Quaker Meetinghouse

The Puritans in Massachusetts, having 1716, “the first church in West Newbury traveled here to escape English tyranny, observed a day of fasting and prayer, one endorsed religious freedom—but only object of which was to pray ‘that God when applied to themselves. And, at would prevent ye spread of errors in this times, they barely tolerated each other. In place, especially the errors of the 1649, for instance, Governor Endicott Quakers.’” and other magistrates proclaimed their “dislike and detestation against the By the late 1720s, somewhat more toler- wearing of such long hair, as against a ant laws were enacted. The Ecclesiastical thing uncivil and unmanly, whereby men History of Essex County reported that a doe deforme themselves and offend Quaker society was formed in Newbury- sober and modest men, and doe corrupt port in 1744, and “[i]n 1822, they changed good manners.” their place of worship and built a new house at Turkey Hill, near the eastern line The Quakers, or Society of Friends, with of West Newbury, which was occupied their repudiation of church hierarchies, for the first time on the 25th of Dec. of nonviolent protest, and women at the that year, and in which a few families of forefront in spreading the word, were excellent people, numbering about forty banned in Boston. Many accounts offer persons, are still [at this book’s the same story: “The first known Quakers publication in 1865] accustomed to meet to arrive in Boston and challenge Puritan for religious worship, according to the religious domination were Mary Fisher usages of their sect.” and Ann Austin. These two women entered Boston’s harbor on the Swallow, It can be no coincidence that the West a ship from Barbados in July of 1656. . . . Newbury Quaker Meetinghouse is very The two were strip searched, accused of close to the John Brown homestead witchcraft, jailed, deprived of food, and where the 1695 Indian raid occurred. A were forced to leave Boston on the genealogy stated that John Brown’s Swallow when it next left Boston eight grandson “Stephen Brown, of old Quaker weeks later.” stock, was born on Turkey Hill, West Newbury, Massachusetts, and was a This unfriendly Puritan welcome pre- farmer.” Stephen Brown’s son John had vailed in official West Newbury, as well. the farm when the 1822 Quaker Historian Joshua Coffin noted that in Meetinghouse was established. The story 1663, Newbury west-ender John Emery of James in the next generation illustrates was “fined four pounds for entertaining the demise of West Newbury’s Quaker quakers. His offence consisted in granting community. He was born here in 1817, food and lodging to two men and two worked on the farm, made shoes in women, who were traveling farther east. winter, and participated in the Society of One of the witnesses testified that he Friends of his forbearers. In later years, [John Emery] took them by the hand and however, he moved to Lynn and joined bid them welcome.” Quakers were active the Congregational church. And so the in Amesbury early on, and built a Quakers drifted away and their Meeting- meetinghouse there in 1705. But as late as house was razed in 1917. Quaker Meetinghouse

Quaker Meetinghouse photo West Newbury Historical Society

Marker Location: 114 Turkey Hill St., West Newbury, MA Latitude: 42.795828 Longitude: -70.925840