Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
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Source: October 1956 Volume 9 Number 2, Pages 26–30


Willistown Friends' Meeting

Anna S. Bartram

Page 26

If you follow Goshen Road for a half mile west of the little village of White Horse, Chester County, you will come upon a very plain and well-kept burial ground, and beyond its walls and gates you will see Willistown Friends' Meeting House. A new addition extends east of the original building, blending its walls with those of the older structure and looking as if it too belonged in the setting of old trees in this "peaceful vale".

Willistown Friend's Meeting

For over 200 years this spot has been used by our ancestors for educational, religious, and social purposes. Prior to that we are told the Delaware Indians owned and controlled this land. Sometimes, on a rare, sunny Sabbath morning we gather for our worship service under the trees south of the building. Beyond are the wooded hills and fertile fields stretching far toward the Delaware River. An awareness of the sacredness of this spot comes over each one of us; here have worshiped our Indian brothers, hearing the "words of wisdom and of warning" from "the lips of the Great Spirit", and here generation after generation of our "Founding Fathers" have gathered, to "seek and serve the spirit's inmost need."

Page 27

The first record of this tract of land is that, in 1703, 400 acres of which this was a part was "granted and confirmed to Francis Yarnall". Described in quaint language are its "metes and bounds".

1708: 150 acres of this original 400 was conveyed to John Cadwallader by Frances and Hannah Yarnall.

1714: John and Sarah Cadwallader did "grant and convey the said 150 acres with appurtenances unto Thomas James in fee".

1745: Thomas and Mary James did grant and convey 53 acres, 63 perches, part of said 150 acres, to their eldest son John James "in Fee".

1749: John and Ann James sold the 53 acres, 63 perches, "unto Richard Battin".

1750: Richard and Elisabeth Batten sold to Francis Smedley "a certain tract or parcel of land containing 52 acres and 93 perches, being the greater part of the said 53 acres and 63 perches above mentioned.

1753: April 12: Francis and Ann Smedley, for the sum of 5 shillings,

"did convey to Thomas Smedley, Amos Yarnall, Benjamin Hibberd, Lawrence Cox, and Thomas Massey one acre of land ( being part of the 52 acres and 93 perches ) in trust to the above and their heirs, nevertheless to and for the use and behoof of them the said Thomas Smedley, Amos Yarnall, Benjamin Hibberd, John Hibberd, Francis Yarnall, John Yarnall, Moses Yarnall, Joseph James, William Garrett, John Smedley and divers others, freeholders and inhabitants of said township of Willistown, joyned together in a company or society to build a commodius schoolhouse upon the same acre of land above described, and to employ a capable master to teach their children and youth in necessary learning as by a schedule or role of the same company hereto annexed may appear."

The records of the school have not been found; we keep hoping they may some day come to light as attics are dusted out. One finds the outline of the school's foundation just east of the present building, and clearly marked when dry weather causes the grass to become brown over the foundation

Page 28

stones. There is nothing to indicate that the school was only for "Friends"; we believe all religions were represented among the students.

We do not know just when the Friends' families living near the school decided to hold their winter meetings in the school building. To walk or to ride their horses to Goshen or Newtown meeting was a long and difficult journey. The first wedding recorded at Willistown is that of Benjamin Hibbert (usually spelled Hibberd) and Mary Garrett, who were married 10th month 19th, 1769, inb"Willistown Meeting House", so it is evident that the "commodius school" was functioning as a place of worship at this time.

By 1783 the attenders at Willistown had succeeded after long years of rather "persistent persuasion" in getting permission from Goshen, the parent meeting, to hold regular meetings for worship here. By 1794 by the same routine we became an independent business body, and demonstrated our maturity by building a new meetinghouse in 1798. The original date stone shows above the roof line of the 1956 addition, moved several feet nearer the peak of the older structure by workmen who possessed real interest in preserving this huge marker hundreds of pounds in weight. These men might well be considered valuable members of any historical society, and posterity has reason to be grateful for their sentiment and their labor.

The schoolhouse now became a caretaker's home and the question of what became of the school was unsolved until 1955 - 56. During the renovating of a house on the premises of Mrs. Hardie Smith, just south of White Horse, workmen came upon a stone marked "Friends School 1796", and in 1956, in reading over some old minute books of 1815, we found this record,

"The Meeting sold the lower school which it had conducted since 1797, and distributed the proceeds to the three meetings Goshen, Willistown and Newtown to use in establishing schools in their vicinities."

So the question of the stone was answered, Some day we may know more about the building, its size, etc.

The interior of the 1798 building has been somewhat altered since it was built. Galleries ran around three sides of the room and the windows had small panes of glass. Of course there were partitions so that men and women could carry on their business meetings in separate sessions. We know the galleries were removed in 1883, the position of the upper windows to the south was changed, and we surmise that the wainscoting was put around the entire room. We wonder whether

Page 29

at that time the more elaborate partitions were installed. These are used now only to make more room for classes of the Sunday School, for by 1890 there were no divisions for business at Wiliistown, and the worship service was always united, though men and women usually sat on opposite sides of the building.

Carriage sheds flanked the west and north sides of the grounds and were gradually torn down, except for a few standing on the west side. These both young and old members hope to preserve. The old oaken bucket which was in existence until the late 90's has fallen to decay, but the windlass is still kept and may some day become a thing of beauty adorning some part of our new addition.

The year 1827 marked a rift in our Society which as in other religious denominations, left a sad story in its wake. We know now that it was caused by over-zealous religious men and women from outside our country aided by some followers in America. The liberal group, or Hicksites, continued to worship in the 1798 meeting House, while the conservative or Orthodox met in the old building until dwindling numbers caused them to close the building and worship elsewhere. The stones from this schoolhouse are now part or the wall around the burial grounds. In 1954 the two groups of Friends united and we rejoice that this chapter in our history is closed.

1898 saw the 100th anniversary of the building of our meeting house. Young and old took part in the celebration. Our Chester County poet John Russell Hayes wrote a beautiful poem commemorating the day.

A few lines read thus:
"A haunt of Ancient peace,"
Well may we call thee so,
For while the years increase,
And seasons ebb and flow,
Thou, ancient House, doth seem
Wrapt in a tranquil dream,
And vision of the days of long ago,
Old House, o'er thee hath gone
A Century serene.
Thy far off peaceful dawn
No living eye hath seen.
The human stream hath run
Through many a sire and son,
Since thou dids't rise amid the forest green.

Page 30

The mild and mellow years
Have left thee calm and free,
Through mortal joys and tears
Enduring tranquilly.
So by this peaceful vale,
While ripening years increase,
Thy mission shall not fail,
Thy blessing shall not cease.
Thy consecrating calm
Shall fall like holy balm,
And thou be still
"A haunt of ancient peace".

New addition to Willistown Meeting

 
 

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