Blog

Stephen W. Angell and Ben Pink Dandelion to speak at the CFHA Annual General Meeting

Exciting news! The executive committee is thrilled to announce that our speakers for the CFHA Annual General Meeting to be held on September 26th will be Ben Pink Dandelion of the Woodbrooke Quaker Study Centre in Bournville, England, and Stephen W. Angell of the Earlham School of Religion in Richmond, Indiana. Ben and Steve have been instrumental in the explosion of interest in Quaker history and other aspects of Quaker studies in the past ten years. They have led the way in working with a number of university presses, Read more

By CFHA, ago

Canadian Quaker Highlight: Sarah Wilde Rogers

Two weeks ago, we featured a post by Albert Schrauwers in which he reflected on transcribing and editing the Journal of Timothy Rogers.[1] Timothy Rogers is celebrated for his role in Quaker settlement on Yonge Street and at Pickering. His wife, Sarah, is not as renowned. Her story gives us insights into the strength and tenacity of the Quaker women who were co-founders of frontier Quaker settlements throughout North America. We have no extant records in Sarah’s hand; much of what we can extrapolate about Read more

By Robynne Rogers Healey, ago

Founders and Builders Series: Grace Pincoe

In this month’s Founders and Builders Series, we introduce you to CFHA co-founder Grace Pincoe. This essay is written by her daughter Ruth Pincoe and Jane Zavitz-Bond. Grace Pincoe – A Faithful Founder and Pillar of CFHA by Ruth Pincoe and Jane Zavtiz-Bond Grace Lillian Cochrane, the third and youngest daughter of Eliza (née Falconer, Lizzie) and Henry Cochrane was born on 22 June 1906 at 12 Boustead Avenue, in the west end of Toronto. Eilza’s Scottish family had been farming in Ontario for several Read more

By CFHA, ago

CFHA Celebrates 48 Years!

Many organizations have their own creation story, and CFHA is no exception. It came into being out of a concern for the preservation of a small, somewhat decrepit little meetinghouse out in the countryside west of Uxbridge, Ontario. When word that this meetinghouse might be purchased and moved to the United States reached Toronto Monthly Meeting, Kathleen Schmitz-Hertzberg made it her goal that the building and its heritage not be lost. Out of this a wider concern for the preservation and appreciation of Quaker legacy Read more

By Gordon Thompson, ago

“The Best Man for Settling New Country…”: The Journal of Timothy Rogers

“The Best Man for Settling New Country…”: The Journal of Timothy Rogers Edited by Christopher Densmore and Albert Schrauwers This guest post is contributed by Albert Schrauwers and includes his reflections on editing Timothy Rogers’ journal alongside Christopher Densmore. Rogers’ journal can be found here: https://cfha.info/staging/journalrogers.pdf Timothy Rogers is a subject of perennial interest to genealogists and historians, and I welcome this opportunity to broaden its availability. Rogers’s Journal contains a riveting narrative of his spiritual development and (unsuccessful) attempts at the ministry; his travels Read more

By CFHA, ago

Co-Chair Update

Though Covid-19 has thrown our upcoming AGM a few curveballs, we’re excited at the prospect of having members join us virtually on Saturday, September 26th (11:00 AM EDST Toronto time) for the CFHA Annual General Meeting. All members are encouraged to attend, and guests may request to participate by writing to [email protected]. Perhaps a silver lining through all of this is the ability to accommodate members from all across North America for the first time, and we hope it allows more of you to participate. Read more

By Gordon Thompson, ago

Research Inquiry

We recently received a genealogy question in regard to the ancestry of Thomas William Henry Young Bunnell (1860 – 1896) from Susan Bunnell. Thomas Young Bunnell listed his birthplace as Toronto and Ontario on two documents, but on his death notice his place of birth is left blank. In another document, he lists his parents as Henry and Hannah Bunnel. The Bunnell/Bonnell family appear to be active in the Yonge Street Monthly Meeting (this includes Henry and Margaret Bonnell and their children). However, there is Read more

By CFHA, ago

Canadian Quaker Highlight: Anna Solmes Cronk

The Canadian Quaker Highlight series features the stories of Friends whose lives are part of the Canadian Quaker experience. Anna (Engeltie, or ‘Angelica’) Solmes was born in Dutchess County, New York, in 1774.[1] Anna immigrated to Upper Canada in the late 1790s after her marriage to Jacob Cronk. Jacob Cronk, alongside his father Abraham, had already spent a number of years in Upper Canada before his marriage to Anna. Historian Margaret McBurney recalls, “In order to finance a trip to the United States to bring Read more

By Sydney Harker, ago

Randy Saylor presents Guide to Quaker Sources to Quinte branch of Ontario Ancestry

Randy Saylor has supported CFHA in many ways. He initiated the CFHA website and served many years as webmaster. He also initiated in Canada collaborative internet transcription of Quaker minute books, a project he continues to administer. A Quaker descendant himself, Randy has spent decades researching and writing about diverse aspects of Quaker experience. To assist other researchers, some years ago Randy compiled a guide to understanding the structure and availability of Quaker records. Who better than to provide a virtual presentation on the subject Read more

By Gordon Thompson, ago

Founders and Builders Series: Kathleen Hertzberg

In its almost fifty-year history, CFHA has come a long way! From the association’s publication of its first newsletters in the year it was established to our very recent entree into the digital world of blogging, the goal has remained the same: preserving and communicating the on-going history and faith of Friends in Canada and their contribution to the Canadian experience. This month we are beginning a series on CFHA’s founders and builders. Each month we will introduce you to one of the individuals who Read more

By CFHA, ago