Persecution and Persecutors of Maryland Quakers, 1658-1661

Quakerism arose out of the religious searching, discoveries, and preaching of George Fox in seventeenth century England. Although he began his proclamation of the Quaker message as early as 1647, it was not until 1652 that the movement really took off, expanding rapidly both in area and numbers, as a result of two very important events in that year. First of all, there was the vision of a "great people to be gathered" that he had on top of Pendle Hill. Secondly, there was the great success he met with when he addressed a large gathering of Seekers at Firbank Fell, telling them not to look for a prophet to lead them but to look within, to the Christ within, to that Light which the Gospel of John says enlightens every person who comes into the world. Many of the Seekers became "finders" and soon joined other recent converts in going forth with zeal to share their new-found faith with still others both far and wide. This is why most historians date the beginning of Quakerism in 1652.

An explosive missionary movement stemmed from these 1652 developments—one unmatched in the history of Christianity both in scope and speed. By 1654 Quakers were to be found in both Ireland and Scotland. Some were active in both France and the West Indies by 1655. By 1658 Quakers were found proclaiming their message through much of the Mediterranean world: Italy, Greece, Turkey, and even in Alexandria in Egypt. That very same year they were also at work in Surinam in South America and even in the "East Indies" (an ill-defined area, stretching from Madagascar to Southeast Asia).

In the very midst of this period, perhaps as early as 1655 but certainly by 1656, Elizabeth Harris made her way to Maryland where she established the earliest Quaker community in the mainland colonies. A fortunate combination of circumstances helped produce the great success that she met with here. First of all, a large number of Puritans had fled to Maryland in 1649-1650, with some coming from the Accomac-Northampton area on the Eastern Shore but most of them from Lancaster and neighboring counties on the Virginia mainland. These Puritans were not monolithic in beliefs and practices, but they were united in their desire to worship God in their own manner, free from the demands, clergy, and hierarchy of the Church of England (the established church in Virginia). They settled in the rapidly developing areas of Anne Arundel and Calvert Counties, as well as joining those of similar outlook on Kent Island. Thus, there were already areas where many sympathetic people were concentrated—along the Patuxent, South River, Rhode River, West River, the Severn River, and in Broad Neck, as well as Kent Island on the Eastern Shore.

Secondly, Harris' arrival and proclamation of Quakerism came in the middle of a Puritan government in Maryland. On July 22, 1654, a Commission (approved by the Lord-Protector Cromwell) was established to rule Maryland. At least four of the members had to be present for a meeting to take place, with at least one person from the inner circle of Captain William Fuller, Richard Preston, and William Durand being present.¹ The General Assembly of Maryland "held by Commission from the Lord Protector [Oliver Cromwell]" met with sixteen men present: Capt. William Fuller (President), Richard Preston (Speaker), Leonard Strong, John Hatch, Richard Wells, Richard Ewen, William Durand, Thomas Hinson, Edward Lloyd, Arthur Turner, William Parker, John Wade, Sampson Waring, James Berry, Joseph Weekes, and William Ewen.² Many of these people became Quakers.

One of Elizabeth Harris' converts was Charles Bayly, who later became the governor of the Hudson's Bay Company. He later gave a vivid account of the effect of Harris' message on him, for he was convinced that God had answered his yearning for a "man of Peace" or a people in whom he might place his confidence:

by sending one of his dear servants into these parts, whose name was Elizabeth Harris, who soon answered that which was breathing after God in me, by which...