Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-07-19
RELIC OF QUAKERS.
Residents of Unity, N. H., Preserving
Od-Time Place of Worship.

One Of the oldest Quaker meeting
houses of New Hampshire stands in
Unity township, remembrance of the
little colony of Friends who lived at
West Unity in the early part of the
last century.
The building, with it's single story
and low attic, is as simple and severe
in it's architecture as the Quaker
meeting itself in it's form Of worship
a few years ago there We're yet a
number of the Old Friends who still
Worship twice every week in the little
edfice, taking their pews each time
according to their goodness and
waiting in the solemn silence after the
manner of the orthodox Quaker till the
spirit moved to prayer and eXorta-
ton.
Since that time these few remaining
me'nl ers oC the faith have died. Today
Unity has taken upon itself the pre-
servation of the building as matter
of public good, and it has been kept in
repair by the townspeCplc.
The roectins house was build in 1920
Previous to that time the Quakers of
West Unity had worshipped with the
only in 1878 that the former were gran
ted permission to form a separate COL
ony. The building Of the church came
two years later, and was accomplished
by the combined efforts of both colo
MES. After that tina the West Unity
Friends had their own meeting house,
although they We're still dependent ap-
on the outside world for preachers.
New hampshire winters have left
their marks upon the exterior of the
little building. However, the exterior
is the only Part of the structure that
has needed repairing. Inside the bass
wood oews are as white and clean as
they We're Is years ago, and the walls
and ceilings as spotless us when they
looked down unon the first silent gath
ering of Friends
After the manner of all Quaker meet
'ng houses, the interior is divided int,
two sections, between which are shut
ter-lke doors that can be lowered to
form partition between the mems
section and the wOmen'S. Often the
cold weather made it imperative that
but one section should be used. and on
the very wintry evenings the meetings
were held on the side where huge
wood stove had been installed.
There are II pews on each side. Then
there are also three rows of raised
seats where the "old and wise in faith"
had their regular places. The front
rows of the l. On either side were oc-
curied by these who had the best rec
ord for piety and goodness. The back
siidcrs went to the rear seats, and had
! @In fr., -,
daily watchfulness and prayer.
The preachers We're few and far be-
tween. coming now and then from
Wears. and once in a long time from
Salem or Lynn. For the most part the
meetings were silent ones-60 minutes
Of stiff backed monotony.
The last Of the original West Unity
Quakcrs passed away some years ago
when Annie Breed died at her home on
West Hill. Others remembered as for
mcr pillars of the church are Uncle"
Thomas Davis, Winslow Copeland and
Amos Johnson. OF these and many
others arc told stories illustrative of
the severity and zeal Of their religious
life All of these rest now ir the little
Quaker cemetery back of the meeting
house. where the simple granite blocks
mark the several graves
The burial ground itself is as severe
as the meeting house, and as quaint
A few of the later graves are marked
with marble slabs, but as even these
were forbidden by the earlier church,
the greater number of the headstones
are crude blocks. All are placed to the
north of the graves, after the Quaker
custom.