Other Famous Quakers


William Penn (1644-1718)


  • William Penn was born in England but he is noted for the role he played in American history.
  • When Penn was 23, he became a Quaker, which then lead him to write Sandy Foundations Shaken, resulting in Penn being imprisoned (Samuel).

  • William Penn was sent to jail four times due to his Quaker beliefs.
  • Penn did not renounce his Quaker faith, instead he wrote forty-two books defending the Quakers.
  • Penn obtained a charter for Pennsylvania in 1681, hoping the Quakers could live in peace (Mary Trotter Klon). 



Mary Dyer (1611-1660)


  • Mary Dyer was a 17th century Quaker and was perhaps the most famous Quaker martyr.

  • Mary Dyer became a follower of George Fox in 1652.

  • In 1657,  Mary Dyer was thrown in jail due to her expression of Quaker beliefs.

  •  A year later the law was passed in Boston stating Quakers were to be executed for their actions.

  • Mary Dyer was arrested two more time, once in 1659 while visiting two friends in jail and the second only a few weeks later where Mary Dyer witnessed her two friends being executed (Samuel).

  • June 1st, 1660, Mary Dyer was executed by hanging, still holding strong her Quaker beliefs.

  • Mary Dyer was honored with a statue which is place outside of the Boston State House.

  • The inscription reads, "Witness for Religious Freedom" (Samuel).

(Bill Samuel)


Elizabeth Gurney Fry (1780-1845)


"Nothing short of the Holy Spirit can really help forward the cause of righteousness on earth". -Elizabeth Gurney Fry (Bill Samuel)




Elizabeth Fry reading to prisoners in Newgate prison, 1823

(http://www.quakerinfo.com/fry.shtml)


  • Elizabeth Fry was the third of twelve children that were brought up in a Quaker family.

  • In 1799, she met Joseph Fry who was from a wealthy Quaker family, she married him a year later.

  • Elizabeth Fry followed in her mothers footsteps by teaching at a workhouse for the poor.

  • In 1813, a man by the name of Stephen Grellet, wanted her help at the women's prison at Newgate. 

  • Elizabeth Fry and her sister-in-law visited the prison even though they were warned of physical danger, as the women were savage and wild (Bill Samuel).

  • They brought the women warm clothing, straw for the sick to lie on and also prayed for the prisoners.

  • In 1817, Elizabeth Fry organized the Association for the Improvement of the Female Prisoners in Newgate (Bill Samuel).

  • This group of women organized a school, and provided materials so the prisoners could sew, knit and make goods to sell (Bill Samuel). 

  • The members of the Association for the Improvement of the Female Prisoners in Newgate took turns visiting the prisoners and reading them the Bible.

(Bill Samuel)