Below are a few select entries
from John Hunt's Journals
During the Revolutionary War Years
John Hunt was a Quaker living in Moorestown during the Revolutionary War. He was a minister, farmer, and carpenter. Too see all of John Hunts Journal Entries, please see his Journals.
From John Hunt's journal, December 12, 1776:
"Went to our meeting. As I was going I was told several times that the English army was to be at Moorestown that day but Rebekah Roberts spoke and told us of a small still voice she had heard which said there is a sifting winnowing time at hand, that there was cry raised in her at that time that the Lord would give strength. The meeting was quiet and solid and the soldiers did not come."
From John Hunt's journal December 19, 1776:
"Went to our meeting. The soldiers had taken our meeting house to lodge in and it was [so] thronged that we could not hold our meeting there and so we had a little meeting at Joshua Bispham's which I believe was of service to some though the other room was full of soldiers most of the time. Rebekah Roberts spoke very prettily." [Notes and Observations continues from this event ...the other room was full of soldiers most of the time. It was but a week before this time 12 of 12th month that the people of Moorestown were, by reports, in full expectation of seeing the English army come in at the other end of the town; and I did expect it before meeting broke up. Now things begin to rise to most excessive prices, both in town and country. See Jeremiah 50:22 A sound of battle is in the land, and great destruction."
From John Hunt's journal December 22, 1776:
From John Hunt's journal "We had a pretty good quiet meeting at our meeting the soldiers being gone."
From John Hunt's journal December 24, 1776:
"About this time things did work together in a strange manner. About the 15th of this Twelfth Month great fear fell on our neighborhood we being in full expectation of the English army down upon us so that there was great to do moving of goods and talk of hiding of earthly treasure and I suppose a great deal of that was done in many places, but things seemed to turn very strange and unexpected. About the 22 of the Twelfth Month the two armies met at Mount Holly and had a skirmish. The Americans were drove out of the town and came back to the Moorestown and by reports the Hessians* or the English party did strip many very much at that time in Mount Holly. See Jeremiah 15: 12 and 13: verse 14, See Jeremiah 11: 17: 19 and Genesis VI [or VII] and 11 and Isaiah 24:5, Jeremiah 11:34 verse. Maybe twenty years before this Mount Holly was a remarkably highly favored place. But there was an admirable strange turn, for as was reported about the 26 of the month a very stormy day some hundreds of the Hessians or of the English party were taken prisoners at Trenton and brought to Philadelphia and the rest drove back towards Brunswick.
And at this time there was a mournful work taking up several of the leading or active men some of one side and some of the other, too tedious to mention in particular. I was told that one Isaac Piercal was shot about this time who had been a justice of peace. Lives above Burlington. Some put in prison on suspicion of being party takers on one side and some on the other. See John Woolman's book, page 174 and 175 and 176 and see Zephaniah 1: 17 and 18.
One thing at this time was very remarkable and pretty much noticed by the people. About the middle of the Second Month John Hay near Haddonfield got several men to join him and went to a Negro man's house with clubs and laid claim to and attempted to take away one of the Negro man's sons, where upon a very great quarrel ensued and some very heavy blows passed between them. The Negro man got very much bruised. The Negro boy hid and they were forced to go away without him, a neighbor being called in the fray and stopped them, or it was thought that there was a danger of being murder done amongst them. The Negro man applied to authority to get satisfaction but the affair drop without a great deal to do.
But now about the middle of the Twelfth Month this [John] Hay was at Haddonfield at a tavern amongst the soldiers. A quarrel began and he in the fray got very much wounded being stabbed with bayonets in his belly so that at this time he is under the doctor's hands, and no way expected to recover. He was favored to get up again after great illness.
See Zephaniah 11:3 Seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the Earth which have wrought his judgments. Such righteousness seek meekness it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger."
From John Hunt's journal December 29, 1776:
"At our meeting which was good and quiet though the soldiers had lodged in it the night before. Rebekah Roberts spoke very well."
