"Friends' Stillwater Meeting House"

by Jonathan Schofield
Transcribed from "History of Belmont and Jefferson Counties"

About one-half of the eastern part of Warren township was originally settled almost exclusively by Friends, commonly called Quakers. They came chiefly from the southern states, many of the pioneers being the heads of young and growing families, were stimulated to the movement by a desire to remove without the blighting influence of human slavery, against which their religious principles required them to bear a consistent testimony, and being unwilling that their children should grow up in the midst of its corrupting influences, they left, in many instances good lands in a genial clime, to set themselves down to a life of privations and hardships incident to pioneer life in the forest north of the Ohio river.

Robert Plummer and family were probably the first Friends who settled here, about the year 1801. They came from Frederick county, Maryland; and family tradition tells us that five day's time was necessarily occupied by them in making their way through from the open road where Morristown now is to this neighborhood. There was no road, and a way had to be made as they progressed.

From the lips of Robert Hodgin, now of Barnesville, seventy-four years of age, we get the following tradition: That his father and William Patten, in company, left their homes in Georgia and came prospecting in 1802; that they crossed the Ohio river at Cincinnati and looked over the Miami country, but did not like it, thinking that it would be sickly. They therefore came on to Belmont and Jefferson counties, and determined this to be the locality for their future homes; therefore they made arrangements with Jonathan Taylor, a Friend, of Mt. Pleasant township, Jefferson county, to secure them a section of land from the government, as no less than a section was then subject to entry, and they returned home to make preparation for moving the next season. They had to swim their horses through all the unfordable streams this side of Cincinnati.

The next season (in 1803) came the Hodgins' that is, Robert's father, William and his brother Stephen, the Pattens, the Todds and Bailey Hays, with their families. (The Hayses were not Friends, and Deborah Stubbs, a young woman, emigrated, and Joseph Stubbs, Deborah's father, came along prospecting). Their route lay through Virginia, and their vehicles of conveyance were the well-known southern one-horse carts. They camped of nights on their journey.

Within the next five years, from 1803 to 1808, they came in companies-the Williams', part of the Millhouses Childrees, Sidwells, Thomases and Vernons, from Georgia; the Starbucks, but recently from Nantucket; the Pattersons, Bundys, Stantons, Edgertons, Doudnas, Boswells, Coxes, Brocks, Outlands, Halls, Colliers, Middletons and Hausons, from North Carolina; the Baileys, Davies, some of the Vernons, and Hickses, from Southeastern Virginia, and the Clendennens, Strahls, Smiths and Whites, from Pennsylvania. The exact dates of the arrival of the various families before 1808 is difficult now to ascertain.

For after additions we extract from minutes of the Stillwater monthly meeting: In Fifth Month, 1808, certificates of membership were received for William Patterson and wife Elizabeth, the latter a minister in unity, with their five minor children, from Short Creek. In the Sixth Month, from same meeting, Joseph Patterson Sr., wife and three children, Mary Edgerton, Elizabeth and Jemima Patterson. Seventh Month, Stephen Bailey, from Dinwiddie county, Virginia, and Mary Hicks with five sons and daughter from Sussex county, Virginia. Eighth Month, Richard Kerney, eastern Pennsylvania, Tenth and Eleventh Months, from Short Creek, Benjamin Patterson, Jr., Joel Patterson and John Patterson. Twelfth Month, John Beck, wife and seven children, from Gleason county, Va., and in the First Month of 1809, Hannah and Ann Rogers, from Cecil county, Md. Also in 1809, John Purvis and Hezekiah Starbuck, from North Carolina, James Brock and wife, Peter Sears and Benjamin Watkins, from Dinwiddie county, Va.; William Blocksom, wife and six children from Plainfield monthly meeting; Henry Barnes, from Concord, and Jacob Parker and wife, Benjah Parker and George Parker, from Short Creek.

In 1810, Sarah Williams with five sons and three daughters, and Henry Ballenger, from Pipe creek monthly meeting; Philip Strahl, wife, five sons and three daughters, Rachel Pickering and Ann Edgerton, from Short creek; Titus Shotwell, wife, three sons and two daughters, Ann Taylor, Joel Gilbert and wife, Abel Gilbert, wife and two daughters, and Sarah Cox, from Plainfield; Jeremiah Cook, wife and two daughters, William Satterthwaite, Jacob Pickering, from Concord.

In 1811, Anderson and Thomas Arnold, Joel Judkins, wife and daughter, Carolus Judkins, wife, five sons and one daughter, Edward Thornboro, Jacob Crew, wife, three sons and one daughter, Isaac Crew, wife and daughter, from North Carolina; Hugh Wilson, Richard Fawcett and daughter, John Gilbert, wife, one son and two daughters, from Plainfield; Thos. Webster, from Little Britain, Pa.; Mary Taylor, from Exeter, Pa.; Samuel Yocum, wife, one daughter and six sons, from Short creek monthly meeting; Jesse Bailey, wife, two sons and four daughters, Reuben Watkins, wife and five sons, Sarah Bailey, one son and two daughters, from Dinwiddie county, Va.; Joseph Garretson, wife, two sons and one daughter, from Concord.

