Dartmouth Monthly Meeting of Friends (Wilburite)
Records
1845-1990
2 boxes, 12 vols. (1.75 linear feet)
Call no.: MS 902 w553
d378
Separating from the "larger body" of the Dartmouth
Monthly Meeting in 1845, in Dartmouth, Mass., the Dartmouth Monthly Meeting became
one the more successful Wilburite meetings in New England, strengthened by the
absorption of smaller peers including Westport (1850), New Bedford (1865), and
Berwick (1881). In 1944, just prior to the New England Friends' reunification,
Dartmouth Monthly changed its name to North Dartmouth Monthly to distinguish itself
from the Dartmouth Monthly Meeting situated in South Dartmouth.
The relatively
rich documentation for Dartmouth Monthly Meeting (Wilburite) begins with the
meeting's establishment in the separation of 1845 and continues through
reunification as the North Dartmouth Monthly Meeting. This collection includes
continuous minutes from 1845 through 1989 (including the men's and women's minutes),
with less thorough records from the Treasurer and, for a brief period only, for the
Ministers and Elders. The vital records are restricted to a single volume of
certificates of removal.
Background on Dartmouth Monthly Meeting of Friends (Wilburite)
Abbie Loring in Cape Cod Quaker attire, ca.1930. Photo by Alton H.
Blackington
Separating from the "larger body" of the Dartmouth Monthly Meeting in 1845, in
Dartmouth, Mass., the Dartmouth Monthly Meeting became one the more successful
Wilburite meetings in New England, strengthened by the absorption of smaller peers
including Westport (1850), New Bedford (1865), and Berwick (1881). In 1944, just
prior to the New England Friends' reunification, Dartmouth Monthly changed its name
to North Dartmouth Monthly to distinguish itself from the Dartmouth Monthly Meeting
situated in South Dartmouth.
After the separation of 1845, Dartmouth became part of the Sandwich (1845-1935) and
then the combined Rhode Island and Sandwich Quarterly (1935-1945). Since the
Wilburite and Gurneyite reunification, North Dartmouth has been part of the
Narragansett (1944-1951), Rhode Island (1951-1971), Rhode Island-Smithfield
(1971-1979), and finally the Sandwich Quarterly (1979-present). In turn, Dartmouth
oversaw a worship group in nearby New Bedford (1865-1871 and 1881-1892) and
preparatory meetings known as the North (1845-1935) and South Preparatory Meetings
(1845-1863, which was also a worship group 1863-1865), as well as Westport
Preparatory (1851-1851).
Scope of collection
The relatively rich documentation for Dartmouth Monthly Meeting (Wilburite) begins
with the meeting's establishment in the separation of 1845 and continues through
reunification as the North Dartmouth Monthly Meeting. This collection includes
continuous minutes from 1845 through 1989 (including the men's and women's minutes),
with less thorough records from the Treasurer and, for a brief period only, for the
Ministers and Elders. The vital records are restricted to a single volume of
certificates of removal.
The records of Dartmouth Monthly (Wilburite) and North Dartmouth Monthly are kept
together because they were kept continuously through the reunion of the New England
Yearly Meeting in 1945, using the same volumes.
Cite as: Dartmouth Monthly Meeting of Friends
(Wilburite) Records (MS 902 w553 d378). Special Collections and University Archives,
University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries.
Search terms
Subjects
Dartmouth (Mass.)--Religious life and
customs
New England Yearly Meeting of
Friends
North Dartmouth Monthly Meeting of
Friends
Peace movements--Massachusetts
Quakers--Massachusetts
Society of Friends--Massachusetts
Contributors
Dartmouth Monthly Meeting of Friends
(Wilburite: 1845-1944) [main entry]
