Sunday, September 30, 2007
"She is a dangerous woemen"
Ahh the wonders of Google. I found this Newsday article about Lady Deborah Moody. Like most of her fellow immigrants Lady Moody moved to the New World to escape religious persecution in England. However the life she found amongst the Puritans in 1639 Massachusetts Bay Colony was just as oppressive. She believed in Anabaptism which stated that baptism should only occur when one is an adult believer. This didn't fly with the Puritans and it got her excommunicated. The quote above came from some official who thought she was rocking the boat too much. Along with other followers she moved to New Amsterdam (NYC today). The Dutch were either a little more understanding or perhaps just wanted to get rid of her and granted her her own town patent in 1645, which also gave her and her fellow members complete religious freedom. But Lady Moody did not stop there. According to the Newsday article the first Quaker (another much persecuted group) meeting in the colonies occurred in Gravesend thanks to her invitation. I feel her story is worthy of a book! The Newsday article is much more detailed: http://www.newsday.com/community/guide/lihistory/ny-history-hs304a,0,5912509.story,
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2 comments:
Dear Graesend of Brooklyn:
I grew up in Gravesend and I was so pleased to see your blog. Through the years,coming back to visit my family, or walking through memory lane--I'd always take a new friend to see the wonderful old houses--I've noticed so many changes in the locall busway lines on MacDonald Avenue and East 16th. It's a real symbol of who is moving in and who's moving out by just looking at what the wubways reader's are reading. Ditto for Ocean Parkway: the walkers, joggers, bicycle riders, and chess players.
Did you know that one of the houses on East 5th between Avenue S and T was used in "the Godfather?"
I look forward to reading more of your blog. It's nice to see a fresh perpective of the neighborhood I've always call "home."
Dear Nephele,
Thank you so much for your post! Blogging is so new to me and I apologize for not addressing your comments sooner. The tidbit about the house used in the Godfather is really interesting. I will try to walk by sometime soon to take some shots.
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