Did Woolman Wear a Beard?

DID WOOLMAN WEAR A BEARD? By Henry J. Cadbury An affirmative answer to this question is given in a work compiled by two non-Quaker historians, beginning in 1842 and published in 1844. It is an account of New Jersey, dealing alphabetically with its counties and with the towns in each. A somewhat extended biography of John Woolman, given under the caption "Mt. Holly," says: "His opinions on plainness of dress, &c was carried to a greater extent than would be thought necessary at this time. In the latter part of his life he allowed his beard to grow, and when of an inconvenient length, clipped it with scissors. He wore clothing of the natural color; the woolen white, the linen flax."1 The bulk of the biography consists of verbatim quotations either from parts of his own Journal or from the testimony of Burlington Monthly Meeting (the latter entire), which had been published with it. The other parts of the account are plainly based upon the printed Journal but not the sentences above—unless it be the phrase "natural color." Those sentences may come from oral tradition. In 1841, when Joseph Sturge visited Mt. Holly, he mentions an interview of John Cox with the only man "living in the town who was contemporary with J. Woolman (now eighty years of age) and in habits of occasional intercourse with him"; while at Oxmead, near Burlington, Sturge talked to John Cox (c. 1754-1847) himself , then "in his eighty seventh year. ... He well remembered John Woolman, whose former residence in Mount Holly is within a few miles of Oxmead, and of whom he related various particulars characteristic of the simplicity, humanity and great circumspection of his life and conversation."2 The same John Cox soon after in 1845-1846 wrote down some anecdotes, including some on John Woolman. Of Woolman's appearance Cox then wrote: "My recollection of John Woolman is so distinct, it seems as 1 John W. Barber and Henry Howe, Historical Collections of the State of New Jersey (New York: S. Tuttle, 1844), p. 116. Reprinted 1846, 1852, 1861 (Newark ), 1868 (New Haven). 2 Joseph Sturge, A Visit to the United States in 1841 (London, 1842), pp. 61f, 7. Ill 112Quaker History though I could see him now before me. He was about my size— dressed in light clothes and a white hat."3 At second hand another resident of Burlington, William J. Allinson (1810-1874) had considerable information about Woolman which he communicated to John Greenleaf Whittier and could have communicated to the authors of the Historical Collections of New Jersey. In fact, in another section they note, "The compilers of this work are mainly indebted for the account of Burlington to a communication from William J. Allinson, a gentleman living in the place. The historical part is evidently drawn up with care and accuracy."4 Of course, Allinson was two generations later than Woolman, but he was the son of Bernice Chattin, the adopted daughter of Rebecca Jones, of whom he became the biographer and who was an intimate friend of John Woolman . He was also in close contact with John Cox, his venerable friend, as Whittier calls him. From either Cox or Allinson the authors of Historical Collections could have inquired of Woolman 's appearance. In spite of all we have said, the reference to Woolman's beard in the Historical Collections of New Jersey, unmarked in Allinson's copy and unchanged in the several later imprints of the work, is so late as to raise suspicion. An early reference in writing by a contemporary would be more satisfactory and such has been sometimes inferred, since a letter written by William Forster (1747-1824) of Tottenham to his sister Elizabeth was published. Several times in writing to her he mentions Patience Wright, a widow, born Lovell, of Quaker parentage from Bordentown, New Jersey, who had settled in London and became famous as a modeler in wax. Under date of First Month 11th, 1775 Forster wrote: "I was to see P. Wright a few days since. . . . She was then finishing her father's figure; He was a singular character, a long white beard adorns his face which is...