Researching your American Quaker Ancestors
Many Americans today have ancestors who lived in different regions and belonged to a variety of churches. One religious group especially noted for its detailed records is the Society of Friends, or Quakers. Although the Quakers first settled in Pennsylvania, their influence soon spread throughout the colonies. If your ancestors lived in or passed through the Mid-Atlantic region between 1680 and 1780, there’s a strong possibility you have at least one Quaker ancestor.[i]
Origins
The Society of Friends was founded in England in 1647 by George Fox.[ii] Fox travelled throughout Britain as a dissenting preacher and was persecuted by authorities for it. He was imprisoned between trips to Europe and North America. George Fox appealed to Oliver Cromwell for protection. William Penn, the most famous Quaker convert, was one of his closest allies.[iii]
Coming to America
William Penn’s father, Sir William Penn, was a naval officer who served under King Charles I and Oliver Cromwell. Sir William Penn was given estates in Ireland, where William Penn Jr. was raised. William Penn Sr. sent William Penn Jr. to Christ Church in Oxford, where he was expelled for refusing to wear black robes and attend compulsory chapel.[iv]
William was converted to Quakerism in Ireland after hearing Quaker preacher Thomas Loe. His father punished him for converting, but William Penn did not waver; instead, he became a leader among the Quakers. He was often jailed by authorities, including being locked in the Tower of London for writing a Quaker book (He wrote another one while there).[v]
William travelled in Europe in 1671 and met with German Pietists who were also persecuted. He began thinking of founding a colony in America, so he became a trustee of West Jersey (now part of New Jersey). He became involved in transplanting Quakers to the colonies and petitioned the king for a colony in the Americas. The king owed Sir William Penn a lot of money, so the petition was granted in 1681 and was named Pennsylvania, meaning “Penn’s Woods.” The ship Welcome arrived in New Castle, Delaware, with 130 passengers in 1682 to settle Pennsylvania.[vi]
Quakers were arriving in America as early as the 1650s, settling in Rhode Island. Like in England, Quakers were punished in America. Massachusetts went so far as to execute Quakers. Persecution against Quakers was typically recorded by the state or colony, rather than by the Quaker meetings themselves.[vii] After Pennsylvania was established, Quaker immigration increased in the 1700s. Quaker parents who were imprisoned in Europe sent their children to America.[viii] They eventually gained considerable influence in the Mid-Atlantic and New England colonies.[ix]
Approximately 20 shiploads of Quakers arrived in America each year, with each ship carrying around 100 passengers. Most Quakers leaving England came from Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Staffordshire counties. Many landed in Chester and Bucks Counties in Pennsylvania.[x]
Quaker practices
Quakers were against immorality, deceit, and tithes. They did not believe in outward signs such as baptism. They refused to swear oaths or take up arms. They did not believe in separating religious and secular life.[xi] They were involved in the world without losing their Godly purposes.[xii] Up until 1750, the Quakers had no policy against bearing arms or owning slaves. After becoming pacifists, they refused to sign Oaths of Allegiance to the American Cause and were thereby branded as loyalists. Many fled to Upper Canada to escape the persecution.
Quakers did not believe in having marriages performed by priests or civil authorities. They believed a marriage was between the couple and God. The couple getting married had to declare their intentions separately, in the men’s and women’s monthly meetings. Then they were examined by the Quaker community, which would grant permission to marry. When they carried out the marriage, the couple would declare to friends and family. All the witnesses signed. Marrying out meant marrying a non-Quaker.[xiii] This was also referred to as a disorderly marriage or marrying out of unity.[xiv]
By 1730, Quakers were dividing inheritances equally among all sons. Most other families either gave the entire inheritance to the oldest son or gave the largest share to the oldest son. Daughters were rarely given land in a will.[xv]
Quakers did not use the names of days and months because they were named after pagan gods. Instead, the Quakers used numbers. For example, Sunday was known as First Day, Monday as Second Day, Tuesday as Third Day, and so on. January was the First Month, February the Second Month, etc. Before the switch to the Gregorian calendar in 1752, March was the first month of the year, so “8ber” would refer to October, not August.
Quakers and American Neighbors
Puritans and Quakers had very different religious beliefs. Puritans believed that humanity was hopelessly sinful, most were destined for eternal damnation, God chose them to establish a pure Christian state, that the state and church were tightly interwoven, and that only male members could vote for community leaders. They also believed in baptism and communion. Ministers would give lengthy sermons, pointing out the faults and sins of the congregation. On the other hand, Quakers believed that God lived inside everyone, including Native Americans, African Americans, and women, and that an “inner light” led a person to God. They refused to follow laws that violated their beliefs about equality. They did not believe in sacraments or having clergy. They gave women leadership positions. Because Quakers were pacifists, they refused to participate in the Revolutionary War.[xvi] With such differing viewpoints, it’s easy to imagine Quakers and Puritans not getting along well.
