Hello Everyone,
At the turn of the 17th Century, my "former" Quaker ancestor Simon Hadley Sr.
got himself disowned at 70 years of age for "consoling himself" too soon
after the death of his wife, Catherone Talbot, though as you can see by the
quote below his action may have been the "last straw" for his fellow MM
members. The records do not show that he ever recanted his actions. He was
a member of Moate MM, Westmeath Co, in Ireland. While it is possible that
this taboo wasn't shared by Quakers in the New World, I personally doubt
that. Here is the quote from the MM records for him (fyi, he and his son
Simon Jr., got "in trouble" quite a bit as indicated below also):
"7D 12M 1710
Symon Hadly the elder came to dwell in our neighborhood after the late wars
and as he then was a commer to our meetings so he has continued but soon
after his comings, by too much indulging his children and his carelessness in
religious matters, it appeared that he had little more than a shew of
religion which we propently admonished him of as he appeared faulty, after
exorting him to be more zealous and not to content and deceive himself with a
show of religion, but instead of receiving our exortation and practicing the
same, he desired we might let him alone and in about three weeks after the
death of his wife, who was a woman of good repute in the neighborhood, he
being a man of about seventy years of age, ofered himself to a woman in
marriage who was not of that persuasion he made profesion of, and contrary to
what he preposed not only offered himself but was married, as he saith to the
said woman in about half a year after the death of his said former wife, tho
he often said and pretented that he did not intend to marry her so soon all
which imoderation, disimulation and irreligiousnes of his, we publickly
disown and hereby declare him the said Symon to be none of us the people
called Quakers.
Signed on behalf of the said people, by order of our mo meeting at the
Moate the 7th of 12 mo 1710
John Wyle John Mikle Abraham Fuller
Thomas Lightfoot John Rupell Benj Parvin
Joshua Clifforn Bra. Clibborn Gregory Rupell
Jonathan Robinson Christopher Coates
Joseph Robinson John Turnor"
There were a number of reasons he could have been disowned despite his haste
(ie, she wasn't a Quaker), that the short interval was emphasized in the
notes is noteworthy. Fyi, his son Simon Hadley immigrated to Pennsylvania
soon after the above decision, where his son Joshua continued to get in
trouble at the Chester MM.
I thought this was of interest, and am going to inquire amongst Quaker
researchers whether this frowning on quick remarriage was shared by Quakers
in the colonies, or perhaps one of you would know?
My best regards,
Janet (Baugh) Hunter
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