for shell shocked Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of and long term wounded until the new hospi­ Friends. In 1955, after this occurred in the tals were built It reopened as an independ­ business session at Pickering College all ent boys boarding school, in 1927. The worshiped together in the Botsford Street Friends philosophy of education was con­ Friends Church, in Newmarket, and then tinued. The teaching staff and international held a second meeting at the Yonge Street student body have made major contributions Meetinghouse with thanksgiving for being to the world. In 1991, it again became coed­ able to heal the wounds of past separations. ucational, and added more day students to Many of the Yonge Street Quakers were better serve society today. part of the coming together as they shared in Pickering College played a part in the the projects that drew Friends back toward uniting of the three yearly meetings when one another. Some took out membership in Genesee and Canada, Orthodox, Yearly the 'other' yearly meetings. Yonge Street Meetings met there in joint session from Friends of the past would surely be thankful 1924; in 1942, during the war and sharing for this reunion. The Meetinghouse on work for peace and relief, they were joined Yonge Street was a symbolic centre that by Canada Yearly Meeting, Conservative. belonged to all because it had been built Four clerks- a presiding clerk, and one to before any of the separations. It survived represent each of the participating yearly intact because it stayed in the Onhodox meetings - sat at the front table. Meeting (1828) and then in the Conservative together in the school setting each year /Orthodox (1881) bodies which did not alter helped to draw the yearly meetings together. the building, but continued to use it. Pickering College is also the site of the Numbers decreased and they did not need to Canadian Yearly Meeting Archives, used by change or expand the structure. The horse many researchers. The early meetings and shed on the west side stood into the 1930's. the current Yearly Meeting's records are After reunion some local growth there, as are those of the Canadian Friends occurred and at Yearly Meeting the S.P. Service Committee. That body has been Gardiner Address and Worship on First Day active since its founding, in 1931, for for­ was held there. By 1974, a committee was warding peace, human rights, and other tes­ established to restore the structure. David L. timonies of Friends. The camps for Young Newlands, former CFSC general secretary Friends and for underprivileged children in and then working at the Royal Ontario 33 Museum, was a primary member. Napier 2. Timothy Rogers Journal, unpublished ms.• Simpson, the restoration architect, advised Canadian Yearly Meeting Archives. See type­ and made plans that added a full basement script in the Dorland collection. beneath and a new entry way to the west 3. See Hugh Barbour et al. eds. Quaker that permitted stairs both up and down, Crosscurrents: Three Hundred Years of Friends while maintaining the general appearance of in the New York Yearly Meetings (Syracuse, the original women's anteroom. Syracuse University Press, 1995), pp. 28-35. Necessary plumbing, heating, a kitchen, 4. Rogers, op. ciL and dining, meeting, educational areas were 5. See also the description provided in G. Elmore put in the basement. Electricity was dis­ Reaman The Trail of the Black Walnut (Toronto, creetly used 'and there was light' in the McClelland & Stewart. 1957) pp. 15-23. main meetinghouse. Dorothy Duncan, 6. Albert Schrauwers Awaiting the Millennium (To­ scraped the paint to determine what colour ronto, University of Toronto Press, 1993) p. 21. to paint the interior. She found a pinkish­ 7. One settler, Amos Armitage, decribed the area to grey buttermilk paint; there was no other Friends in Pennsylvania as a land "flowing with record of what was fIrst painted there. Seat milk and honey". Schrauwers, op cit, p. 17. cushions like the last "older" ones made of 8. This manuscript is located in the Provincial woven linen with buttons of a Victorian era Archives of Ontario. not the CYM archives. were also added. 9. Dorland, Quakers. pp. 91-5. The work of slipping the timber frame 10. All specific references are drawn from the Yonge building off the supporting stones, excavat­ Street Monthly Meeting minute book. 0-11-6, ing, and building the foundation walls was Canadian Yearly Meeting Archives, Pickering done with great care. Complications from College. opening of a dozen springs while excavat­ 11. See the story of Francis Wasley. K.W. Totten ing, increased costs. Funds were given by "The Francis Wasley Family of Newmarket, many outside the meeting who valued the Ontario" Ontario Register 2(3): pp. 208-22. building where their ancestors had 12. For a lisiting of those buried in the cemtery see worshiped. Some families even competed "The Society of Friends (Quakers) Yonge Street among themselves for the support they Meeting. 1807" York Pioneer, 1965, pp. 43-50 gave. Finally, in 1976, the work was done. 13. Reproduced in Dorland, Quakers, p. 94. The meetinghouse was back on its original 14. John McIntyre "Tradition and Innovation: site and the present era began for the build­ Ebenezer Doan and the Buildings of the Children ing facing Yonge Street of Peace" Canadian Quaker History Journal No. Today Friends worship at Yonge Street 46 (1990): p. 7. Meeting each First Day. A small worship 15. See David Newlands "The Yonge Street Friends group meets in Orangeville, under the care School" York Pioneer Vol 71 (1976), No.2, pp. of the Monthly Meeting. Toronto Monthly 12-15. Meeting is the largest meeting in Canada, 16. For a more complete history of the schism and and there is a Meeting at Simcoe-Muskoka the Children of Peace, see Albert Schrauwers, at Orillia. Yes, Friends continue on Y onge Awaiting the Millennium (Toronto, University of Street. The meetinghouse is far from a Toronto Press, 1993). museum as the Quaker Founders' Day cele­ 17. Elias Hicks Journal of the Life and Religious brants discovered. They came to remember Labors of Elias Hicks 5th ed. (New York, Isaac 200 years of Y onge Street via the same road T. Hopper, 1832). their ancestors followed in 1801, and found 18. For a fuller discussion of the separation in the the still vibrant meeting these early Quakers Yonge Street Meeting see Albert Schrauwers. created there. "Consensus Seeking, Factionalization and Schism in the Yonge Street Monthly Meeting" in Notes: Faith Friends and Fragmentation: Essays on 1. General background material relating to these Nineteenth Century Quakerism in Canada larger events is. unless otherwise stated. taken (roronto, CFHA monograph series no. 1, 1995), from Arthur G. Dorland's History of Quakers in pp.83-7. Canada (roronto, Ryerson Press, 1968).

