Pioneers of the New South: The Baltimore Association and North Carolina Friends in Reconstruction

PIONEERS OF THE NEW SOUTH: THE BALTIMORE ASSOCIATION AND NORTH CAROLINA FRIENDS IN RECONSTRUCTION by Damon D. Hickey* Throughout the early nineteenth century a migration of Friends from North Carolina westward established new Quaker communities in eastern Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, and beyond. Although some Friends left the southeast for the same reason which prompted many non-Quakers to migrate, the availability offree land, many left in order to escape the slave society they firmly opposed, since on the basis of religious principle they could not hold slaves. The Quaker antislavery position and the involvement of some Friends in removing slaves to free territory made the position of those who remained in the south increasingly difficult, thus prompting still greater migrations westward. The coming ofthe Civil War added to their burden, since they were also conscientious objectors to military service and were consequently subjected to special harassment. Virtually all accounts agree regarding their suffering, although non-Friends also suffered as shortages became more acute and foragers more desperate . The invasion of Sherman's army was particularly devastating to Friends in the Goldsboro, North Carolina, area, many of whom began to flee as refugees to the midwest by way ofBaltimore. One Friend who opposed this migration was Francis T. King of Baltimore. King had vowed at an early age to retire from business as soon as he achieved financial success and devote himself to benevolent work. He was known and respected by local, state, and national leaders, including the president. He was a member ofthe first class at Haverford and was eventually to become the first president of the board of trustees of both Bryn Mawr College and of the Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was named to the latter post by his friend Hopkins in his will.1 Francis King saw it as his religious duty to aid *Damon D. Hickey is curator of the Friends Historical Collection, Guilford College , Greensboro, North Carolina, and editor of The Southern Friend: Journal ofthe North Carolina Friends Historical Society. 1 . Baltimore Monthly Meeting of Friends, A Short Account ofthe Life ofFrancis T. King (Baltimore: 1892); John C. Thomas, "The Baltimore Association of Friends," The Friend (Philadelphia) 101 (XII. 8. 1927), pp. 291-292. 2 Quaker History the southern Friends by enabling them to remain where they were rather than to leave. A man of formidable energy and dedication, he nevertheless realized the scope of his task. In 1866 he wrote to an English Friend, "Were I as strong as Samson, wise as Solomon, meek as Moses, patient as Job and loving as John I could find enough to do."2 His trips on behalf ofhis various religious concerns resulted in frequent requests to his home meeting for "traveling minutes" to carry to distant Friends meetings. "Between the Freedmen, N0Ca Friends & the Indians," he wrote, "I am so much absent that one of our members asked me yesterday, 'Won't thou apply for a minute to stay at home—we will grant it.' "3 As Francis King never tired of pointing out, the Baltimore Association of Friends to Advise and Assist Friends in the Southern States was founded initially merely to provide physical relief for southern Quaker refugees passing through the city and who were often without adequate food, clothing, or funds to continue their journey to the west.4 From the local relief committee formed to deal with this immediate and pressing need there developed the Baltimore Association which was organized in 1865 to seek and channel funds for a broader program of assistance. The association, and especially Francis King, considered that the most serious consequence of the war for the south was the interruption ofthe education ofits children who had been needed at home for farming. The war had left Quaker families too impoverished to reopen schools once hostilities ended.5 As a result the system oflocal "First Day" schools established by the Friends as early as 1828 and the Friends boarding school at New Garden, both seriously crippled, were all that remained.6 The association set out to establish a system of schools throughout North Carolina with a qualified superintendent, a uniform curricu2 .Francis T. King to Joseph Crosfield, 1.22.1866, Papers...