Quaker Women Preachers

 Of the 18^th Century

Introduction

           

     The following are comments on Abigail Griffitts’ Book 1792 based on my reading of Daughters of Light:  Quaker Women Preaching and Prophesying in the Colonies and Abroad, 1700-1775, by Rebecca Larson, Chapel Hill and London: The University of North Carolina Press, 1999.

 

     Daughters of Light is very scholarly, but it has a life-summary of many of the women preachers and also a good index.  That meant I could read Abigail and look up names as I came to them.

 

     Rebecca Larson gives a brief history of the Quakers from their beginnings in the 17^th century until the time of the American Revolution. 

 

     Abigail Griffitts  lived through the times of prosperity, reform, wars and rumors of wars.  I now think that her book is a reflection of the ways in which she tried to make sense of the life and times she lived.

  

     The “notes” from Daughters of Light,  are organized by names of persons mentioned in AGB and DOL.  At the beginning of each document there is a listing of pages in AGB where this person is mentioned.  Most of the entries are direct quotes from DOL, followed by page references at the end of each quote.

 

     This is a “weighty” project to study the entries in Abigail’s Book and refer to the relevant information from Daughters of Light.  It might be well to take one entry at a time—something like a bedtime thought. 

 

Esther Frances

August 8, 2002

 

(The historical review and "notes" do not appear on this web site due to copyright, but may be requested for your personal family use by contacting either EF or RMW .)

Preface

Table of Contents 1

Table of Contents 2

Table of Contents 3

Table of Contents 4