History of Friends in Concord, NH

[1]

Concord, New Hampshire

Erected: 1815

Location: Franklin Street [2]

Burial Ground: Yes, on separate site [‘Quaker Lot’ in the Old North Cemetery]

Private Residence

In the early 1800s a builder named Greely Hannaford [3] (19 Nov 1767 - 10 May 1852) [ancestor of Arthur M. Hannaford [4], founder of Hannaford Brothers Company [5]] from Portland, Maine happened to attend a Quaker meeting one First Day.  A woman rose and spoke, according to his account, “so appropriately to my state of mind that I was astonished and like Paul, struck down to the ground at noontime.”  Following this transforma­tive experience [Greely] Hannaford became a Friend, and when his sister Ruth [Turner], who owned a tavern in Concord, came to visit him he convinced her to become one, too.  Upon her return home, she started the first Friends Meeting in Concord in 1805, and ten years later a meetinghouse was built approximately on the site of the present-day State House [6].  In 1816, when the state of New Hampshire purchased the lot, the meetinghouse was moved to a location on State Street.

The meeting was laid down in 1840, and in 1845 the meetinghouse was sold and became a schoolhouse.  In 1859 the building was again moved and later rebuilt as a residential duplex on Franklin Street [see above right], where it is still a private home today.

There is a small Friends burial ground with a memorial marker set aside in Concord’s Old North Cemetery on State Street.

SOURCE: Charles Day

©2001 Silas B. Weeks

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Weeks, Silas B (Silas Burling), 1914-2006 [7]

New England Quaker Meetinghouses: past and present / by Silas B. Weeks.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-944350-51-8

1.  Quaker church buildings – New England.

2.  Quakers – New England – History.

NA5215.W44 2001      2001023709

289.6’74-dc21

Old Quaker Burial Ground

[see also “New Hampshire Historical Society - Quaker Cemetery, undated” at https://www.nhhistory.org/Object?id=88526928-da3d-4f52-a8ce-ea34a8f801b1 [8]]

The following is from the National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Registration Form [9], p. 11 dated Sep 26, 2008.

2. Quaker Lot, 1811. Contributing site. [10]The Quaker Lot occupies a lot of approximately 10,000 square feet abutting the north side of the Minot Enclosure.  Although Quakers customarily did not mark the graves of their deceased with headstones, Levi Hutchins, a well-known clock maker, erected a marble headstone for his wife, Phebe Hutchins (1766-1829).  Sixteen other Quakers are memorialized on a single granite, slant face monument.  Although no death dates appear on the monument, some are known and included in the following list: Benjamin Hannaford, d. 1811, Ednah Hannaford, d. 1815, Seba Houghton, d. 1810, Lydia Dunlap, d. 1811, Sarah Houghton, d. 1813, Daniel Rodgers, d. 1819, William Rodgers, Mary H. Warden, Peter Hazeltine, d. 1827, Daniel C. Hazeltine, Levi Hutchins, Phebe Hutchins, d. 1829, John Hutchins, Anna H. Morse, Sarah Arlin, Joseph A. Hoag.  Both these markers are at the far eastern end of the lot.  The only other memorial on the Quaker lot is a 1926 granite monument located in the southwestern corner.

The Quaker Lot had its beginnings as a private burying ground. According to the Amsden Manuscript, Benjamin Hannaford, a Quaker, set aside in his will of 1811 a lot north of Old North Cemetery as a Quaker burying ground.²  The Quakers in Concord, the first group to withdraw from the town church, held their first meeting in 1805.  They built a meetinghouse in 1815 where the State House now stands.  The state bought this land in 1816 and historian Lyford says the meetinghouse was moved to a plot east of the present Quaker Lot, fronting on North State Street.  The peripatetic building was again relocated in 1845 when it was sold to School District No. 11 for use as a schoolhouse.³

In 1911, the Report of the Cemetery Commissioners recommended the City buy the Quaker Lot from Otis G. and Harry P. Hammond for $300 as the lot was “in a very bad condition and a disgrace to our city.”⁴  The resolution “Appropriating three hundred dollars for the purchase of the Old Quaker Cemetery Lot” was passed on October 14, 1912.⁵

² Grace P. Amsden, “A Capital for New Hampshire” c. 1950, 3 vols.  (Bound manuscript, Concord Room, Concord Public Library) chap 25, p. 4-5; chap. 26, p. 13-15.

