Chapter 14: 1750-1765, Delaware to North Carolina

It had been a long and arduous journey from County Antrim in Ireland to America for James McMasters. Nevertheless, his life in Pennsylvania over the past fifteen years had made that seem like child’s play. During that time, he and his wife had seven children together and buried two of them. Finally, last year, he had lost his wife just after she delivered their eighth baby into the world.

2 “My children need a mother,” he told his neighbors. As a consequence, James set about the task of finding them one.

3 In the pursuit of that objective, he soon met a remarkable young lady named Susanna Cann who lived just over the border in nearby Delaware. Susanna was the granddaughter of the immigrant John Cann of West Jersey. And, although she was not the prettiest girl around, she was ten years younger than James and strong enough to shoulder the responsibilities that he needed her to assume.

4 “James McMasters wants to marry me, Papa,” she told her father. “I know, he asked for my permission this morning,” he replied. “What did you tell him?” she demanded. “I told him that I would talk with you.”

5 “Well?” she asked in exasperation after several minutes of silence. “Do you want to marry him?” he asked.

6 “He has four small children, and they will need a great deal of care and attention,” Susanna began. “The older children can help you with the younger ones,” he responded. “I am not sure how I feel about taking on another woman’s children,” she confessed.

7 “You will have to settle that in your own mind, but you should not forget that you are twenty-five years old,” he reminded her. “What does my age have to with this?” Susanna demanded. “Do you want to have a family of your own?” he asked. There was silence.

8 Susanna and James were married at the end of October in 1750 at the Old Swede’s Church in Wilmington, Delaware. Although they were from sturdy Quaker stock, both families had drifted away from that faith over the years and were more concerned at present with life in the here and now than in life in the hereafter.

9 “I think that we should leave the past behind us and make a new beginning for ourselves,” James announced at the beginning of the following year. “What do you mean?” his already pregnant wife demanded.

10 “I hear that there is good land available in Carolina,” he told her. “Who told you that?” “George Hobson” “The wheelwright?” “Yes, he is talking about moving his family there.” “When?” “As soon as they are able.”

11 James, however, did not want to wait. Thus, they loaded their belongings into a wagon and began the long trek southward. Susanna had their first son together along the way to their new home. David was born in the bed of the wagon.

12 When they finally reached Chatham County, James immediately began felling trees and building a log cabin to shelter them against the cold of the approaching winter. Over the years that followed, James and Susanna added five more sons and welcomed the Hobsons as their neighbors.

13 In 1765, she was expecting again. “I hope that this one is a little girl,” she told James. “I need sons to help me with this work,” he protested. “I know,” Susanna sighed. “Don’t worry – it seems as though that is all I can deliver!”

14 She was right. Their sixth child was another boy. They named him Jonathan (after David’s friend in the Bible). And Susanna never did get her daughter. Their final two children together were also boys!

15 Now these are the generations of James McMasters of Ireland:

16 James and Susanna McMasters were the parents of eight sons, and one of them was named Jonathan.

17 Jonathan McMasters married Hannah Hobson, and they had a son named John.

18 John McMasters married Charity Foust, and they had sons named William and John.

Chapter 13: 1746-1754, A Quaker abolitionist

The Spirit had been working on John Woolman’s mind for many years now, and he knew it was time to answer that calling. “I feel drawn to travel about and share with others the light which our True Shepherd has placed within me,” he confided to his friend Isaac. “I believe that I am drawn to that same calling!” Isaac replied. “I was hoping that you would say that,” John smiled.

2 “What do you think about visiting the Meetings in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia?” he pressed. “I would be honored to accompany you on such a journey, but we will have to seek the blessings of our own Meetings to do so,” Isaac answered. “Yes, if we desire to be accepted among Friends in those places, we will need certificates,” John agreed.

3 As a consequence, John brought the matter to the attention of the next Monthly Meeting at Burlington. And, after brief expressions of support, his brethren there decided to grant him the letter of introduction to the Friends in neighboring colonies which he had requested. Isaac received the same support from his congregation.

4 Thus, with the blessing of the Jersey Quakers, the two men set out full of missionary zeal and high hopes for the success of their enterprise. Along the way, they stayed in the homes of willing Friends and spoke with their brethren on First Day (Sunday).

5 As they traveled through Virginia, however, John was troubled by what he observed there of the institution of slavery. The work that the slaves performed, and their treatment by their masters, made quite an impression on his mind.

6 “I recall my first acquaintance with the sale of a Negro a few years ago,” he confided to Isaac. “My employer at the time desired me to write him a bill of sale for this woman, and I remember feeling very uneasy about writing an instrument of slavery for one of my fellow creatures” he explained.

7 “Although I executed the task which had been given to me, I told my master that I did not think that slave keeping was consistent with the precepts of the Christian religion.” Isaac was quiet for a moment, and then he said, “I understand what you are saying, but I think that we should be very careful not to offend our hosts.”

8 Nevertheless, at the very next home that hosted them, John was again distressed by what he witnessed there. The master of the house and his family lived very well and performed almost none of the tasks necessary to run the home or the lands which surrounded it. John decided that he simply could not remain silent about what he was observing.

9 “Can I speak privately with you?” he asked the man. “Of course, John, what is on your mind?” “Do you think that the keeping of Negroes as slaves is compatible with the love of Jesus Christ?” he blurted out. “Well,” the man cleared his throat, “I had not given it much thought.”

