Members of the William Penn Chapter National Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) presented a copy of the completed transcription of handwritten minutes from Horsham Meeting 1897 to 1908 to David Rowland, President of Old York Road Historical Society (Jenkintown), and Jesse Hallowell, Horsham Friends Trustee, at the December 5 meeting.

Members Sharee L. Solow and Leslie C. Morris-Smith transcribed the handwritten minutes and indexed the names found in the Horsham [Young Friends] Meeting Minutes.

The original handwritten book is held in the archives of the Old York Road Historical Society and was loaned by David Rowland under a Covid work-at-home program. Solow and Morris-Smith worked together to scan the cover and each page with a professional book scanner. Solow focused on typing the transcription.  The review and edits they completed together, and finally the index and compilation completed by Morris-Smith. The journal was returned to the archive and a digital version of this new work can be found in Series 2, Volume 119, DAR Library, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Washington DC.

This journal is not the Friends meeting minutes that documented marriages, membership transfers, and important decisions of the day. Instead, the entries were from young adults planning monthly programs to help them concentrate on their religious studies. The dates cover eleven years of meetings for ten months a year and the subjects discussed vary greatly according to the times 

Care was taken to follow the rules for transcription, so spelling, grammar, and corrections are shown as the original author created them. An image of the page accompanies each typed transcription for comparison and subjective review. Name variations were kept as written.

In the back of the volume is the surname index. Common names in the area include: Atkinson, Carter, Comly, Hallowell, Jarrett, Knight, Lippincott, Morris, Paxson, Penrose, Stackhouse, Satterthwait, Tomlinson, Twining, Walton, Wanamaker, Wood.

“Archival pieces like this are often passed-by in genealogical research because they are not transcribed or indexed. It takes extra work to read everyone’s handwriting, but this journal clearly places these people by location and date,” said Solow.  “Often, they discuss how they are related to each other while revealing their attitudes about current affairs, family matters, fellow members’ involvement in Meetings or just the weather. It gives a snapshot of their lives.”

About the William Penn National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution: The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR or DAR) is a non-profit, non-political volunteer women’s service organization founded in 1890 by a small group of patriotic women. The DAR is dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving American history, and securing America’s future through better education for children.  The William Penn Chapter is based at Abington Presbyterian Church and meetings the first Thursday of each month (except January and February) at 7:00 pm.

Photo Caption: L-R, Joanne Michael, Regent, William Penn Chapter NSDAR, Leslie Morris-Smith, Member William Penn NSDAR , Jesse Hallowell, Horsham Friends Trustee, David Rowland, President, Old York Road Historical Society, Sharee Solow, Member William Penn NSDAR. Presenting completed transcription of handwritten minutes and indexed names found in the Horsham [Young Friends] Meeting Minutes 1897 to 1908 at Horsham, Pennsylvania Meeting House.

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