The author of these journals, probably Eli Hampton, was born in 1787 and resided in or near East Caln Twp., Chester County, Pennsylvania. A deeply religious man and a "minister," Hampton was consumed with thoughts of salvation, of his spiritual preparedness and the spiritual well-being of Friends. Despite his apparent high status within the Society, he was beset with deep insecurities over his worth as a minister. "I was sertanly one of the most poorest and unworthyest beings that ever belonged to any society whatever," he wrote, "especially the society of friends who profess to bee led and governed by that unering spirit of truth; and not only that but to think of attempting to preach the gospel to others when I am so poor and unworthy" (1849 May 10). Apparently Orthodox Quaker, he was nevertheless conciliatory toward others sects. Upon visiting an Orthodox meeting in Ohio, he wrote "I hope that distinction may bee thrown away and not mee but all others."

Hampton was involved with the preparatory meeting at East Caln, and had an interest in the committees on discipline, anti-slavery, and temperance. He was also a regular attender at quarterly and yearly meetings in Baltimore and Philadelphia, and, as a minister, he frequently visited other meetings in southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, at one point traveling for 11 consecutive days, covering 120 miles. From June, 1850, to May, 1851, he traveled to southeastern Ohio, where he visited relatives and ministered to a number of small meetings. Further, outside of the denomination, he and other Friends paid visits to an African-American congregation in Chester County and spent one evening with a group of Presbyterians.

The anxiety that Hampton suffered over his own spiritual state was profound, and he was convinced that religious laxness, sectarianism, discord and strife ruled the day among Quakers. These insecurities could only have been exacerbated by frail health and precarious finances. On the death of Joseph Pierce, Hampton noted that he had been living with the Pierce family for four years, and later (June 1, 1848) he noted: "I was greatly troubled in mind with a belief that the oversears had a complaint against mee for debt of which I have been labouring under for many years, of which has been a great sorce of uneasyness to my mind in which I could get know relief..."

Scope and contents:

The Hampton journals are an excellent record of the spiritual concerns of a Quaker minister in the near aftermath of the great period of Quaker schisms. The entries are fairly regular, though not daily, but vary in length from brief notes ("attended meeting") to very long passages, nearly all on religious subjects. The attribution of the journal is based on the appearance on the front cover of the name Eli Hampton written in the hand of the author, and the presence within of a copy of a letter signed by Eli Hampton.

The periodic rise and fall in Hampton's mood and the insecurities he had in his ability to receive the Light are among the most interesting aspects of the journal. He often writes that he feels weighed down by the burden of spiritual duties and concerns, and by doubts about his own worth. Typical of many entries is the one for February 16th, 1848: "I felt destitute and forsaken by all both spiritually and temporally and at times ready to give out all hopes of overcoming these frailties of human nature."

Even when his spirits were raised, as after speaking at meeting, Hampton felt the weight of great emotions. "[A]t meting to day in a goodly frame of mind wherein I think I was blest with the presence of the devine master with this language in my mind; can it bee possible that the lord has chosen mee as an instrument to awaken others to a sence of their one duty in obidience to the law and testimony of devine light on their one understanding; for I know that I have nothing to bost of but my one infermaties which are great and many..." (1848 June 1). The burden of not speaking when having received the Light was also crushing to Hampton. Following a funeral, during which he felt compelled to speak, but held back, Hampton wrote: "I had to suffer like unto a little child that had just been corrected by its earthly parent and that through such severity that its hart was almost ready to burst with grief..." (1849 March 13).

The political and moral issues of the day occasionally figure in Hampton's diary. While not evincing any uncommonly strong zeal, Hampton was apparently an opponent of slavery and the use of "spiritous liquors." His reservations are clear, though: "the query arose in my mind what good has [the Antislavery] committee done I can see none in reallety" (1848 July 27). A particularly interesting incident occurred on August 13th, 1848, when Hampton and other members of the meeting attempted to attend the "colored meeting," but were barred from doing so by the congregation. He writes "not all their congrigation being preasant at that time [they] ware not willing to admit us in their meeting hous." Hampton and Friends slept under a nearby shed and "delivered our testimony amongst them I trust to good satisfaction."

Since Hampton's religious concerns permeate nearly every entry, the spiritual content of this diary has been only selectively indexed, with the longer or more thoroughly expressed entries noted.

M-2931.1
cat. 4/93 rsc

Subject index to the Eli Hampton Journal

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