(reproduced from The Underground Railroad Free Press, volume 1, issue 3, November 2006)
In the nick of time, a group of preservationists in upstate New York has stepped in to prevent demolition of a former Quaker Meetinghouse used as an Underground Railroad safe-house. The Farmington, New York meeting house was on its last legs when the group led by local Underground Railroad historian Judith Wellman organized in early 2006 and got to work.
Within six months, fundraising began, the old building was saved from what had been an imminent razing, and it was structurally stabilized and listed on a national Underground Railroad site list. Plans are to restore the building to its original appearance and donate to an organization which will preserve and operate it as an Underground Railroad interpretive center.
Farmington and towns near it in this part of New York are as rich as anywhere in the nation in the history of the Underground Railroad and abolitionism. The area also spawned the women's rights movement. Farmington, a village of about 100, is forty miles from the Harriet Tubman home in Auburn, New York.
Restoration of the Farmington Meeting House has been aided financially by the Heritage New York Women's History Trail, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the New York State Arts Council and the Quaker Church.
In the News
Quaker meetinghouse gets reprieve
(May 24, 2007) — The Farmington Town Board has agreed to postpone indefinitely demolition of a historic Quaker meetinghouse while fundraising efforts to save the deteriorating structure continue.
"They're moving forward with an honest effort to get funds," said Farmington Supervisor Ted Fafinski about the board's decision Tuesday night.....
Events of 2006
In February 2006, the east wall blew off the meetinghouse. Approximately eighty percent of the original fabric remained, including much of the plastered interior, octagonal columns, and most of the frame, but it was entirely exposed to the weather, creating an emergency situation.
Working with nationally known architect John G. Waite, people in Farmington and across the nation raised $26,000 from both private and public sources. They transferred the building to the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation. And they began emergency stabilization and initial documentation. Supporters included:
•National Trust for Historic Preservation
Save America’s Treasures declared this building an official project. The National Park Service’s Network to Freedom project listed it as an important Underground Railroad site. The State Historic Preservation Office declared the meetinghouse eligible for the National Register of Historic Places as part of a local historic district, to include the 1876 Quaker Meetinghouse and Quaker cemetery across the road. People of Farmington are working to donate 3.5 acres of land within this historic district as a permanent location for the building. The total cost of this project, based on initial projections, will be upwards of $1,000,000.
•National Trust for Historic Preservation
•Heritage New York’s Women’s History Trail
•New York State Council on the Arts
•Chace Fund of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting)
•many private donors.
Fund-raising
- National Trust for Historic Preservation provided funds for emergency stabilization.
- Heritage New York's Women's History Trail provided $5000 for initial stabilization.
- New York State Council on the Arts Technical Assistance program provided a technical assistance grant.
- Chace Fund of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting provided funds to help document the building with photographs and HABS- quality drawings.
- many private donors have contributed funds.
- many volunteers have been extraordinarily generous volunteer with their time, money, and resources, including
- architectural services, web design, historical research, fund-raising, and land for a permanent site for the meetinghouse.
- Eric Moon has created a CD called "Christmas in the Finger Lakes," which will be sold through branches of the Canandaigua National Bank, with half the proceeds to be given to the 1816 Farmington Meetinghouse project. The CD is available at the following branches: Bloomfield, Canandaigua Main St., Canandaigua Lakeshore Dr., Farmington, Honeoye, Shortsville-Manchester and Victor.
Stabilization and Restoration
- Stabilization and Restoration nationally-recognized architect John G. Waite, John G. Waite Associates, has begun documentation and has provided a plan for stabilization and initial restoration.
- the damaged southeast corner of the building has been stabilized, with assistance from engineer and contractor, with cables and supports.
- a six-foot fence has been erected around the meetinghouse the Farmington Town Board and Code Enforcement officers have helped us with issues relating to public safety.
- a local insurance agency provided insurance for the building.
Public Support For This Project
•the National Park Service’s Network to Freedom program has listed this building as a site important to the Underground Railroad (approved September 13, 2006).
•Save America’s Treasures has listed this building as an official project.
•Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation (P.O. Box 603, Seneca Falls, N.Y., 13148), a 501c3 organization, agreed to take ownership of the building until an appropriate historical agency can be found to hold it on a long-term basis.
•NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation has declared the meetinghouse eligible for the National Register, part of a historic district to include the 1876 Quaker meetinghouse, cemetery, original site of the meetinghouse next door, and future site of the meetinghouse across the road;
about 125 people are now on a listserv of support for this project.
•volunteers created this website for the meetinghouse
•Farmington Town Board passed a resolution of encouragement for this project, September 13, 2006.
•Church Women United of New York State Board passed a resolution of support for this project, October 2006.
•several local groups have signed petitions in support of this project.
•a national Advisory Board has provided support and expertise.
•Save America’s Treasures has listed this building as an official project.
•Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation (P.O. Box 603, Seneca Falls, N.Y., 13148), a 501c3 organization, agreed to take ownership of the building until an appropriate historical agency can be found to hold it on a long-term basis.
•NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation has declared the meetinghouse eligible for the National Register, part of a historic district to include the 1876 Quaker meetinghouse, cemetery, original site of the meetinghouse next door, and future site of the meetinghouse across the road;
about 125 people are now on a listserv of support for this project.
•volunteers created this website for the meetinghouse
•Farmington Town Board passed a resolution of encouragement for this project, September 13, 2006.
•Church Women United of New York State Board passed a resolution of support for this project, October 2006.
•several local groups have signed petitions in support of this project.
•a national Advisory Board has provided support and expertise.
1816 FARMINGTON MEETINGHOUSE RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT
Whereas, New York State before the Civil War was a crucible of reform, at the cutting edge of nationally important reform movements dedicated to equality and respect for all people;
Whereas, these reform movements challenged Americans to consider the essential meaning of democracy in the new Republic, as stated in the Declaration of Independence: “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”;
Whereas, Quakers and others from across New York State and the nation, meeting at Farmington, were at the center of these nationally significant debates (helping to organize the 1848 Seneca Falls woman’s rights convention, developing a national crossroads for the Underground Railroad, and enhancing the relationship of mutual respect between Quakers and Native Americans);
Whereas, the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse, the earliest known Quaker meetinghouse still standing west of the colonial settlement line, represents an opportunity to interpret these nationally significant issues and events in the present world;
Whereas, the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse has received considerable support from national, state, and private groups—including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Heritage New York Women’s History Trail, the Chace Fund of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation, and an Advisory Board made up of historians, preservationists, and descendants of people involved with reform movements—as well as from nationally known architect John G. Waite;
Whereas, the restored 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse will provide a source of economic development through heritage tourism to the Town of Farmington, connecting Farmington to the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, the National Park Service’s proposed Votes for Women Trail, the Heritage New York Underground Railroad Trail, and the Heritage New York Women’s History Trail;
We therefore support the plan to keep the 1816 Quaker Meetinghouse in Farmington as a nationally important historic site, one of the crucibles of America’s dialogue about the essential meaning of the Declaration of Independence, to restore the meetinghouse to its historic appearance, and to donate it to the National Park Service or another appropriate historical agency for use as an educational and tourism center to interpret the nationally history of Farmington as a site important to woman’s rights, Quakers and Native Americans, and the Underground Railroad, as they reflected national debates about American ideals of equality.
Latest News
October 25, 2007
Posted by Quakers in the News
Kuhl seeks to preserve Farmington meetinghouse
Elmira Star-Gazette, NY -Oct 12, 2007
U.S. Rep. John R. Kuhl Jr., R-Hammondsport, introduced legislation to request that the National Park Service consider the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse as a possible addition to the National Park Service, as part of the Women's Rights National Historical Park.
"The Farmington Meetinghouse was very important to the early women's rights movement, Native American rights, and abolitionism and the Underground Railroad,” Kuhl said. “This legislation will ensure that this nationally significant site is enjoyed for many more generations to come.”
