Rocky River Friends Meeting

January 6 (Sixth Day, First Month), 1753

Rocky River Friends Meeting was set up as a Preparative Meeting under Cane Creek Monthly Meeting. At that time, worship was held in family homes, on weekdays or First Days (Sundays).  

 

In 1792, David Vestal deeded three acres, “including a graveyard and Meeting House meadow.”  The first three meeting houses stood at the opposite end of the cemetery from the current meeting house, which was built in 1926. In the late 1940’s two classrooms were added to the south wing off the Meeting Room.

 

This fourth building for Rocky River Friends Meeting had a separate Educational Building constructed in the late 1950’s. Later that was joined to the Meeting House in 1969 and brick veneer was added. In the early 1990’s the choir area was moved and enlarged to the space behind the pulpit area.  In 2003-2004, space was added to the back of the Fellowship Hall, plus two classrooms, a music room, and storage space. At the same time a ramp was added to make the front doors of the Meeting House wheelchair accessible and a handicapped accessible bathroom plus two closets were created from a classroom in the south wing.

 

As early as 1754 Quakers traveling through visited Friends at Rocky River Friends Meeting. In 1754 Catherine Phillips held “a satisfactory meeting” here. In 1785 Hugh Judge, a Philadelphia (PA) Friend penned, “Lodged at David Vestal’s near Rocky River; he is a choice elder, I wish there were more of his stamp.” In addition, in 1792 Thomas Scattergood wrote: “To Rocky River Meeting, which was large for the place, the house could not hold the people, and it was an encouraging time.” It was not until 1908 when the revised Faith and Practice, which had no provision for preparative meetings, obligated Rocky River Friends Meeting to become a monthly meeting. From 1820 until then, the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting met alternately at Rocky River and Cane Creek.

 

Until 1920, although a part of the pastoral North Carolina Yearly Meeting, Rocky River Friends Meeting did not employ a pastor. The first full-time pastor was Donald Osborne. He and his wife, Virginia “Ginger” Osborne, were the first to live in the Meeting parsonage.