The historical site I chose to research is the Friends
Meeting House in Quakertown New Jersey. This was the church for the Quakers.
It is an important site here in Franklin Township because of it’s origin
with the Quakers. They were peaceful people who felt discipline was important,
and they were early settlers of Franklin Township.
The term "Meeting House" means the place where people gather to worship.
According to original tradition, it is said that the first meetinghouse was
built of logs and stood about 30 yards from the present building. It was called
Bethlehem and then later Kingwood meetinghouse. The first monthly meeting was
held in the original meetinghouse in Quakertown on July 10, 1744. On March 3,
1747, a report was made that a new meetinghouse was to be built at the same
location, and it would be 39 feet long and 27 feet wide. This would have been
an improvement. They estimated the cost to be about 150 pounds (the English
currency). Unfortunately, this building burned down during its construction.
By 1759 it was rebuilt and in use. The Quakers were obviously not discouraged
by the set back.
In 1862 the old building was torn down and replaced by a smaller, updated, yet
sturdier building. Such a renovation would sadden me, especially if my family
attended this meeting- house for a long time. I’m sure some of the Quaker’s
would have felt this connection to the building also, but they must have felt
progress was more important. This latest building still stands today, although
its use as a meetinghouse by the Quakers ended before the year 1900, it is now
used by people from all over Hunterdon.
To get an idea of why this place is important to the people of Franklin Township,
I think we should learn more about who the Quakers were, and where they came
from before they settled in this area of New Jersey. The Quaker religion began
during the 1600’s in England. A man named George Fox did not like the English
religious practices or the English church. It seems there was no freedom of
thought, and you had to do what the church wanted. George Fox was a free thinker
about religion.
Just before the time of George Fox, King Henry VII had the Bible translated
to English. This was a very important event for Christians in England. It allowed
them to read the Bible for themselves, and worship the way they thought fit
according to the scriptures. George Fox was born into this "seeking age"
of free thinkers. He then founded the "Society of Friends", later
called the Quakers because of the way they were said to quake during religious
excitement.
The Quakers were persecuted for their beliefs. People were prejudice against
them. That must have been horrible. George Fox himself was jailed 8 times. Even
though their beginnings were so hard, the Quakers still go by the teachings
of George Fox.
After the Quakers arrived, they chose to settle in Hunterdon County because
it was part of west New Jersey. West New Jersey became a land largely inhabited
by Quakers. It was an area of peace. The Quakers especially liked Hunterdon
because the land was not fought for. The Indians thought it was a fare trade.
The history of the land really goes along with the Quakers teachings of no violence
and of peacefulness.
The Quakers took care of the people in their community. They helped members
in need. They collected funds to help improve the situation of the Indian natives.
They provided help to those in need in Great Britain and in Ireland, and when
Quakers in North Carolina were in trouble, they sent help to them too.
The original meetings in Quakertown were not only for worship. The meeting dealt
with the social lives of its members, and corrected them when they did not follow
their beliefs. Society was very strict at that time. Men and women did not even
worship in the same room. The first joint meeting of men and women was on January
2, 1886, over 100 years after the very first meeting in Quakertown. The Quakers
punishment of its members was in a way just as cruel as the punishment given
to people in England for not following English religious beliefs.
The meetinghouse has had other uses over the years. It served as Boy Scout headquarters
from 1929-1939. It was used as a school during the year1936-37 while Franklin
Township School was being built; they installed electricity to the building
at that time also. The First Day School started in the meetinghouse in 1959,and
central heating was installed at that time. I think it would be hard to go to
school there. The building is so small. I wonder where they had recess. I’m
sure it was hard having one teacher for everything, and for all the grades.
I picked to write about the Friends Meeting House because I think it played
a very important part in the history of Franklin Township. The Quakers, who
lived here so long ago, also started industry in this area. Edward Rockhill
started a gristmill in Pittstown, which was the first mill in this area, and
the only mill for many years. His son became one of the first doctors in Pittstown.
The Quaker people contributed greatly to our history.
Shane
Spring, 2002
The Quaker Friends Meeting House
I think the most historical place in Franklin
Township is the Quakertown Meeting house. It is over two hundred years old.
I would have a very hard time finding a piece of property or building older
than this in Franklin Township.
The building is thirty-nine feet long and twenty-seven feet wide. The local
Quaker residents used the building for meetings. The first meeting was held
on July 10, 1744. In the 1930's it was used as a Boy Scout headquarters and
it was also used as a school.