Built in 1816 to replace earlier 1796 and 1804 buildings, this meetinghouse is known as the earliest Quaker meetinghouse still standing west of the colonial settlement area in the country. As a crucible of several national reform movements, the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse was the stage for many debates over freedom and equality for women, African Americans, and Seneca Indians in upstate New York and around the nation. National reformers associated with this meetinghouse include William Lloyd Garrison, Lucretia Mott, Frederick Douglass, William Wells Brown, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony.
The meetinghouse has become the focus of a major community preservation effort after the east wall was blown off in February 2006. Kuhl is working with architect John G. Waite, local community organizations, and New York State politicians to raise the $1.5 million needed to restore the building. Kuhl has also requested a reconnaissance study and preliminary resource assessment to enhance the protection available for the historic building and to help develop an appropriate plan for the preservation of this structure.
The Meetinghouse is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Farmington Quaker Crossroads District. In September 2006, the National Park Service added the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse to its Underground Railroad Network to Freedom for its importance to the Underground Railroad. In April 2007, the National Register of Historic Places added the Meetinghouse to the National Register at the national level of significance for its national importance in reform movements.
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May 24, 2007
Posted by Quakers in the News
Quaker meetinghouse gets reprievePosted by Quakers in the News
Kuhl seeks to preserve Farmington meetinghouse
Elmira Star-Gazette, NY -
U.S. Rep. John R. Kuhl Jr., R-Hammondsport, introduced legislation to request that the National Park Service consider the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse as a possible addition to the National Park Service, as part of the Women's Rights National Historical Park.
"The Farmington Meetinghouse was very important to the early women's rights movement, Native American rights, and abolitionism and the Underground Railroad,” Kuhl said. “This legislation will ensure that this nationally significant site is enjoyed for many more generations to come.”
Built in 1816 to replace earlier 1796 and 1804 buildings, this meetinghouse is known as the earliest Quaker meetinghouse still standing west of the colonial settlement area in the country. As a crucible of several national reform movements, the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse was the stage for many debates over freedom and equality for women, African Americans, and Seneca Indians in upstate New York and around the nation. National reformers associated with this meetinghouse include William Lloyd Garrison, Lucretia Mott, Frederick Douglass, William Wells Brown, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Susan B. Anthony.
The meetinghouse has become the focus of a major community preservation effort after the east wall was blown off in February 2006. Kuhl is working with architect John G. Waite, local community organizations, and New York State politicians to raise the $1.5 million needed to restore the building. Kuhl has also requested a reconnaissance study and preliminary resource assessment to enhance the protection available for the historic building and to help develop an appropriate plan for the preservation of this structure.
The Meetinghouse is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Farmington Quaker Crossroads District. In September 2006, the National Park Service added the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse to its Underground Railroad Network to Freedom for its importance to the Underground Railroad. In April 2007, the National Register of Historic Places added the Meetinghouse to the National Register at the national level of significance for its national importance in reform movements.
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May 24, 2007
Posted by Quakers in the News
(May 24, 2007) — The Farmington Town Board has agreed to postpone indefinitely demolition of a historic Quaker meetinghouse while fundraising efforts to save the deteriorating structure continue.
"They're moving forward with an honest effort to get funds," said Farmington Supervisor Ted Fafinski about the board's decision Tuesday night.....-------
January 4, 2007
Posted by Quakers in the News
Quaker History/Meetinghouse/Restoration//People, developments to watch in 2007/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle/Rochester/NY/USA/31-Dec-06/In Farmington, a Quaker meetinghouse — built 190 years ago — was in such bad shape that it was slated for demolition. The Town Board, however, has allowed the building to stand at least until the end of May as preservationists try to raise the funds needed for restoration., ...
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December 5, 2006
Posted by Quakers in the News
Quaker History/Underground Railroad/Abolition/Suffrage/Wrecking ball looms again/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle/Rochester/NY/USA/6-Dec-06//(December 5, 2006) — FARMINGTON — Judith Wellman used to drive by the historic Quaker meetinghouse in Farmington wondering what could be done to save this ...
________
November 16, 2006
Much has happened since May! Basically, people in Farmington have embraced this project, and we have had welcome support from both the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation and the National Park Service's Network to Freedom program.
We are, however, facing a major deadline to stabilize the building further before November 30, and we need to find money quickly to do it. Click here for details.
A. THE GOOD NEWS:
1. In June, we were delighted to learn that people in Farmington wanted to keep this meetinghouse as part of the heart and soul of Farmington's history. Farmington Friends Meeting is working on plans to donate land near the original site of the 1816 meetinghouse and the current site of the 1876 meetinghouse for its permanent home. Should this plan fall through, supporters in Seneca Falls and Waterloo stand ready to welcome this meetinghouse at the site of Junius Monthly Meeting of Friends, but we are very hopeful that the meetinghouse will remain in its historic home in Farmington, surrounded by homes of Quakers and Underground Railroad supporters who originally organized this meeting and built the meetinghouse.
2. In August, with funding assistance from the Heritage New York Women's History Trail and the National Trust for Historic Preservation and technical expertise from Matthew Abate, engineer, and Michael Perkins, contractor, supervised by John G. Waite, architect, we stabilized the fragile southeast corner of the meetinghouse with cables and supports.
3. With help from the technical assistance program of the New York State Council on the Arts and the Chace Fund of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends, Jack Waite, architect, has begun basic documentation for the exterior of the meetinghouse, with drawings and photographs. Bruce Harvey, Senior Cultural Resource and Licensing Specialist, Kleinschmidt Energy & Water Resource Consultants in Syracuse, volunteered his expertise to do HABS-quality photographs.
2. In September, the Farmington Town Board passed a resolution of support for the project. Many thanks to the Town Board for this. If you belong to a group who would like to support this project by passing a similar resolution of support, this would be most welcome. (See attached draft.)
2. Mark Peckham, from the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, visited the meetinghouse on August 24 and recommended that we nominate the building to the National Register as part of a small historic district, encompassing also the 1876 meetinghouse and cemetery across the street, the original site, and the proposed new site across the street. Many thanks to Mark for making this special visit to Farmington and for this very creative suggestion. We will nominate the building to the Register in time for consideration at the next meeting (March) of the State Board.
3. The National Park Service's Network to Freedom accepted the meetinghouse to its program. Network to Freedom coordinators visited the site on September 14. Marie Parsons gave a brief and lovely program, with readings from historic people involved with the meetinghouse, Charles Lenhart provided refreshments, and several people from Farmington Friends acted as hosts. Many thanks to Farmington Friends for letting us use their meetinghouse. And many, many thanks to the Network to Freedom for accepting this historic meetinghouse, with its nest of Underground Railroad activists, to the Network to Freedom. This will help bring national recognition to a building that increasingly seems to have been a very important national node on the Underground Railroad.
4. We nominated the meetinghouse to the Seven to Save program of the Preservation League of New York State. Many thanks to Cynthia Howk of the Landmarks Society of Western New York for her letter of support.
B. IMMEDIATE NEED--DEADLINE OF NOVEMBER 30.
Although we have stabilized the southeast corner, concerns remain about the rest of the framing structure. Last spring, we planned to dismantle the building by September 15, in order to move it to Waterloo. Now that the building will remain in Farmington, however, we can begin restoration and further stabilization at the current location, so the building can be moved in its entirety to its new nearby site.
Architect John G. Waite has developed a plan for repairing the framing timbers (using chemical consolidants, "dutchman" replacement pieces, and the complete replacement of timbers, if needed) so that we can save as much of the existing plaster, lathe, roof sheathing, and exterior walls as possible. Estimated cost is $75,000.
Working with Floyd Kofaul, Farmington Code Enforcement Officer, the Farmington Town Board has extended the deadline for beginning this work to November 30, to allow us time to raise further funds.