1812. From Short Creek, Simeon Taylor, wife and daughter, Henry Stanton, wife and two sons, Eaton Hays, Robert Burnett, wife, three sons and three daughters. From Plainfield, Joseph Nicholson’s minor daughter and two sons, Elizabeth Nicholson and five minor children, Josiah and Alice Rogers, two sons and three daughters, Matthew Wood, one daughter and two sons, Isaac Wood and Abraham Wood. From Chester county, Pa., Josiah Pennington. Samuel Berry, wife and two daughters from Concord, Ohio; and Reuben Edgerton, from Deer creek monthly meeting.

1813. Joseph Albertson, wife and daughter, from Plymouth (now Smithfield, Ohio); Sally Morris, from Salem, Ohio; Jonathan Fawcett, William Webster, from Plainfield; Joshua Scott, four sons and three daughters, from Short Creek; Stephen Burnet, from Restone; Zachariah Bailey, Dinwiddie county, Virginia; Achsa Patterson, from Northampton county, North Carolina; Rebecca Vore, from Exeter, Pa.

1814. James Barnes from Plainfield. This James Barnes must have been the founder of Barnesville, as he was a Friend, and no earlier certificate for one of that name appears on the records of this meeting. Jacob Patterson, from Darby creek; Zadoc Boswell, from Symonds creek, North Carolina; Abisha Thomas from Plainfield; Anna Webster, Edward Hatton, from Cenre, Pa.; Hannah Miles, Jr., Thomas Smith, wife and four sons, from Hopewell, Virginia; Susanna Plummer, four sons and two daughters, from Pipe creek; Wm. Morris, wife, five sons and four daughters, from Salem.

1815. Nellie Frazier, her son and two daughters, William Frazier, from Concord; Mary Patterson, from Short creek; Joseph Bishop, from Concord; Thomas Osborn, wife and son, from Surrey county, North Carolina; Samuel Sharpless, from Concord; Hugh Judge and wife, Susannah, Rebecca G. Judge and Phoebe Judge, from Indian Spring, Maryland; Mary Satterthwaite, from Chesterfield, New Jersey; Ann Peebles, from North Carolina; Daniel Wilson, from Concord, Pa.; Joseph Edgerton, wife, four daughters and one son, from North Carolina; Robert Miller, from Plainfield.

1816. John Webster, wife and son, from Plainfield; Samuel Embre, wife, six sons and a daughter and Lydia Embre, from Short creek; Joseph Jones and Mary, his wife, Aaron Morris, George Parker, wife and son, from Columbiana county, Ohio; Jonathan Bogue, wife and two daughters, Caleb Engle, one son and five daughters, from Plainfield; Issacher Scholfield, wife, two sons and two daughters, from Indian Spring, Maryland; (these moved from Washington City;) Andrew Sholfield, a minor, from Indian Spring, Maryland; Hiram Bailey, from Centre, Ohio; Hannah Stanton and two daughters, Mary Wilson from Concord; Israel Briggs, wife and two daughters, from Salem; Hannah Romine, from Hopewell, Virginia; Isaac Brown, from Maryland; Enoch Harlon, Hannah, his wife, six sons and a daughter, Harriet Harlan, from Chester county, Pa.

1817. Job Newby, from Short creek; Wm. Mott, Marlboro and William Massey, from Goshen, Pa.; Jordan Newsome, Prudence Newsome, from North Carolina; Robert Hodgin, wife and seven children, from Mill creek; William Dewees, wife and three children, Cidney Hoops, from Pennsylvania; Borden Stanton, wife and four children, from Concord; William Harry, from Kennet, Pa., Susannah Jolly and daughter, from Plymouth, Daniel Strahl, Mordecai Yarnall, wife and two daughters, form Short creek; Mary Morris and Nathan Morris, from Salem; Rebecca Fisher, from Plainfield.

These people were generally poor or in moderate circumstances, and for the most part occupied the land only in small tracts, so that the population was reasonably dense for a coun­try district at an early day. They were industrious, frugal, upright, necessarily; with their religious principles, moral to the highest degree; and, on the subject of temperance, absti­nence from the use of spiritous liquors, or the manufacture or sale thereof, or even the sale of grain knowingly for distillation, They were the pioneers-the beacon light of the age. To sustain this assertion, copious extracts from the records of Stillwater monthly meetings will hereafter be inserted as legitimate matter of history. They systematically extended care as to the encouragement of schools for the education of their youth, and to assist pecuniarily those of their members in defraying the expenses thereof who were unable of their own means to pay the expense of their children's tuition.

