Byberry Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends

Byberry Monthly Meeting was established in 1810 by Abington Quarterly Meeting out of Horsham Monthly Meeting. Byberry Preparative Meeting was its only subordinate business meeting. The meeting remained with Hicksite Friends at the time of the Separation in Philadelphia Yearly Meeting in 1827; Orthodox members were attached to Frankford Monthly Meeting. The meeting reunited with Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends (Orthodox) in 1955, and is currently active.

From the description of Travelling certificates and visiting minutes, 1827-1845. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 32021478

From the description of Acknowledgments, 1822-1863. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31810811

From the description of Disownments, 1822-1841. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31810863

From the description of Miscellaneous papers, 1809-1901 & n.d. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31810770

From the description of Queries, 1843-1844 & n.d. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31811044

From the description of Epistles received, 1809-1824. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31811096

From the description of Record of suffering cases, 1809-1838. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31811629

From the description of Minute extracts, epistles, addresses, reports of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, 1827-1901. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31811607

From the description of Minute / Abington Quarterly Meeting, 1857. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31810995

From the description of Distribution of membership by age and sex, 1862. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31810791

From the description of Removals received, 1822-1876. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31758291

From the description of Papers relating to the school fund, 1928-1932. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31805791

From the description of Records, 1726-[ongoing] (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31768793

From the description of Births and deaths, 1740-1879. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31792756

From the description of Burials (Philadelphia, Pa.), 1726-1825, bulk 1793-1825. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31792763

From the description of Removals received, 1810-1821. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31758332

From the description of Removals issued, 1822-1852. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31758516

From the description of Report of Committee appointed to examine trusts belonging to Byberry Preparative Meeting, n.d. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31805719

From the description of Deaths, 1737-1791. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31792180

From the description of Minutes, 1831-[ongoing] (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31788754

From the description of Release of liens for putting roof on Potters Hall, 1880. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 34969038

From the description of Membership 1816-1827. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31792134

From the description of Joseph Lukens' donation: [Trustees' account book] 1843-1907. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31805629

From the description of Financial records, 1776-1932. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31788645

From the description of Papers relating to Walton's donation (124 Spruce St.), 1879-1914. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31805665

From the description of Removals issued and received : [abstract] 1831-1874. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31792790

From the description of Testimonies of disownment, acknowledgements, and other miscellaneous papers, 1810-1821. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31811710

From the description of Marriage records, 1811-1886. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31792155

From the description of Eastburn donation, 1776-1854. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31805587

From the description of Membership, 1829-1845. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31792118

From the description of Marriage records, 1845. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31792141

From the description of Discipline cases under advisement, 1841-1862. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31810919

From the description of Property records, 1923-1950. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31788687

From the description of Vital records, 1726-[ongoing] (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31786847

From the description of Deaths, 1737-1823. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31792257

From the description of Removals issued, 1810-1852 (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31792104

From the description of Travelling cerificates, 1810-1822 (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 32021519

Thomas Doan was received into membership of Byberry Monthly Meeting when still a minor in 1853 on his father's (David Doan) request. As an adult, he appears to have been unable to handle his affairs, and Edward Comly and Nathaniel Richardson, members of Byberry, were appointed Trustees. Meeting records give his death date as 1915 3mo24.

From the description of Papers relating to Doan Trust, 1881-1893. (Swarthmore College). WorldCat record id: 31811202

In 1675, four Walton brothers settled in what is now Byberry, in the northeastern section of Philadelphia. They were British members of the Society of Friends (Quakers), and more Friends settled the area in the years that followed. In 1683, Friends first met for religious purposes in the home of John Hart. The current property was first used as Friends cemetery in the 1690's. A few years later the meeting house was built on the property. The current Byberry Meeting House was built in 1808, and in 1810 Byberry Monthly Meeting was formally established by Abington Quarterly Meeting out of Horsham Monthly Meeting. The meeting grew rapidly, and by 1826 it had 600 members. During the 1827 controversy in the Society of Friends over the teachings of Elias Hicks, Bybyerry Monthly Meeting remained with Hicksite Friends. The meeting reunited with Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends (Orthodox) in 1955, and is currently active.

A schoolhouse was built near the meeting house about 1720, and the Byberry Friends School was held there until 1772. The school charged a fee until 1802, when it became free. The present building was erected in 1823, and school was held there until Byberry Friends School closed in 1919. From 1919 to 1968 the schoolhouse was used by the Byberry Monthly Meeting First Day School, and was enlarged to twice its original size. In 1968, the meeting started Byberry Friends Nursery School and Kindergarten, which remained in operation until 1992.

Bibliography : "300th Anniversary of Byberry Friends Meeting," 1983. Finding aid for Records of Byberry Monthly Meeting, RG2/Ph/B9, Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore College.

From the guide to the Byberry Monthly Meeting records, 1790-2002, (Byberry Library)