³ James O. Lyford, History of Concord, New Hampshire, vol. 2.  (Concord NH: The City Government, 1896), vol. 2, p. 713-714 [11].

⁴ City of Concord Annual Report, 1911, p. 442.

⁵ City of Concord Annual Report, 1912, p. 25.

[12]

[13]

From James O. Lyford, History of Concord, New Hampshire, vol. 2.  (Concord NH: The City Government, 1896), vol. 2, p. 713-714 [11]. (https://www.concordnh.gov/DocumentCenter/View/766 [11])

The Friends, or Quakers [in Concord, New Hampshire]

[14]

The first open dissenters from the town church were the Friends, or Quakers.  Dr. Bouton mentions their being in Concord as early as 1803, but it was not until October 24, 1805, that a meeting was set np for public worship.  This was done by the Weare Monthly meeting, which made the Concord society subordinate to itself.  The exact number of persons composing that meeting is not known, but it was doubtless small, as there was a record of only sixty odd names of men, women, and children for the whole life of the society, and two thirds of these were children.  The principal members were Ruth Turner, Sarah Sweatt, Lydia Dunlap, Sarah Arlin, Levi and Phebe Hutchins, Abel and Sarah Houghton, Bethiah Ladd, Daniel and Ruth Cooledge, James and Mary Sanborn, Josiah and Sarah Rogers, Israel and Abigail Hoag, Ruth Hazeltine, and Thomas and Ruth Thorndike.

Meetings were held for some time at the dwelling-house of Ruth Turner and Sarah Sweatt at the North end.  In 1814 a lot of land was purchased, where the state house now stands, and in 1815 a meeting-house was erected there by the Friends of Concord, assisted financially by the Weare Monthly meeting and by a donation from William Rotch of New Bedford, Mass.  In 1816 the lot was sold to the state, and the meeting-house removed to a lot at the North end given by Benjamin Hannaford, who was not a member of the meeting but a public-spirited citizen.  The lot is on State street, near the old cemetery, just south of the residence of the late Isaac W. Hammond.  The house was on the front of the lot, and remained there until sold to School District No. 11 for a schoolhouse in 1845, when it was removed to the rear of the old brick schoolhouse, which stood where is now the home of ex-Governor Frank W. Rollins, and used several years as a primary school.  About 1859 the building was sold by the school district to Samuel M. Griffin, who removed it to Franklin street, where it was used as a storehouse.  Subsequently it was con­verted into a two-tenement house and now stands on the south side of that street and is numbered 19 and 21.

The Friends meeting in Concord became so reduced in numbers that in 1840 it was discontinued. “Aunt” Ruth Turner and “Aunt” Sarah Arlin were perhaps the leading- spirits, for tradition says that they were fre­quently moved to declare their tes­timony.  It is probable that the scat­tered residences of the members had something to do with lessening the interest in the meeting, for they resided as far apart as are Bow line and West Concord.

According to the custom of the Friends there is a burial-place in the rear of where the meeting-house stood on State street.  There are several graves, but only part are marked with headstones.  A plain marble stone gives the name of Phebe Hutchins, wife of Levi Hutchins, who “fell asleep April 22, 1829.”  Levi Hutchins, who is buried beside her in an unmarked grave, was one of the famous clock makers, Abel and Levi Hutchins, who did business here from 1785 to 1819.  Only two other graves are marked,—that of John Hutchins of New York, who died June 5, 1843, and that of Joseph S. Noyes, who died November 7, 1855.

[15]

MONITOR AND N. H. PATRIOT, MONDAY, DECE

Graves of Two In Revolution To Be Marked

D. A. R. Chapter to Honor Memory of Local Men For Service

Rumford chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, today announced that it is soon to mark the graves of two; Revolutionary soldiers, Levi Hutchins and John Bradley.

The markers, when placed, will raise to 25 the number of Revolutionary soldiers’ graves receiving this special attention.  Most are in the Old North cemetery but that of Levi Hutchins is in the Quaker Burying-ground, adjacent to the Old North and lying north of the Minot enclosure.