Their first meeting house, according to the statement of the oldest citizen, Hosea Doudna, was a single "log pen," "scutched down," situated on a ten acre lot obtained of Richard Croy, in the northeast corner of the southwest quarter of section number 9, inside of and near the northeast corner of the present graveyard. Whether the land was bought before this first meeting house was built cannot probably be ascertained, but the right of occupancy Was manifiestly secured in some way, and said ten acre lot was, subsequently, if not previously, paid for, and a deed executed by Richard and Ann Croy, Fourth month, 1st, 1813, to William Hodgin, Joseph Middleton, Herman Davis, Richard Edgerton and Joseph Cox, trustees, for the use and be­hoof of Stillwater monthly meeting, $40 being the consideration paid. The first meeting house must have been built in 1803 or 1804, as Robert Plunrmer's family is the only one we have any account of having come before 1803, when William Hodgin and his fellow emigrants arrived, and the preparative meeting being established in the spring of 1805, (according to Hosea Doundna's account) when another room was added to the building to accommodate it. Nearly all Friend's meeting-houses are constructed of two contiguous rooms (one for each sex) so arranged as to open into one for public meetings, and to be sep­arated by closing shutters between them for the transaction of disciplinary proceedings.

This house seems to have been made to subserve their wants for both meeting and school house for a number of years.

The following minutes, taken from the records of the monthly meeting, indicates the first movement to provide a better one, vis:

Third Month, 26th, 1811-"The subject of building a new meeting house coming under consideration, the meeting appoints Joseph Middleton, Camm. Thomas, Isaac Clendennon, William Hodgin, George Starbuck, John Middleton, Jesse White, David Smith, Joseph Cox and William Bundy to take the case under their care and make an* estimate of the expense of a house 60x30 feet in base, and to carry the same into execution as soon as convenient." Nothing more appears on the records in reference to the subject until the Seventh Month, 1815, when a committee was appointed to make an estimate of the amount necessary to be raised to finish the new house, and in the Nintli Month said committee reported: "They had attended to their appointment and thought $300 would be needed, which they had apportioned on the members, and produced the list, which was satisfactory," and a committee was appointed to receive it from the members and pay it to William Hodgin.

A year later Issachar Scholfield, who had been appointed to collect money to be applied to building the yearly meeting house, reported a surplus received, which he was directed to pay towards finishing the new house.

H. Doudna thinks the brick were made for this building in 1811, and it was put up in 1812. if this was the case the finishing was very tedious, This house was lengthened about 1823 or 1824, to accommodate the quarterly meeting. Thus enlarged it was about 38 x 97 feet, twelve-feet story, and stood, serving the meeting well, until the year 1878; when it was demolished and the present plain, substantial brick structure was built by the yearly meeting on the same site. It is 60 x 160 feet, twenty nine feet high to the square and roofed with slate, and makes a respecta­ble appearance. It cost $9,000 There are two large committee rooms in the northeast and southeast, or front corners, with the space between them partitioned off from the main room by a movable partition, for the accommodation of Stillwater particu­lar meetings, above all of which (a space twenty four feel wide, the length of the building) are gallery seats. In time of yearly meeting the portable partition is taken down, throwing the whole floor area, (except the committee rooms) with gallery, into one room' for the public meetings.

The women occupy the south end of the building and the men the northern, and by lowering from the garret a panel work board partition, the two are separated for the transaction of their disciplinary proceedings.

It would seem not inappropriate here to introduce a sketch of the religious belief of this peculiar people.

The doctrines of the society may be briefly stated as follows: They believe in one only wise, omnipotent and everlasting God, the creator and upholder of all things, and in one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, the mediator between God and man, and in the Holy Spirit, which precedeth from the rather and Son, one God, blessed forever. They believe in the divinity and manhood of the Lord Jesus; and that His sacrifice of Himself upon the Cross-was a propitiation and atonement for the sins of the whole world. The Friends believe also in the Holy Spirit, a manifestation of which they believe is given to everyman, that it convicts for sin, and as obeyed gives power to the soul to overcome and forsake it, opens to the mind the mysteries of salvation, enables it savingly to understand the truth recorded in the holy Scriptures; and gives it the living, practical and heartfelt experience of those things which pertain to its everlasting welfare. The society of Friends have always believed that the holy Scriptures were written by divine inspiration, and contain all the fundamental doctrines and princi­ples relating to eternal life and salvation.

They believe that the gospel baptism is that of the Holy Spirit, and that the true communion of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ is inward and spiritual

Believing that man can do nothing that tends to the glory of God or his own salvation without the immediate assistance of the spirit of Christ, it is the practice of the society to sit down in solemn silence to worship God, unless some feel drawn by the influence of the spirit to engage in the ministry of the gospel or in vocal prayer.

They believe the qualification for the ministry is the special gift of Christ Jesus upon both men and women, and to be exercised only as he qualifies immediately for the service. Their ministers preach freely without any compensation from their hearers.

The society believes war is wholly at variance with the gopel, and therefore cannot take part in any warlike measures. They also believe all oaths forbidden by Christ. It also forbids its members to go to law with each other, and enjoins upon its members a simple mode of living, moderation in pursuit of busi­ness, and that they discountenance lotteries, music, dancing, stage plays, horse races and all other vain and unprofitable amusements, as well as changeable fashions, in dress, language, or the furniture of their houses.

