Gathering in Simplicity:
​Crum Elbow Meeting House Construction

​The Crum Elbow Meeting began humbly in 1778, gathering in the homes of John Underhill and Mordecai Frost near Crum Elbow Creek, nestled between Pleasant Plains and Frost Mills. As the Quaker community grew, land was donated just south of the original meeting spot, and by 1797,
a charming two-story, white clapboard Meeting House stood as
a dedicated space for worship.

​In 1810, the Meeting House expanded with an addition to the east side, creating dual interior spaces divided by moveable central partitions. Each side had its own staircase and upper gallery, reflecting the Quaker practice of separating men’s and women’s meetings. Inside, 16 benches on each side face north, while three rows of “facing seats” look south toward the center. A practical two-seater outhouse, still attached at the east corner, hints at the simplicity of early 19th-century life.

​Zaccheus Marshall and John Briggs, who led the original construction, have descendants who continue to support the preservation of this historic site. Although regular meetings concluded in 1890, the Crum Elbow Rural Cemetery Association acquired the building for $1.00 in 1913. Encircled by the cemetery today, the Meeting House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. Restoration efforts are currently underway, including the repair of its 18 historic windows, ensuring that this enduring symbol of Quaker heritage remains a part of Dutchess County's story.

Abolition and Anti-Slavery

​Crum Elbow Quakers Willet and Catherine Marshall supported the New Guinea Community of freed Black people in Hyde Park

​Another Marshall, Sarah Marshall DeGarmo and husband Peter DeGarmo provided a safe stop for escaping slaves on the Underground Railroad. 

​Slavery reached its peak in Dutchess County in 1790, when 1,856 enslaved men, women, and children were recorded—more than in any other county in New York State at the time. Hundreds were forced to work on farms and plantations along the Hudson River, including in Hyde Park and the surrounding areas. While the institution of slavery was central to the region’s economy, it also faced growing moral opposition. Quaker communities in particular denounced slavery as a grave sin and advocated for the freedom and dignity of the enslaved.

​William Lloyd Garrison, the editor of the anti-slavery newspaper The Liberator, published DeGarmos daughter Elizabeth “Lizzie” DeGarmos letter and son James M. DeGarmo PhDs letters about attending Anti-Slavery Conventions around 1860. James delivered speeches at the conventions, founded the DeGarmo Institutes in Rhinebeck and Fishkill-on-Hudson and described Quaker Anti-Slavery sentiment in his book The History of the Hicksite Quakers.

Temperance and Women’s Movements

fter the Revolutionary War, whiskey was cheap and widely consumed, raising concerns about public drunkenness. In 1826, the American Temperance Society formed to promote moderation or total abstinence. By 1874, the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was founded and grew to become the nation’s largest women’s organization.

​Many Protestants, especially Quakers, believed alcohol use led to poverty and was morally wrong. They encouraged temperance and created non-alcoholic alternatives. John Cadbury, an English Quaker, promoted “drinking chocolate,” while Charles Hires of Philadelphia marketed root beer as a temperance drink.

​Temperance gained support across occupations and regions—farmers and sea captains alike signed abstinence pledges. After the Civil War, the movement became both political and religious. Protestants strongly supported it; many Catholics opposed it. Reformers were also active in abolition and women’s rights.

In Crum Elbow, the Browning family were known teetotalers. Harriet Browning served as president of the Pleasant Plains WCTU in the early 1900s. Her husband Theron, their daughter Eunice, and Theron’s two brothers were all active members—making the family pillars of the local temperance movement.