From John Hunt's journal January 20, 1777. A powder mill manufactured gunpowder using water or wind to grind and mix sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter. It was a dangerous operation:
"This day Nigah Peacock was buried, a very ingenious man in Evesham. He had since the wars began erected a powder mill and carried in on to considerable perfection till one day he was at work amongst his powder and by some means it catched fire and killed him and hurt several of his family. Besides it was said that the roof of the house was blown off and very much shattered to pieces with the blast of the powder; however the report of the powder was heard very heavy like a great cannon ten miles round. I really thought that it had been a cannon and I was about ten miles from the place. His powder catched fire once before and he narrowly escaped."
From John Hunt’s journal January 22, 1777. To be pressed is to be immediately drafted into the army. John Hunt followed the Quaker rule of pacifism and peace. Those who were pressed and wouldn't agree were put in jail (goal):
"there was a very great commotion and troubles amongst us. People were afraid of traveling the great roads because of the soldiers. Six of our neighbors being taken up pressed and put in Burlington gaol because they would not sign or associate with them. Some others did sign and so were sent home on conditions to return to them when called on. This was a very sore trying time with many in Evesham who had lived carelessly. Remember the inhabitants of Laish: see Jeremiah 15: 19: Let them return unto thee but return not thou unto them: 20 And I will make unto this people a fenced brazen wall and they shall fight against thee but they shall not prevail against thee for I am with them to save thee and to deliver thee saith the Lord. About this time Mark Miller and Thomas Redman were put in Gloucester prison for reading an epistle from the Meeting for Sufferings held at Philadelphia dated the 20th of the Twelfth Month 1776. There was such reports and noise about pressing men that we seemed to expect to meet with the trial every day and every hour."
From John Hunt’s journal January 26, 1777:
"We went to our meeting and were told as we were going that the soldiers intended to be there to press men. The meeting was quiet. After meeting broke up we found them at the door and pressed that is two men in the road. One had a gun and bayonet fixed. They stopped some and Ordered and pressed them to meet them the next Fourth Day but let many pass without Interruption." [Notes in left margin: "It is strange to this how hardened we seemed to get to these trials; great stupidity and luke warmness yet prevailed. Yet this proved a great trial to some of our neighboring women on account of their sons and husbands, there being much expectation of them being taken to prison or before some of the greatest Rulers."]
From John Hunt’s journal March 14, 1777:
"Abel Thomas and his companion, his uncle, both named Thomas, was at our meeting and both spoke very extraordinary. At this time my oldest son lay very ill of a fever then very prevalent. We heard of burials almost every day and some friends thought it was the same disorder the soldiers died with so fast in Philadelphia. [ Right margin note: Called it the camp disorder.]
The small pox and measles began to get about and there was a very awful language in our land at this time though the cloud of confusion or noisy numbers was a little gone at present."
From John Hunt’s journal June 19, 1777:
"We went to our meeting. Michael Shion and Richard Painter was here with us friends from Wilmington there was a company of soldiers went through the town in meeting time and this meeting to me was something remarkable."
From John Hunt’s journal September 14, 1777:
"We went to our meeting the 11 of this month there was almost a continual roaring of cannon down the river below Philadelphia and a dismal battle fought between the Americans and the English and great many killed and wounded on both sides as was reported. The English gained the victory." [pencil annotation] "Battle of Brandywine"
From John Hunt’s journal October 4, 1777:
"There was a most dreadful noise of guns and roaring of cannon over in Pennsylvania the most violentest firing of guns that I believe that ever was yet heard [pencil annotation: Battle of Germantown] in our parts. I went to our meeting."
From John Hunt’s journal October 11, 1777:
"I went over Ancocas Creek [Rancocas Creek] about some business. This day there was a most dreadful roaring of cannon in the river."
From John Hunt’s journal October 12, 1777:
"We went to our meeting and the cannon fired so hard that they seemed to jar the meeting house. This meeting seemed to me something strengthening and solid."