The practice of uncovering the head, as a mark of respect, or using the complimentary expressions in common use, such as "Mr.", "your humble servant," or other flattering titles, the Friends have always loft bound to refrain from, believing they had their origin in the pride and vanity of the human heart, which as also the use of the names of the days of the week and month, derived from heathen gods, and have called them by their proper numerical names.

The Discipline of the society embraces four grades of meet­ings connected with and dependent upon each other. First, the preparative meetings receive and prepare the business for the monthly meetings, which are composed of one or more pre­parative, meetings and rank next in order above them. In the monthly meetings the executive department of the discipline is chiefly lodged. The third grade includes quarterly meetings, which consist of several monthly meetings, and exercise a super­visory care over them, examine into their condition, and advise or assist them as occasion may require; and, lastly, the yearly meeting, which includes the whole within a given district, pos­sesses exclusively the legislative power, and annually investi­gates the state ofthe whole body, which is brought before it, by answers to queries addressed to subordinate meetings.

In each preparative meeting there are usually two or more Friends of each sex appointed as overseers of the flock.

There are also distinct meetings for the care and help of the ministry, in ad of ministers and elders, the latter being prudent and solid members, chosen specially to watch over the ministers for their good, and to admonish or advise them for their help. In these meetings the men and women meet to­gether; they are called meetings for ministers and elders, and are divided into preparative, quarterly and yearly.

HISTORY of THEIR RELIGIOUS MEETING.

The earliest history here is only traditional, there being none living who were here at the first. Hosea Doudna says that they first held meetings for worship at the house of Robert Vernon. This was probably in 1803 and the early part of 1804, after which their meetings were held at the several buildings elsewhere de­scribed, situate on the present meeting property in section num­ber nine. The same person is our authority for the fact that a meeting was established here with privilege to hold a prepara­tive meeting in the spring of 1805, either just before his father's family came (in the Fourth month of that year) or immediately after. This meeting was organized under authority of and as a constituent branch of Concord monthly meeting, in Colorain Township. As pertinent history we here introduce the follow­ing from the records, to-wit:

"At Stillwater monthly meeting, first opened and held the 29th day of the Third Month, 1808, agreeable to directions, the following extract was produced and read, viz: ' At Short creek quarterly meeting held the 12th of the Third Month, 1808, thecommittee under appointment respecting the proposal for a di­vision of Concord monthly meeting report they have attended thereto, and after weighing the case according to the ability fur­nished, give it as their judgement that it may be right that the division take place agreeable to their request;' which on solid consideration and after being communicated to the Women's meeting, is unitedly agreed to in the following manner, viz: A monthly meeting composed of Concord particular (preparative) meeting to be held at Concord the fifth day after the third seventh day in the month. A monthly meeting composed of Plainfield and Flushing preparative meetings, to be denominated Plainfleld Monthly Meeting, and to be held alternately at each of those places on the fourth seventh day in the month: at Plainfield in the odd months and at Flushing in the even months.

“A monthly meeting at Stillwater, to be called by that name, and composed of that preparative meeting to be held the third day after Plainfield monthly meeting; and that the preparative meeting of ministers and elders be held the day preceding each.
* * * * These arrangements to take place * * * in the present month. The following Friends are appointed to attend the opening of the several monthly meetings and to report to our next quarter, viz: Nathan Updeoraff, Malachi Jolly, William Wood, Asa Cadwallader, Samuel James. Extracted from the minutes by  "JOSEPH GIBBONS, Clerk."

"The following Friends are appointed by the women's meet­ing to attend the opening of the monthly meetings, viz:, Leana Harris, Sarah Hurford, Jane Cadwallader."

George Starbuck was clerk for the day at this meeting, Dur­ing the session Samuel Edgerton, Stephen Hodgin, Isaac Strahl, and William Patten were appointed a committee to propose names for regular clerks, and at next meeting, Fourth month, 26th, 1808, recommended that "James Edgerton be appointed clerk and George Starbuck assistant," with which the meeting concurred, and "they accordingly appointed to serve the ensuing year."

In the regular routine transactions we find nothing to remark until the Sixth month, when James Edgerton and Sarah Mill­house were appointed elders-the first by this meeting.

27th of 9th mo., 1808--Benjamin Patterson was the first over­seer appointed. Elizabeth Patterson and Ruth Boswell are the only members alluded to as resident ministers prior to 1815, when Hugh Judge was introduced as one from Maryland. Geo. Starbuck was the first treasurer 31st of First month, 1809.

30th of 5th mo., 1809 -Isaac Clendennon and Robert Plummer were appointed, the former to record the minutes and the latter births and deaths. These were the first records the meeting had. The minutes as recorded show the release of the various officers in the service of the meeting, and the succession properly kept up bythe appointment.of others at proper seasons to fill the places.

