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Brief Organizational History |
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Brief Organizational
History
Early History... June 28, 1898: Descendants of the Randolph (originally Mendham) Friends Meeting (1758-1865) and of individuals interred in Quaker Cemetery (1758 and continuing) met in the office of attorney Eugene J. Cooper, Dover NJ. They agreed to form an association to acquire and to preserve the Meeting House and Cemetery of their ancestors. James W. Brotherton presided. October 14, 1898: Trustees of Rahway and Plainfield Monthly Meeting (RPMM) relnquished claim to the property and transferred title to James W. and Etta H. Brotherton and Rachel Brotherton Vail. James and Rachel had been members of Randolph Meeting and were now members of RPMM. In the later nineteenth century they had maintained the site with Rachel’s husband Elwood Vail and other descendants, overseeing activity there after 1865. October 22, 1898: Founding members met to organize the Friends Meeting House and Cemetery Association of Randolph Township. The meeting was held in the office of Eugene J. Cooper in Dover. Members present at this first Association meeting were: James W. Brotherton, elected Chairman; Henry Alward (sp. Alwood), Cornelius D. Burg, Eugene A. Carrell, Eugene J. Cooper, M. Wheeler Corwin, Phoebe J. Corwin, Edward S. Hance, Elias B. Mott. Following adoption of the Bylaws, the founding members elected the first Board of Trustees, who elected the first officers. James, Etta and Rachel then transferred title to and responsibility for the site to the Association.
Middle Years... 1954: At Annual Meeting in June, the Association amended the Bylaws to increase the Board from seven to nine members. Also at that meeting, Society of Friends members from New York residing in the area for the summer requested permission to hold meetings for worship at the Meeting House until September. The trustees granted permission. Dover Monthly Meeting grew out of this summer activity and was organized September 18, 1955. With approval of the trustees, Friends Meeting has continued to use the Meeting House and Cemetery as its spiritual home since that time. The name was changed to Dover-Randolph Monthly Meeting on March 9, 1980. 1958: At a meeting in December, three members of Dover Monthly Meeting were elected to the Board of Trustees. These first, non-descendant, Society of Friends trustees were:
1958 - 1973: Friends Meeting assumed primary responsibility for maintenance of the site. Association trustees continued in office unless removed by death or resignation; however, vacant positions were not filled. Trustees conducted business via telephone and correspondence. Among other activity, the Annex was moved to the site in October, 1964. Modern History... 1973 - 1974: Concerned about the long-term future of the site, Richard Irwin, Chairman of Randolph Landmarks, Marion Irving, Clerk of Dover Monthly Meeting, and Chandler Bellows, President of the Association, identified potential new members and began a new era of Association activity. 1975: President Bellows called a meeting for November 2 at which the three remaining trustees (Bellows, Brotherton and Haydock) admitted new members. The Bylaws were amended to include people with specific interest in preserving the site. The Association then re-elected the three continuing trustees and elected the following new trustees to serve until Annual Meeting. 1976: Edith E. Alward, James T. Brotherton, Richard T. Irwin, Albert B. Jeffers, Jr., Harriet C. Meeker and John R. Mott.
1987: At Annual Meeting on April
12, the Association amended the Bylaws to increase the number of
trustees from nine to twelve and to create the position of Vice-President
for Buildings and Grounds.
2004: The Association again amended the Bylaws with the intent of bringing more people into active participation as members and trustees and to honor the past. Among the amendments:
Compiled by Margaret L. Steneck, 2005 |