Editing Orthodox Quakers and Slavery: Baltimore, 1828-1900

In 1828 a small group of Friends (Quakers) left the Lombard Street Quaker meeting in Baltimore, and went across the street to form their own meeting. In time among them would be six future trustees of twelve entrusted with the dispersal of a remarkable gift (announced in 1867) of Johns Hopkins, that he intended for the care of destitute African American children, medical care for all without regard to color, and an institution of higher education that the Black community thought at its implementation would not exclude them.

The research objective here is to determine whether Johns Hopkins adopted the Orthodox Friends views on slavery,  and whether or not he put into practice those views during the years in which he accumulated his considerable fortune.  For a draft essay on Johns Hopkins as an Orthodox Friend, see:  http://www.rememberingbaltimore.net/2021/02/johns-hopkins-orthodox-quaker.html Note that the essay is a work in progress.

A  history of the Friends in Baltimore City, ''Minute by Minute A History of the Baltimore Monthly Meetings of Friends Homewood and Stony Run'' (1992), reviews some of the surviving records of the Baltimore Orthodox Friends and provides an excellent introduction to the history of the Friends in Maryland. The authors' chapters on the Homewood Meeting, the descendant Meeting of the Orthodox Friends who withdrew from the Hicksite Lombard Street Meeting in 1828, are particularly illuminating, as are the introductions to the records provided by [http://transcribedoc.net/secondary_sources/jacobsen_quaker_records_maryland.pdf Phebe R. Jacobsen's ''Quaker Records in Maryland''] (1966).  Phebe Jacobsen derives her account of the departure of the Orthodox Friends of Baltimore to form their own meeting from [https://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm781/html/scm781-0548.html "A Narrative of the Principal part of the events which transpired at Baltimore Yearly Meeting in the year 1828 with imperfect reports from some speeches made by different individuals," owned by Florence Wetherald in 1935 and transcribed that year for the Homewood Meeting].  See also: ''[http://www.rememberingbaltimore.net/2021/02/johns-hopkins-orthodox-quaker.html Johns Hopkins: Orthodox Quaker and Emancipationist?]'' 

The surviving records of the Orthodox meeting prior to 1900 were well-catalogued by Phebe Jacobsen, and microfilmed by the Maryland State Archives.  Subsequently the original records relating to the Orthodox meeting in Baltimore were sent to Haverford College and a limited selection can be found on Ancestry.com.  As Phebe Jacobsen points out (p. 95) "Unfortunately, ''Mens Minutes of the Baltimore Preparative Meeting for the Eastern and Western districts (Orthodox)'' between 1828 and 1856, were destroyed in a warehouse fire."  This loss restricts the degree to which Johns Hopkins and his trustees involvement in the affairs of the Baltimore Orthodox Meeting can be measured,  but several reels of microfilm images remain to be explored that include relevant minutes and documents that apparently were not encompassed in ''Minute by Minute'', at least to the degree that they may document Johns Hopkins's commitment to the Friends ''Discipline'' first published in Baltimore in 1821, supplemented in 1834, reprinted in 1844 and again in 1860.   Several copies of the 1821 and the 1834 ''Discipline'' survive in the library of  Homewood Meeting.  The first was published  before the break with the Lombard Street Meeting and the others after the influential visit of the wealthy English Friend, Joseph John Gurney who was instrumental in persuading the English Parliament to abolish slavery in the British West Indies and published extensively on the values of the Orthodox Friends as well as an [https://books.googleusercontent.com/books/content?req=AKW5Qafz2d5sjCcxNMCaXc1HmCm858610hv7FkiUQFHsP83DHqGraLnYSsaseNqHGVMiuLZ1AxagpJ_t1qGN4lcT53L4DNsf-lBP9jXaX6KAoLvx996SpwPknTWD3CTC3k4IHW36MGqw9I4U0zZ2msYl-WlPP_8YIJ6QK8otaRqvlNXiM0paGWJX0VbjPsuDfw_GIpZNigdV6akAC8eqorxL0S6ExYkud76TgkvonlkjLIcEZal7sloI1MSm9nOvsvNk8ikR-liodmzZ0PVdNfw0bRBpSLRYsw open letter to Henry Clay on the evils of slavery (New York, 1839)].  The library at Homewood contains many volumes of his works, one set of which was owned by Dr. Richard Thomas the elder, another friend of Johns Hopkins.    
[[File:1834 discipline-0122.jpg|thumb|From the Library of Homewood Meeting]]        

The following is taken from a copy of the [https://archive.org/details/disciplineofyear00frie 1821 ''Discipline'']  owned by  Joseph King, Jr. who left the Lombard Street Meeting to remain an Orthodox Friend.  Joseph King was  the father of Francis T. King, later clerk of the Orthodox  meeting and a close friend of Johns Hopkins. This language did not change through the Baltimore editions of [https://archive.org/details/rulesdiscipline00friegoog 1844] and [https://archive.org/details/rulesdiscipline00unkngoog 186o].  All three are available from http://archive.org. 

