This page will have records from religious bodies related to the christening, membership, and transfer of members from different religious groups, and miscellaneous records. This will include information on transfers and removals among Quaker Meetings. Records for births, weddings, and deaths that are found in many church records will be included on their own, separate pages.
Click here for records of membership from The Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, William Wade Hinshaw, 1936.
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From records of Chester Monthly Meeting, Chester Co., Pennsylvania:
On the ninth mo. 25th, 1751: "Agreed that Friends within the compass of our Yearly
Meeting should concur with the minutes of the Yearly Meeting of London concerning the
method of computing time, as prescribed by the late act of Parliament, viz: that the first
day of the eleventh month next shall be deemed the first day of the year 1752, and that the
eleventh month called January shall henceforward be deemed and reckoned the first month
in every year, and be so styled in all the records and writings of Friends, instead of
computing from the month called March - according to our present practice."
"And Whereas, for the more regular computation of time, the same act directs that in the month called September, which will be in the year 1752, after the second day of the said month. Eleven nominal days shall be omitted, and that which would have been the third day shall be reckoned and esteemed the fourteenth day of the said month, and that which would have otherwise been the fourth day of the said month must be deemed the fifteenth, and so on. It appears likewise necessary that Friends should conform themselves to this direction and omit the nominal days accordingly".
"About the year 1861 Wm. Sawhill, a lay member, succeeded in establishing a Sunday school in connection with the
church. At the start, the school numbered 25 scholars with Mr. Sawhill as superintendent. The
superintendents in succession, as they followed Mr. Sawhill are: I. T. Woods, Wm. Harper,
John Laughlin & J. M. Yarnell. Mr. Yarnell is the present superintendent, and the
school has an average attendance of 175 pupils. the school has a respectable library of well
selected books."
source: Extracts from Caldwell�s 1880 �History of Belmont & Jefferson Counties,
Ohio� reprinted 1976 by Unigraphics with added every name index, Page 315.
On the twelfth mo. 28th 1742, Lewis Davis and Rebecca Yarnall appeared and declared their intentions of
marriage." [Rebecca (Lownes) Yarnall was the widow of Job Yarnall]. The marriage was accomplished second
mo. 1743.
On the fourth mo. 26th 1756, "Nathan Yarnall and George Miller, appointed to treat with Robert Edwards
for being in Military Service, report that he confessed that he had signed articles to that effect, but
desired time to consider whether he would proceed any further in the affair".
On the third mo. 23rd 1764, "Thomas West and Sarah Yarnall appeared here and declared their intentions of
marriage with each other. It being the first time, Mary Swayne and Hannah Ogden were appointed to make the
needful inquiry concerning her, and make report to next Meeting. He produced a paper from Concord Meeting". (and
at the following Meeting of the 4th mo. 30th they were permitted to proceed.
On the fifth mo. 28th 1764, "The Friends appointed to attend the marriage of Thomas West and Sarah Yarnall report
favorably". Same date, "Woman Friends make application for a certificate for Sarah, the wife of Thomas West, to
Philadelphia Monthly Meeting".
On the sixth mo. 25th 1764, "Sarah West's certificate approved and signed".
On the fourth mo. 27th 1767, Middletown Meeting brought a complaint against Susanna, the daughter of Nathan
Edwards, now the wife of Andrew Wilson, for her outgoing in marriage and accomplishing the same, with the aid of
a Priest, with a man not of our Society, and was precautioned before marriage. This Meeting appoints Agnes
Minshall and Hannah Yarnall to join with men Friends to draw a testimony against her".
On the third mo. 25th 1768, "Thomas West appeared here and produced a certificate for himself, wife and two
children viz., Esther and Thomas, from Concord Monthly Meeting.
On the third mo. 23rd 1781, "Woman Friends request a certificate for Sarah West and children, viz:
Esther, Thomas, Rebecca, and Joel, to Concord Monthly Meeting.".
On the second mo. 28th 1785, "Middletown Friends inform that Isaac Edwards doth not deny having committed
----- with her that is now his wife, annd marrying by the assistance of an hireling Minister". (Isaac was the
son of Joseph Edwards and his first wife, Elizabeth Malin. He married Rebecca, the daughter of Daniel Yarnall
of West Town or Willistown, and afterwards settled on a portion of his Father's farm in Middletown).
On the eight mo. 25th 1785, Alsting aginst Isaac Edwards was approved and signed."
On the twelfth mo. 31st 1792, "Middletown Friends report that David Yarnall has kept company and accomplished
his marriage with a woman not of our Society by the assistance of a Magistrate. Disowned." (This woman was
Rachel Edwards, the daughter of Joseph Edwards and granddaughter of William Edwards, the settler in Chester
Co., Penn.)
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