The Quakertown Meeting house was even used during our fight for independence.
During the Revolutionary war the colonials and local militia who had a hand
in winning the war against England used it for meetings.
Behind the Quakertown Meeting house there is an old cemetery. Some of the headstones
are so old and worn so badly you can no longer read them. Many of the original
settlers are buried there. The cemetery includes civil war soldiers and officers,
with one grave for a local female slave. The cemetery is very well kept as are
the rest of the grounds. The building looks to be in very good condition considering
how old it is. Quakertown and Franklin Township should be very proud of this
piece of property and building.
Dana
Spring, 2002
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The Quaker Friends Meeting House The most historic place to me is The
Friends Meeting House in Quakertown. The Friends Meeting House is
the most historic place to me because when I found out that our town
had a meeting house I wanted to learn more about it. It sounds very
interesting. Alexis K |
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The Quaker Friends Meeting House My essay is about Quakertown as it existed in 1851 and any known details about the business over time. Quakertown is named after the Quakers, also called "Friends". First, let's talk about the Quaker Meeting House. The landscape was purchased in 1733. It was about four acres. The first meeting house was burned before completion. The second was built in 1744. The third was built in 1862. It was smaller than the second. It was made of stone and exists today. Next, let's talk about the schoolhouse. The first schoolhouse was made of logs and was built in 1790. In 1817 a new school was built on a small triangular piece of land. It was leased by Henry Clifton. This lot later became a piece of the John Johnson property. In 1850 a two-story building was erected. it was known as the "Academy". It was condemned and torn down. In 1937 a new building was built. It is the school we are in now. There is only one slave in Quakertown, make that the whole Franklin Township. She was 75 years old. Her slave owner was Jacob Race. It was the year 1850. She was black. She was not mentally incompetent. Lastly, let's talk about the cabinet shop. Well, I know the owner's name is Peter Gary. He came from Scotland. He made less than $500 a year. The shop was built by his father, Hiram. Peter Gary was chief Wheelwright, and Daniel LaBaugh was expert painter for a considerable time. I chose the Meeting House because it was there for a long time. I chose the schoolhouses because they are interesting. I chose the slave because there is only one. I chose the cabinet shop because it is different. These places together make Quakertown interesting. Tina
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The Quaker Friends Meeting House I think the most historic place in Franklin
Township is the Quaker Friends Meeting House. I think this because 275
years ago the Quakers had meetings there. It is also important because
the Quakers wanted everything and everyone to be peaceful. Spring, 2001
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The Quaker Friends Meeting House I believe that the most historic site
in Franklin Township is the Quakertown Friends Meeting House because
it is about 140 years old! I first remember seeing it when I was four
years old and a town fair was held there. I played games and rode
a pony. We also went inside the building and it was very plain. My
father told me that was because Quakers built it, and they led very
simple lives. This was where meetings were even held during the Revolutionary
War! Spring, 2001 |
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The Quaker Friends Meeting House The first monthly meeting at the Quakertown Meeting House was held on the 10th day of July, 1744. This church was originally located in Alexandria Township, but it changed when part of Alexandria Township became Franklin Township. Quakertown monthly meeting is located in Quakertown, New Jersey, nine miles northwest of Flemington. Meeting for Worship is held at 10:30 A.M. each Sunday. "The public is always welcome" is it's motto. The Quakertown Meeting House had 14 different motto's from 1677 to 1974. One of it's best mottoes is "God who made the world did not dwell in temple made with hand... but in peoples hearts." It is historic because a lot of people go there to have meetings. The patriots in the Revolutionary War went there to have meetings. My information came from research by J.E. Stout. Matthew
Spring, 2000
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The Quaker Friends Meeting House I believe that the Quakertown Meeting House is the most historic place in Franklin Township because it is over 100 years old, and it has been an important part of the history of New Jersey. The first meeting was held there on July 10th, 1744. The Revolutionary War could not have been won without the Meeting House, since important planning meetings were held there during the war. During this time period an extension was being built onto the Meeting House, but it was burned to the ground. By 1752 the Meeting House was rebuilt to its current size which is 39 feet long by 27 feet wide. The local Quaker congregation still meets there every Wednesday and Sunday even though it is over 250 years old! It is so old that the village of Quakertown even got its name from the Quakers who settled the area and built the Meeting House. The Quakertown Meeting House is located in Quakertown, next to the between the Cemetery and the Post Office. If you are ever in Franklin Township you should stop and visit the Quakertown Meeting House. Spring, 2000 |