The following names, in addition to those already mentioned, appear as having been freely used in transacting the affairs of the church the first year, viz:

Joseph Middleton, William Hodgin, Daniel Ballenger, Henry Williams, Joseph Arnold, Knowis Doudna, John Doudna, Jehu Middleton, Joseph Cox, Moses Davies, Camm Thomas, William Baily, Jr., Robert Plummer, Henry Sidwell, Micajah Bailey, William Bailey, Isaac Ball, Sr., Joseph Patterson and William Patterson - to which may be added, as new names in the service the next year (1809), viz: Michael King, David Smith, Jesse White, Jethro Starbuck and Joseph Patterson, Jr., making a goodly number of active members for one monthly meeting.

The first marriages, under sanction of this monthly meeting, were two the name day: Stephen Bailey and Tabitha Patterson, and Joseph Dodd and Ann Hall.

Next following we give the proceedings as sanctioned by Friends among its members:

The first marriage certificate on the records (which is in the usual form) is here introduced, as it will interest many not ac­quainted with the society, and it may also be interesting to some to explain the antecedent proceedings, which are shown by the following from the monthly meeting's records of minutes, viz

28th of 7th mo., 1808.

Stephen Baily and Tabitha Patterson appeared in this meeting and declared their intentions of marriage with each other. Consent of surviving parents being had, therefore William Bailey and Cam. Thomas are appointed to inquire into his (the young man's) "cleanness" (of like engagements with others) and report to our next meeting. The same care is extended by the women's meeting, as to the young woman's cleanness of other marriage engagements.

Then again the 30th day of 8th month-"The friends appointed to inquire into Stephen Bailey's clearness in 'respect to marriage, report they find nothing to obstruct his proceeding. They are therefore left at liberty to accomplish the same agreeably to discipline, and William Bailey and William Patten are appointed to attend the same marriage, and produce the certifi­cate to next meeting for recording," Then at a subsequent mid­week meeting (never on First Day), the marriage takes place, as is shown by the certificate, which is here given

"Whereas, Stephen Baily, of the State of Ohio, in the county of Belmont, son of Edmond Baily and Elizabeth, his wife, de­ceased, and Tabitha Patterson, daughter of William Patterson, of the county and state aforesaid, and Elizabeth, his wife, having declared their intentions of marriage with each other before a monthly meeting of the Religious' Society of Friends, held at Stillwater according to the good order used among them, and having consent of surviving parents, their said proposal of marriage was allowed of by said meeting. Now these are to certify whom it may concern, that for the full accomplishment of their said intentions this Fourteenth day of the ninth month, in the year of our Lord, one thousand, eight hundred and eight, they, the said Stephen Bally and Tabitha Patterson, appeared in a public meeting of the said people, held at Stillwater, aforesaid and the said Stephen Bailey, taking the said Tabitha Patterson by the hand, did openly declare that he took her, the said Tabitha Patterson, to he his wife, promising, with Divine assist­ance, to be unto her a loving and faithful husband until death should separate them; and then in the same assembly, the said Tabitha Patterson did in, like manner declare that she took him, the said Stephen Bailey, to be her husband, promising, with Divine assistance, to be unto him a loving and faithful wife until death should separate them and moreover, they, the said Stephen Bally and Tabitha Patterson, (she according to the cus­tom of marriage assuming the name of her husband) did, as a further confirmation thereof; then and there to these presents, set their hands.

"STEPHEN BAILEY,

TABITHA BAILEY."

And we whose nacres are also hereunto subscribed, being present at the solemnization of said marriage * * * have, as witnesses thereto, set our hands the day and year above written. Miriam Hunnicut, William Bailey, Lucy Bailey, Mary Bailey, Rebecca Bailey, Silas Patterson, Benjamin Patterson, Mary Patterson, William Patterson, Elizabeth Paterson, Mica­jab Bailey."

Doubtless there were numerous other signers, but these were legally sufficient and the recorder's page being filled, others were omitted.

"The Friends appointed to attend the marriage of Stephen Bailey and Tabith A. Patterson report they attended and the marriage was orderly, accomplished and have produced the certificate for recording."

This minute made at the next monthly meeting, 27th of the Ninth month, concluded its care in the case; afterwards the recorder copies the marriage certificate in the appropriate book of records and the original is returned to the married parties,

In the first ten years after its organization the records of the monthly meeting show fifty-six marriages, and up to the end of the year 1821, thirteen years, the number was increased to eighty­seven, which fills the first volume of records, all within easy reach of this writer at present.

THE OUTGROWTH.

