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. Among them were six future trustees of twelve entrusted with the dispersal of a remarkable gift (announced in 1867) of one of its attendees, 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.

A history of the Orthodox 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 author's chapters on the Homewood Meeting, the descendant of the Orthodox withdrawal from the Lombard Street Meeting in 1828, are particularly illuminating, as are the introductions to the records provided by Phebe R. Jacobsen's Quaker Records in Maryland. Mrs. Jacobsen derives her account of the departure of the Orthodox Friends of Baltimore to form their own meeting from "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.

The surviving records of the Orthodox meeting prior to 1900 were well-catalogued by Phebe R. Jacobsen in Quaker Records in Maryland (1966) and microfilmed by the Maryland State Archives. Subsequently the original records related to the Orthodox meetings 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 published in Baltimore and followed by the Orthodox Meeting. Several copies of that Discipline survive in the library of Homewood Meeting. Published first in 1824 before the break with the Lombard Street Meeting, its directives with regard to slavery were explicit. The following is taken from a copy owned by the Orthodox Friend, Joseph King, Jr, the father of Francis T. King, clerk of the yearly meeting and close friend of Johns Hopkins.

Negroes and Slaves

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 ofjustice 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 welll as for those who dtain 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

As future Trustee and Chairman of the Board of Johns Hopkins Hospital recorded as Clerk of the Orthodox Meeting in 1856 when he reported on the views of his meeting towards slavery and the education of the Black community in its care:

For the records that need to be carefully examined for any references to Johns Hopkins and his family see below with links to the images of the Maryland State Archives microfilm and links to the images on Ancestry.com. See also the OCR pdf copy of Phebe R. Jacobsen's Quaker Records in Maryland from which the following entries are taken. Her introductions to the records are thorough and instructive.

Baltimore Yearly Meeting of Friends in Maryland and adjacent areas of Pennsylvania and Virginia in unity with the Ancient society of Friends

Memorials to Deceased Friends, 1780-1842, MdSA M775

Minutes, 1828-1868, MdSA M775

Minutes, Women Friends, 1828-1837, MdSA M776

Minutes, Women Friends, 1838-1854, MdSA M776

Minutes, Women Friends, 1855-1876, MdSA M776

Minutes, Ministers and Elders, 1829-1883, MdSA M777

Minutes, Meeting for Sufferings, 1829-1877, MdSA M781

Minutes, Committee on Indian Concerns, Loose Papers, 1810-1852, MdSA M779

John Nicholson, "Friends Work for Indians" 1800-1869, MdSA M779

Friends Association to advise and assist Friends of the Southern States, Letter Book of Francis King, 1865-1875, MdSA M780

Memorials, 1852, MdSA M781

Treasurers Book, 1802-1885, MdSA M781

Memorials on Francis T. King, 1819-1892, MdSA M781

Events transpiring at the Yearly Meeting, 1828, MdSA M781

Establishment of the Baltimore Yearly Meeting, MdSA M781

Extracts of Letters and Statements of Friends Regarding Elias Hicks, 1822-1829, MdSA M782

Baltimore Quarterly Meeting, Orthodox

Minutes, 1807-1823, MdSA M783

Minutes, 1856-1899, MdSA M783

Minutes, Women Friends, 1855-1887, MdSA M786

Minutes, Ministers and Elders, 1852-1876, MdSA M786

Minutes, Ministers and Elders, 1867-68, MdSA M800

Baltimore Monthly Meeting, Orthodox

Minutes and Proceedings pertaining to Eastern and Western District Properties, 1792-1819; also Western District Membership for 1819, MdSA M788

Register, Births, Burials, Membership, 1828-1846, MdSA M788

Marriages, 1830-1953, MdSA M789

Certificates of Removal, 1828-1846, MdSA M790

Membership, 1848-1882 (includes Register, 1769-1878), 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, MdSA M790

Reports to the Monthly Meeting, 1832-1836, MdSA M790

"Minutes" 1829-1840, MdSA M790

Minutes, 1863-1884, MdSA M790

Loose Papers, 1829-18332, MdSA M790

Loose Papers, 1831-1840, MdSA M794

Minutes, Women Friends, 1828-1884, MdSA M794

Trustees Account Book, 1842-1887, MdSA M795

Minutes Friends Librfary Committee,1831-1855, MdSA M796

Carey Family Records, 1783-1906, from bible of Margaret Carey Thomas, MdSA M801

Baltimore Preparative Meeting for the Eastern and Western Districts, Orthodox

Minutes, 1856-1873, MdSA M797

Minutes, Women Friends, 1828-1854, MdSA M797

Gunpowder Preparative Meeting, Orthodox

Minutes, 1829-1852 [Includes loose paper minutes of the Baltimore Monthly Meeting for Eastern and Western Districts, 1849-1852], MdSA M798