%eadnotat; ]> 5236john Perry and Rebecca John Papers, 1805-1873 Finding aid encoded by JGW from an MSWord finding aid. 2004 Finding aid is in English. Perry and Rebecca John Papers, 1805-1873 Summary Perry and Rebecca John Papers 1805-1873 RG5/236 Rebecca John .25 linear ft. Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Libraries' online catalog: http://tripod.brynmawr.edu Rebecca (Underwood) John and her husband, Perry John, were ministers in the Society of Friends, members of Roaring Creek Monthly Meeting, and worshipped in the Quaker meeting house at Bear Gap (Shamokin), Pennsylvania. The bulk of this collection is correspondence, primarily from the 1840s through the 1850s. It includes some letters between Rebecca and Perry John, but the collection also includes letters received by the couple from relatives and friends. Many of the letters relate to Rebecca’s life as a traveling Quaker minister, including the period of time when her children were young. Much of the correspondence describes local events and family news. Of particular interest are letters from her nieces who were students at Sharon Female Academy, Darby, Pa. HISTORICAL NOTE

Perry (1815-1895) and Rebecca Underwood (1808-1887) John were ministers in the Society of Friends, members of Roaring Creek Monthly Meeting, and worshipped in the Quaker meeting house at Bear Gap (Shamokin), Pennsylvania.

Perry and Rebecca were married in 1842 at Bald Eagle, Centre Co., Pennsylvania. Rebecca was the daughter of farmer Zephaniah Underwood and Hannah Baily of York and Centre Counties in Pennsylvania. Perry, a wheelwright by trade, was the youngest of thirteen children of Abia and Martha (John) John. Perry’s first wife, Annie Eves, had died in 1839, leaving an infant son, Ezra (1838-44). Perry and Rebecca had three children of their own: Griffith (1843-1928), Zephaniah (1845-46), and William (1847-1926).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORDS

The bulk of this collection is correspondence, primarily from the 1840s through the 1850s. Some of the letters are between Rebecca and Perry John but the collection also includes letters received by the couple from relatives and friends. Primary correspondents include Jane W. Downing, Hannah Heacock, Phebe John, James, Priscilla, and Jane Moore, Rachel Brenholts, and members of the Underwood, Yarnall, and John families.

Many of the letters relate to Rebecca’s life as a traveling Quaker minister, including the period of time when her children were young. Much of the correspondence describes local events and family news. Of particular interest are letters from Sharon Boarding School from her nieces.

Organization: Organized in two series: 1. Correspondence; 2. Miscellaneous. Correspondence arranged in folders according to sender and recipient

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Accession information

Gift of Harold Heritage (a descendant of Perry and Rebecca John), 2002

RG5/077 John Family Papers. Includes correspondence, diaries, pictures and other family papers which descended in the John-Heritage family.

Access

Collection is open for research.

 Use Restrictions

Copyright has not been assigned to Friends Historical Library All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in to the Director. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Friends Historical Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by reader.

SEARCHING IN OUR ON-LINE CATALOGUE FOR RELATED MATERIALS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Friends Historical Library (TRIPOD). Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings:

John, Perry, 1815-1895 John, Rebecca, 1808-1887 Sharon Female AcademySociety of Friends – Pennsylvania – Northumberland County Quakers - Social life and customs Lay ministry – Society of Friends Quakers – Pennsylvania – Northumberland County John family Underwood family Brenholts, Rachel, 1775-1844 Underwood, William Underwood, John Downing, Jane W. Yarnall, Lydia Yarnall, Amos Underwood, Jane Underwood, Susannah Underwood, Jesse Underwood, Alvina John, Reuben, 1744-1822 John, Phebe, 1780-1855 Underwood, Eliza Underwood, Amanda Downing, Rebecca S. John, Palemon Downing, Hannah M. Janney, Mary Ann Yarnall, Evan J. Moore, Priscilla Moore, James Bailey, Hannah Jane John, Griffith DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE RECORDS

Note to Researchers: These records may only be consulted at Swarthmore, and are not available through inter-Library loan.

Series 1: Correspondence, 1805-1873 Perry John to Rebecca John 1844-56 & n.d. 1 folder 1 Rebecca John to Perry John 1844-61 & n.d. 1 folder 1 Perry & Rebecca John to friends and family 1847-72 & n.d. 1 folder 1 Received by Perry & Rebecca John from friends 1841-62 1 folder 1

Correspondents include J.G. Rich, Sarah K. Eves, Kezia Cleaver, Susannah Spencer, Matilda C. Ellis, Kezia Foulke, R. Hicks, Hannah H. Heacock

Received by Perry & Rebecca John from son(?) 1873 1 folder 1 Received by Perry & Rebecca John from siblings 1805-1872 1 folder 1

Correspondents include Rachel Brenholts, Wm. Underwood, John Underwood, Jane W. Underwood/Downing, A[mos] & L[ydia] Yarnall, Jane Underwood, Susannah Underwood, Jesse Underwood, Alvina Underwood, Reuben John

Received by Perry & Rebecca John from other relatives 1844-1867 & n.d. 1 folder 1

Correspondents include Phebe John, R.U., L.T. Jefferis, Eliza Underwood, Amanda Underwood, Rebecca S. Downing, Palemon John, Hannah M. Downing, Mary Ann Janney, Evan J. Yarnall, James & Priscilla Moore, Hannah Jane Bailey

 Series 2: Miscellaneous, 1809-1840, n.d.Genealogical manuscript: Griffith John ca. 1840 1 folder 1 Poetry and other miscellaneous documents 1809 & n.d. 1 folder 1 School essays & notes n.d. 1 folder 1