Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-05-07

regular establishment, which was finally
accomplished. There were doubtless good
reasons why the time was so greatly pro-
onged, but-with one exception-those are
not shown by the records.
The information in regard to the erection
of both the old, and the present meeting
house, that is furnished by any records
extant, is very meager. This is especially
the case, in reference to the latter, in
which a single sentence furnishes all
have found upon the subject.
In his Retrospect of Early Quakerlsm,
Kitchener says that 'fabout the year 1740. q
small frame meeting house was built on a
lot of ground granted for that purpose, by
Solomon Lippincott. F."
The meeting held therein was a branch
Of Haddonfeld Monthly Meeting, until the
year 1885, at which time the meeting of
Woodbury. and Upper Greenwich were
separated to constitute Woodbury. Monthly
Meeting"
The latter statement is proved by the
record, but the date given in the above
quotation-about 1740-indicates that the
author was not sure that the year mentioned
was absolutely correct.
Upon very careful examination of the
Ol I1HuuOHll6tl NlOubDiy ulcCbluS-
which date back to the year 17l1-and fill
three large leather-bound volumes before
the close of the eighteenth century, found
that the first minute in relation to the
subject is the following =
cat monthly meeting held at Haddon-
field, ye 18th day of ye 18th month, 1856. !"
David Cooper from ye Preparatiye
Meeting at Woodbury. creek, reported that
divers Friends who live near Raccoon creek
had requested to hold meeting of Worship
in that neighborhood, on First-days, which
said meeting condescends to their having,
during ye Winter, and part of ye Spring, TO
be held at Solomon Lippincott's every
First-day, except ye next preceding ye
Monthly Meeting held here, and that ye
thought said Solomon would be suitable
person to be appointed overseer, as an
addition to said Preparatiye Meeting, to
which proposal, this meeting agrees, to be-
gin next First-day, and to end We first
First-day in ye fourth month, next.
At the expiration of that period, the re-
quest was renewed for the meetings. con-
tinuance six months longer, which was
granted; after which. it was again con-
tinued, and on the eleventh day OF ye ninth
month, 1853, says the record, David
Cooper from ye Preparative Meeting at
Woodbury. creek requested leave for
Friends to build a meeting house, near
Solomon Lippincott's. Therefore Thomas
Evans, Josiah Albertson. Thomas Redman,
John Gill, Edmund Hollingshead, VIM
Wilkins, and Joshua Lord, or as many of
them as can we'll attend, are appointed to
meet and view ye place proposed, and con-
slider Of ye same; to give their sense thereof
at future meeting"
CAT monthly meeting held at Haddon-
field We eighth of the first month, 1859,
the affair of building a meeting house near
Solomon Lippincott's being now under
consideration, and sentiments of Friends
expressed. Ye Friends concerned, are at
liberty to build one, where we committee
of this meeting appointed, and to hold
meeting at Solomon Lippincott's on trial as
heretofore y
The above two items are all we have in
reference to the erection of the old meeting
house, and most probably it was built the
latter year.
In 1862 committee was appointed ''to
revise and correct the minutes of the pre-
ceeding five years, land to have them
transferred into the bound book" As no
reference is made in the revised minutes
during the last three years of this period,
either to the semi-annual request for the
continuing of the meeting, Cor to the cree
tion of the house), l conclude the revision
committee eliminated such minutes on
account of their repetition, since, at the
very next meeting after the close of this
period, the record says, that Friends of
Upper Greenwich requested liberty to con-
which was granted. Six months later a
similar request was granted. The next
request included meeting for worship on
Fifth-day, which was granted in fourth
month, 1868.
Four times afterwards at intervals Of six
months each, a like request was made, and
granted.
At the following semi-annual period, to-
wit, rye fourteenth of We tenth month,
1765," Friends of Upper Greenwich reques
liberty to hold meetings there as usual, for
a year to come, which is granted.
At the expiration of the year, sJoshua
Lord from ye Preparation Meeting of Wood
bury, reported that as ye time of holding
we meeting at Upper Greenwich was ended,
they were of.ye mind that it was a proper
time now to settle it, if this meeting APP
proved OF it, which was referred to be
further considered, in we mean time for
Upper Greenwich to hold their meetings as
heretofore"
At the following meeting the subject
claimed its attention, and was again re-
ferred.
At the next meeting held We eighth of ye
Twelfth month, 1866 (" Settling a meeting
at Upper Greenwich being now considered,
it is judged necessary to return it, to be
reconsidered there, and Josiah Albertson,
David Branson, James Evins, and William
Bates are desired to meet with Upper
Greenwich Friends, on ye week day meet
ing next before Woodbury. Preparation
Meeting, and as macy Woodbury. Friends
as conveniently can, do likewise attend, to
consider said proposal, and report to next
meeting.p
At which, sone OF We Friends appointed
to meet with those Of Upper Greenwich,
reported they mostly met, and together had
considered We settling their meeting for
worship, We result of which was, they
thought it best to have ye meetings on
Fhst-days and Fifth-days established, and
We Preparative, held together as heretofore,
which this meeting approves, and directs
ye Clerk to send it up in our next report to
We quarterly meeting for its concurrence. ,
At quarterly meeting held at Haddon-
field ye twentieth of Third Month, 1867,
Friends from Haddonfield M. Mtg) men,
tion in their reports, that a meeting hath
been held for several years upon trial at
Greenwich, in Gloucester County, to salts
faction, and refers it to the consideration of
this meeting, whether it may not be proper
to establish a meeting, bit some objections
appearing in the minds Of some Of the Friends
there, it is judged necessary TO appoint
committee from this meeting, to have a
conference with the Friends OF that meet
ing, on the subject"
Eight Friends were appointed to that
service, TO attend said meeting on Fifth
day preceding Woodbury. Prepa rative
Meeting, in the fifth month next, and to
report to next quarterly meeting, their
judgment with regard to the establishing
said meeting at Upper Greenwich, and it is
recommended to the monthly meeting at
Haddonfeld, to appoint some Friends to
attend the said committee at the time
aforesaid. y
The monthly meeting appointed COM
mittee as requested, and written report
was presented to the next quarterly meet
ing which was discussed, but it was Judged
necessary to refer it to next meeting. at
which the Judgment Of the meeting con-
Cured with the report that said Friends
have liberty to hold meeting for Worship