Wholesome Influence

Kenneth Roberts’ recent novel, “Oliver Wiswell,” has dealt extensively with “tory baiting” in the colonies.  Local historians say that John Bradley, whose grave will be marked, with Parson Walker and his son, Timothy, served as a wholesome influence against this practise here.

The Hutchins history, gleaned from his autobiography written at the age of 92, and from other records, holds much of interest.

It discloses that a small group of Concord persons in 1805 instituted a meeting for religious worship according to the profession of the Friends.  They were assisted by the Weare Monthly Meeting.

This was the first dissenting group in Concord from the orthodox and established Congregational faith.  Initiative for the move seems to have come from a young widow, Ruth Turner, returning to her father’s home in Concord.  She converted her sister, Mrs. Moses Sweat, her father, Benjamin Hannaford and his second wife.  One after another from orthodox families joined the group, to the dismay and grief of the faithful, orthodox religion being a fundamental principle of the times.

Kept Tavern

For years Hannaford had kept tavern on Main street, his latest stand being on what is now the north corner of North State and Walker streets.  It was a fine location for the increasing travel south from Coos and in winter“the double two-horse sleighs with their arms set on end and tackling on, in the large open space in front of his house, were like ship masts “in a spacious” harbor, according to his son-in-law, Levi Hutchins.

Taverner Hannaford’s daughters, the Widow Turner and Mrs. Sweatt, whose husband was an officer in the U. S. Navy, seem to have lived next south of the tavern and there the Concord Friends held their early meetings.  In 1814 the group built a meeting house on a corner of what is now the State House lot, but plans for the State House resulted in its removal shortly after to a lot donated by Benjamin Hannaford directly north of the Old North cemetery.  By this time Mrs. Levi Hutchins (Phebe Hannaford) had abjured her membership in Dr. McFarland’s church and joined her father and her sisters in the Society of Friends.

Played Bass Viol

Levi, himself, had never “owned the covenant” in the Old North, but he was a regular attendant and played his bass viol in the choir.  He, too, joined the Friends and helped construct the meeting-house by building the very plain seats required by Quaker principles.

Phebe Hutchins died in the new faith and was buried in the Quaker Burying Ground behind the meeting-house.  It was not the custom for Friends’ graves to be marked with headstones, but in his later years, Levi Hutchins withdrew from the meeting and this doubtless accounts for the fact that one of the only two headstones in the little burying ground bears Phebe Hutchins’s name.  Levi’s grave is unmarked, but it is undoubtedly beside that of his wife, and there a Revolutionary soldier’s marker with name plate is to be placed.

In 1840 the local Society was so reduced in numbers that the meeting was given up and School District No. 11 purchased the plain one story building and moved it to the rear of the brick schoolhouse which then stood on the southwest corner of North State and Church streets, where it was used as a primary school.  In 1859 it was discarded as a school and moved to Franklin street and remodelled into the two story, two tenement house now numbered 39-41.  (See L. Hutchins’ Autobiog. for much of above data.)

Near Concord Theatre

In 1772 Gordon Hutchins came from Harvard, Mass., to Concord, bringing his wife, Dolly, and six children.  He purchased a house and barn which stood on a half acre of land now the site of the Concord theatre, and opened a store.  He had been an Indian fighter in earlier days, and now at 40 was a man of unusual energy and tireless industry.

Immediately, upon news of the fight at Lexington and Concord, he sought authority to raise a company of men and speedily recruited a company for six months service.  Levi, his oldest son was not quite 14, but begged to go with the company as fifer.  Marched to Medford, Mass., and camped there till eve of battle of Bunker Hill.  His father’s company fought in the battle but Levi was not allowed to go.  He watched the battle and the burning of Charlestown from the highlands of Medford.  When his enlistment was out, he re-enlisted as fifer in Col. Varnum’s regiment under Gen. Greene and served at Brooklyn and Red Hook until the retreat of Washington’s army from Long Island.

