Darby Meeting facts for kids
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Darby Meeting
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Darby Meeting, November 2009
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1017 Main Street, Darby, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1805 |
| NRHP reference No. | 78002392 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 13, 1978 |
The Darby Meeting or Darby Friends Meeting House is a historic building in Darby, Pennsylvania. It is a special place for Quakers, also known as Friends. The first records of their meetings here date back to July 2, 1684. This was soon after William Penn arrived nearby to start the colony of Pennsylvania.
The very first Quaker meeting house in Darby was a simple log cabin built in 1687. The building you see today is the third one built on this spot. It was finished in 1805. This meeting house has seen a lot of history! During the American Revolutionary War, Continental soldiers used it. Later, in the War of 1812, the U.S. Army used it as a hospital.
This two-and-a-half-story building shows the Quaker way of building. Quakers like simple, strong buildings. Its design is similar to the Horsham Friends Meeting House. It even has separate doors for men and women, which was common in Quaker design.
The walls are made of stone with stucco on the ends. Inside, there are brick fireplaces. A covered porch goes around three sides of the ground floor. Its roof is held up by simple wooden posts. Wooden posts also support the balcony inside. Most of the benches and furniture are made of pine wood. The floor, however, is made of oak. Electric lights and other modern things have been added. But the building still looks mostly like it did when it was first built.
The Darby Meeting House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 13, 1978. This means it is a very important historical site.
Darby's Early Quaker Community
In 1682, before William Penn arrived, eight Quaker families from England settled in this area. They came from places like Nottingham and Derby counties. These early settlers included Samuel Bradshaw, John Blunston, and Samuel Sellers.
Many of these first settlers were Quakers because they truly believed in the faith. Some had even faced difficulties for their beliefs. It is likely they continued their religious meetings even while traveling. They also met after they arrived in their new home.
These Friends decided to name their new settlement "Darby." They chose this name to remember their old home in England. Most of them came from the Derby area.
The first official record of a Monthly Meeting in Darby is from July 2, 1684. This first minute recorded an important event. It stated that "Samuel Sellers and Anna Gibens of Darby, declared their intentions of taking each other in Marriage." This means they planned to get married.
Early meetings were held at the home of John Blunston. His house was said to be across from where the meeting house stands today.
In 1683, William Penn and other leaders wrote a letter to Friends in England. They mentioned several Quaker meeting places in Pennsylvania. One of these was "at Darby at John Blunston's." This shows how important the Darby community was from the start.
Notable Burials
The cemetery at Darby Meeting House is the final resting place for several important people:
- John Bartram (1699-1777): A famous botanist, gardener, and explorer.
- John Blunston: One of the founders of Darby, Pennsylvania. He also served three times as the Speaker of the Colonial Assembly.
- Martha Schofield: A dedicated educator.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Delaware County, Pennsylvania
- Darby Free Library, founded by Quakers in 1743. The current building is about 300 yards south of the meetinghouse.