At the request of Friends living several miles southeastward, an indulged meeting was granted, as shown by the minutes made in Sixth month, 1808, viz: "The committee appointed the month previous to sit with Friends down Captina creek, re­portthey attended to the service and are free their request be granted, which the meeting unites with the privilege to continue six months * * * and George Starbuck, Joseph Arnold, William Patton, Daniel Balenger, William Hodgin and Joseph Middleton are appointed to attend with them as way may open, and report their satisfaction to a future meeting." In the Twelfth month, 1808, this committee report they have attended divers times to their satisfaction; and the Friends renewing their re­quest for a continuance, this meeting unites therewith and apppoints James Vernon, William Bandy, John Middleton, Camm Thomas, Isaac Strahl, Micajah Bailey, Demsey Boswelt and Ben­jamin Patterson, to sit with them as way may open and report of their care and the state of things amongst them once in three months. Similar minutes appear on the records periodically until this became an established meeting (Captina preparative) in 1816. Also, in the Second Month, 1809, is the the following minutes: " Friends living down Leatherwood creek request they may be indulged with the privilege of holding meetings for worship among themselves," Whereupon a committee was all pointed - “to sit with Friends there and feel after the propriety of granting their request and report of their care to next meeting." This committee reported favorably in the Third month for the meeting under the care of a committe, and the meeting united with the, report granting the request, and appointed ''Stephen Hodgn, John Doudna, Joseph Arnold, William Patten, Harmon Davies, Robert Plummer, Richard Edgerton and Camm Thomas, to sit with them at their meetings as often as they can with convenience and report of their care, and the sense they have of their meeting being kept up, to the reputation of truth, once in three months."

In the Sixth month, this committee reported "they had attended to a good degree of satisfaction, and the meeting was continued under care of the same friends." The same care shows on the minutes from time to time until the establishment of the meeting as "Richland preparative" was allowed by the monthly meeting in 1815.

The history of Ridge meeting is similar. In the 'same manner and care an indulged meeting was allowed at or near Benjamin Patterson's by this monthly meeting in the Eleventh Month, 1811, and nurtured till its establishment as Ridge Pre­parative in Ninth month, 1815.

Besides these three offshoots from Stillwater meeting there were very many members ennigrated to other parts, some to Miami, some to Alum creek in Delaware county, and very many to Indiana in its early history. The meeting records of its minutes from 1817 to 1880, being lost, makes a hiatus, which the writer is unable to fill. Within this time the monthly meeting was divided, perhaps about 1820, or near that time, and Somerset monthly meeting set up, and as the following show Stillwater quarterly meeting established, viz.:

At Stillwater quarterly meeting, opened and held the 28th of Eleventh month, 1821, agreeable to the subjoined extract: "The report from Short creek quarterly meeting contains a proposition that a division of that meeting take place in the following manner, to twit: Concord, Short creek, Smithfield and Flushing monthly meetings constitute Short creek quarterly meeting: and that Plainfield, Stillwater, Alum creek and Somerset monthly meetings constitute another quarter, to be held at Stillwater quarterly meeting, and hold the fourth day, week following Short creek quarter, which, obtaining the concurrence of the meeting, is directed to be opened at time time proposed in the Eleventh month next, under the care of John Hains, Thomas Farquhar, Jr., William Ballinger, Elisha Bates, Isaac Parker, William Wood, Thomas Rech and William Heald.

"Extract from the minutes of Ohio yearly meeting, held by adjournment from the 3d day of Ninth month to the 7th of the same, inclusive, 1821.

"BENJAMIN W. LADD, Clerk."

For many years all the meetings at Stillwater were large, up to the time of the Hicksite separation notably so, This defection from the established doctrines of the society, as recognized for nearly two centuries, and which was preached by Elias Hicks for a number of years previous in the eastern states, culminated in 1827 east of the Alleghanies, causing separation in several yearly meetings in that year, and, being extended to Ohio, disrupted the society here the next year, 1828.

Friends, sound in the faith of their forefathers in Ohio, were in many monthly meetings, enabled, through much tribulation and suffering, to maintain the integrity of their meetings.

As leading; members of this monthly meeting who joined with the separatists in holding and giving encouragement to meet­ings held not in the order of the society’s discipline, they were disowned in regular way before the organized rupture took place, which occurred here at the Eighth month quarterly meeting in 1828. There was no disturbance in the proceeding monthly meeting.

They, the Hicksites, were sufficiently numerous, however, to keep up a meeting at Stillwater for many years, and persistently occupied one end of the building, whilst Friends sat in the other, on public meeting days, very much to the discomfort and annoyance of Friends meetings.

In course of a few years after the separation, some emigration of members commenced to Morgan county, in this state, and gradually increased until ultimately they became sufficiently numerous there to establish a quarterly meeting there, which was accomplished in 1854 by the division of Stillwater quarter, and the new quarterly meeting of Pennsville set up. And again out of these two quarterly meetings mainly has grown another quarterly meeting in Iowa, viz: Hickory Grove, now a constituent member of Ohio yearly meeting, at Stillwater.

THEY WERE TEMPERATE.

"As early as 1808, a minute reads, 'Received an extract from the minutes of our last quarterly meeting impressing on Friends to attend to the advice banded down in the extracts (from the early meeting's minutes) in regard to spirituous liquors.' Therefore this meeting appoints,( here follows the names of a large committee to extend a care in the case where they may find it needful, and report to our meeting in the 8th mo. next.)