We are looking at several sources--both public and private--for this immediate need. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT! Any help in locating funds is much appreciated.
C. A RESEARCH NOTE
James Nichols, Clerk of Syracuse Monthly Meeting, reports that "the White Brick Meetinghouse in Waynesville, OH was apparently built in 1811 to be the home of Miami Quarterly Meeting and it continues in use as a meetinghouse for Miami Monthly Meeting of Ohio Valley YM. Their claim is that they are the oldest extant building for worship west of the Alleghenies." So the 1816 Farmington meetinghouse is now the second oldest known extant meetinghouse west of the colonial settlement line in the U.S. Thanks to Jane Zavitz-Bond, we also know of one older, 1812, in Ontario. Thank you, Jim!
Update 9
WORK SCHEDULE. We were not able to find someone to dismantle the meetinghouse as per our original schedule, so we are working on Plan B. With the gracious agreement of the Farmington Town Board, we will stabilize the building beginning next week, document it as thoroughly as possible while it is still standing, and dismantle it later this summer. We are currently in the process of getting liability insurance for the building so that the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation can (finally!) take ownership of it and work can begin. Many thanks to all who are making this possible.
CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT/BUILDING INTEGRITY. We are blessed to have the help of John G. Waite, architect, who came on May 9 with two people from his office, Bill Brandow and Jessica Malarik, to measure the building, do preliminary sketches, and take photographs. The building is 60 feet three inches x 47 feet in its exterior measurements. As per a suggestion by Mark Peckham, from the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, we are wondering whether this may be one of the largest (if not the largest) extant pre-canal buildings in upstate New York. Can anyone think of a larger one?
As the building stands, you can clearly see outlines of the old gallery on three sides. Pieces of benches, stair railings, the divider between men's and women's meetings, and other interior features are visible. We are delighted to know that much more of the original fabric of the building remains and can probably be saved than we had originally thought. So the extra time that the building stands will be very helpful for documenting the structure. Stephen Spaulding, of the northeast regional office of the National Park Service, has been extremely helpful with technical advice. Thanks also to Bruce Harvey, of Kleinschmidt Energy and Water Resource Consultants, who has taken HABS quality photos of the exterior of the building.
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION. Charles Lenhart and Helen Kirker videotaped an interview with Gus Wehrlin, who as a child witnessed the actual moving of this meetinghouse in 1927. They are also interviewing other local people who attended annual meetings of Friends ("Quaker Days") in this meetinghouse. We have searched the Accessible Archives database of African American newspapers for all references to Farmington. Charles Lenhart has also worked with local historians in Macedon and Margaret Hartsough of Farmington to find material from local newspapers and photographs. Christopher Densmore has contributed photographs and much printed material from Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore and from his own research. Local people have found references in family diaries to speeches in the meetinghouse by Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Susan B. Anthony. Several people have told us about benches, stoves, or other artifacts related to the meetinghouse. Many, many thanks to all of you who have shared this material. If others find references to the Farmington Meetinghouse, we much appreciate knowing about them.
FUNDING. Because much of the documentation for this building will take place before it is dismantled (instead of afterwards, as we had originally planned), and because much more can be saved than we had originally anticipated, we will have to spend money now that we thought we could defer until the building was dismantled. Upfront costs will be in the range of $75,000 or more, instead of $35,000 that we had originally estimated.
We now have potentially $25,000 (about $12,000 from private donations, $5000 from Heritage New York's Women's History Trail, $1500 from the New York State Council on the Arts, $1500 from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and, we are hopeful that we will have $5000 soon from another grant.)
The member item we have requested through Senator Nozzolio's office ($75,000) would be a wonderful step forward for this project.
We are also developing plans to raise money to rebuild the meetinghouse. We are looking forward to a creative combination of private and public monies and appreciate any ideas that any of you may have. All suggestions are welcome!
Donations large and small may be sent to:
Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation
P.O. Box 603
Seneca Falls, New York 13148
1816 Farmington Meetinghouse Fund
THANK YOU! Several interested people showed up to look at the meetinghouse on May 9, including Liseli Haines and her son Alex from Hamilton, New York, and neighbor Bob Wilton, who reported that a car had hit the southwest corner of the meetinghouse in an accident several years ago, which may explain why this corner was weaker than the others. Mr. Wilton also brought a marker with the name of John Van Lare on it. Mr. Van Lare is the farmer who moved the meetinghouse when it became a barn in 1927. One of the potato crates also had John Van Lare's name on it.
Thanks to everyone, including the Wiltons, the Stanton Foundation, and the Farmington Town Board, for your patience and your concern for this important building.
We'll keep you posted. If you are of Quaker persuasion, we ask that you hold all concerned with this project in the Light.
Previous Post
CONDITIONS ASSESSMENT/BUILDING INTEGRITY. We are blessed to have the help of John G. Waite, architect, who came on May 9 with two people from his office, Bill Brandow and Jessica Malarik, to measure the building, do preliminary sketches, and take photographs. The building is 60 feet three inches x 47 feet in its exterior measurements. As per a suggestion by Mark Peckham, from the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, we are wondering whether this may be one of the largest (if not the largest) extant pre-canal buildings in upstate New York. Can anyone think of a larger one?
As the building stands, you can clearly see outlines of the old gallery on three sides. Pieces of benches, stair railings, the divider between men's and women's meetings, and other interior features are visible. We are delighted to know that much more of the original fabric of the building remains and can probably be saved than we had originally thought. So the extra time that the building stands will be very helpful for documenting the structure. Stephen Spaulding, of the northeast regional office of the National Park Service, has been extremely helpful with technical advice. Thanks also to Bruce Harvey, of Kleinschmidt Energy and Water Resource Consultants, who has taken HABS quality photos of the exterior of the building.
HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION. Charles Lenhart and Helen Kirker videotaped an interview with Gus Wehrlin, who as a child witnessed the actual moving of this meetinghouse in 1927. They are also interviewing other local people who attended annual meetings of Friends ("Quaker Days") in this meetinghouse. We have searched the Accessible Archives database of African American newspapers for all references to Farmington. Charles Lenhart has also worked with local historians in Macedon and Margaret Hartsough of Farmington to find material from local newspapers and photographs. Christopher Densmore has contributed photographs and much printed material from Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore and from his own research. Local people have found references in family diaries to speeches in the meetinghouse by Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Susan B. Anthony. Several people have told us about benches, stoves, or other artifacts related to the meetinghouse. Many, many thanks to all of you who have shared this material. If others find references to the Farmington Meetinghouse, we much appreciate knowing about them.
FUNDING. Because much of the documentation for this building will take place before it is dismantled (instead of afterwards, as we had originally planned), and because much more can be saved than we had originally anticipated, we will have to spend money now that we thought we could defer until the building was dismantled. Upfront costs will be in the range of $75,000 or more, instead of $35,000 that we had originally estimated.
We now have potentially $25,000 (about $12,000 from private donations, $5000 from Heritage New York's Women's History Trail, $1500 from the New York State Council on the Arts, $1500 from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and, we are hopeful that we will have $5000 soon from another grant.)
The member item we have requested through Senator Nozzolio's office ($75,000) would be a wonderful step forward for this project.
We are also developing plans to raise money to rebuild the meetinghouse. We are looking forward to a creative combination of private and public monies and appreciate any ideas that any of you may have. All suggestions are welcome!
Donations large and small may be sent to:
Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation
P.O. Box 603
Seneca Falls, New York 13148
1816 Farmington Meetinghouse Fund
THANK YOU! Several interested people showed up to look at the meetinghouse on May 9, including Liseli Haines and her son Alex from Hamilton, New York, and neighbor Bob Wilton, who reported that a car had hit the southwest corner of the meetinghouse in an accident several years ago, which may explain why this corner was weaker than the others. Mr. Wilton also brought a marker with the name of John Van Lare on it. Mr. Van Lare is the farmer who moved the meetinghouse when it became a barn in 1927. One of the potato crates also had John Van Lare's name on it.
