History and Genealogy of East Greenwich NJ
 
Main Page
Main Page
History
History
Genealogical Research
Genealogy
Maps and Statistics
Maps & Statistics
Historic Places
Historic Places
Resources
Resources
Photographs
Photographs
Public Buildings
Public Buildings
Organizations
Organizations
NEWS in East GreenwichTownship NEWS
Useful LinksUseful Links
Family Trees
Family Trees
About Us - Contact Me
About Us/Contact
Site MapSite Map
Sign My GuestbookGuestbook
 
   History of
the FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE - Mickleton Monthly Meeting


Mickleton Monthly Meeting
Mailing Address:
PO BOX 231
Mickleton NJ 08056


Location: 413 Kings Highway (Rt 551), Mickleton NJ
Directions: I-295 exit 16B, east on Democrat Road to traffic light

Clerk: email: clerk@mickletonmeeting.org
(856) 423-3782


Worship:
10:00 AM Sundays
Meeting Phone:
856-423-3782

SEE "TOWNSHIP NEWS" for information about their fund-raisers!


HISTORY OF THE FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE

The Friends (Quakers) who gather for silent worship each First Day (Sunday) in the Mickleton Meetinghouse continue the tradition of Upper Greenwich Preparative Meeting that goes back at least 248 years in this village.


Circa 1900 photograph of the Mickleton Meetinghouse
Circa 1900 photograph contributed by Maxine Brown of Mickleton NJ
[from a collection of her mother-in-law, Hannah Brown] - used with permission


On December 13, 1756, permission was granted by Haddonfield Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends to "divers Friends who lived near Raccoon Creek" to hold "an indulged meeting" for worship at Solomon Lippincott's home. The meeting at that time was known as "Solomon's Meeting." and was located on Wolfert Station Road.

In 1759, Friends of Upper Greenwich built a new meetinghouse near Solomon Lippincott's home. It was a high one-story building of good cedar, and was located near the current Solomon's Graveyard. Finally on March 26, 1773, after 17 years of continuous requests, approval of an "established monthly meeting" was granted to Friends of Upper Greenwich by Haddonfield Monthly Meeting. In 1785 the meetings of Upper Greenwich and Woodbury were separated from Haddonfield to form the new Woodbury Monthly Meeting. At the first Woodbury Monthly Meeting, January 11, 1785, Solomon Lippincott was continued as an elder for Upper Greenwich. Benjamin Hooten and David Brown were appointed overseers for Upper Greenwich. About 1797 plans were considered for a new meetinghouse.

The present Friends Meeting House was completed in 1799 on a 2-acre plot, donated by both Samuel Mickle and Samuel Tonkin. The bricks were burned on the farm of William Batten near Clarksboro. The building originally had two stoops with hoods covering each of the doors. It was divided in half with the men meeting in one side and the women in the other. Horse sheds were built beside the meetinghouse with lumber from the old meeting house.

Old postcard showing Friends Meetinghouse at Mickleton NJ
Postcard of the Friends Meeting House at Mickleton, NJ.
Date of photograph unknown. Graciously donated by Pete Miskofsky


The deeds for the two gifts of land were made out to: Samuel Paul, David Brown, George Brown, William Wood, Joshua Lippincott and William White. Samuel Mickle's donation of land was part of 160 acres he had bought in 1769 from Samuel Philip Paul. Samuel Tonkin's share was part of 100 acres he had bought in 1796 from Bodo Otto's heirs. [Centenniel 36]

In 1919 a two-story annex containing an assembly room and kitchen space was added at the back of the meetinghouse.

Friends Meeting House in 2003
Friends Meeting House in Mickleton
both photographs taken in 2003 by J. Brown

Friends Meeting House 2003

Throughout the years, the horse sheds and the partition between the men's and women's meetings have been removed, and the two stoops have been replaced by a covered porch.

This building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Upper Greenwich Friends Meetinghouse.

Additional Information and a photograph of this building is located on the Gloucester County NJ web site


Mickleton Meeting
Friends Meeting House in Mickleton NJ taken in 2006 by J. Brown
Click on the photograph to see a larger version.
This photograph is copyrighted. Please do NOT use without my express
written permission (to obtain contact the webmaster at the link below)
 

Created and maintained by Janice Brown
Copyright 2001-2015 | Send email to the webmaster