 <blockquote>'''<big>''Negroes and Slaves''</big>''' 

''Testimony against slavery'' 

''As a religious society we have found it to be our indispensable duty to declare to the world, our belief of the repugnancy of slavery to the Christian religion.  It therefore remains to be our continued concern to prohibit our members from holding in bondage our fellow-men.  And at the present time, we apprehend it to be incumbent on every individual, deeply to consider his own particular share in this testimony.  The slow progress in the emancipation of this part of the human family we lament; but nevertheless do not despair of their ultimate enlargement.  And we desire that Friends my not suffer the deplorable condition of these, our enslaved fellow-beings to lose its force upon their minds, through the delay, which the opposition of the interested my occasion, in this work of justice and mercy; but rather be animated to consider, that the longer the opposition remains, the greater is the necessity on the side of righteousness and benevolence, for our steady perseverance in pleading their cause.'' 

''Let us also amidst our sympathy for the sufferers, not forget to cultivate those sensations which direct the mind in pity towards the deplorable state of those men, whether in foreign countries or our own, who promote, procure and execute the tearing away  from their native land; as well as for those who detain them in bondage.  Let us, therefor, seek for and cherish that disposition of mind, which can pray for these enemies of humanity, and fervently breathe for their restoration to soundness of judgment and purity of principle.'' 

''In relation to the descendants of the African race, we earnestly desire, that those who may be under the care of any of our members, may be treated with kindness; and as objects of the common salvation, instructed in the principles of the Christian religion, as well as in such branches of school-learning as may fit them for freedom, and to become useful members of civil society. Also that Friends in their respective neighbourhoods, advise and assist those who are at liberty,  in the education of their children, and common worldly concerns.'' 

''If any in membership with us should hire slaves, or should take as apprentices or servants slaves, who are to be returned to their alleged owners, after a term of years, or limited time; or shall purchase slaves to be liberated at any time after the ages of eighteen for females and twenty-one years for males ; or act as executors or administrators to estates where slaves are thus bequeathed; or be accessory to any step whereby their bondage may be continued, beyond the term above limited; however they may be induced thereto from an apparent motive of contributing to the cause of humanity, it is our judgment, that such countenance the injustice of slavery, and oppose our testimony against it: they ought, therefore, to be speedily treated with, in the spirit of love and wisdom, in order to convince them of the iniquity of their conduct, and if, after Christian labour, they cannot be brought to such a sense of their injustice as to whatever the Monthly Meeting shall judge right in the case, and condemn their deviation from the law of righteousness and equity, to the satisfaction of the said meeting; they ought to be disowned, as other transgressors are, for immoral, unjust and reproachful conduct.'' 

''The situation of those of the African race, who have been held as slaves by any of us or our predecessors, calls for our serious examination and inquiry, how far we are clear of withholding from them what, under such an exercise, may be opened to our view, as their just right; and we earnestly affectionately intreat those in particular, who have released any of them, to attend to the further manifestations of duty.  Even if no such obligations to this people existed amongst us, it is worthy of our consideration whether any object of beneficence is more deserving of our regard than that of training up their youth in such virtuous principles and habits, as may render them useful and respected members of the community.'' </blockquote>By 1834 the ''Discipline'' published by the English Friends and found among the books of the Orthodox meeting, was more succinct with regard to the behavior of Friends towards slavery:<blockquote>''It is the sense and judgment of this meeting, that if any in membership with us are in any wise concerned in purchasing, disposing of, or holding mankind as slaves, or shall by any means encourage or countenance a traffic in slaves, they should be treated with as for any other immoral, unjust, or reproachful conduct; and if they are not brought to such a sense of their deviation from the law of righteousness and Christian equity, as to condemn the same ot the satisfaction of the monthly meeting, they should be disowned. ---1774, 1834.''</blockquote>As Francis T. King, future Trustee and Chairman of the Board of Johns Hopkins Hospital recorded in 1856 as Clerk of the Orthodox Meeting : 

[[File:1856 francis t king.jpg|border|center|frameless|748x748px|Francis T. King, clerk of the Baltimore Orthodox Quaker Meeting, 1853 from Ancestry.com, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2189/images/42483_1821100519_3958-00019?ssrc=&backlabel=Return]]



