Category Archives: Springfield History

Nereus Barker dates unknown – served as unpaid pastor in the late 1800’s George Welker 1914-1918 Walter White (dates unknown) Clara I. Cox 1918-1939 – Springfield’s second longest-serving pastor, was here for 21 years; our new meetinghouse was build during … Continue reading →

The first Quakers who arrived in North Carolina settled along the northeast coast of what was then one of the 13 colonies. The first Quaker settlers arrived as early as 1655. North Carolina Yearly Meeting was established in 1680, and … Continue reading →

The Yearly Meeting Orphanage Almost no one today remembers that North Carolina Yearly Meeting ran an orphanage for many years, and that it was largely under the care of Springfield Friends Meeting. A concern for an orphanage arose and was … Continue reading →

The Springfield Schools – 1775-1928 Did you know that for over 150 years, there was a school at Springfield? In the eighteenth century each home was a school and for many children it was the only schooling they received. Mothers … Continue reading →

In 2019, Martha Mattocks presented a large quilt to the Sara R. Haworth Mission Circle. The quilt was originally a project of the Martha Jay Class in 1988-1990 to raise money for the Building Fund. The project was led by … Continue reading →

Nobody really knows where the name “Brunswick stew” came from. Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia all claim to have created it. There’s a Brunswick County in Virginia and a town of Brunswick in Georgia, as well as a town of … Continue reading →

The Springfield BBQ has been a popular fundraising meal for many years. It was originally organized by the Warren T. Parris class. People from North Carolina love barbecued pork, cooked slowly for hours in a smoker. In this area, a … Continue reading →

One of the most interesting parts of Springfield’s property is the Allen Jay House, located across the street at 606 E. Springfield Road.Oral tradition says that the house dates back to around 1790, and was the home of the Josiah … Continue reading →

During the first half of the 20th century, Springfield Friends Meeting didn’t have a parsonage. Our earliest pastors lived in their own family homes. One of our longest-serving pastors, Clara I. Cox, lived with her parents during the 22 years … Continue reading →

In the late 1800s while living in Western Yearly Meeting, Eliza Armstrong Cox (1850-1935) had a clear vision of the part Quaker women should contribute to the Master’s great plan of world evangelization. She started the movement which developed into … Continue reading →