Christopher Holder was an early Quaker evangelist who was imprisoned and whipped, had an ear cut off, and was threatened with death for his religious activism in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and in England.
28 Facts About Christopher Holder
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2.
Christopher Holder went south to continue his missionary work during the winter, but returned to Massachusetts in 1659.
3.
In England Christopher Holder was able to confer with Quaker founder George Fox, and was likely involved in the excitement of new religious freedoms emanating from the Declaration of Breda and from the influence of Quaker Edward Burrough with the king.
4.
Christopher Holder was back in New England by 1663, but continued to travel extensively between New England, England, and the West Indies.
5.
Christopher Holder became a resident of Newport, Rhode Island, and twice married to Quaker activists.
6.
Christopher Holder had returned to England by the early 1680s, where, following continuing persecution of Quakers, he was arrested on several occasions and imprisoned for more than a year.
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Christopher Holder is best remembered for his leadership, evangelism, and sufferings in confronting the cruel anti-Quaker laws in the Massachusetts colony.
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Christopher Holder was born in Gloucestershire, near Bristol in western England, in about 1631 based on his age of 25 on a ship passenger list in 1656.
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Christopher Holder would spend much of his life in jail for his religious activism, being jailed as early as 1655 in Ilchester, Somerset for refusing to remove his hat.
10.
The group of eight was jailed, though Christopher Holder let it be known that there was no law for detaining them.
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Christopher Holder was of sufficient means to finance an expedition, but a ship was needed.
12.
Christopher Holder asked the master of the Speedwell to return his group to Boston, but Locke would not do it in the face of a 100-pound fine.
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However, Christopher Holder found a Quaker ship builder named Robert Fowler who had just finished a small barque and given it the name Woodhouse.
14.
Christopher Holder attempted to give a message from George Fox to the town's founder, Roger Williams, but Williams was not interested.
15.
Quaker persecution continued in many forms, and the Southwicks that were so supportive of Christopher Holder were imprisoned and eventually driven out of the Massachusetts colony.
16.
Seriously injured from the repeated beatings, Christopher Holder returned to the home of the Scotts in Providence where he was nursed to health.
17.
Christopher Holder returned to Rhode Island the following spring, and accompanied by 11-year-old Patience Scott and others, returned to Massachusetts.
18.
None of them was deterred, with Stephenson and Robinson going up to Salem and Christopher Holder going elsewhere in northern Massachusetts.
19.
Christopher Holder sent two men, one Simon Bradstreet and the other the minister who was the primary instigator of Quaker persecution, Reverend John Norton.
20.
Christopher Holder had purchased Patience Island from Roger Williams, and given it to his wife as a wedding gift.
21.
Christopher Holder traveled extensively, particularly in 1663, but was likely back in England in 1666 when his son was born in Gloucestershire.
22.
In 1672 Christopher Holder was with George Fox in New York, during the visit Fox made to New England.
23.
That Christopher Holder was very highly regarded in Rhode Island is evident from events in the mid-1670s.
24.
Christopher Holder was arrested again the following year, and incarcerated in Cornwall until 1685 when King James II released all of the Quakers being jailed throughout the kingdom.
25.
Christopher Holder retired from his missionary work following his release, being very tired from his strenuous existence and abuse.
26.
Christopher Holder was married twice, both of his wives being Quaker activists who were friends of each other and frequently supported their imprisoned Quaker friends.
27.
Christopher Holder had two children with his first wife and seven more with his second.
28.
Christopher Holder was married in 1691 to Elizabeth Daniell of Winterbourne, his residence at the time being given as Hallatrow in neighboring Somerset.