1809. 8th mo. 29th. - "This committee report they have met several times and conferred on the subject, and find no complaint in regard thereto amongst us."

1809. 12th mo. 26. - With a large quarterly meeting's commit­tee in attendance on this subject, a large committee was ap­pointed to extend care towards our members, and report their care and how they find matters amongst us, to this meeting in the 8th month next.

 1810. 8th mo. 28. - This committee, they have extended care on the subject, and though all our members are not clear of the too common rise thereof, yet it is thought our testimony is gaining ground.

1810. 12th mo. 25th. - Another large quarterly meeting's committee in attendance on the same subject, and a large com­mittee appointed "to have a care and oversight among our mein­bere, and to extend labor where necessary, and report," .

1811. 8th mo. 27th - Report care and duplicate last year's report. -These are probably sufficient quotations, to show the care exercised by this people over their members in reference to this subject. In more modern time the discipline prohibits members of the society from the manufacture, sale or unnecessary use of spirituous liquors, and it is a rare ease to find a member of the society who indulges to any extent the use thereof as a beverage. It may safely be remarked, now seventy years after this neighborhood was begun to be occupied by Friends, that the impress of their temperate, habits was deeply made on the community, so forcibly indeed, that although many, not of them, are now located among and abound them still that impress dis­tinguishes theirs in a marked degree from surrounding communities. On the subject of education, too, in the early history, they were in advance of their surrounding contemporaries, nor do they lag now, but strive to keep abreast with the age - but the great advance on this subject by the state and general com­munity has been so rapid in the last half century, that Friends have ceased to appear conspicuous thereabout.

A Friends' school was taught in Stillwater meeting house as early as the winter of 1805-6 by Samuel Berry, a Friend,

THOMAS SHTLLITOE.

To show the condition of the society of Friends and their feelings of its membership as produced by the teachings of Elias Hicks, as well as to give a history of that most trying epoch in the annals of that society, we will here present to our readers very liberal extracts from the diary of Thomas Shitllitoe, who was an eye-witness of the scenes of which he gives an account.

Mr. Shillitoe was an Englishman, and was born in Holborn, London, in Second Month, 1754. At first he was put as a clerk to a grocer, then to a brandy house, but disgusted at the scenes about him, he apprenticed himself to a shoemaker, and followed the business of shoemaking while he pursued secular affairs. His parents belonged to the Church of England, but he preferred the worship and doctrines of the Friends. His parents opposed him bitterly, but he persisted in attending the Friends' meetings, and became a member of that society in a short time. He became a minister among them. Gradually he arose to em­minence as a traveling minister. He journeyed much, doing most of it on foot. He visited the Continent, went to Scotland, and journeyed in Ireland on foot as a minister of the Word, and in 1826, at the advanced age of seventy-two, he made a religious visit to Friends in the United States and Canada, He remained among them about three years, witnessing the distressing events occasioned by the most terrible conflict of opinions that has ever befallen that body, of professing Christians. He died the 12th of the Sixth month, 1836, in the eighty-third year of his age. Mr. Shillitoe was a man of only limited education, yet of fine intellectual powers, and led a life of eminent piety. The Sim­plicity, force and unctiousness of his religious writings, placed them almost on a level with Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. He was an adhering Friend, and as such was a partizan against Hicks and his party, but his character puts his narrative of events above suspicion of bias only so far as it is inevitable to the most exalted, enlightened, and religious human nature.

THOMAS SHILLITOE'S DIARY OF QUARTERLY MEETING AT STILLWATER.

"Third day, 26th of Eighth month, 1838. Attended the select quarterly meeting held at Stillwater: The meeting was informed before it was fully gathered, that some persons were on their way who had been members of this select meeting, but who had been disowned in consequence of uniting themselves with the Separatists. On their making the attempt to enter the house, and the doorkeepers preventing them, they assembled of the meeting house lot, where they held their meeting, preaching and praying, so much to the annoyance of Friends, that they were obliged to close the windows of the meeting house.

"Fourth day, 27th of Eighth mouth, 1828, the day of Stillwa­ter quarterly meeting. - My companion (James Emlen) and myself on proceeding towards the meeting house, observed a vast crowd of people assembled; the nearer we approached, the more awful the commotion appeared; the countenances and action of many manifested a determination to make their way into the house by resorting to violent means, if no other way would effect their designs. By pressing through the crowd we gained admittance. The tumult increased to an alarming degree; the consequences of keeping the doors fastened any longer were to be dreaded, as the mob were beginning to break the windows to obtain an entrance, and to inflict blows on some of the door­keepers. It was therefore concluded to open the doors. The door of the men's house (room) being opened, to attempt to describe the scene to the full, would be in vain. The feelings awakened in my mind were such as to almost to overpower my confidence in the superintending care of a Divine Protector. The countenances of many as they entered the house, seemed to indicate that they were ready to fall upon the little handful of us in the minister's gallery, there being few others in the house. Some of their party forced open the shutters between the men's and women's house (room), as if they would have brought the whole of them to the ground; others ran to the doors which had been made secure, seizing them, tearing them open and some off the hinges. The like outrage they committed in the women's house (room.) The cracking and hammering this occasioned for the short time it lasted, was awful to me, not knowing where or in what this scene of riot and wickedness of temper would end. The house was very soon crowded to an extreme, the Separatists taking possession of one end of the men's house (room) and Friends the other.