Thanks to everyone, including the Wiltons, the Stanton Foundation, and the Farmington Town Board, for your patience and your concern for this important building.
We'll keep you posted. If you are of Quaker persuasion, we ask that you hold all concerned with this project in the Light.
Previous Post
Update 8
Hello Friends--
This has been a momentous week for the Farmington Meetinghouse!
1. SIGNING CONTRACTS! We expect that next Tuesday, May 2, 2006, we will transfer the building from the current owners, Lyjha and Jillian Wilton, to the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation. Many, many thanks to the Wiltons for maintaining this building for future generations and to the Stanton Foundation for its willingness to assume responsibility while we work to find a permanent site. Without both of you, this building--with its nationally important stories of abolitionism, the Underground Railroad, Seneca land rights, and women's rights--would be lost.
Architect Jack Waite has put out bids for this project, and we hope to be able to review them in time to sign a contract on Tuesday with whomever will be doing the actual work on this building.
2. FUND-RAISING.
a. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has donated $1500 from its emergency fund to help us document, dismantle, and move this building! Many, many thanks for this very welcome contribution.
b. We now have about $18,750 (in private donations, as well as from the Heritage New York Women's History Trail, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the National Trust) toward the needed $35,000. We still need $16,250. We also have an outstanding application for a $5000 grant to the Chace Fund of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting for documenting this meetinghouse.
Donations may be sent to:
Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation
P. O. Box 603
Seneca Falls, New York 13148
Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse Fund
Thank you all who have helped to support this project so far. Because of the need to move this building, beginning by May 3, timing is short for us to raise this money. We appreciate all of you so much who care about this building and all that it represents.
3. PUBLICITY The Google search algorithm counts links to blogs and web-sites. You can help others find this blog by including a link to http://farmingtonmeetinghouse.blogspot.com from your web-site.
-------------
Discovering extraordinary people and places in time.
"All men and women are created equal." Declaration of Sentiments, Seneca Falls, 1848
"Right is of no sex. Truth is of no color." Frederick Douglass. North Star, 1848
Previous Post
This has been a momentous week for the Farmington Meetinghouse!
1. SIGNING CONTRACTS! We expect that next Tuesday, May 2, 2006, we will transfer the building from the current owners, Lyjha and Jillian Wilton, to the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation. Many, many thanks to the Wiltons for maintaining this building for future generations and to the Stanton Foundation for its willingness to assume responsibility while we work to find a permanent site. Without both of you, this building--with its nationally important stories of abolitionism, the Underground Railroad, Seneca land rights, and women's rights--would be lost.
Architect Jack Waite has put out bids for this project, and we hope to be able to review them in time to sign a contract on Tuesday with whomever will be doing the actual work on this building.
2. FUND-RAISING.
a. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has donated $1500 from its emergency fund to help us document, dismantle, and move this building! Many, many thanks for this very welcome contribution.
b. We now have about $18,750 (in private donations, as well as from the Heritage New York Women's History Trail, the New York State Council on the Arts, and the National Trust) toward the needed $35,000. We still need $16,250. We also have an outstanding application for a $5000 grant to the Chace Fund of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting for documenting this meetinghouse.
Donations may be sent to:
Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation
P. O. Box 603
Seneca Falls, New York 13148
Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse Fund
Thank you all who have helped to support this project so far. Because of the need to move this building, beginning by May 3, timing is short for us to raise this money. We appreciate all of you so much who care about this building and all that it represents.
3. PUBLICITY The Google search algorithm counts links to blogs and web-sites. You can help others find this blog by including a link to http://farmingtonmeetinghouse.blogspot.com from your web-site.
-------------
Discovering extraordinary people and places in time.
"All men and women are created equal." Declaration of Sentiments, Seneca Falls, 1848
"Right is of no sex. Truth is of no color." Frederick Douglass. North Star, 1848
Previous Post
Update 7
April 19, 2006Good morning, Friends!
1. All contributions to the meetinghouse fund are welcome! We are still trying to raise $35,000 to pay the costs of dismantling and initially documenting this building. So far, we have raised almost $17,000, enough to begin work. We would like to transfer this meetinghouse to the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation and sign a contract with the mover sometime next week. In order to do this, however, we need to know that we can pay this mover in full, when the contract comes due. Some of us have agreed to guarantee this personally, but we are hoping that we do not have to mortgage the house, literally, to make good on this!
Contributions may now be sent to:
*Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation*
* P.O. Box 603*
* Seneca Falls, New York 13148*
* c/o Francis Caraccilo, Treasurer*
* 1816 Farmington Meetinghouse Fund*
2. Yesterday, Lyle Jenks, from the Chace Fund of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, came to review the meetinghouse and our application for funding for its documentation according to Historic American Building Survey standards. It was a beautiful spring day, and we had a thorough and productive discussion of our progress. Many thanks to Lyle and all members of the committee.
3. Many thanks to a good friend and fellow preservationist from the Preservation Association of Central New York, who just sent $250 to the meetinghouse fund! (There is a connection between Quakers in Onondaga County and those in Farmington. At one time, many people in Skaneateles Quaker Meeting (Orthodox) in Onondaga County were extremely active abolitionists and Underground Railroad supporters. As a result of a survey of sites relating to
the Underground Railroad, Abolitionism, and African American Life (sponsored by the Preservation Association of Central New York and funded by the Preservation League of NYS and the NYS Council on the Arts), the home of Quakers James Canning Fuller and Lydia Fuller on Genesee Street in Skaneateles was listed on both the National Register and the National Park Service's Network to Freedom as an Underground Railroad safe house.)
4. Above is a photo of the meetinghouse, taken yesterday from the northeast, for inspiration.
Best, Judy Wellman for the Ad Hoc Committee to Preserve the 1816 Farmington Meetinghouse
Last Previous Update
Update 6
April 16, 2006
Hello Friends! Here is an update on the Farmington Friends' Meetinghouse.
1. TRANSFER OF THE MEETINGHOUSE TO ELIZABETH CADY STANTON FOUNDATION. Many thanks to the Stanton Foundation of Seneca Falls for its willingness to assume ownership of this building while we are looking for a permanent home, and many thanks to the current owners for working with us to make this possible. We hope to have this building transferred by the middle of next week.
2. CONTRACTING WITH MOVERS. At this same time that we transfer the building to the Stanton Foundation, we hope to sign a contract with the contractor who will dismantle the building. Jack Waite, architect, has prepared performance specifications. These are being publicized, and bids are being solicited from interested contractors.
3. RAISING FUNDS. We need about $35,000 to carry out the initial phase of moving and documenting this building. Thanks to the help of private donors, Heritage New York Women's History Trail, and a technical assistance grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, we have now raised $16,200. We are actively soliciting further grants and welcome--most heartily--your contributions as private donors! Many, many thanks for whatever you can do!
Contributions may now be sent to:
*Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation*
* P. O. Box 603*
* Seneca Falls, New York 13148*
* Attention: Francis Caracillo, Treasurer*
* Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse Fund*
4. WONDERFUL LETTERS OF SUPPORT! We received three beautiful letters of support--from Old Chatham Meeting; Lyle Jenks of Philadelphia; and Christopher Densmore, Curator of Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore. We passed all of these out at the Farmington Town Board meeting last Tuesday, and they are all appear here as comments to this page. Marie Parsons of Rochester Meeting also wrote a lovely evocative essay, which is now on our website. Thank you all so much fo these!
5. Diane Plassey Gutierrez and Marie Parsons are working on a brochure to help publicize the meetinghouse project. This should be available soon for downloading and printing. We will be meeting Lyle Jenks of the Chace Fund of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (to which we have applied for funding to help document this building) at the meetinghouse tomorrow (Monday, April 17) morning at 10:00 a.m. All are welcome to join us.
