Practices varied. Some monthly meetings kept a separate book of removal certificates issued, in which they recorded, verbatim, each certificate that they issued. My sense is that this did not become common practice until the late eighteenth century. Other monthly meetings carefully copied into their records verbatim each removal certificate received. I believe that this was the case for Burlington Monthly Meeting in New Jersey. Others kept files of original papers. I think that this is the case for Wilmington Monthly Meeting in Delaware. But it was exceptional. I think that the most common practice was that once a certificate had been received and a record made of its receipt, that the original certificate was returned to the family or discarded. Here at Earlham we have a removal certificate from 1683 that was handed down among descendants for over 300 years. If any original certificates for Chester Monthly Meeting exist from this period, they will be at Swarthmore. Tom Hamm ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Cooke" <cookerl3@aol.com> To: quaker-roots@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2013 8:45:29 PM Subject: [Q-R] Elinor Cook - 1mo. 29, 1714 I recently came across a list of "Certificates Received At Chester Monthly Meeting" 1681-1750, in the "Literary Era," Jan. 1898, Vol. 5, page 377, with two certificates of interest. I think ACM edited the list. No. 64, "Joseph Helsby and wife, dated 9mo. 26, 1711, from our Monthly Meeting held at Newton, Cheshire, England" I've found some references that a Joseph Helsby may have known Peter Cook, more over they may have collaborated on traveling to America and may have made arraignments to stay with Joseph upon arrival in 1713. I have no proof, but it would help explain the relative ease with which Elinor, now a widow, and the children had after arriving without Peter. No. 99 "Elinor Cook, 1mo. 29, 1714, from Frandley Monthly Meeting, Cheshire, England." Does anyone know if these listings mean there are actual certificates? If it is possible to get copies, who would I contact? Thanks, Robert Cooke ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to QUAKER-ROOTS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message