P.O. Box 427
99 Branch Street
Mount Holly, New Jersey 08060
Founded by Amelia Mott Gummere in 1915, the John Woolman Memorial Association operates a historic house in Mount Holly, New Jersey located where John Woolman’s apple orchard once stood. At the time, historic houses were proliferating in honor of military heroes, and Amelia felt the need for a memorial to a man of peace.
From 1916 to 1939, the house operated as a tea house and bed & breakfast that offered simple country living. The garden and orchards provided fresh fruits and vegetables in season. Visitors often canoed on the Rancocas, and enjoyed quilting or apple butter parties. In 1939, the effects of the Depression were felt, and not enough contributions were raised to keep the teahouse open. A family of German refugees was given shelter there, and then a Chinese family. The Memorial was not open again to the public until 1942.
When it re-opened, the new vision for the house was as the hub of a Quaker center, along the lines of the Pendle Hill Quaker Study Center in Wallingford, Pennsylvania. Today, the John Woolman Memorial Association sponsers the Annual Lecture. The house offers an opportunity for visitors to walk in John Woolman’s footsteps, and serves as a backdrop for workshops and tours. It provides a place of refreshment and encouragement to follow one’s conscience and to act for a just and righteous society.
Carol Walz, copyrighted 2005