In 1779, Col. Gordon Hutchins and his son joined a privateering expedition on the “Hector” out of Salem, Mass., Levi acting as doctor’s mate.  Entering Penobscot Bay they anchored only to behold British armed vessels entering the bay.  Fleeing up the river, pursued by the enemy they reached a hamlet (now Bangor) and landing, blew up the vessel and “escaped to the summit of an almost perpendicular hill, taking hold of bushes growing on its side, to aid our ascent.”  After this narrow escape, father and son “set out on a long journey and, after enduring much fatigue, arrived at our home in Concord.” (Autobiog.)

Became Apprentice

After the war Levi and his next younger brother, Abel, went to Roxbury, Mass., to serve apprenticeship with Simon Willard, famous clockmaker.  In 1786 they purchased a shop and half acre lot on the main street and began their partnership in manufacturing high grade clocks which are greatly prized today.

The brothers married and purchased more land whereon they built a two family house three stories high, probably the first three story house in Concord.  This was on the site of Phenix hotel, and a large garden extended south of the house and easterly for many rods.

Holding all property in common, the Hutchins brothers prospered and added to their real estate a farm on the west side of Rattlesnake hill overlooking Long Pond.  In 1807 they dissolved partnership and Abel continued the clockmaking business while Levi took over the farm.  Shortly after, he traded the farm for the mill farm on Rattlesnake brook and moved into the old garrison house which stood on the site of Garrison school at West Concord.

Rattlesnake brook afforded power for various business enterprises, a tannery, a grist mill, a saw mill, a carding and fulling mill, a forge, and in 1813 Levi Hutchins was advertising in the New Hampshire Patriot for a weaver, indicating that he was then making woolen cloth.  Levi Hutchins wrote his autobiography when he was 92 years old.  He died in 1855 when nearly 94.  It is fitting that West village has a Hutchins street and a Quaker street within the borders of Levi Hutchins’s old farm.

John Bradley

When John Bradley was three and a half years old, his father Samuel Bradley was killed in the 1746 massacre near Millville.  His anguished mother took him down to Osgood’s tavern to see the dead victims.  He never wholly lost the horror of that sight and as "a small boy" he "had a haunting terror of Indians.  He and his widowed mother lived with Grandfather Bradley on the farm on the north side of Penacook street just west of North State street, and his grandfather’s negro slave, Pompey, was his devoted protector.  The little boy riding around on Pompey’s back was a familiar sight in the town.

John Bradley inherited his grandfather’s homestead property and became as Bouton says, “one of the most upright, useful and honored citizens of the town.”  Always active in town affairs he served in both the House and the Senate of the state for a considerable period of years.  When the War of the Revolution opened he received a commission as first lieutenant in Capt. Benjamin Emery’s company for the continental service and served at Winter Hill.  In the war of 1812, although  [At this point, the article text of the clippings ends]

Concord Preparative Meeting 1805-1876

From The History of the Quakers in Weare, N.H. by Elizabeth P. Straw, 1989

“In 1805 Friends living in Concord requested permission to hold a meeting.  In 1813 a committee was appointed to consider the proposal to build a meetinghouse in Concord.  It was to be located on State Street on land given by Abel Houghton.  The house was to be 30 by 40 feet and one story high. The cost, $500.  Two hundred dollars was given by William Rotch and the rest raised by subscription.  The meetinghouse stood on the site of the State House until 1816 when the State wanted to buy the land for the State House.  The meetinghouse was moved in 1818 to land given by Benjamin Hannaford.  In 1848 the Concord meetinghouse was sold.  The land was leased and some of the funds used to help Unity Friends repair their meetinghouse.  In 1876 the Concord land was sold and the money used to repair the South meetinghouse at Clinton Grove.  The Concord meetinghouse is now located at 29 Franklin Street in Concord.  It has been made into a two-story house. Concord Friends researching its history have determined its measurements to be identical with those in the Weare Monthly meeting records.”

