From Martha (Ellicott) Tyson --
"To accommodate the people of their own faith, who lived in the
neighborhood, and likewise those persons who, without any decided
preference for Quakerism, were yet
desirous of assembling in congregated worship with the members of a
sect, whose principles sets them at liberty from the forms and expense
of a church establishment, Ellicott & Co. built a meeting house on a
hill, on the western side of the Patapsco, now known as Elkridge
Meeting House, entirely at their own expense, except a voluntary
contribution from Samuel Smith and Samuel Godfrey, of about sixty
dollars.
On its completion, they presented the Meeting House to the monthly meeting of the Friends of Baltimore, to be held in trust as a place of worship by the Society, and at the same time accompanied the gift with a deed of the land on which the house was built, and about four acres of the surrounding ground for a graveyard and other purposes of convenience. The deed bears date 1800. It was in this year that the old Elkridge Meeting House, which tradition informs us, had been occupied as a place of worship as early as 1670, was abandoned with regret, by those that loved its rural situation and quiet shade, the trees in its vicinity being unusually large; but the old building was small and uncomfortable, and except for a few families, could only be approached by crossing the Patapsco; the convenient situation therefore of the new meeting house removed all objections.
Many of the most respectable Friends in the Society were married in the old meeting house, and amongst them were James Carey, who was a convert to the faith, and who married Martha Ellicott; on this occasion, the bride and groom, with their attendants, were all on horseback. James Gillingham, (whom we have alluded to on a former page as a witness on behalf of the Ellicotts on their trial with Oliver Evans,) and Elizabeth Hayward were also married there. Elizabeth Hayward was the daughter of William Hayward, an esteemed minister of the Society of Friends, who lived at the time, and for many previous years had lived, within walking distance of this meeting house.
In reference to William Hayward, we would also note the fact that he was the only minister ever produced from amongst the Friends of Elkridge meeting. After he removed in the evening of his life to Baltimore, the meetings, which were generally large, were held in silence, except when Friends, who were out on missions, from a love of the Gospel, called in on meeting days, (meetings were held on the first day of the week, and on the fourth day following,) or held appointed meetings at other times. On such occasions no pains was spared to give information throughout the neighborhood to the gentry and small farmers, besides the people of the villages, and the attendance of all there was respectable; the meeting house sometimes being crowded and many outside.
On its completion, they presented the Meeting House to the monthly meeting of the Friends of Baltimore, to be held in trust as a place of worship by the Society, and at the same time accompanied the gift with a deed of the land on which the house was built, and about four acres of the surrounding ground for a graveyard and other purposes of convenience. The deed bears date 1800. It was in this year that the old Elkridge Meeting House, which tradition informs us, had been occupied as a place of worship as early as 1670, was abandoned with regret, by those that loved its rural situation and quiet shade, the trees in its vicinity being unusually large; but the old building was small and uncomfortable, and except for a few families, could only be approached by crossing the Patapsco; the convenient situation therefore of the new meeting house removed all objections.
Many of the most respectable Friends in the Society were married in the old meeting house, and amongst them were James Carey, who was a convert to the faith, and who married Martha Ellicott; on this occasion, the bride and groom, with their attendants, were all on horseback. James Gillingham, (whom we have alluded to on a former page as a witness on behalf of the Ellicotts on their trial with Oliver Evans,) and Elizabeth Hayward were also married there. Elizabeth Hayward was the daughter of William Hayward, an esteemed minister of the Society of Friends, who lived at the time, and for many previous years had lived, within walking distance of this meeting house.
In reference to William Hayward, we would also note the fact that he was the only minister ever produced from amongst the Friends of Elkridge meeting. After he removed in the evening of his life to Baltimore, the meetings, which were generally large, were held in silence, except when Friends, who were out on missions, from a love of the Gospel, called in on meeting days, (meetings were held on the first day of the week, and on the fourth day following,) or held appointed meetings at other times. On such occasions no pains was spared to give information throughout the neighborhood to the gentry and small farmers, besides the people of the villages, and the attendance of all there was respectable; the meeting house sometimes being crowded and many outside.