10 “Perhaps it would be better to treat them with the same mercy and compassion which we hope to enjoy in the Lord?” John suggested. “Does not God help us to shoulder our burdens when they are too heavy?” he pressed. “I will have to give this some thought, John,” the bewildered man offered with a weak smile.

11 John, however, was still troubled by what he had observed in the Southern colonies, and he decided to write a treatise on the subject when he returned to Burlington. Knowing that his intended audience would be unaccustomed to hearing what he had to say, he opened with an appeal for them to be willing to abandon customs and opinions which did not conform to the Lord’s standards. He then proceeded to make the case that the keeping of Negro slaves was one of those customs.

12 He wrote: “The general disadvantage which these poor Africans lie under in an enlightened Christian country has often filled me with sadness, and I think it my duty to offer some thoughts thereon for the consideration of others.” He then proceeded to remind his readers that the Lord had made all nations of one blood, and that we are all subject to the same afflictions and infirmities as humans.

13 He asked his White audience to try to imagine finding themselves in the same circumstances in which many of their Black brethren currently found themselves. “How should I approve of this conduct were I in their circumstance and they in mine?” he asked.

14 Next, he pointed out that the Lord had given to His people specific instructions about how they should treat strangers in their midst. He encouraged his brethren to compare the treatment which Africans received at their hands with the admonitions found in the Old Testament, and he quoted one of those passages to drive home his point. He wrote: “Thou shalt not vex him nor oppress him; he shall be as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself.”

15 John even anticipated some of the arguments that would be employed against his treatise. He realized that some would defend the practice by drawing attention to the fact that they had a considerable amount of money invested in their slaves, but he would not allow that to be employed as a justification for the practice. He wrote: “If I purchase a man who has never forfeited his liberty, he retains his natural right of freedom. Do I then have the right to keep him and his posterity in servitude and ignorance?”

16 He continued: “Whoever rightly advocates the cause of some, thereby promotes the good of all.” In other words, White Christians would experience personal spiritual benefits from taking up the cause of their downtrodden Black brethren. With that, John had effectively transformed his philosophical distaste for the practice of slavery into a moral crusade against the institution that would ultimately benefit all of society.

17 At first, John quietly shared his treatise with a few of his most trusted friends. Then, as he received more and more positive feedback about what he had written, he began to share it with all of the Quakers who lived near him. Finally, in 1754, the Yearly Meeting at Philadelphia approved the publication of John’s treatise under the title of Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes.” It would prove to be the opening salvo from a group of people who would come to be known as abolitionists by later generations. 

Chapter 12: 1742-1748, Marrying out of meeting

Thomas Ellis was now one of the most respected leaders of the Society of Friends in that part of Pennsylvania. In fact, he was the leading elder in the Exeter Monthly Meeting, and he was very conscientious about protecting his reputation and the way in which he handled his religious responsibilities. Even so, ensuring the proper moral behavior of his flock was often a difficult and thankless task; and that fact was about to be underscored by circumstances which developed within one of the most prominent families in the congregation.

2 Sarah Boone, the oldest daughter of Squire Boone, had fallen in love with a neighbor who was not a Quaker. “You know that a disorderly marriage will not be tolerated amongst God’s people,” her father told her. “But John is a good man, father, and I love him,” she replied. “Honor thy father, daughter, and do not bring him to grief,” her mother said in a soft voice.

3 “It is too late for all of that – I am carrying his child!” Sarah blurted out. Now her parents felt as if they had no choice – Sarah was allowed to go forward with the marriage.

4 Thomas liked Squire Boone, and he dreaded the duty which had fallen to him and two of his brethren in the faith. He knocked on Boone’s door and waited for a response. Slowly, the door opened and revealed Squire and his young son Daniel standing before him.

5 “Squire Boone, we would have a few words with thee,” Thomas began. “I have been expecting this,” he replied with a sigh. “Come in, friends and find peace here,” he offered. As they took their seats before the fireplace, everyone was quiet and filled with nervous anticipation.

6 “We are here to speak with thee about the fornication and disorderly marriage of thy daughter Sarah,” Thomas told him. Squire nodded. “As thou knowest, it is thy duty to bring her up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord,” he continued. “Thou must set a good example in this matter for thy other children, and for thy brothers and sisters in the truth. Therefore, thou must confess thy fault and repent of thy sins before all, so that thou mayest be restored to thy proper relationship with the Lord and with them,” he finished.

7 Squire was silent for several minutes as he stared into the fire. “We understand, and we thank thee for thy concern for us and our family in this matter” his wife finally volunteered. “Please be assured of our sorrow and repentance,” she added. After they left, there was another long period of silence. “This does not feel right,” he told his wife.

8 A little less than five years later, the issue arose once again with the marriage of their eldest son Israel. This time, however, Squire would not be silent.

9 “A man must know how to rule his own household,” Thomas began. “My children have always honored us,” Squire protested. “Thy son has unequally yoked himself with an unbeliever,” Thomas gently reminded him.

10 “She is a good girl from a good family,” Squire replied. “Thou knowest that we cannot control who our children love,” he defiantly added. “Thou knowest that thou will not be permitted to have fellowship with us until thou hast acknowledged thy fault and confessed thy sin,” Thomas concluded in exasperation.

11 “I will not stand in thy way,” Squire told his wife after the others had left. He, however, never attended another meeting of the Quakers. And, later that same year, he gave his son Daniel his first rifle and taught him how to use it.