The German Americans and Quakers got along well. Friendly Germans were those who had similar beliefs to the Quakers but didn’t join.[xvii] Quakers, Mennonites, Shakers, and Amish shared similar beliefs in pacifism and simple living. The Amish believed in separation from the fallen world, whereas the Quakers believed in being in the world but not of it. The Amish did not discuss salvation, while the Quakers were open to the idea of salvation in this life. Furthermore, the Anabaptists did not give authority to women and believed in the outward forms of baptism and communion. Ann Lee, a former Quaker, formed the Shaker religion.[xviii]
Migration within America
When a Quaker family wanted to move, they obtained a certificate of removal, which granted permission to leave their Monthly Meeting and join another.[xix] This document was a letter of introduction, which proved to the new meeting that they were in good standing with the old meeting. Sometimes, families migrated before obtaining this certificate. This record helps with tracking a family’s migration.[xx]
Westward migration was not allowed until after the Revolution, so migration before that was southward. Many left Pennsylvania for North Carolina. Others landed in Georgia, South Carolina, or Tennessee.[xxi] Migration from the South to the North occurred after the Quakers became anti-slavery, which will be discussed later. Northward migrants landed in western Pennsylvania.[xxii] After the American Revolution, Quakers moved northwest to Ohio.[xxiii]
Both southward and northward migrations used the same paths, going through the Shenandoah Valley. The rivers they traveled included the Potomac, Rappahannock, James, Staunton, and Roanoke. Westward migrants took the Cumberland and National roads, resulting in the establishment of Quaker settlements along both routes. The Hopewell Monthly meeting, at the top of the Shenandoah Valley, was a stopping point for migrants going in every direction.[xxiv] Quakers migrating westward often left their certificates of removal at Hopewell.[xxv]
Quakers traveled in groups because it was safer.[xxvi] Moving around in groups meant retaining old affiliations. When enough Quakers were in a new area, they obtained permission to start a new Monthly Meeting, meeting in homes until they were big enough for a meeting house.[xxvii] When a Quaker meeting house became crowded, they didn’t build a bigger one. Instead, they split their Monthly Meeting, which entailed several families forming a new Monthly Meeting.[xxviii] Usually, these families would attend a new Monthly Meeting without relocating.[xxix]
Quakers who had migrated from England to America usually stayed put once they made it to America. However, their children usually migrated.[xxx] The typical Quaker migrant was around 30 years old, married, and had a family. Many of them moved again.[xxxi]
Reasons for Moving
Quakers were pacifists, so during the Revolution they sought to escape the action. However, it was not safe to move during the Revolution.[xxxii] Their pacifism meant they were not helpful in protecting frontier lands.[xxxiii] Many migrated from urban areas to rural areas. They believed this would help them preserve their plain faith. The plain country Quakers disapproved of the cosmopolitan trends of their Philadelphia brethren, so they had to leave the city to keep their faith pure. Many who migrated for this reason ended up migrating back to the city after discovering that country life wasn’t for them.[xxxiv]
Familial tragedy after migration often led to return migration. A widow with young children might have returned to her parents.[xxxv] But aside from instances of familial tragedy or the reluctance of urban Quakers to adapt to rural life, there was actually very little return migration.[xxxvi]
Another migration factor was the price of land. Land could be purchased in Loudoun, Virginia, for the same price it was rented in Philadelphia.[xxxvii] Some migrated because they had wanderlust. Some men migrated to find a wife; many married within a year of migrating.[xxxviii]
Quakers in the South found themselves in quite a conundrum when their faith became anti-slavery. Monthly Meetings would decree the emancipation of slaves belonging to members of their societies. If Quakers kept their slaves, they were excommunicated from the Quaker Society. Yet freeing their slaves could mean financial ruin, because the South’s economy depended on slave labor. Another option was to move to an area where slavery was prohibited, such as Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, or Canada.[xxxix]
Stay tuned for Part 2 of Researching Your American Quaker Ancestors, where we will discuss Quaker records and research methodology. If you need help researching your Quaker ancestors, Price Genealogy can help. Call us today!
Katie
Photos:
- “Bildnis des William Penn” by ubleipzig is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.
- “Spotprent op de Engelse Quakers, ca. 1656” is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.