Stay tuned! We will keep you posted with breaking news! Thanks for everyone's help, in every way.
Next Previous Update
Hello Friends! Here is an update on the Farmington Friends' Meetinghouse.
1. TRANSFER OF THE MEETINGHOUSE TO ELIZABETH CADY STANTON FOUNDATION. Many thanks to the Stanton Foundation of Seneca Falls for its willingness to assume ownership of this building while we are looking for a permanent home, and many thanks to the current owners for working with us to make this possible. We hope to have this building transferred by the middle of next week.
2. CONTRACTING WITH MOVERS. At this same time that we transfer the building to the Stanton Foundation, we hope to sign a contract with the contractor who will dismantle the building. Jack Waite, architect, has prepared performance specifications. These are being publicized, and bids are being solicited from interested contractors.
3. RAISING FUNDS. We need about $35,000 to carry out the initial phase of moving and documenting this building. Thanks to the help of private donors, Heritage New York Women's History Trail, and a technical assistance grant from the New York State Council on the Arts, we have now raised $16,200. We are actively soliciting further grants and welcome--most heartily--your contributions as private donors! Many, many thanks for whatever you can do!
Contributions may now be sent to:
*Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation*
* P. O. Box 603*
* Seneca Falls, New York 13148*
* Attention: Francis Caracillo, Treasurer*
* Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse Fund*
4. WONDERFUL LETTERS OF SUPPORT! We received three beautiful letters of support--from Old Chatham Meeting; Lyle Jenks of Philadelphia; and Christopher Densmore, Curator of Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore. We passed all of these out at the Farmington Town Board meeting last Tuesday, and they are all appear here as comments to this page. Marie Parsons of Rochester Meeting also wrote a lovely evocative essay, which is now on our website. Thank you all so much fo these!
5. Diane Plassey Gutierrez and Marie Parsons are working on a brochure to help publicize the meetinghouse project. This should be available soon for downloading and printing. We will be meeting Lyle Jenks of the Chace Fund of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (to which we have applied for funding to help document this building) at the meetinghouse tomorrow (Monday, April 17) morning at 10:00 a.m. All are welcome to join us.
Stay tuned! We will keep you posted with breaking news! Thanks for everyone's help, in every way.
Next Previous Update
Update 5
April 9, 2006
1. Francis Caraccilo, President of the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation, reports that the Foundation is ready and willing to assume ownership of the Farmington meetinghouse on an interim basis, while we dismantle and document the building and look for a final home for it. As a not-for-profit, 501c3 organization, the Foundation has a track record in dealing with a historic buildings. In the early 1980s, the Stanton Foundation purchased the Elizabeth Cady Stanton house in Seneca Falls and donated it to Women's Rights National Historical Park.
2. Jack Waite, a nationally-known preservation architect, has agreed to work with us on dismantling, documenting, and reconstructing the Farmington meetinghouse. In addition to his work on such premier buildings as Mt. Vernon and the Tweed Courthouse, Mr. Waite brings a particularly appropriate expertise for the Farmington meetinghouse. He worked on a prize-winning project to dismantle and document a Chinese temple and reconstruct it for the Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, using techniques similar to those that he will be using for the Farmington meetinghouse. (For more information, see
http:// www.jgwaarchitects.com/)
Within the next several days, we will be working with the current owner, who has been so helpful in working with us and has agreed to donate this building, so that we can move forward with plans to move it into the hands of the Stanton Foundation, hire a contractor, and begin documenting and dismantling the meetinghouse. The Farmington Town Board has requested that work begin by May 3 and be completed by June 3.
What we need:
1. Interim storage area. Thanks to the work of the Rochester and Monroe County Freedom Trail and others, we have a couple of possibilities for places where this building might be stored before it is reconstructed. We can use either of these, but neither is perfect. The ideal location would be a secure enclosed area at least 100 feet x 100 feet, where we might spread the pieces of the meetinghouse out. There, careful drawings would be made according to Historic American Building survey specifications. Parts of the building would be partially reconstructed in this space, much like a giant 3-D puzzle, before the entire structure was finally rebuilt outside. If you know of a warehouse, empty strip mall, or similar spot where we might house the pieces of the meetinghouse while work is being done, please let us know ASAP.
2. Money. We need $35,000 within the next two or three months. We currently have $13,200 ($8200 in private donations, plus $5000 from Heritage New York's Women's History Trail). Many, many thanks to these donors!
We have requested a member item through Senator Nozzolio to help with the cost of this work. Because of the pressure of time, the actual dismantling will need to be done before we know whether this member item will be available, and--if available--before we have access to it. So we are trying to raise through private donations and immediate grants the estimated $35,000 that we will actually need to dismantle the building, restore the site to a level field, and pay the architect's fees.
Your help at this time is critically needed. If you can donate to this fund, even a small amount, you will be making a contribution for that will last far beyond our generation. Please send tax-deductible donations to:
Rochester Friends Meeting
84 Scio Street
Rochester, New York 14604
Attn: Paul Michaloski
1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse Fund
If Senator Nozzolio's member item does come through, we will apply this, as originally proposed, to documenting the building and preparing to rebuild it in its final location.
The Farmington Town Board will hold a public hearing on this building on Tuesday, April 11, at 7:00 at the Town Hall. All are welcome to attend.
Stay tuned for continuing reports! Thanks to everyone for all your continuing support. With your help, this building will stand for the ages, a continuing testament to the power of ideals of equality and justice for all people.
Next Previous Update
1. Francis Caraccilo, President of the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation, reports that the Foundation is ready and willing to assume ownership of the Farmington meetinghouse on an interim basis, while we dismantle and document the building and look for a final home for it. As a not-for-profit, 501c3 organization, the Foundation has a track record in dealing with a historic buildings. In the early 1980s, the Stanton Foundation purchased the Elizabeth Cady Stanton house in Seneca Falls and donated it to Women's Rights National Historical Park.
2. Jack Waite, a nationally-known preservation architect, has agreed to work with us on dismantling, documenting, and reconstructing the Farmington meetinghouse. In addition to his work on such premier buildings as Mt. Vernon and the Tweed Courthouse, Mr. Waite brings a particularly appropriate expertise for the Farmington meetinghouse. He worked on a prize-winning project to dismantle and document a Chinese temple and reconstruct it for the Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts, using techniques similar to those that he will be using for the Farmington meetinghouse. (For more information, see
http:// www.jgwaarchitects.com/)
Within the next several days, we will be working with the current owner, who has been so helpful in working with us and has agreed to donate this building, so that we can move forward with plans to move it into the hands of the Stanton Foundation, hire a contractor, and begin documenting and dismantling the meetinghouse. The Farmington Town Board has requested that work begin by May 3 and be completed by June 3.
What we need:
1. Interim storage area. Thanks to the work of the Rochester and Monroe County Freedom Trail and others, we have a couple of possibilities for places where this building might be stored before it is reconstructed. We can use either of these, but neither is perfect. The ideal location would be a secure enclosed area at least 100 feet x 100 feet, where we might spread the pieces of the meetinghouse out. There, careful drawings would be made according to Historic American Building survey specifications. Parts of the building would be partially reconstructed in this space, much like a giant 3-D puzzle, before the entire structure was finally rebuilt outside. If you know of a warehouse, empty strip mall, or similar spot where we might house the pieces of the meetinghouse while work is being done, please let us know ASAP.
2. Money. We need $35,000 within the next two or three months. We currently have $13,200 ($8200 in private donations, plus $5000 from Heritage New York's Women's History Trail). Many, many thanks to these donors!
We have requested a member item through Senator Nozzolio to help with the cost of this work. Because of the pressure of time, the actual dismantling will need to be done before we know whether this member item will be available, and--if available--before we have access to it. So we are trying to raise through private donations and immediate grants the estimated $35,000 that we will actually need to dismantle the building, restore the site to a level field, and pay the architect's fees.