34 Report of the 24th Annual Meeting held 9 Nov., 1996 at Yonge St. Meeting House, Newmarket, Ont.

CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT Canadian Quakerism, and copies of the Yonge Street Meeting genealogical index. By Kyle Jolliffe As anticipated, Faith, Friends and Fragmentation has found a appreciative The executive committee met three audience. It accounted for most of the times during the year, for dealing with the increase in publication sales from $290.00 affairs of the Association, planning the in the 1995 fiscal year to $588.00 in the Journal and the Annual Meeting. 1996 fiscal year. A new publication in our The most prominent event of the monograph series, a history of Canadian year was not a single event, but rather a Young Friends, will probably appear in the series of events which commemorated the spring of 1997. 200th anniversary of Y onge Street. In Publication sales were also made at Newmarket this event was especially cel­ the biennial conference of Quaker ebrated at the Yonge Street Meeting House Historians and Archivists, held this past on July 21st, with a church service and June at Oakwood Friends School in picnic for descendants of Yonge Street Poughkeepsie, New York. Sandra Fuller, Monthly Meeting Members. Jane Zavitz­ Jane Zavitz-Bond, Everett Bond, and myself Bond gave a talk on that occasion, about the attended from Canada. There were many Quakers of Y onge Street. very worthwhile papers presented there. A Another prominent event this list of these papers can be found in Issue summer was the week-long annual gather­ No. 59 of the Journal. ing of Friends General Conference at I also attended the annual gathering McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. in June of the Friends of the Uxbridge This group of Friends had last met in Meeting House. These descendants of the Canada in Toronto in 1904. The Friends who settled there in the early nine­ Association was invited to give a talk on teenth century have lovingly preserved this Canadian Quaker history. I led this hour meeting house. The Association contribut­ and a half long question and answer session, ed $250.00 to the replacement of its founda­ which was attended by about thirty people. tion, and this contribution was very grateful­ I also spoke briefly at the introductory ly received. In July I attended a meeting session of the conference, before about sponsored by the Ontario Historical 1,500 attenders. Yes, one can provide a Association, where representatives of history, albeit somewhat abbreviated, of various heritage groups discussed provincial Canadian Quakerism in a ten minute talk! government cutbacks to the heritage com­ Jane Zavitz-Bond created a folding reusable munity. While our activities are self­ display for this gathering. supporting, it is important to note that many The 1904 conference was the subject heritage groups with fixed quarters such as of an article by Joyce Way in Issue No. 59 museums have been hurt by these cutbacks. of the JournaL The 1904 conference also The Journal continues to be an interested Friends in Toronto, with repro­ important source of outreach for the ductions of newspaper articles from this Association, besides be a means of keeping conference prominently displayed at the members aware of our activities. In particu­ Meeting House. lar, Marilyn Nefsky's article on G. Raymond The FGC Gathering was also an Booth in Issue No. 59 of the Journal has opportunity to sell copies of our new publi­ been well received. In April the executive cation Faith, Friends and Fragmentation, committee decided to offer a complimentary copies of Arthur Dorland's classic history of subscription and a free copy of Faith,

