8 Chapter 7 The Claypooles Move Ahead

Chapter 7 The Claypooles Move Ahead During the war, people in the Society of Friends had a difficult time. They wanted to support their neighbors, but they were against war or fighting of any kind. They did not serve in the army for either the British or the American colonies. Some of these Quakers, however, did want to fight and support the cause of freedom. During the war, they chose to leave the main body of the Society and form the Free Quakers. The new group stuck to their beliefs of plain talk and dress, and of looking to their inner light. However, they also saw that sometimes fighting for what was right was okay. After marrying, Betsy and John joined this new group. They began attending services in

a building the group had built in 1783. Betsy was able to return to her Quaker roots and to the services she had grown up with. While Betsy was returning to her Quaker family, she and John were starting their own. In 1785, their first daughter, Clarissa, was born. She was joined a year later by Susan. The Claypooles continued to work together in

their shop, moving to a larger home in 1787. They needed the room; by then, they had two more daughters, Rachel and Jane.

Betsy's life was busy with work and five daughters to care for. At the shop, business

was good. Along with flags and home furnishings, they made furniture for ships. John knew exactly what types of things ships needed, and he was able to bring in more customers. In fact, the shop did well enough that John and Betsy could afford to buy a horse and carriage by 1786. When he was not working, John spent time helping others. The Quakers had always been antislavery. Inspired by his Quaker beliefs,

John worked with groups that tried to free slaves and aid prisoners. These new groups sought to make sure free black people remained free and were not kidnapped back into slavery. They visited jails and demanded fair and healthy treatment for the prisoners.