Your help at this time is critically needed. If you can donate to this fund, even a small amount, you will be making a contribution for that will last far beyond our generation. Please send tax-deductible donations to:
Rochester Friends Meeting
84 Scio Street
Rochester, New York 14604
Attn: Paul Michaloski
1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse Fund
If Senator Nozzolio's member item does come through, we will apply this, as originally proposed, to documenting the building and preparing to rebuild it in its final location.
The Farmington Town Board will hold a public hearing on this building on Tuesday, April 11, at 7:00 at the Town Hall. All are welcome to attend.
Stay tuned for continuing reports! Thanks to everyone for all your continuing support. With your help, this building will stand for the ages, a continuing testament to the power of ideals of equality and justice for all people.
Next Previous Update
Petition (Template)
1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse
Name Address Email (if available)
etc
Please return to:
Helen Kirker (2146 Buffalo Street, Stanley, New York 14561) or
Judith Wellman (2 Harris Hill Road, Fulton, New York 13069) FARMINGTON AND THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: EDMONDSON SISTERS
Here is an article about Farmington
Friends in 1849, who were involved
in a very famous rescue of the
Edmondson sisters from slavery.
They were two of 77 people who
tried to escape from slavery in
Washington,D.C., in 1848 on a
ship called the PEARL. William
Chaplin, editor of the ALBANY
PATRIOT, was one of those
involved in this rescue. The PEARL
ran aground, and all on board
were captured and sold into slavery.
The Edmondson sisters, through
the efforts of their father, were
purchased and brought to the
Farmington area. They later
made a lecture tour around upstate
New York to help William Chaplin
get out of jail in Maryland when
he was again captured in Maryland.
ITEM #20128--from Accessible
Archives Database. Found by
Tanya Warren
October 26, 1849
THE NORTH STAR
Rochester, New York
CIRCULAR
Of the Provisional Committee,
for the Promotion of Education
among the Colored People, in
such of the Slave States are,
or may be accessible.
-------
The organization of this Committee,
is the work of necessity. It grew
out of the consideration, that the
labors and prayers of the friends of
the slave had been blessed in the
deliverance of many thousands from
the fetters of legal bondage. But
their condition, when thus
emancipated, suggests the important
inquiry, that how glorious soever
may be our success in the future,
whether the consummation we so
ardently desire would not be reft
of half its interest and importance
if we were denied the reasonable
anticipation, that a blow so well
aimed and effective, would be
followed by a ready zeal, fidelity and
insight, in ample preparations to
impart the rudiments of sound
knowledge, with healthful morel
discipline, to the youthful masses just
escaped from legal bondage.
What is true of our slaves and colored
people, is true of every people,
long outcast and degraded. Such can
secure the recognition of their
rights, only through an intellectual
and moral regeneration. They
must burst the fetters of ignorance, and
vanquish the dominion of low,
sensual passions, or live and die in a
condition, in no way more exalted,
or worthy of a divine manhood, than
that of the veriest slaves!
The time has fully come in our
judgment, when a well advised and
effected plan may be vigorously
prosecuted for the enlightment and
elevation of our colored people,
who are at least nominally free,
though in the Slave States. In
some of those States they are not
seriously interrupted in the pursuit
of knowledge. They may be reached
in either of two ways, to wit: by
establishing schools directly among
them, or by selecting young persons
of good morals, and endowed with
active, strong powers of mind, who,
when sufficiently trained under
good teachers and the best social
influences to be found at the North,
may return to labor in the department
of instruction, among their
friends and the people of their peculiar
class at the South. This
latter is the idea which strikes us
forcibly, and which, for the
present, we shall seek to make
available by our efforts. Through the
events of Providence we have it
in our power, just now, in an easy,
quiet way, to make an experiment
in the direction alluded to, and under
the most agreeable and gratifying
circumstances.
The Edmondson Sisters, Mary and
Emily, you know by reputation. Their
brief history is singular
and affecting. It is enough to say,
that they were for seven months in
the hands of slave-traders, in
Washington, Baltimore, Alexandria, and
New Orleans - that their virtuous
and christian character afforded them
a shield of complete defence -
That by a rare impulse of social
sympathy, twenty-two hundred
and fifty dollars were raised for their
redemption! They are of a good
family - are now in this neighborhood,
under the most favorable
circumstances to be thoroughly taught,
possessing highly respectable
capacities, with most exemplary industry,
and a rare deportment for propriety;
they are anxious to acquire
information that will, in every way,
render them competent and
effective, as teachers and examples
among their people in the District
of Columbia. This Committee propose
to take charge of them - to advise
them, and to raise whatever means
may be required in the course of
their education. Others of equal
promise will, no doubt, soon offer
themselves. Indeed, we are well
informed, that any number of persons
adapted to the object we have in
view, can at any time be selected at
Washington or Baltimore.
Allow us to say, that it is not our
purpose to make pets of our
beneficiaries - to spoil them by
indulgence, or by superficial, shallow
views of the relations and duties
of life. It shall be our aim to
foster and assist their own exertions,
and by no means to supersede
them. Nor is it our design, in any
way, to build up schools exclusively
for colored children. We shall
place them where the chances for sound
instruction, exact discipline, and
real elevation of character, are the
most completely satisfactory.
Our limits forbid addition to this
hasty outline of our plans. We
wish to regard you as a corresponding
member of our body, and to look
to you constantly for counsel and
support, as a cordial and active
laborer in a common field of
enterprise and responsibility.
- Is it not
a delightful thought, that by a
united effort, the women of New York
can, in a brief period, place in
the District of Columbia, or the State
of Maryland, a dozen intelligent,
well-trained colored females, as
teachers of schools and models
of manners, behavior and character, to
exert an influence among those,
who are most sadly in need of its
quickening power?
You are left free to raise funds
and to bring this interesting
subject before the community
around you, in such way as
seems to you
most convenient, and at the
same time surest to reach a
speedy and desirable result.
The Committee will take care
that you receive frequently a f
ull report of what they design
and accomplish, and
especially of the manner in
which all the money and resources put at
their disposal are applied.
Your friends, truly.
P.S. Please to direct your
communications to our Secretary, C.G.
Hamblin, Farmington, Ontario Co., N.Y.
HANNAH C. SMITH,
PHEBE HATHAWAY,
MARIA E. WILBUR, Com.
ANNA P. ADAMS,
C.G. HAMBLIN,
More Historical News
Most Important Needs!
Here is what we need right now:
1. a 501c3 organization to take over
temporary ownership of the building,
so that we can move it fairly immediately,
document, store it, and make a long-range
plan for it.
We have a couple of possibilities,
but no commitments as yet from anyone.
This will be a crucial next step.
2. a place to store the building.
Ideally, this would be a large
facility where we might be able
to spread out the pieces to do some
detailed drawings and documentation
(and perhaps partial reconstruction).
We do have some possibilities of a barn,
as well as a possible warehouse, but we
have nothing nailed down yet, so all
offers and ideas are most welcome.
Again, this is a crucial next step.
3. funding. We have a commitment of
$5000 from Heritage New York Women's
History Trail, a grant proposal in
to the Chace Fund (sponsored by
Rochester Monthly Meeting) for $5000
for documenting the building. We have
private donations of just over $1000.
We have another grant possibility
of $5000, and possible significant
public and private donations from
other sources. We are seeking estimates
from four contractors about moving the
building, and we are should have a
better sense about the cost of Phase I
--documenting, dismantling, and moving the
meetinghouse--very shortly.
Last News Update
Update 4
The latest news this week is that the
Farmington Town Board deferred action
on a resolution to demolish this meetinghouse
until March 28, to allow us as much time as
possible to come up with a plan.