- “Quaker meeting house from ‘The Century Book of the American Revolution. The story of the pilgrimage of a party of young people to the battlefields of the American Revolution … Illustrated’.” is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.
[i] (n.d.). Research Guide to Finding Your Quaker Ancestors [Review of Research Guide to Finding Your Quaker Ancestors]. Ancestry; Ancestry.com. Retrieved May 29, 2025, from https://www.ancestrycdn.com/support/us/2016/11/findquakerancestors.pdf.
[ii] Introduction to Quaker Genealogy Research – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/introduction-to-quaker-genealogy-research/.
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] Ibid.
[v] Ibid.
[vi] Ibid.
[vii] Quaker Migration into America – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2021, October 5). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-into-america/.
[viii] Introduction to Quaker Genealogy Research – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/introduction-to-quaker-genealogy-research/ ; Quaker Migration into America – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2021, October 5). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-into-america/.
[ix] Getting Started with United States Church Records: Quaker Records • FamilySearch. (2020, November 10). HLPC Help Center. https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/lessons/getting-started-with-united-states-church-records-quaker-records.
[x] Quaker Migration into America – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2021, October 5). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-into-america/.
[xi] (n.d.). Research Guide to Finding Your Quaker Ancestors [Review of Research Guide to Finding Your Quaker Ancestors]. Ancestry; Ancestry.com. Retrieved May 29, 2025, from https://www.ancestrycdn.com/support/us/2016/11/findquakerancestors.pdf.
[xii] Quaker Migration into America – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2021, October 5). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-into-america/.
[xiii] Five Wives & A Feather Bed: Using Indirect and Negative Evidence to Resolve Conflicting Claims – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/five-wives-a-feather-bed-using-indirect-and-negative-evidence-to-resolve-conflicting-claims/.
[xiv] Introduction to Quaker Genealogy Research – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/introduction-to-quaker-genealogy-research/.
[xv] Quaker Migration into America – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2021, October 5). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-into-america/.
[xvi] Ibid.
[xvii] Ibid.
[xviii] Ibid.
[xix] Quaker Migration in North America Prior to the American Revolution – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-in-north-america-prior-to-the-american-revolution/.
[xx] Introduction to Quaker Genealogy Research – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/introduction-to-quaker-genealogy-research/.
and;
Following a Quaker Family: New Jersey to Iowa the Long Way Around – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 31). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/following-a-quaker-family-new-jersey-to-iowa-the-long-way-around/.
[xxi] Introduction to Quaker Genealogy Research – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/introduction-to-quaker-genealogy-research/.
[xxii] Quaker Migration after the Revolutionary War – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-after-the-revolutionary-war.
[xxiii] Quaker Migration in North America Prior to the American Revolution – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-in-north-america-prior-to-the-american-revolution/.
[xxiv] Quaker Migration into America – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2021, October 5). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-into-america/.
[xxv] Quaker Migration after the Revolutionary War – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-after-the-revolutionary-war.
[xxvi] Quaker Migration into America – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2021, October 5). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-into-america/.
[xxvii] Following a Quaker Family: New Jersey to Iowa the Long Way Around – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 31). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/following-a-quaker-family-new-jersey-to-iowa-the-long-way-around/.
[xxviii] Quaker Migration after the Revolutionary War – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-after-the-revolutionary-war/.
[xxix] Following a Quaker Family: New Jersey to Iowa the Long Way Around – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 31). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/following-a-quaker-family-new-jersey-to-iowa-the-long-way-around/.
[xxx] Quaker Migration in North America Prior to the American Revolution – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-in-north-america-prior-to-the-american-revolution/.
[xxxi] Ibid.
[xxxii] Quaker Migration after the Revolutionary War – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-after-the-revolutionary-war.
[xxxiii] Quaker Migration in North America Prior to the American Revolution – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-in-north-america-prior-to-the-american-revolution/.
[xxxiv] Ibid.
[xxxv] Ibid.
[xxxvi] Introduction to Quaker Genealogy Research – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/introduction-to-quaker-genealogy-research/.
[xxxvii] Quaker Migration in North America Prior to the American Revolution – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-in-north-america-prior-to-the-american-revolution/.
[xxxviii] Ibid.
[xxxix] Quaker Migration after the Revolutionary War – Legacy Family Tree Webinars. (2023, August 18). Legacy Family Tree Webinars. https://familytreewebinars.com/webinar/quaker-migration-after-the-revolutionary-war.
and;
Getting Started with United States Church Records: Quaker Records • FamilySearch. (2020, November 10). HLPC Help Center. https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/lessons/getting-started-with-united-states-church-records-quaker-records.