John Camm (1605 - bef. 1657)

Born 1605 in Camsgill, Kendal, Westmorland, England

Husband of Mabel (Unknown) Benson — married before 1641 in Westmorland, England

Descendants

Died before 10 Feb 1657 before age 52 in Camsgill, Kendal, Westmorland, England

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Biography

John was a Friend (Quaker)

John Camm, a successful yeoman among the group of early Quaker leaders and preachers known as the Valiant Sixty, was born in 1605 at Camsgill, Kendal, Westmorland, England. His son Thomas gave little information regarding his father's parentage other than, "Camsgil [sic]...hath been possessed by his Ancestors long before him" and that his parents and education were "honest and of good report."^[1] Son Thomas went on to write that his father enjoyed an above average share of worldly riches, was wise in worldly matters, and was of "noble spirit" and "profound in judgment."^[1] Thomas took a keen interest in religious life. He left the national church and may have been a presbyterian in Kendal by 1646, and later perhaps a Grindletonian, before joining the large gathering of Westmorland Seekers.^[2] John suffered from health issues and consumption requiring the assistance of Thomas with some frequency.^[2]

He married Mabel (unknown) by 1641. The names of only two children are known, Thomas and Ruth, the later passing away before age two in 1656. Mabel would later marry the Quaker Gervase Benson.^[2]

John was 'convinced' by George Fox during Fox's visit to Westmorland in 1652, presumably at the same meetings attended by his son Thomas and daughter-in-law, Anne, which resulted in their conversion. During these meetings Fox spent time at the Camm home.^[3]

Son Thomas wrote that his father's ministry took him through the northern counties, the Scottish border, and to London with Francis Howgill.^[1] In 1654, John and Howgill met with Oliver Cromwell to discuss concerns over the law punishing those who interrupted ministers.^[4] Making no headway, Camm would later twice write Cromwell regarding religious laws. in 1654 he also wrote two tracts on the subject, This was the Word of the Lord^[5] and Some Particulars Concerning the Law.^[5]

John Camm is indirectly responsible for the conversion of William Penn to Quaker beliefs for at Oxford in 1654 he 'convinced' Thomas Loe who later 'convinced' William Penn. John Camm travelled extensively with John Audland (whose wife Anne would later marry his son Thomas) and they preached to crowds numbering up to 1500 people. Their travels took them to Gloucestershire, Wales, Hereford, Chester and elsewhere. In 1654, with George Fox, John Audland, Edward Burrough and James Naylor, he was apprehended as a Franciscan friar after an incident at Bristol Bridge following complaints by priests and the involvement of the magistrates and mayor, for "their preaching was like that of the Apostles."^[6] Camm was never brought before a magistrate in the matter.

Following the Bristol incident, John became ill in March 1655 and Mabel attended him in Bristol. He then visited London, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire before returning to Bristol in November. He returned to Camsgill in early 1656 but succumbed to consumption and was buried 10 Feb 1657 at Birkrigg Park Quaker burial ground, Westmorland.^[7]

Known Children

• Thomas b 1641
• Ruth - b 2 Mar 1653,^[7] d 1656

Research Note

The minute book of Kendal Meeting has two entries for the burial of John. One dated 10 Feb 1657 and the other dated 7 Mar 1656. It appears there was confusion with the burial of his daughter Ruth.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Camm, John, The memory of the righteous revived:..., London, Andrew Sowle, 1689, unnumbered pages.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
3. ↑ John Tomkins, Piety promoted, in a collection of dying sayings of many of the people called Quakers : with a brief account of some of their labours in the Gospel, and sufferings for the same (ed. Evans, William, 1787-1867., Evans, Thomas, 1798-1868., Townsend, William P, Townsend, Anna Mary), Philadelphia, 1721, Vol I:55-57
4. ↑ William G Bittle. James Nayler 1618-1660, The Quaker Indicted by Parliament, William Sessions, 1986, p. 64
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Available at Early English Books Online with $ubscription
6. ↑ Besse, Joseph, A collection of the sufferings of the people called Quakers, London, Hinde, 1753 Vol I:39
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Society of Friends' Registers, Notes and Certificates of Births, Marriages and Burials. Records of the General Register Office, Government Social Survey Department, and Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, RG 6. The National Archives, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, England. Piece 1568: Monthly Meeting of Kendal: Register Book for Preston: Marriages (1660-1809); and Piece 1246: Quarterly Meeting of Westmorland (1649-1778)

See Also:

• W. Evans and T. Evans, eds., The Friends' Library, Philadelphia, 1841, Vol. 5
• C. W. Horle, ‘John Camm: profile of a Quaker minister during the interregnum’, Quaker History, 70 (1981), 69–83; 71 (1982), 3–15