We are most appreciative of their willingness
to work with us, consistent with public health
and safety. The clock is ticking for this very,
very important part of America's history.
Here is our status:
1. DONATIONS--Thank you!
2. NEEDS--
a) 501c3 organization
to take ownership of the building;
b) place to store the building.
We have some possibilities for both,
but we are still working on this;
c) funding--we are still trying to
figure out how much Phase I
(documenting, dismantling, and
moving the building) will cost,
and we are working on a
combination of grants and
donations to raise this.
Stay tuned!
3. FARMINGTON AND THE
UNDERGROUND RAILROAD: EDMONDSON
SISTERS--historic newspaper article
4. ARTICLE IN CANANDAIGUA
NEWSPAPER--contemporary
newspaper article.
Excellent!
Moving right along! Judy
1. DONATIONS.
Thanks so much to Syracuse
Monthly Meeting, which on
Sunday approved a donation
and a letter of support for
this meetinghouse. We
appreciate both so much.
For those who would like
to contribute money to
the Farmington Meetinghouse
project, here is the address
for Rochester Monthly Meeting:
Rochester Friends Meeting
84 Scio Street
Rochester, New York 14604
Attn: Paul Michaloski
1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse Fund
Next Previous Update
Update 3
Hello Friends--In grateful recognition for the life and work of Tom Fox, let us continue our work with the Genesee Yearly Meeting of Friends meetinghouse at Farmington, with thankfulness also for all of those who have volunteered so much time and so many gifts on behalf of all this meetinghouse stands for.
Thanks especially to Rochester Monthly Meeting of Friends, who this morning agreed to sponsor a proposal to the Chace Fund of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to help document this building with photographs and drawings and also to set up a fund to collect money for the
meetinghouse. More very soon on exactly how we can write checks for this building. We are so grateful to Rochester Monthly Meeting, especially to Rich Regen, convener of a new oversight committee who will oversee this fund.
Thanks also to Diane Plassey Gutierrez, who has volunteered her skills as a graphics designer to help publicize the importance of this meetinghouse, and to Bruce Harvey, who took many large-format photographs of the meetinghouse on Saturday morning.
We are awaiting estimates from building movers about the cost of stabilizing, dismantling, and moving the building.
The Farmington Town Board will consider the fate of this building at its meeting this Tuesday evening, March 14, at the Farmington Town Hall. We will try to prepare a summary of what has happened so far, so that everyone is up-to-date on our progress by Tuesday.
Everyone is welcome. To get to the Town Hall:
Get off Thruway at Manchester exit. Take 96 heading west out of Manchester, toward Victor. About six miles west of Manchester, on right, there is a red schoolhouse. Turn right (north) on County Road 8. Go approximately a mile. Town hall is on left.
OR
Go west on Route 31 through Macedon. Turn south on County Route 8 for maybe 5 miles. Town hall is on right.
How You Can Help
As the crucible of major American reform movements, the 1816 Farmington Quaker meetinghouse is an irreplaceable building that tells a unique part of the story of upstate New York and of the United States. You can help make this building one of central New York’s economic assets!
•publicize the issue. There is strong local support for this building, but the building needs immediate help for its stabilization and initial restoration efforts.
•support fund-raising efforts. Local people are working hard to give support. But the large amount of funding necessary to preserve and restore this structure must come in part from sources outside the community. Donations may be sent to: Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation, P.O. Box 603, Seneca Falls, New York 13148.
•sign a petition of support. (Click here to see a template you may use or adapt)
•pass a resolution of support for this project from your group. (Click here for a model which you may copy or adapt)
To Donate Funds: 1816 Farmington Mtg. Hse. Fund
Farmington Hicksite Meetinghouse c. 1900
(Click on Image to Enlarge)
(Click on Image to Enlarge)
Donations may be sent to: Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation, P.O. Box 603, Seneca Falls, New York 13148.
Work Project Manager - needed
Photograph by Charles Lenhart - 2/27/2006
(Click on Image to Enlarge)
(Click on Image to Enlarge)
Please contact Judith Wellman if you are willing and able to serve as the work project manager for this project.
Judith Wellman, Ph.D.
Director, Historical New York Research Associates
Professor Emerita, State University of New York at Oswego
2 Harris Hill Road, Fulton, New York 13069
315-598-4387/wellman@twcny.rr.com
Friends Meetinghouse, Farmington, New York
(Click on Image to Enlarge)
Importance for Quaker History
National Importance of this Meetinghouse
In the 1830s, these Friends assumed leadership roles in national reform movements, including the abolition of slavery, the preservation of Seneca Indian land rights, and the woman’s rights movement. National reformers spoke here, including both African American and European American abolitionists such as William Lloyd Garrison, Lucretia Mott, Frederick Douglass, and William Wells Brown. In the late 1830s, Haudenosaunee leaders appealed here for Quaker assistance in retaining their homelands. “We pulled the strings and the world’s people danced,” said one Quaker reformer. In terms of women’s rights, Genesee Yearly Meeting of Friends at Farmington in 1838 stated explicitly that “men’s and women’s meetings for discipline stand on equal footing of common interest and common right.” Ten years later, in June 1848, 200 Quakers walked out of this building to form the Yearly Meeting of Congregational Friends, in which men and women, blacks and whites met together on a basis of complete equality, joined not by creeds but by “practical righteousness.” At least one-quarter of the signers of the Declaration of Sentiments at the first woman’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, held in June 1848, came from Farmington Quarterly meeting. In her autobiography, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote that the first speech she gave after the Seneca Falls convention was at Farmington meeting. Susan B. Anthony spoke here in 1873 at the time of her trial for voting.
In 1927, this building was moved to its current location, just east of its original spot, where its gallery was turned into a second floor and its windows were lowered a full sash length. Benches and stoves were moved to neighboring homes, and the meetinghouse became a barn.
For more on the architectural and historical significance of Quaker meetinghouses, see Catharine Lavoie, Silent Witness: Quaker Meetinghouses in the Delaware Valley, 1695 to the Present (based on Historic American Building Survey documentation, with an introduction by Christopher Densmore) and Silas B. Weeks, New England Quaker Meetinghouses, Past and Present.
- Prepared by Judith Wellman, February 27, 2006.
News Update
The Restoration Project is looking for someone to help post messages on the web/blogsite which you are looking at. (This has been filled 3/12/2006).
A letter from Judy Wellman, 3/6/2006
Hello Friends--Many people have come forward in the last day to offer help with various aspects of the meetinghouse project.
1. DOCUMENTATION. Committees from Rochester Monthly Meeting of Friends are working on sponsorship for the Chace Fund grant to help document the meetinghouse with photographs and drawings. The whole meeting will discuss this on Sunday. Turnaround time for the grant is rapid, and we appreciate so much the efforts of F(f)riends to meet the deadline. Meanwhile, Bruce Harvey has offered to take large-format photographs as soon as possible.
2. WEBSITE. Glenn Reinhart put up a website within one day yesterday so everyone will have access to photographs and information. Charles Lenhart has supplied pictures to show us how the building now looks. Tita Beal suggests a section on bibliographies, so if you have good ideas about useful books, please send them on. Christopher Densmore sent an excellent compilation of references to people who spoke in this building. If you know of other references, we would be delighted to add them.
3. MOVING THE BUILDING. Bob Skellan and Liseli Haines are helping to find out more information about moving buildings and reconstructing them. We have been receiving informal and extremely useful advice about this from various architects and professionals, as well. We are still awaiting a formal estimate from a local contractor, well-recommended, with experience in doing this.
4. PLACE TO STORE THE BUILDING. We are seeking a place to store the building, once it is dismantled. We have the offer of one place, outside, but if anyone knows of a large room, where the pieces can be kept under a roof, please let us know.
Many thanks to all who are working so hard, in so many ways, to help this building and all that it stands for survive. This must be an example of Thomas M'Clintock's "practical righteousness" at work.
