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From:
Subject: Re: [PA-QUAKERS] Disownment
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 21:49:06 EDT


Yes, it was usual in 17th-early 20th century Friends Meetings for a member
who "married out" i.e., married someone not a Quaker and/or not by Friends
procedure) to be "disowned." Disowned meant that one was no longer a member - some
who were disowned continued to attend services, etc., for years and their
children often joined Meeting. It was NOT shunning, as the Amish and some other
sects do.

As a modern Friend, I understand the historical reasoning behind it, but it
certainly diminished the number of Quakers. <G> Friends were historically
concerned about maintaining their religion without outside influences creeping in,
having their children raised in "guarded" (i.e., Quaker) situations and
insuring that the family was united in religious belief and outlook. "Marrying out"
risked all this, and might represent a lapse in religious belief by the
member.

And yes, one could always be readmitted IF sincere repentance was
demonstrated to the Meeting as a whole (usually done to a committee appointed by the
Meeting to look into the problem, but sometimes done orally in front of the entire
Meeting when assembled for business) and especially if the non-Quaker spouse
would join or allow the children to be raised as Friends. There are many cases
of members being readmitted after having children or after a few years of
"considering." And one's spouse did not have to join for such readmission.

Over the centuries, people were also "disowned" for such things as military
activities, drunkenness, debt, inappropriate sexual behavior, etc., and for one
period in the late 1900s, for wearing beards. The latter seems a bit harsh to
us now, but I know churches which denied membership to people on the same
basis, on having choirs, on wearing red on Sunday, etc. A different world.

Hope this quick note helps.

Thy friend, Nancy Webster, Swarthmore MM
Curator, Friends Historical
Association

BTW - Buffington is a Birmingham - Kennett area name, as is the location of
Bradford. Have you tried looking in those MM records? And Garrett is also a
good Quaker name!

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