See below for the  records that require careful examination  for any references to Johns Hopkins and his family. They are linked to the images of the Maryland State Archives microfilm and to some of the  images on [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2189/ Ancestry.com]. See also the OCR pdf copy of  [[Transcribedoc.net/secondary sources/jacobsen quake records maryland.pdf|Phebe R. Jacobsen's ''Quaker Records in Maryland'']] from which the following entries are taken.  Her introductions to the records are thorough, instructive, and deserve careful reading.  Note that the other records filmed by the Maryland State Archives and not accessed here (see [[Transcribedoc.net/secondary sources/jacobsen quake records maryland.pdf|Phebe R. Jacobsen's ''Quaker Records in Maryland'']] for a listing of those reels of film) may also contain records relating to the Baltimore Orthodox meeting.  While not accurately described and at time missing facing pages, the records of the Friends on Ancestry.com may also contain records not filmed by the Maryland State Archives but are originals  in the collections of Swarthmore and Haverford.  For example, the record book entry for Samuel Hopkins's [https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=kWs55&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&indiv=1&dbid=2189&gsfn=Samuel&gsln=Hopkins&gsfn_x=1&gsln_x=1&gskw=disownment&new=1&rank=1&uidh=3j4&redir=false&msT=1&gss=angs-d&pcat=34&fh=1&h=1101768938&recoff=&ml_rpos=2&queryId=41f6a9b693c64f55321514abfd08f136 disownment (minus the detail of the facing page)] is found on Ancestry.com), while the [https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2189/images/42483_1821100519_4166-00521?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=41f6a9b693c64f55321514abfd08f136&usePUB=true&_phsrc=kWs55&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=1101800570 original clerk's minute of Samuel's disownment] is also found on Ancestry, neither of which can be located on the Maryland State Archives film. For the surviving records relating to the Orthodox Friends in Baltimore, the images on Ancestry.com should be reviewed in case there are other records which are not to be found on the Jacobsen/Maryland State Archives film.  [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2189/ As of 2021/06/08 the Records of the Maryland Friends on Ancestry.com were accessed ''here'']
[[File:Friends Meetings, Maryland .jpg|thumb|from Phebe Jacobsen, Quaker Records in Maryland]]



'''<big>Baltimore Yearly Meeting of Friends in Maryland and adjacent areas of Pennsylvania and Virginia in unity with the Ancient society of Friends</big>'''

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm775/html/scm775-0003.html Memorials to Deceased Friends, 1780-1842, MdSA M775]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm775/html/scm775-0192.html Minutes, 1828-1868, MdSA M775]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm775/html/scm775-0455.html Minutes, 1869-1890, MdSA M775]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm776/html/scm776-0003.htmlMinutes,&#x20;1869-1890,&#x20;MdSA&#x20;M776 Minutes, 1869-1890, MdSA M776]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm776/html/scm776-0319.html Minutes, Women Friends, 1828-1837, MdSA  M776]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm776/html/scm776-0416.html Minutes, Women Friends, 1838-1854, MdSA M776]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm776/html/scm776-0522.html Minutes, Women Friends, 1855-1876, MdSA M776]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm777/html/scm777-0180.html Minutes, Ministers and Elders, 1829-1883, MdSA M777]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm781/html/scm781-0002.html Minutes, Meeting for Sufferings, 1829-1877, MdSA M781]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm779/html/scm779-0216.html Minutes, Committee on Indian Concerns, Loose Papers, 1810-1852, MdSA M779]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm779/html/scm779-0369.html Minutes, Loose Papers, Committee on Indian Concerns, 1810-1852]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm779/html/scm779-0412.html John Nicholson, "Friends Work for Indians" 1800-1869, MdSA M779]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm779/html/scm779-0427.html Minutes, Friends Association to Advise and Assist Friends of Southern States, 1864-66, MdSA M779]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm780/html/scm780-0002.html Friends Association to advise and assist Friends of the Southern States, Letter Book of Francis King, 1865-1875, MdSA M780]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm781/html/scm781-0002.html Minutes, Meetings for Sufferings, 1829-1877, MdSA M781]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm781/html/scm781-0435.html Treasurers Book, 1802-1885, MdSA M781]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm781/html/scm781-0542.html Memorials on Francis T. King, 1819-1892, MdSA M781]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm781/html/scm781-0547.html Events transpiring at the Yearly Meeting, 1828, MdSA M781]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm781/html/scm781-0562.html Establishment of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting, MdSA M781]

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm781/html/scm781-0574.html Extracts of Letters and Statements of Friends Regarding Elias Hicks, 1822-1829, MdSA M781]



'''<big>Baltimore Quarterly Meeting, Orthodox</big>'''

Minutes, 1807-1823, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm783/html/scm783-0252.html MdSA M783]

Minutes, 1856-1899, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm783/html/scm783-0352.html MdSA M783]

Minutes, Women Friends, 1855-1887, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm786/html/scm786-0001.html MdSA M786]

Minutes, Ministers and Elders, 1852-1876, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm786/html/scm786-0001.html MdSA M786]

Minutes, Ministers and Elders, 1867-68, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm780/html/scm780-0001.html MdSA M780]

