WEST GROVE FRIENDS MEETING—HOW IT BEGAN

(written and compiled by Howard Hinshaw, Charles Newlin, and David Newlin)

West Grove Friends Meeting was established by a group of Friends who withdrew from Chatham Friends Meeting in Alamance County, N.C. These Friends were concerned to uphold the traditional Quaker doctrines in regard to worship and ministry. These Friends felt that the recent adoption of the "Uniform Discipline" by N.C. Yearly Meeting would allow a new order of things in the church. The main causes of their concern were the growing acceptance of "programmed meetings" and hired ministry among N.C. Friends.

In 1911, a committee of Friends from Eastern Quarterly Meeting (Conservative), along with a number of Friends from Southern Quarterly Meeting, was appointed to hold a "general meeting" in the Chatham Meeting House on the 29th of 7th month (First day afternoon). (taken from West Grove minute book)

[Note: Southern Quarterly Meeting consisted of Marlboro (New Hope) Friends and Friendsville Meeting (aka Holly Spring (Conservative). Eastern Quarterly Meeting consisted of Rich Square (Woodland) in N. Hampton Co., Piney Woods in Chowan Co., and Oak Grove near Goldsboro in Wayne Co.]

This was part of an effort on the part of the newly formed Conservative Yearly Meeting to encourage Friends within the larger yearly meeting who were concerned to support the "ancient doctrines of Friends". When the Friends arrived at Chatham, they found the building locked against them and so held their meeting under the trees. Among those known to have been present who came from a distance were Benjamin P. Brown, Ruth E. Brown, Henry T. Outland, Sr., Alfred Copeland, George H. Parker (all of Rich Square Monthly Meeting), Roland Hazard of Fallsington General Meeting, Elwood Conrad and Albert Cope of Salem Quarterly Meeting, Ohio Yearly Meeting, Ida and Jennie Chamness of West Branch Monthly Meeting, Iowa Yearly Meeting, and Mary W. Stokes, a member of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting. From Southern Quarterly Meeting were Solomon and Sybil Barker, Anderson M. Barker, Cyrus Davis and his wife, Cinderella K. Davis, Dinah Macon and Eula Macon. (information from Charles Newlin and David Newlin)

No written account is known concerning the proceedings of the general meeting, however, minutes from Southern Quarterly Meeting held in 10th month 1911 state that the meeting proved satisfactory. As a result of this meeting, several members of Chatham Meeting resigned their membership soon after, and joined the Conservative Meeting at Woodland, N.C. The Friends who left Chatham Meeting and joined at Woodland were the following: Mary Newlin, Martha E. Newlin, Lizzie Newlin, Ila Braxton, Nannie Newlin, James N. Newlin, Clifford Curl, Susan Norwood, W. J. Norwood, Nettie Norwood, Florence McBane, Flora McBane, William C. Norwood, Roseland Newlin, and Harvey Newlin. It was a long way from Snow Camp to Woodland to attend meeting for worship, with poor roads and slow transportation. Those from Snow Camp who had joined the Cedar Grove Meeting asked Cedar Grove Friends to aid them in building a meeting house within their limits. The following appears in the minutes of Rich Square Monthly Meeting under date of Eighth Month, 17th, 1912:

Received and read in this meeting a paper from some of our members in Alamance County requesting this meeting to aid them in building a meeting house within their limits, this meeting uniting with their request, appoints John Norwood, Harvey Newlin and Mahlon Newlin as trustees to hold any lands or other property that may be deeded or otherwise acquired by said Friends, until their successors are appointed. This meeting appoints William C. Norwood, Harvey Newlin, Mahlon Newlin, George H. Parker, B.P. Brown, and A. E. Copeland to secure a suitable location for a meeting house in Alamance County and to solicit funds and have the oversight of building a house if way opens therefore and report 10th month next.

The meeting appoints Mahlon Newlin to ask the trustees of Charleston Fund for an appropriation of $500 to aid our Friends in Alamance County in building a meeting house. He is also appointed to receive said amount if same is granted, and report 12th month next.

This request was first considered by the Charleston trustees five months later (1/19/1913) and was approved at the meeting held 4/18/1913. The Representative Meeting of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting gave final approval to the grant. (Information from the minutes of the Charleston Fund Trustees, Haverford College Library Quaker Collection.)

This subject was continued on the Rich Square Monthly Meeting minutes for several months until 8/16/1913 (one year after the subject first came up) when the minutes record that:

The committee continued from our last meeting in reference to the Charleston Fund report that $500 had been received and is in the hands of Mahlon Newlin.