35 Friends and Fragmentation to meetings and McGillevray, Keith Maddock, Kathleen worship groups who were not already Hertzberg, Carolyn Ballard, Stuart Starr, members of the Association. To date ten of Gordon Carder, Ross Harrison these offers have been accepted. Our membership list now stands at 129. Regrets: David & Jean McFall, Elmay The hoped for planning committee Kirkpatrick, Ian Woods, Elizabeth Moger, for a Peace Museum, made up of representa­ Harry & Ruth Haggerty, Bernice Ellis, tives from interested groups, has not yet Verne & Lorene Winterton. Due to an been formed. Nonetheless, members of the unfortunate scheduling conflict, members of executive committee remain actively inter­ Yonge Street Monthly Meeting were not ested in this valuable project. The reloca­ able to attend. tion and restoration of the Doan House in Newmarket continues to be a project of During silent worship, we remembered interest to the Association, but at present no Friends who passed away in 1996: Bobbi definite plans have been made towards this Adamson, Anna Macpherson Haight, Bea end. Petrie. Since April of this year I have served as Interim Treasurer and Kyle Jolliffe, chairperson, welcomed all Membership Secretary. Our finances con­ present. tinue to be in good shape, with a $600.00 surplus this past fiscal year. The donations 1. The Minutes of Annual Meeting of Oct. made by members are especially appreciat­ 28,1995 held at Yannouth Friends Meeting ed. House and circulated in Journal No. 58 (Fall The only recommendation I have to 1995) were approved. offer in my report is that at some point in the near future the Association should con­ 2. Matters Arising: sider closely whether it has enough resourc­ es to continue the twice~yearly publication a) Peace Museum: Kathleen Hertzberg of the Journal and the holding of our annual reviewed the 20 year history of the concern meeting. At times it is rather a lot for the to establish a Canadian Peace Museum. executive committee, which only numbers Peter Brock & Project Ploughshares have six people, to oversee. It may be more expressed some interest, and they suggest a appropriate to restrict our activities to joint meeting with a representative from the holding an annual meeting and publishing Department of Museum Studies at the occasional papers. University Toronto. Hopefully CFHA, Lastly, I am grateful for the work of CFSC and the Peace Research Institute can all who contribute to the work of the meet as a committee and begin planning. Association. In particular, Albert Schrau­ The new resident Friend at Toronto wers' editorial and desktop publishing Meeting, Laurie Gubler has expressed inter­ expertise has been invaluable. Jane Zavitz­ est in this project. After noting Canada's Bond continues to play an vital role as traditional role in peace-keeping, the Archivist of Canadian Yearly Meeting. I meeting reaffirmed its commitment to this have also appreciated the counsel of project. Kathleen Hertzberg, the past Chairperson. b) Yonge St. 200th Anniversary: Jane Minutes of the 24th Annual Meeting Zavitz reported that CFHA involvement in this year long celebration has included a Present: Kyle Jolliffe (Chair), Albert program at the York Region Office in Feb., Schrauwers (secretary), Chris Densmore, which was filmed for Rogers Cable. In Rosemarie McMechan, Jane Zavitz Bond, June, a Founder's day picnic was held at Daniel DeGuerre, Norm Jolly, Joyce and Yonge Street Meeting House. On 17 Nov. David Holden, Patricia Starr, Joan Starr, there will be a book launching for a history Sandra Fuller, John Burtniak, Allan of Yonge Street, which includes 2 chapters

