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Joseph
Dugdale
Though there is not very much information about Joseph A. Dugdale's house. There is an abundance of knowledge on who he was. Dugdale, a Quaker, lived in our area, he worked to improve society, and interacted with young ones through his infamous children's conventions. At "Longwood" (1854), children came from miles away to listen to the Children's Friend, Uncle Joseph. He was a devoted Quaker who willingly accepted the simple way of life. Joseph Dugdale grew up in Trenton, New Jersey, and enjoyed his boyhood years very much: "I picked huckleberries over there, played in the sand, swam in the streams, and thrashed a boy for calling my little plain coat a name". His mother, a minister in the Society of Friends, guided Joseph in his religious education. The family joined the Salem (Ohio) Monthly Meeting of Friends after moving west. An incident concerning slavery issues, known as the Hicksite Separation divided the Friends within a year. Believing that slavery was wrong, the Salem Meeting dismissed Joseph. As a young man, he became active in the movement to abolish slavery, securing women's rights, and assuring better treatment of the Indians. In 1851, Dugdale moved his family to Chester County, Pennsylvania. He and the other reformers established the "Pennsylvania Yearly Meeting of Progressive Friends" (Bower). The group consisted of unhappy Friends and people without any type of normal religion (a.k.a.-sympathizers). After building their meeting house, "Longwood" became a gathering place for many reformers. During this decade (the 1850s), he assisted in the organization of the First Women's Rights Convention and worked as a representative for the Whole World's Temperance Convention. Throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Joseph Dugdale was well known for his children's conventions. During these gatherings, there would be food, flowers, games, and songs, along with teachings and speeches by elder Friends and the Uncle himself. According to those who heard him speak, Joseph had "a wondrous power in his persuasive eloquence that touches the hearts of both children and adults. The children at the close of the service seemed eager for more. Eyes were riveted upon the speaker from the time that he arose in the desk, until he took his seat." Joseph saw the positive effects that his successful lectures had on the people and traveled all over the nation preaching his ideas and beliefs. When people look back on Joseph Dugdale, they will remember a Quaker who dedicated himself to aiding those in need. The children of America will most remember him for his kind heart and genuine personality. Since his death in 1896, the words on his tombstone have faded, but those with keen eyes may read the words: "Our Father Joseph A. Dugdale A Champion of Freedom". |