From John Hunt’s journal October 13-15, 1777
"About home at work at our corn and 16 I went to our meeting which was silent. After meeting a soldier or officer came amongst the people to press wagons. Several pleaded with him and got off safe with their wagons that time but at Haddonfield Friends' wagons and horses were pressed almost every meeting day about this time yet did indifferency and lukewarmness too much prevail. See Amos 4:10 verse: I have sent among you the pestilence after the manner of Egypt: your young men have I slain with the sword and I have taken away your horses and I have made the stink of your camps to come up unto your nostrils yet have ye not returned unto me saith the Lord. This I think was very much the case with us at this time according to the remarks and memorandum that I had made."
From John Hunt’s journal October 23, 1777:
"We went to our meeting. Just as we were ready to set off to meeting there came a man and asked if we would take in or entertain a family that was afraid of being taken by the Hessian army which were at Haddonfield and it was said were going to Moorestown. I thought best to leave them at their liberty. The man went back and immediately the family came, that is a man and his wife and two children the woman and one of the children were crying and surprised. The woman persuaded us not to go to meeting but I felt most easy to go.
“When we came to Moorestown there was a great uproar. The people expected the Hessians every hour. When the meeting had been gathered a little while there was a great uproar and noise in the street and outcry that they were coming. A man came to the meeting house door and called out a Friend and said they would be here in five minutes time: whereupon some Friends went out and went home but the most part were favored to sit still. There was a constant roaring of cannon all this while every one of which guard the house but at last came one that even shook ** the walls very much and very much surprised the people. Women turned pale and began to cry but sat still and seemed to get over the shock these cannon seemed so hard I thought it was likely they were in the lower end of the town which was the more dreadful when we came out of meeting all seemed still and quiet and we found it was a false alarm there was no Hessians nearer than Haddonfield."
This journal entry from John Hunt in November 2, 1777, shows US soldiers traveling and staying at Moorestown's Quaker Meeting House.
"Was First Day went to our meeting which was quite silent and undisturbed though a great number of soldiers had lodged there the night before. The Jerseys being now getting much filled with soldier almost every few days they were going to a fort down the river against Woodbury and the Hessians that were at Haddonfield had a battle with the Americans and were beaten and returned back to Philadelphia the 23 of the Tenth Month"
From John Hunt’s journal November 18, 1777:
"We came home. There was a dreadful roaring of cannon in the river about this time."
From John Hunt’s journal November 21-23, 1777:
"My wife and folks went to our meeting. The soldiers lodged very common in our meeting house about this time yet we were not much disturbed only with the wounded sick etc. It smelt ugly (See Amos 4th: 10 verse). About making a little spinning wheel."
From John Hunt’s journal November 27, 1777:
"I went to our meeting and before I got very near I heard a drum and expecting the meeting house and town was full of soldiers I would have made excuse and turned back if I dare especially when I came in sight and saw so vast an army all about the meeting house there was no prospect at first of having a meeting the place was so crowded but in a little time the all or the thickest of them marched upwards and favored with a quiet meeting but these was poor low times with me all hard: the heavens as brass and the earth as iron."
From John Hunt’s journal December 7, 1777:
"We went to our meeting which was favored with quietude and pretty clear of soldiers and I went down to Haddonfield Monthly Meeting which was pretty much shut up till last."
From John Hunt’s journal March 20, 1778:
"Was Quarterly Meeting at Haddonfield. Robert Willis was there and spoke a long time and very notable and good. Quiet meeting was and very still. The soldiers had been very much there a little before so much that the town looks very dissolute."
From John Hunt’s journal May 7, 1778:
"Was our monthly meeting which was satisfactory though the soldiers was quartered then at that place.
Note: "Evesham Monthly Meeting minutes, May 1778:
The Committee appointed to reconsider the rules of our Discipline with respect to dealing with those that go out in their marriage, made report in Writing, which was several times read and Considered, and was approved of and is in the following words
To the Monthly meeting to be held at Evesham next Month.