Members of Concord Preparative Meeting:

• Abel Houghton, his wife Sarah and their children: Seba, Abel, Nestor, Mary* and Sarah, Lydia, George, and Miriam, Abel ‘s second wife Content Newhall James Sanborn and his wife Mary Houghton* and their children: Nestor H.
• Charles Warren, Sarah E. H.,. Marianna, Caroline A. and Charles H.
• Levi Hutchins and his wife Phebe (Hannaford) Hutchins
  • Their children: Anna, Harriet (Holden), Mary, Lucy, William, Ednah, and Samuel
• Bethiah (Hutchins) Ladd
• Son, William Ladd,and his wife Betsey (Collins) Ladd Their children: William H.F and Ann Elizabeth Ruth (Hutchins) Cooledge and her husband Daniel Cooledge Their children: Phebe, George Fox, and William Penn Sara (Hannaford) Sweatt
  • Her children: Mary Eastman and Benjamin Hannaford (Husband Moses was not a member)
• Ruth (Hannaford) Turner and daughter Lucy Turner
• Elizabeth Yates- lived with Levi Hutchins family and later with the family of Daniel Cooledge.
• Sarah (Chandler)Arlin and daughter Irene Arlin
• Levi Hutchins and Bethiah Hutchins Ladd were brother and sister.

If my notes are found, I will check to see if any pertinent information has been omitted in the above history.

Taken from the minutes of Weare Monthly Meeting of Friends

By Elizabeth P. Straw, Recorder

Sept. 7,1950 “Weare informed that efforts are being made to arrange for holding a Meeting of Friends in Manchester”

Feb.8,1951 “The efforts referred to in Sept, last toward starting a Friends Meeting in Manchester finally resulted in holding a meeting in Concord on Sunday afternoons beginning Dec. 10.  The meetings are well attended, the children are given special attention and the effort seems to have real value.”

Mar. 1,1951 “Robert and Beatrice Wehmeyer and their children Robert Preston, Elise Jean, and David Holmes, are accepted as members.”

“We are informed that the Concord Meeting has chosen Mildred Meeh as secretary and Winslow H. Osborne as Treasurer, and they intend to continue without further organizationat present.  Meetings are held at the YMCA rooms with an average attendance of about twenty.”

June 7, 1951 “We have received a letter from Concord Friends Meeting asking to be established as a Preparative Meeting under the Weare Monthly Meeting.  This meeting has been held regularly beginning the tenth of December 1950 and has been mentioned previously in our meeting records.  We are united in establishing Concord Preparative Meeting and suggest that they appoint a clerk, and make a practice of sending one or more representatives to our monthly meeting sessions, and they may appoint such other officers as they see fit.  The Clerk is directed to send to the correspondent a copy of this meeting’s minute.”

July 5, 1951 “We are informed that the Concord preparative Meeting has appointed Robert Wehmeyer as Clerk, Mildred Meeh as correspondent.  Winslow and Ruth Osborne have a prospect of attending New York Yearly Meeting and they have asked for a minute from this meeting.  The Clerk is directed to furnish them with such a minute.  David Curtis is present as a representative from Concord Preparative Meeting.”

October 11,1951 “Robert Wehmeyer has asked for information regarding the financial obligation of persons not members of the meeting but regularly in attendance at the Concord Meeting toward Quarterly and Yearly Meeting Quotas.  Mildred Meeh attended as representative from the Concord Preparative Meeting.  She has reported on the activities of the meeting.  It is suggested such representative give a report each month: Ruth F. Osborne was also a representative but was unable to attend.”

Nov. 15, 1951 “The Weare Monthly Meeting extends its appreciation to the Concord Preparative Meeting for its help in preparing the Quarterly Meeting lunch.  Robert Wehmeyer has volunteered to express our feelings tothe Concord Meeting Robert Wehmeyer reports that Edna Haviland has left a bolt of 10-15 yards of woolen cloth with the Concord group which can be made into girls’ clothing for the AFSC.

We plan to hold this and make it up if possible.

We have considered the possibility of combining the Weare Monthly Meeting and Concord Preparative Meeting monthly business meetings for convenience and fellowship.  No conclusion has been reached. It is thought that we should discuss this further at our next monthly meeting.”

Dec.6, 1951

“Discussion of suggestion to combine business meetings of Weare Monthly Meeting and Concord Preparative Meeting is postponed until a larger group is present.”

Jan. 3, 1952

Mary Jane and Rowland Leonard attended as representatives to monthly meeting from Concord Preparative Meeting.”

