Joshua Fielding's Account of His Travels in America

DOCUMENTS27 and all of the prominent English Friends who have visited this country since our first opening, have been welcomed under our roof. Over two thousand persons registered last summer. A great land "boom" has suddenly almost threatened to engulf this tiny property within the past year, when a park has appeared and a lake, with over fifty small houses (built or contracted for close by. Prompt purchase of the adjoining lot, at some effort and sacrifice, saved us from too close encroachment. That this is not an unique experience is shown in the effort of our English Friends to do exactly the same thing, although on a larger scale, for the Jordans property near London, where are interred William Penn and many of his family. Let us hope that such efforts to preserve our priceless Quaker shrines may be amply rewarded. DOCUMENTS JOSHUA FIELDING'S ACCOUNT OF HIS TRAVELS IN AMERICA1 At London, ye 8th day of ye 9 mo. 1725, I Imbarked, and having a favourable Passage, ye 19th day of ye 10th month I arived at Bridge Town in Barbados, visiting ffriends meetings sundry times round that Island, at Bridge Town, Spikes Town, Northside, center and East End, was at several monthly meetings, and Bridge Town Quarterly meeting , which meetings were large & comfortable, ffriends having a Good sense of Truth, and People being courtious, Leaving Barbados, ye 19th 1 mo. 1726, I Imbarked, and having contrary winds, 27th day I arrived at Johns Town in Antegua having . many meetings among a Civil honest people, wch was large and satisfactory. Leaving Antegua, ye 16th 3 mo. I arrived at Plymouth, in Monserat, having sundry large meetings in ye townhall, & elsewhere, at all which ye People were very civil and atten1 . This account of Joshua Fielding's journey was brought to the editor's attention several years ago by Charles F. Jenkins. The transcript was supplied partly by him and partly by M. Ethel Crawshaw (now Morland). Joshua Fielding was a London Friend. For further data concerning him see Journal of Friends Historical Society (London), 10 (1913): 119, 126, 221. Samuel Bownas, traveling in Virginia 1727, wrote as follows: "Next day at the Meeting I met a Friend of London, his name was Joshua Fielding, who had visited the island, and South Carolina, and had travelled by land to North Carolina, about five hundred miles, in about three weeks, mostly alone, which was a difficult and hazardous attempt. Some thought it too great an undertaking, and seemed to blame him for it; but he got safe through, though he had no provisions but what he carried with him, and met with but about four or five houses or plantations in all that five hundred miles' travel, which obliged him to lodge in the woods frequently; but haying a small pocket compass that was his guide when the sun and stars were hid from him." Quoted from Life, Travels and Christian Experiences of Samuel BoWnas (edn. 1895). p. 161. 28 BULLETIN OF FRIENDS' HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION. tive. Leaving Montserrat ye first day of ye 4 mo. I arrived at Charles Town at Nevis, having Meetings Sundry Times round that Island, among a sober honest People, at Charles Town, New Castle, and New River wch were large and satisfactory, leaving Nevis ye 24th 4 mo. I arrived at Bass Teree in Christophers, having large meetings round that Island, at Bassee Teree, Old Road, Sandy-Point, and Deep bay, at all which ye people were very sober & attentive, Leaving Christophers, ye 12th S mo. I Imbarked, next Day touched at Estasia, and ye 14th day I arrived at Anguilla, having several meetings among a civil ffriendly people at ye Worship House, and Remote Places, wch were large and comfortable. Leaving Anguilla ye 29th day I Imbarked, and ye next day I Arrived at Spanish Town, having sundry large meets, at ye Governours house, and Elsewhere on ye Island, at all wch ye People were very kind and attentive, Leaving Spanish Town, the 12th 6 mo. I arrived at Tortolla, ¦ having many meetings among a sober ffriendly People, at Old Road, and other Places, wch were large and comfortable, Leaving Tortola, 2d 7 mo...