Our History






“Love is the hardest lesson of Christianity.”
- William Penn







  • In 1946 John E. Eshelman compiled a detailed history of Quakers in Berks County, 1718 - early 1900's.  It is based on some extensive research on the topic.  While written in modern American English, it does present dates in the traditional Quaker fashion.  The document here includes some photographs of places identified in the history.
  • In 1972 Janet E. Norton wrote a A Short History of Reading Monthly Meeting.  She updated it in 1995, and it brings some of the Meeting's history up to date.
  • In 1975 Janet Norton wrote a A Short History of the Maidencreek Monthly Meeting.  While there is no longer a separate Maidencreek Meeting, the Maidencreek meetinghouse continues to play an active role in the life of Reading Monthly Meeting.

Maidencreek Meetinghouse


Maidencreek Meetinghouse today