Feb. 7, 1952

“The women of the meeting are to meet with Beatrice Wehmeyer in Goffstown on Feb. 19, 1952 (Tuesday) to make up the bolt of cloth Edna Haviland left with the Wehmeyer’s last fall.

Winslow Osborne reported on activities of Concord Meeting regardingUniversal Military Training.

The Wehmeyer’s represented Concord Meeting”

Mar. 13, 1952

“Robert Wehmeyer and Mildred Meeh are to receive the Christian Education Bulletin”

April 3, 1952 “The clerk is directed to contact Beatrice Wehmeyer about making another date for making up the bolt of cloth for AFSC.”

May 1, 1952 “The women report that the bolt of cloth has been cut and skirts partially completed”

Nov. 5, 1953 “The relation of Concord Preparative Meeting to Weare Monthly Meeting has been discussed.  It is suggested that business could be condensed and more time spent in worship and consideration of wider Friends’ affairs.  Weare and Concord Friends are to consider the discussion which will be considered at next meeting”

Jan.7, 1954” a letter from Martin and Anne Vasenka, members of So. Dartmouth Mass. Meeting requesting sojourning membership with us has been read.  The clerk is directed to send them a minute of welcome.”

May 6, 1954 “A letter from Maija Salo requesting membership has been forwarded to Ministry and Counsel.

July 1, 1954 Maija Salo accepted as a member.

Feb. 3, 1955 Ronald W. Gallop received by letter from Middle Ct. Valley Mo. Mtg.

April 7, 1955 “The committee from Ministry and Counsel reports favorably on accepting Donald and Lois Booth as members and their four children as associate members of this meeting and the clerk is directed to send them a minute of welcome.”

June 7, 1956 Mabel and Chester Moody transferred to Seattle.

Dec. 6, 1956 Ethel Moody Haller transferred to Green Lake Methodist Church in Seattle

June6, 1957 “Winslow Osborne led a discussion on the possibility of forming a New Hampshire Quarterly Meeting or a regional meeting under some other name.  This would not involve forming an additional Quarterly Meeting but rather mean that Weare Monthly Meeting might be a member of the Dover Quarter, or the Upper Connecticut Valley Quarter.  The meetings which might be included in such a Quarter would be Weare, Gonic, Dover, Upper Connecticut Valley, Pittsfield, and possibly Rindge (Sandwich and Falmouth).  The Monthly Meeting expressed interest in such a plan.  Members were encouraged to speak informally with members of other Quarters and to explore the possibility further”

August 1, 1957 ‘The clerkread a letter from Dudley Laufmann and Cynthia Dunbar, requesting that the Weare Monthly Meeting make arrangements for their marriage after the manner of Friends on Sept. 22, at 2 PM.  Julia S. Reade reported that the Ministry and Counsel approved of the Monthly Meeting proceeding with the arrangements.  The following Friends were appointed to interview the couple:  Winslow H. Osborne, David Curtis, Mary Kovner and Betty Straw.A committee will also be named from Cambridge Meeting where Dudley is a member.”

Sept. 5, 1957 “A letter from Proctor Houghton, clerk of the Cambridge Meeting was read.  This letter stated that the Committee on Marriage of the Cambridge Meeting reported favorably on the clearness for marriage of Dudley Laufman.  The committee from Weare Monthly Meeting reported that they had interviewed Dudley Laufman and Cynthia Dunbar and that they approved of Weare Monthly Meeting proceeding with plans for their marriage as requested.”

October 3, 1957 “It was reported that the marriage of Dudley Laufman and Cynthia Dunbar was accomplished on Sept. 22nd and that Maija Salo filled the place of Elizabeth Straw on the committee, at the service.  The meeting approved”

Nov.7, 1957 “A request for transfer of membership by Dudley Laufman from Cambridge, Mass, to Weare Monthly Meeting was approved by the meeting.”  “Friends from Dover Quarterly Meeting were present and the question of the monthly meeting was discussed.  It was suggested that a letter be sent to all members of Weare Monthly Meeting before the next monthly meeting at which time a decision might be made.  The meeting approved.  TheDover Friends appeared to favor the change and would welcome the Weare Monthly Meeting.”