As Daniel Anthony, a member of Genesee Yearly Meeting of Friends (Hicksite) and Rochester M.M. of Friends, wrote to his daughter Susan B. Anthony in 1848, "I am a member of that Society which has for its Teretory no less sphere than all creation & for its members every rational creature under Heaven." (Anthony Papers, Schlesinger Library, Harvard)
Yours in friendship, Judy Wellman
Judith Wellman, Ph.D.
Director, Historical New York Research Associates
Professor Emerita, State University of New York at Oswego
2 Harris Hill Road, Fulton, New York 13069
315-598-4387/wellman@twcny.rr.com
Meetinghouse Location
The historic meetinghouse is located approximately 25 miles southeast of Rochester, NY, approximately 4 miles north of the NY State Thruway (Interstate 90)
Address: 187 County Road 8, Farmington, NY 14425
The historic meetinghouse is located approximately 25 miles southeast of Rochester, NY, approximately 4 miles north of the NY State Thruway (Interstate 90)
Address: 187 County Road 8, Farmington, NY 14425
Address: 187 County Road 8, Farmington, NY 14425
The historic meetinghouse is located approximately 25 miles southeast of Rochester, NY, approximately 4 miles north of the NY State Thruway (Interstate 90)
Address: 187 County Road 8, Farmington, NY 14425
Contact Information
If you would like to help save and restore the Farmington Meetinghouse (Hicksite) please contact:
Judith Wellman, Ph.D.
Director, Historical New York Research Associates
Professor Emerita, State University of New York at Oswego
2 Harris Hill Road, Fulton, New York 13069
315-598-4387/wellman 'at' twcny.rr.com
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To contact the website co-administrator: glenn.reinhart 'at' earthlink.net
Judith Wellman, Ph.D.
Director, Historical New York Research Associates
Professor Emerita, State University of New York at Oswego
2 Harris Hill Road, Fulton, New York 13069
315-598-4387/wellman 'at' twcny.rr.com
-----------
To contact the website co-administrator: glenn.reinhart 'at' earthlink.net
Letter to Friends - March 6, 2006
The historic meetinghouse is located approximately 50 miles Southeast of Rochester, NY
(A letter from Judy Wellman)
Hello Friends—
Much has been happening, quickly, this week, on the Farmington meetinghouse, some of it excellent, some of it not. I'll start with the not-so-good news and then move to better news and finally to the best news. So read to the end!
1. NOT-SO-GOOD NEWS. Here is a photo of the Farmington Meetinghouse taken by Charles Lenhart on March 3, 2006. As you can see, the fence is almost up around it, but the clapboards and windows from the bottom half of the west wall are missing. The Farmington Town board has been very supportive, trying to give us as much time as possible to come up with a plan for this building, but the owner, fearful of an immediate demolition order, worried about liability, and not realizing how much progress we were making, took off this section of the wall on Friday. He is very willing not to do anything further while we develop a plan. But the clock is definitely ticking.
2. BETTER NEWS. Help needed! On March 1, we wrote a proposal to the Chace Fund of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to document the building with photographs and drawings. The proposal was due that same day, so we were graciously given until March 10 to find a 501ce organization or Quaker meeting who would be willing to sponsor this grant. The grant is for $5000. If we are to have a chance at this money, we need a group to volunteer immediately to fill out the forms by Friday to complete this application. I realize this is a long shot, since most of you have Boards who would need to give their approval. But, at this point, documentation is crucial.
3. BEST NEWS! We have been promised $5000 to help toward carefully dismantling the building and labeling the pieces for future rebuilding elsewhere. I was so overjoyed that I forgot to ask the donor whether I could reveal the name. More later!
We are still working on:
1. setting up an account to receive funds.
2. getting estimates for dismantling and moving the building.
3. finding a place to store the dismantled building.
4. figuring out what we need to do, and in what priority order.
If you have ideas or can help in any way, please don't wait to be asked. This is an emergency situation. Everyone's help is needed. Whether any part of this building is saved will depend on what everyone does in the next few days. Please pass these emails on! The alternative--and it is not unrealistic--is to create a website with the photos and documentation and let the building go. But all know that this is not the same thing as a real living building.
For those of you who are new to this community we’ll post more shortly with the brief report we gave to the Farmington Town Board about this building last week.
With faith and hope, Judy
In June 1848, 200 people walked out of Genesee Yearly Meeting, held in Farmington. A month later, a core group of these Quakers became the single largest religious group to sign the Declaration of Sentiments at the Seneca Falls women's rights convention. (About one-quarter of the signers were these Friends.) In October 1848, they returned to Farmington to form the Congregational Friends, which abolished separately meetings for women and men and met on the basis of total equality for everyone.
Thomas M'Clintock, a leader of this group, wrote the BASIS OF RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATION, which stated that "the true basis of religious fellowship is not identity of theological belief, but unity of heart and oneness of purpose in respect to the great practical duties of life." The NEW YORK TRIBUNE reprinted this, and it became an influential statement for reformers throughout the country.
(A letter from Judy Wellman)
Hello Friends—
Much has been happening, quickly, this week, on the Farmington meetinghouse, some of it excellent, some of it not. I'll start with the not-so-good news and then move to better news and finally to the best news. So read to the end!
1. NOT-SO-GOOD NEWS. Here is a photo of the Farmington Meetinghouse taken by Charles Lenhart on March 3, 2006. As you can see, the fence is almost up around it, but the clapboards and windows from the bottom half of the west wall are missing. The Farmington Town board has been very supportive, trying to give us as much time as possible to come up with a plan for this building, but the owner, fearful of an immediate demolition order, worried about liability, and not realizing how much progress we were making, took off this section of the wall on Friday. He is very willing not to do anything further while we develop a plan. But the clock is definitely ticking.
2. BETTER NEWS. Help needed! On March 1, we wrote a proposal to the Chace Fund of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting to document the building with photographs and drawings. The proposal was due that same day, so we were graciously given until March 10 to find a 501ce organization or Quaker meeting who would be willing to sponsor this grant. The grant is for $5000. If we are to have a chance at this money, we need a group to volunteer immediately to fill out the forms by Friday to complete this application. I realize this is a long shot, since most of you have Boards who would need to give their approval. But, at this point, documentation is crucial.
3. BEST NEWS! We have been promised $5000 to help toward carefully dismantling the building and labeling the pieces for future rebuilding elsewhere. I was so overjoyed that I forgot to ask the donor whether I could reveal the name. More later!
We are still working on:
1. setting up an account to receive funds.
2. getting estimates for dismantling and moving the building.
3. finding a place to store the dismantled building.
4. figuring out what we need to do, and in what priority order.
If you have ideas or can help in any way, please don't wait to be asked. This is an emergency situation. Everyone's help is needed. Whether any part of this building is saved will depend on what everyone does in the next few days. Please pass these emails on! The alternative--and it is not unrealistic--is to create a website with the photos and documentation and let the building go. But all know that this is not the same thing as a real living building.
For those of you who are new to this community we’ll post more shortly with the brief report we gave to the Farmington Town Board about this building last week.
With faith and hope, Judy
In June 1848, 200 people walked out of Genesee Yearly Meeting, held in Farmington. A month later, a core group of these Quakers became the single largest religious group to sign the Declaration of Sentiments at the Seneca Falls women's rights convention. (About one-quarter of the signers were these Friends.) In October 1848, they returned to Farmington to form the Congregational Friends, which abolished separately meetings for women and men and met on the basis of total equality for everyone.
Thomas M'Clintock, a leader of this group, wrote the BASIS OF RELIGIOUS ASSOCIATION, which stated that "the true basis of religious fellowship is not identity of theological belief, but unity of heart and oneness of purpose in respect to the great practical duties of life." The NEW YORK TRIBUNE reprinted this, and it became an influential statement for reformers throughout the country.
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