At the
first meeting for worship held in the new Elkridge Meeting House, Joseph
Thornburg and Cassandra Ellicott were married, according to the order
of the Society of Friends; it was a meeting of peculiar solemnity, a
large company was in attendance, and the ceremony was repeated in an
impressive manner. Joseph Thornburg was the senior partner of the house
of Thornburg, Miller & Webster, of Baltimore, a mercantile house of
great respectability, and Cassandra Ellicott was the widow of John
Ellicott [founder], of the first house of Ellicott & Co. He died, as before
related, in 1795, and his widow, five years after as we have seen,
married Joseph Thornburg.*
*At this period one hundred
and twenty Friends were members of the Elkridge Preparative Meeting,
and reported monthly to Baltimore Monthly Meeting.
Many other members of
Society were afterwards married within those walls, and, until 1816, a
large number of Friends were in attendance on their days for religious
worship; from that year, however, by the removal of many Friends to
Ohio, to Pennsylvania, to Baltimore, and elsewhere, and we may add by
the decease of some of the oldest and most influential Friends of the
vicinity, the meetings gradually became less, until finally, after the
death of Samuel Smith and Ezra Fell, who, for several years, had been
the only male representatives of Quakerism in the neighborhood, the meeting house was closed.
Elizabeth Ellicott, relict of George Ellicott, in 1840, in order for its
preservation had the house covered with tin, and caused this roof with
all the external woodwork to be painted at her own expense." [Tyson]
Friends' Intelligencer and Journal,
1891 --
OLD MARYLAND MEETING HOUSES.
At Baltimore Yearly Meeting, the minutes of the Representative Committee, which
were read as usual, gave some details as to the present situation of the old
meeting properties at Ellicott City and Indian Spring. The minutes are as
follows:
At a meeting of the Representative Committee, held at Park Avenue
meeting-house, Seventh-day, Tenth month 24th, 1891, the Committee appointed at
last meeting to have a care of the Ellicott City property, and ascertain, if
possible, whether or not Friends have any right legally to sell it, submitted
the following report:
"The Committee appointed last year in reference to the Ellicott City property, belonging to
Friends, have to report that they have given the matter their earnest
attention. This property contains about one and two-thirds acres. It was deeded
in 1796 to Benjamin Rich and others, Trustees by Jonathan Ellicott, for a
meeting-house and burial ground for Friends. . . . The meeting-house was built
by the grantors and by voluntary contributions from others.
The title to this
property lapsed by the death of all the Trustees, which fact having been reported
to the Representative Committee in 1880, a sub-committee was appointed to give
attention to the matter. An Act of Legislature was passed re-establishing the
title and authorizing the transfer of the property to the incorporated Yearly
Meeting. This was accomplished during the following year.
"The Ellicott City meeting-bouse is not now tenanted and of course
no revenue is being received from it. The Committee after having given the
matter a good deal of thought have concluded to suggest the propriety of
converting the meeting house into a dwelling, and of enclosing the balance of
the unenclosed lot with a substantial fence. A great drawback heretofore in
making use of the meeting-house for a dwelling, has been the absence of water,
but we think this difficulty may now be overcome by means of an hydraulic ram.
The expense would not be great, and we are of the opinion that a surplus which
accrued upon the property some years ago, during the time that it was rented,
might be availed of.
"We therefore propose that the subject be referred to a committee
who are to act in conjunction with Baltimore Monthly Meeting, and to have full
authority in this connection to use their best judgment in the matter, provided
the Yearly Meeting be not involved in any expense concerning it. This Committee
might have authority to raise a small amount of money on the property if found
necessary, in completing the improvements it may decide to make.
"With reference to the right to sell this property, the Committee
may state that the original deed provides that the land shall be used
exclusively for a meeting-house and graveyard for Friends. The deed to the
Yearly Meeting, however, contains no restrictions. The question of a right to
sell under these circumstances is one that we cannot determine."
After consideration the report was approved and the subject referred to
the same Committee, with instructions to carry out the suggestions contained in
the report, if in their judgment deemed best, but with the limitations also
therein expressed." [1891]
The meeting house is now a private home.
Sources
Friends' Intelligencer and Journal, Volume 48 p789 1891
Sources
Friends' Intelligencer and Journal, Volume 48 p789 1891
Tyson, Martha Ellicott. A Brief Account of the Settlement of Ellicott's Mills. Baltimore, 1865
©2018 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD
No comments:
Post a Comment