* Indian Springs Preparatory Meeting, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm577/html/scm577_0088.html Samuel S. Hopkins,  Indian Spring membership, Mdsa M577]  <br />

<big>'''Baltimore Monthly Meeting (reunited)'''</big>

[http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm579/html/scm579-0001.html Baltimore Monthly Meeting, Deceased Members, 1647-1890, MdSA M579]

* [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm579/html/scm579-0078.html Johns Hopkins' membership]




<big>'''Baltimore Monthly Meeting, Orthodox'''</big>

Minutes and Proceedings pertaining to Eastern and Western District Properties, 1792-1819; also Western District Membership for 1819, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm788/html/scm788_0002.html MdSA M788]

Register, Births, Burials, Membership, 1828-1846, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm788/html/scm788_0509.html MdSA M788]; [https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2189/images/42483_1821100519_3970-00107?backlabel=ReturnSearchResults&queryId=6b8867161f9309c70db1564d61cda399&pId=1101768938 Ancestry.com color images]

Marriages, 1830-1953, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm789/html/scm789_0003.html MdSA M789]

Certificates of Removal, 1829-1867, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm789/html/scm789_0241.html MdSA M789]

Certificates of Removal, 1828-1846, MdSA M790

Membership, 1848-1882 (includes Register, 1769-1878), [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm789/html/scm789_0287.html MdSA M789]

Membership, 1854-1928,  [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm789/html/scm789_0287.html Mdsa M789]

Beginnings of the Baltimore Monthly Meeting for Easter and Western Districts (Includes explanation of property transfer, Acts of Assembly, Reports of Yearly Meeting from Monthly Meeting Minutes, Reports on Burying Ground controversy, 1812-1819),  papers relating to Controversy over Eastern and Western District Property, 1773-1822, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm790/html/scm790_0001.html MdSA M790]  Note: his whole reel needs to be carefully examined.  This hyperlink is to the beginning of the reel of microfilm.  Below are a few links to records within the reel.

Reports to the Monthly Meeting, 1832-1836, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm790/html/scm790_0290.html MdSA M790]

Reports to the Monthly Meeting, 1837-1840, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm790/html/scm790_0436.html MdSA M790]

"Minutes" 1829-1832, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm790/html/scm790_0600.html MdSA M790]

"Minutes" 1832-33, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm790/html/scm790_0745.html MdSA M790]

"Minutes" 1834-1835, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm790/html/scm790_0773.html MdSA M790]

"Minutes" 1836-1840, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm790/html/scm790_0387.html MdSA M790]

Loose Papers, 1829-1832, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm790/html/scm790_0544.html MdSA M790]

Loose Papers, 1831-1840, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm794/html/scm794-0139.html MdSA M794]

Minutes, Women Friends, 1828-1884, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm794/html/scm794-0213.html MdSA M794] Ancestry.com has some of these minutes in color, for example [https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2189/images/42483_1821100519_3984-00008?ssrc=&backlabel=Return minutes for 1828-1839]

Trustees Account Book, 1842-1887, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm795/html/scm795_0548.html MdSA M795]

Minutes Friends Library Committee,1831-1855, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm796/html/scm796-0386.html MdSA M796]

Carey Family Records, 1783-1906, from bible of Margaret Carey Thomas, [ftp://ecpclio%2540transcribedoc.net@107.180.1.11/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm801/html/scm801_0155.html MdSA M801]

'''<big>Baltimore Preparative Meeting for the Eastern and Western Districts, Orthodox</big>'''

Minutes, 1856-1873, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm797/html/scm797-0003.html MdSA M797]

Minutes, Women Friends, 1828-1854, [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm797/html/scm797-0060.html MdSA M797]<blockquote>a portion of these minutes [https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1101743373:2189?tid=&pid=&queryId=192ddb9ac201125150dccc9b43050b7a&_phsrc=JPG76&_phstart=successSource are on line at Haverford,]  including an entry concerning the marriage of [https://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm794/html/scm794-0442.html Margaret Hopkins (sister to Johns Hopkins) Jolliffe]: </blockquote>
'''<big>Gunpowder Preparative Meeting, Orthodox</big>'''

Minutes, 1829-1852 [Includes loose paper minutes of the Baltimore Monthly Meeting for Eastern and Western Districts, 1849-1852], [http://transcribedoc.net/mdsa_bc_quaker_records/scm798/html/scm798-0001.html MdSA M798]



Note:  There may be other records relating to the Orthodox meeting at Courtland Street and Eutaw Street scattered among the reels of film not accessed here.  The membership roles of the Lombard Street Meeting before the split with the Orthodox are to be found on Mdsa M 580 (SCM580).  The references to the Hopkins family and to Johns Hopkins are found here: 

[[SCM580-0001]]

[[SCM580-0003]]

[[SCM580-0043]]

[[SCM580-0044]]