1. If you are a regular reader of poetry I'd really really recommend the anthology  Soul Food - Nourishing Poems for Starved Minds (Bloodaxe Publications 2007). (Not the best title for book or publisher, but trust me. ) Came to me in a very roundabout Quakerly-and-not way last year, from a non-Q friend who was attending the same Q workshop as me, both of us way out of our comfort zones. It is what is says it is, for me...

Dear Denny, Of course Mott was once a well-known Quaker name.

The name may be found in Ohio, and almost anywhere where Quakers

are found in the U.S.A.  I imagine that I am very distantly related to

James Mott, like you. 

The Quaker divisions of the 1800's were worse in Ohio than in any

other state.  The Orthodox were reduced to a Conservative remnant,

still very much in existence, and a much larger evangelical group,

now known as the Evangelical Friends Church---Eastern Region.

Members of both these groups are involved in the discussions here.

The Hicksites of Ohio were numerous at first, but entirely disappeared

by about 1920.  The "Progressives" of Ohio were an offshoot of the

Hicksites; they too were numerous at first (about 1850) but almost

entirely disappeared by the 1870's or so.  Lake Erie Y.M. is basically

a Hicksite group; it began during WW2 or thereabouts.  I can't think of

any members of Lake Erie Y.M. who are involved in QQ.

    I recommend reading the wonderful book The Eye of Faith,  which

is a history of the Conservative Friends of Ohio.  Ohio's evangelical Friends

have also published some books, through their college, Malone College.

Everett Cattell is an author to look for among Ohio's evangelical Friends.

    To my mind, all the divisions among Friends are utterly tragic, proving

nothing at all,  except how self-righteous Quakers can be.  I don't think

you'll find much of this on Quaker Quaker.

Blessings,

Jeremy Mott

You have found a largely loving and caring community here. Everything Joseph says I agree with. I will hold you in the Light in your isolation.

Yours, Paula

p.s. Westerville is in suburban Columbus. I live in the area too. :)