Darby Friends Burial Ground

Established in 1682, Darby Friends Burial Ground is a place of quiet contemplation. It’s located just a block from the current Darby Friends Meeting House. The burial ground occupies a small knoll overlooking the town of Darby. It offers a serene view, punctuated by the simple grave markers characteristic of Quaker tradition. Darby Friends Burial Ground holds the remains of many notable early Quakers. Among them lies John Blunston, the founder of Darby. He also served three times as Speaker of the Colonial Assembly. This burial ground also serves as the final resting place of John Bartram, a renowned American botanist. Another notable figure buried here is Martha Schofield. A reformer and educator, she dedicated her life to establishing a school for formerly enslaved people in Aiken, South Carolina. Darby Friends Burial Ground isn’t just a repository of Quaker history. It also reflects a fascinating intersection of faith and conflict. Here lie the graves of one Revolutionary War veteran and twenty-nine Civil War veterans. This presence speaks to the difficult choices faced by Quakers during times of war. Their commitment to peace often clashed with the call to arms. The story of Darby Friends during the Civil War is particularly poignant. In 1861, fifty-two members of the Darby Meeting, including nine out of eleven Quaker families in Darby Borough, joined the Union Army. This act led to their disownment for violating the Quaker testimony against violence. However, in a testament to forgiveness and reconciliation, thirty-five of these disowned Friends petitioned for readmission in 1865. The Meeting granted their request, welcoming them back into the fold. A visit to Darby Friends Burial Ground is a journey through time. It provides a glimpse into the lives and beliefs of those who shaped Darby’s history and the broader narrative of American Quakerism.