36 on the Y onge Street Quakers. 3. Reports: c) Doan House: Sandra Fuller reported on the Doan House to the south of the Yonge a) Chairperson's Report: Kyle Jolliffe Street Meeting House, built in 1845 by a presented his report as chair (which prefaces Yonge Street Quaker. In 1983, a developer these minutes). Kathleen Hertzberg added accepted a site plan agreement with the that Kyle took up the roles of Treasurer and Town of Newmarket which would preserve Membership Secretary when they became the house for heritage reasons. This year the vacant in the spring. We are appreciative of Town has agreed to designate the building his assuming this burden. under the Ontario Heritage Act. Jane Zavitz reported that Yonge Street Monthly b) Interim Treasurer! Membership Meeting does not feel able to assume Secretary's Report: The reports were cir­ responsibility for the building. The meeting culated (see attached statements). There are expressed its thanks for Sandra Fuller's presently 129 members. Balance in the efforts in this regard. bank: $8,800.15. Kyle reported that the drop in membership was due to the weeding d) CFHA Website: Albert Schrauwers out of dormant memberships. The statement reported that the CFHA website has been does not yet include a sales tax rebate avail­ established with the support of Newmarket able to charitable organizations. We are in internet provider, Interhop Services. The good financial condition. The meeting address is http://www.interhop.net!museum. decided to name Stan Gardiner an honorary The meeting asked the chair to write a letter member in appreciation of his long service of appreciation to Interhop Services of to our organization. We accepted the reports Newmarket for providing this site at no with thanks and appreciation to Kyle, and to cost. auditor Barry Thomas. e) History of Canadian Young Friends: c) Metro Area Heritage Group: David Kyle Jolliffe reported that his history of McFall's report was read by Keith Young Friends is currently being reviewed Maddock. The group was very active this by a number of readers. When ready, The year. Heritage Showcase was held at Association will publish 100 copies. Scarborough Town Centre on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Feb .. 23 to 25. This f) Quaker Register: No report was avail­ tied in with Scarborough's 200th anniver­ able from Ian Woods. Jane suggested we sary. Yonge Street 200 is a celebration put the form for the Quaker Register on the which has continued all year. Many munici­ web as a means of encouraging people palities and groups organized their own submit information. activities. The Y onge Street Friends Meeting House provided an ideal setting for g) Quaker Heritage Site Directory: the reunion and picnic held Sunday, July 21. Kathleen Hertzberg reminded us of our long Quaker history was reviewed. The holding term commitment to this project. There is a of our annual meeting here is a further con­ direct link: to Ian Woods' work. Jane Zavitz tribution to the celebration. I hope the stated she was planning to visit each success of Yonge Street 200 will inspire the meeting in Canada, and would be willing to celebration of future anniversaries with gather the required information along the similar enthusiasm. We thank David McFall way. The meeting agreed that it would for his continued service. provide financial support, as needed, for Iane's travels. Kathleen Hertzberg added d) Canadian Yearly Meeting Archives: that she felt the participation of Young Jane Zavitz Bond reported that many of the Friends was important in this project to researchers in the archives have later pro­ develop their appreciation of Friends' tradi­ vided articles for the Journal. After noting a tions. number of examples she thanked the mem­

