William Edmundson travelled with George Fox to Jamaica, Barbados, and the colonies and played a prominent part in a significant public debate about the nature of Quakerism with Roger Williams, founder of the town of Providence in Rhode Island. Roger Williams was deeply antagonistic to the Quaker message, but the Quakers ‘won’ the debate, thus assuring RI as Quaker friendly for the next 100 years. Edmundson went on to Boston and Long Island, before returning home in 1672.

Long Island

Smithfield Friends Meeting House, Parsonage and Cemetery, is a Friends Meeting House of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), built 1719, rebuilt in 1881. It is located at 108 Smithfield Road (Route 146A) in Woonsocket, Rhode Island (across the street from North Smithfield). The meetinghouse is home to one of the oldest Quaker communities in the region.

The Meeting House, Adams MA, was active from 1782 to 1842 built by Quakers from Smithfield Ri & Dartmouth MA. Among its members was Susan B. Anthony, who was born in the area and who worshipped there as a child.