Trying as our situation was, it appeared best to proceed with the business amidst the host of opposers and strangers present. The representatives were called over, the answers to the queries, and a summary prepared. Had I not been present, I could not have conceived it possible for the Friends to conduct the busi­ness of a quarterly meeting so quietly, circumstanced as they were - the Separatists going on with the business' of their new quarterly meeting at one end of the house (room) and Friends at the other. The Friends were favored to get comfortably through with their business."

FRIENDS BOARDING SCHOOL HOUSE AT STILLWATER

The Supreme Court of Ohio, having decided that the O. Y. M. of  F. boarding school house and farm at Mt. Pleasant, Ohio, in its opinion rightfully belonged to the "Binns party," or the "Gurney Division of the O. Y. M. of F., the adhering Friends, or the Hoyle party, as-they were called in accordance with that decision, delivered up the possession in the summer of 1874.

At the yearly meeting of adhering Friends for that year a committee was appointed to take the subject of building anoth­er boarding school house into consideration, and to report at an­other sitting. The committee reported in favor of proceeding at once to raise funds and erect another boarding school house within the limits of Stillwater quarterly meeting "for the religiously guarded education of our children," The committee also suggested that a building committee be appointed out of which a committee should be nominated to circulate subscrip­tion papers throughout the limits of Friends' church in Ohio; and that when sufficient money was raised that they buy a site not over sixty acres in extent, and erect there on a plain and sub­stantial building that would accommodate seventy-five to eighty scholars. The yearly meeting approved and adopted the sugges­tions of the committe.

After the adjournment of the yearly meeting, the committe ap­pointed B. Stratton and W. Hall a committee to solicit contri­butions. The result. of their efforts was as follows: Short creek quarter, $7.950,50; Salem, $6,898.00; Stillwater, $10,752.50; Pennsville, $1,983.00; Hickory Grove was not called upon. The Friends of Philadelphia yearly meeting took a lively interest in the erection of the boarding school, and donated $16,308.34. Total funds raised were $43,86 2.34.

Forty-two and a half acres of land, the corners of four different farms a short distance south of Stillwater meeting house, was purchased at a cost of $4,462 23. As a public road ran through these lands near their center, legal proceedings were had by which it was changed so us to run along their southern bound­ary. The cost of change was $45.00,

The building committee appointed Francis Davis superintent of the work of the building house. The first work done on the premises was the digging of a wall in the south yard, and was begun 10th Eleventh month, 1874. On Now Year's day, 1875, the first log was cut and hauled on the snow to make lumber to build laundry. The building committee decided to contract building after the following plan : Center building 120 feet in length by 68 feet in depth, and two wings, each 58 feet and all four stories high. The building fronts north with wings out east and west sides. A belfry containing bell surmounts the top of center building.
A laundry cost $2;000 was put up for the accommodation of the workmen engaged in the construction of school building.
Asa Garretson was appointed treasurer.
The work was conducted by having a foreman for each class of work, and the committee employed all the workmen individu­ally. The first stone was laid in the foundation on 7th day of Fifth month, 1875. A hard light colored stand-stone was se­lected for range work and steps. Three large kilns of brick were burned from materials of the farm, and the first brick moulded on the 18th day of Fifth month, 1875, and the first brick laid at noon on the 29th day of the Sixth month, 1875, at the northeast corner of the center building. Under that brick one cent was lain as monento of the occasion. The brick work was completed on the 27th day of' Ninth month, 1875. Seven hundred and twenty-five thousand bricks were used in the build­ing, The wall bricks were three times carefully selected before they were put in the wall. The whole building and belfry are roofed with slate. The school rooms of all the classes are warmed by stoves and illuminated by gasoline, generated at the gas house. There are complete pipings abont the whole building to carry water to the cistron. The cistern holds one thousand bar­rels, and in divided into two compartments, one smaller than the other. The wind engine and pumps lift the water from the smaller division of the cistern to the attic of the center building and thence by pipes it is convoyed to every part of the building.

Whatever of the furniture of the Mt. Pleasaut boarding school that was retained when it was abandoned, and that was suita­ble, was put into the new boarding school house rooms, but much and elegant furniture had to he made or purchased to complete the garnature of the rooms. A large planing bit was procured from the east that had been made to be used, and was used in making the seats for German town Friends meeting house, and it was used here by Davis & Starbuck at their planing mill, to make seats for the Stillwater meeting house and boarding school. The first school began first 2d day of 1st month, A. D. 1876.