The author depicts vividly the rise and progress of Virginia's Quakers since 1655 - a golden thread shining in the warp and woof of America's history.

Jay Worrall uses diaries and journals to portray the personal lives and thoughts of early Quakers. He places Virginia Quakers solidly in the mainstream of pivotal events forging American history, while focusing on the individual or the family in the context of developing Virginia society.

Classic Quaker worship proceeds largely in silence. Amazingly, this style of worship led and still leads to pioneering in certain grand areas of social order: for peace and against slavery; for religious freedom; for civil rights; and for women's rights. The world view of The Friendly Virginians has affected their lives and characters and, as you may read, the ways of the larger society.

Jay Worrall, Jr., historian and veteran Quaker, took thirty years to research this never-before-told, engaging account. His scholarship and documentation fully support the pervasive impact of the Friendly Virginians on American history and society.

Seven persons knowledgeable about Virginia history or Quaker history critiqued this manuscript prior to publication. All seven made positive comments along with suggestions generally incorporated into the text:

"I thoroughly enjoyed reading it... Your research is excellent... Your writing is engaging."
     --Marilyn Brady, Professor of History, Virginia Wesleyan College

"It promises to be a standard work on Virginia Quakers... Well done!"
     --Benjamin Branch, Librarian-Archivist

"I enjoyed it all, every chapter... What a saga!"
     --Charles Fager, Biographer & Newsletter Editor

"A good, interesting book, and informative as all get out."
     --Werner Janney, retired editor National Geographic Magazine

"Your study of Friends in Virginia impresses me as, in the main, not only written with due care for the handling of evidence, but also well expressed... a compelling story."
     --Arnold Ricks, Professor of History, Bennington College

"Your narrative is brisk and highly readable... I like the way you've interwoven with your Virginia specifics the leading strands of Quaker history. I like the local color."
     --Herbert Tucker, Professor of English, University of Virginia

"As a historian of Virginia... I see this manuscript as very useful... full of learning, ideas and spirit."
     --Marie Tyler-McGraw, Senior Historian, Valentine Museum

Chapters include:

• The Quaker Way Comes to Virginia, 1655-1660
• Virginia's Quakers and the Right to Worship as One Wishes, 1660-1663
• In Which the Truth is Crushed to Earth, 1664-1677
• The Friendly Virginians Become Somewhat Respectable, 1677-1700
• At Last within the Law, 1700-1733
• West of the Blue Ridge, 1733-1750
• The Quaker Way Alters Course, 1750-1763
• Farewell, Britannia, 1763-1775
• The Friendly Virginians and the American Revolution, 1775-1781
• After So Many Ages, 1782-1800
• To the Western Waters, 1800-1820
• The Blood of Christ, 1820-1833
• On Laying Down Virginia Yearly Meeting, 1833-1850
• O, Virginia! Virginia!, 1850-1865
• They Leap the Hedge, 1865-1900
• Thee Interests Me, 1900-1950
• I Think of the Great Work, 1950-Now

Photographs, map, appendix, bibliography, and full name index.

The current reprint was first published in 1994 in a 2000-copy hardback edition, and it became an immediate classic. This reprint utilizes the original master text and photos of the hardbound first edition to produce a crisp, clean copy.

First edition (hardbound), 1994. Paper edition (2017).