The Committee appointed to reconsider the method of Dealing with those that go out in their Marriage, having mostly met on the occasion with several other members both men and women and having Duly considered the rules of our Discipline respecting that Transcription and the Sentiments of friends being freely Expressed, it is our sense and judgment, that our Discipline clearly points out, that such offenders should be treated with before they are fully set aside unless they have been precautioned before, and that where the Labor of love Extended to such, has the Desired Effect to convince them of the weight of their Transgression and is manifested by due Circumspection of Life and Conversation, and that meetings are sensible of the sincerity of the offenders, acknowledgments from such may be Excepted. But where there does not appear those torid[?] marks of Contrition, after such Labor as above said, that meetings speedily proceed to Disown them. which nevertheless is submitted to the meeting, signed this 20th of the 4th Month 1778. By Edmund Hollinshead, Joshua Roberts, John Lippincott, John Hunt, William Matlack, Enoch Roberts, Samuel Shute, William Foster, Thomas Evans, Edward Darnel, William Rogers, Hugh Sharp, Lawrence Webster, Isaac Evans."
From John Hunt’s journal June 6, 1778:
They were at our First Day meeting and I went to Haddonfield Monthly Meeting when I had got about a mile from home I met some friends a coming back who told several of us that the English army was about a mile on the road and coming this way, which seemed something surprising to all of us and a pretty close trial to us to leave our families at such a time. After some discourse we seemed to take courage and fear went of and all set off together, the report being so straight and from such a one,*W.F.
that we could not expect any other but that we should go immediately amongst them. However, we had not gone far before we met some soldiers, but they were not English. They behaved very civil and let us pass peaceably and we passed several other companies of soldiers but had not interruption but had a quiet good meeting."
From John Hunt’s journal September 28 - October 3, 1778:
"I set off to Philadelphia to the Yearly Meeting with my brother Robert from Maryland. I went to the Bank meeting house where there was many solid good Friends and several testimonies was delivered. One Friend said he had (or thought he had) distinctly heard the sound of the want of bread as he walked the streets, in the next meeting at Market Street there was some very able ministers appeared. One ancient woman had something by way of a prophecy a little. She said, as near as I remember, there would be turnings and great overturnings yet in the land many houses would be left desolate great and fair without inhabitants. [Note in the margin: "It did prove so. Many famous houses were burnt down by soldiers."]
I attend the several sittings of this Yearly Meeting meeting till the last about one on Seventh Day in which the general active part of Friends expressed that it was a highly favored meeting. One day the forepart of the week three women came into the men's meeting and sat some time and seemed to be under a very great and exceeding deep concern and at last one stood up and I think delivered As lively a testimony as I ever heard. It seemed to be chiefly against a forward spirit that would be willing to be seen in carry on the affairs of the church could it heed knowledge worldly wisdom and said though the words might seem well their spirits was against the truth. [Note in the margin: This seemed to be for some of the form oft R[...] and I thought it seemed to appear who they were before the week was out. This was Mary Husbands with whom I had further acquaintance now in 1789 at Baltimore.]
Reminded us of the man that went to stretch forth his hand to steady the ark and was struck dead. The next day but one, there came one woman and so odd an one that there was much talk of her and many went to see her at her chamber which she but seldom left. She came into the men's meeting and appeared in a very solid deep exercise as she stood a considerable time on the steps between the galleries. At last begun to speak very loud and zealous. Expressed the sense she had of the great favors with which Friends were favored at that time and was of the mind if there was a general turning to the Lord in faithfulness that Friends would get to be favored: but if they were not steady in faithfulness what we had seen was but the beginning of a sorrows: though it was a time of great poverty with me as to the inwards state of my mind, yet I believed it would be a time of very great instruction to me and many sentences be as bread cast on the waters."
From John Hunt’s journal June 13, 1779:
"In the morning we went to see John Gilbert who had latterly been very ailing and weakly. From thence to Byberry meeting which was a very dull poor heavy meeting and quite silent a very great train. Today we went to James Thornton's to dinner and came home this afternoon the people About Byberry had been very much stripped of their horses and many barns and barracks of wheat had been burnt by the soldiery parties yet great was the stupidity and luke warmness as to religion that prevailed amongst them."
From John Hunt’s journal November 8, 1779:
" I went to help rectify our graveyard and stables at the meeting House which had been destroyed by the soldiers."