37 bership for its continuing support. Sandra Association. At last year's annual meeting, Fuller has been working on the CFSC Kathleen Hertzberg, our long-standing records. Grant funding is now over, but chair, stepped down. And we changed the Yearly Meeting has assumed some of the constitution of the association, opening all burden. Western Half Yearly Meeting positions to all members, while limiting the minutes have been deposited. Chris length of consecutive service in a role to a Densmore reported New York Yearly maximum of five years. These changes Meetin!! is movin!! its archives to Friends strengthen the role of a functional executive Historical Librarv; Swarthmore, Pa. where board in the operations of the Association. the Philadelphia' Yearly Meeting records New members must be given an opportunity are. Hence all the minutes relating to the to serve, and must be allowed to serve in all early settlers in Canada are now in one capacities. Last years executive was only place. These catalogues are already on the barely functional. Although the number of internet. Allan McGillevray added that he, board members had been increased over the like Jane, had been visited by researcher previous year, this year, the chair was non­ Diane Hamilton who is having trouble etheless obliged to assume the roles of sec­ finding individuals to interview for her retary, treasurer, and membership secretary. project on Quaker folklore. He encouraged While we are thankful to Kyle for gracious­ anyone who could help to contact him or ly accepting this extra burden, such a state Jane. of affairs could not be allowed to continued. The sheer burden of being chair becomes a e) 1996 Quaker Historians and Archivists major detriment to finding a willing volun­ Conference: Sandra Fuller reported that teer. By spreading responsibilities more three members of the CFHA attended. She widely, we hope that decision making may noted the importance of attending such involve more diverse viewpoints, and conferences since the papers presented lighten the load of individual members of included material on Canada. Unless the executive. We thank Kyle for making someone from Canada attends, that informa­ this transitional year possible. This nomina­ tion is lost to us. Jane Zavitz Bond was on tion committee has worked to ensure that a the planning committee, and will be on the broad range of active members have been planning committee for the next meeting in included, to ensure that the executive is 2 years at Baltimore. The only disappoint­ representative of the association as a whole. ment was the lack of papers on New York While not yet national in scope, we have Yearly Meeting as it was that body's 300th included members from all major centres of anniversary and the conference was held in Quakerism in Ontario. We have included New York state. members with ties to "Quaker Museums", as well as maintaining our longstanding ties f) Journal and Publications Subscription to the Dorland Room. Offer: Kathleen Hertzberg noted we had offered complementary copies of the Slate of Officers: Journal to all 50 meetings for worship in Canada. Eleven Meetings for worship Honorary Chair Peter Brock responded to our offer for a free copy of Chair Chris Densmore Faith, Friends and Fragmentation. She noted Immediate Past Chair Kyle Jolliffe the importance of bringing the Association First Vice Jane Zavitz Bond to the notice of Friends, so that they know Second Vice David Holden where to find historical material. The Treasurer/Membership Ian Woods meeting expressed willingness to continue Secretary Sandra Fuller the practice of sending promotional copies Corresponding Secretary Elmay Kirkpatrick of the Journal to these meetings. Journal Editors Jane Zavitz Bond Albert Schrauwers g) Nominations: Albert Schrauwers stated Contributing Editor Kyle Jolliffe that this has been a transitional year for the Members at Large Allan McGillevray

38 Kathleen Hertzberg Afternoon Program:

Auditor Barry Thomas Jane Zavitz spoke on "The Quakers of Yonge Street". Her paper was well received The nominating committee report was by those attending. accepted as read.