Dec. 5, 1957 “We are united in requesting Salem Quarterly Meeting to transfer Weare Monthly Meeting to the Dover Quarterly Meeting.  The Clerk is requested to notify the clerk of Salem Quarter and the clerk of Dover Quarter of this action.”

Feb.6, 1958 “Henry Osborne asked for the average number attending Concord Meeting for the statistical report.  This number was estimated to be about sixteen.  Representatives to the January Quarterly Meeting of Salem Quarter reported that the final arrangements were completed at that session for Weare Monthly Meeting to become affiliated with Dover Quarterly Meeting to ascertain Weare’s responsibilities in the new affiliation.”

June 5, 1958 “Winslow Osborne reported for committee from ministry and counsel which met with David Emerson regarding membership.  The Monthly Meeting approved his being accepted as a member of Weare Monthly Meeting.  The Clerk is asked to write to him to this effect.”

Nov. 6, 1958 Harriet Roth of New London joins the meeting, Mary Kovner requests transfer to Florida Ave. Monthly Meeting in Washington, DC, Thelma Leberge requests sojourning membership.

Jan. and Feb. 1959 The question of dissolving the Federation of Congregationalists and Friends in Weare was brought up.

Aug.6, 1959 Nina Leberge accepted as a member.

Jan. 7, 1960 James and Norma Wallace transferred from Atlantic County MM in Atlantic City, N.J. (they had been attending Concord Meeting before this.)

June 2, 1960 Peggy Diehl accepted as a member

Mar. 2, 1961 John and Ann Rush mentioned as part of Concord Meeting

Apr.5, 1962 Winnifred Stein transfers from Washington, DC

Feb.7, 1963 Wehmeyer’s membership transferred to Colorado.  Ronald Gallup withdraws from membership.

June 7, 1963 Anona Nash transfers from Westbury, Long Island Meeting.

April 19, 1967 “Concord Preparative Meeting sent the following: Concord Preparative Meeting is ready to ask to become a monthly meeting” “Weare Monthly Meeting is in unity with Concord Preparative Meeting’s desire to become Concord Monthly Meeting.  Weare Monthly Meeting at the same time would not hasten the departure of any individuals wishing to remain in the Weare Monthly Meeting.”  Joyce Fuller accepted as an affiliate member.

June 1967 “Approval was given to the transfer of Don and Lois Booth, Joe and Helen Ryan, and Joyce Fuller to the newly created Concord Monthly Meeting.

Apr. 5,1968 “The Treasurer brought up the question of the Concord Fund.  This Fund started from the money from the sale of the Concord meetinghouse which sum was given over to Weare Monthly Meeting to be returned to Concord Monthly Meeting if the Concord meeting was ever revived.  Other monies of like intent were added to the Fund from time to time until the two meetings were equally involved.  lt was suggested and approved that the Fund of $735, be equally divided and $367, be given to Concord Monthly Meeting the remainder to be the Weare Meetinghouse Fund.”  Joyce Fuller and Adelaide Nichols of Concord Monthly Meeting were present.

July 7,1968 “The transfer of $367, to Concord Monthly Meeting was authorized.  This is their half of the meetinghouse fund started with the sale of the Concord Meetinghouse.”

From Weare Monthly Meeting of Friends Trust Fund Reports April 1, 1969:

“July 9, 1968 Pd. Treas. Concord Friends Meeting, Robert Nichols, $367.00"

November 1998

I trust this is the information you would like to have for Concord Meeting.  I thought the meetings at Winslow and Ruth Osborne’s home went on for a longer period.

Eunice Smith asked me some time ago for information on the founding of the original Concord Meeting and the names of the people who were involved in it.  I have a set of notes (excerpts from meeting records on the formation of the original Concord Meeting) but have been unable to locate them. I do, however, have a brief history of that meeting in a History of the Quakers in Weare which I did several years ago for the Weare Historical Society.   A copy is enclosed.  Also enclosed is a list of Friends, gleaned from the Weare Monthly Meeting Register, who belonged to the Concord Preparative Meeting.  Unlike the present Concord Meeting, it never became a Monthly Meeting.

– Marian K. Baker