Two acres of land were purchased (according to the Deed) on Feb. 14, 1914 by "Jon. Norwood & Mahlon and Harvey Newlin, Trustees of Rich Square Monthly Meeting of Conservative Friends." Approximately half of this land, which was adjacent to the public road (now known as Greenhill Road) was bought from Hiram Braxton and the remainder from Alfred L. Guthrie, who was Nannie G. Newlin's father. Hiram Braxton was the father in law of Elvira (Newlin) Braxton, a member at West Grove. Ten dollars was recorded as the purchase price (we believe it was actually donated).

Figure 1: Alfred L. Guthrie and Hiram Braxton

photo taken by Johnie Norwood

In 1915, building of the meeting house was completed and the first meeting for worship was held there.

The following was written in the front of the West Grove Monthly Meeting Minute book by Mahlon Newlin:

A Brief Historical Account of the Beginnings of West Grove Meeting

At a meeting of a committee appointed by Eastern Quarterly Meeting of Friends, held at West Grove, Alamance Co., N.C., 7 mot 29, 1915, for the purpose of establishing a monthly meeting of Friends.

Received and read in this meeting an extract from Eastern Quarterly Meeting of men and women Friends held 5 mot 15, 1915 stating that it had received from those of its members residing in Alamance Co., N. C. a request for a monthly meeting to be set up within their limits, at West Grove meeting house, to be known as West Grove Monthly Meeting of Friends, with which said meeting united. And Eastern Quarterly Meeting concurring in the same, appointed the following named Friends to attend the opening session of this meeting: Cyrus W. Harvey, Silas W. Chappell, Benjamin P. Brown, Elmira Chappell, Alfred E. Copeland, Israel A. Lane, Julianna P. Harvey, Charles T. Outland, George H. Parker, William J. Brown, Emily L. Copeland, Henry T. Outland, Sr., Anna E. Copeland, Alfred J Outland, and Martha E. Newlin.




Figure 2: West Grove Monthly Meeting, established 7th month 1915
photo taken by Johnie Norwood

Front row, left to right: George H. Parker (of Rich Square Meeting), Thomas W. Fisher (a minister, of Malvern, PA), Elisha Bye (of West Branch Mtg., Iowa), Benjamin P. Brown (a minister of Rich Square Mtg.), Julianna Peele Harvey (of Rich Square Meeting), Cyrus W. Harvey (a minister, editor of The Western Friend, author of The Baptism of the Holy Spirit). In back: Florence McBane (between G. Parker & T. Fisher), Harvey Newlin (between E. Bye & B. P. Brown), Mahlon Newlin, David McBane, and William C. (“Buddy”) Norwood.

We have in acceptable attendance with us at this time, William H. Tomlinson of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, also our aged Friend Thomas Hinshaw, and Solomon E. Barker and Sybil J. Barker from Southern Quarterly Meeting, three who accompanied the meeting's committee namely Jane E. Brown, Margaret B. Purvis and Sarah F. Outland

The meeting adjourned to meet at West Grove, on Seventh day morning, 7 mot 31, 1915 at 10 o'clock.

Charles T. Outland
Anna E. Copeland Clerks




At an adjourned meeting of the committee appointed by Eastern Quarterly Meeting, held at West Grove, Alamance Co., N.C., 7 Mo. 31, 1915.

We do hereby under the authority of Eastern Quarterly Meeting of Friends, set up and establish a monthly meeting in Alamance Co., N. C. to be known as West Grove Monthly Meeting, and to be held at West Grove Meeting house the first Seventh day in each month at 11 a.m.

To which we appoint, for Clerks, Mahlon Newlin and Flora McBane; for overseers, William C. Norwood, James N. Newlin, Susan Norwood, Martha E. Newlin, Harvey Newlin, and Nancy C. (Nannie) Newlin; and for Trustees John Norwood, Mahlon Newlin, and Harvey Newlin.

The following named Friends constituting the membership of this meeting: William C. Norwood, Susan Norwood, John Norwood, Nettie Norwood, James N. Newlin, Martha E. Newlin, Mahlon Newlin, Harvey Newlin, Nancy C. Newlin, Ira G. Newlin, Roseland Newlin. Burton Newlin, Elvira Braxton, Clifford Curl, Florence McBane, and Flora McBane. The meeting then concluded.

Charles T. Outland
Anna E. Copeland Clerks



West Grove was originally part of Eastern Quarterly Meeting for about a year, then became part of Southern Quarterly Meeting due to proximity. Thus, we have continued with our Master's help, until today. Over the years, we have had many visitors from Conservative Meetings across the states and from England and Ireland, who have been a great support, inspiration, and help. Their fellowship and love have kept us going. We know they care. We know He cares.