h) Appointment of Nominating Committee for 1997 AnnuaJ Meeting: The following were named: Rosemarie McMechan, Kathleen Hertzberg and Albert Schrauwers. Kathleen agreed to chair the committee.

i) Swarthmore Hall Appeal: Swarthmore Hall was a part of early Quaker history and development Christopher Densmore encouraged that we assist in the restoration effort, as a symbolic gesture to encourage more wide-spread public support. The meeting agreed to contribute $250.

j) Letter of thanks to Yonge St. Meeting: The meeting directed Kyle to send a letter of thanks to the Meeting, with a small con­ tribution of $50 to defray costs. A letter of thanks will also be sent to Adoyin Odusanya for her assistance as Treasurer.

k) Constitution: The meeting ratified the changes to the constitution made at last years' annual meeting. A full revised version of the constitution will be sent with the next issue of the Journal.

1) Date and Place of next annual meeting: Was left to the executive.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT - 8 Nov., 1996

Sub- LIFE !BON. Com.~ i SR GM ILM Total MEM.MEM CEX CODies TOTAL· Total Members 1995 70 53 25 148 21 3 9 n/a 181 I;rOtal Members 1996154 33 22 109 17 3 3 15 129 Changes (16) (20) (3) (39) (4) (6) (52) 0 i ''1'17 5:' 3::>;' 32--- 1'13 I 3 I:::;J 137 (SR= Senior Members; GM= General Members; ILM= Institutional & Library members; CEX= Complementary Exchange of Journal). *Complementary Copies: one to The Canadian Friend, 2 to CYM Archives, 2 to the National Library and 10 to Canadian Quaker Meetings and Worship Groups. ~IO.:~ ( I ) 0 te 39 (J.I 0 ft!!3/ '6 CANADIAN FRIENDS HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR THE 12 MONTHS ENDING AUGUST 31, 1996

RECEIPTS 1996 1995 Fav (Unrav) Memberships 1,749.00 2012.00 (264.00) Donations 965.00 968.00 (3.00) Donations - Tatiana Pavlova talk 570.00 570.00 Publication sales 588.00 290.00 298.00 Premium on U.S. Currency 179.00 128.00 50.00 Interest 6.00 247.00 242.00 Archival Search Fees 10.00 10.00 Credit Memo 7.00 7.00 Total receipts 3,504.00 4,215.00 714.00

DISBURSEMENTS Journal No. 56 - Production 214.00 - mailing 193.00 Journal No. 57 - Production 275.00 - mailing 197.00 Journal No. 58 - Production 193.00 - mailing 200.00 Journal No. 59 - Production 231.00 - mailing 175.00 799.00 879.00 81.00 Publications - Printing 813.00 813.00 Stationary 208.00 208.00 Transfer to CFSC - Pavlova visit 1039.00 1039.00 General Expense 431.00 475.00 44.00 Annual Meeting 131.00 (130.00) Donation to CYM Archives 400.00 (400.00) Donation Uxbridge Meeting House 250.00 (250.00) Brochure 434.00 (434.00) Bank charges 104.00 (103.00) Accounting Fee (donated back) 161.00 (160.00) FGC Gathering Expenses 172.00 (172.00) Subscription 20.00 (20.00) Total disbursements 2,903.00 3,414.00 516.00

SURPLUS (DEFICIT) 601.00 801.00 (200.00)

BANK BALANCE - Opening 8199.11 7398.00 - Closing - Aug 31 8,800.15 8199.00

Bank balance includes two redeemable term deposits, each with a one year term: a) $5,000.00 due Nov. 11, 1996, earning interest of $263.94 to maturity; and b) $2,500.00 due May 1, 1997, earning interest of $93.75 to maturity.

Kyle Jolliffe, Interim Treasurer, Oct. 14, 1996 Approved, Barry H. Thomas, Interim Auditor, Oct. 26, 1996.

40