In 1776, the same year the Declaration of Independence was signed, Jemima Wilkinson of Rhode Island experienced a profound illness that dramatically altered her life. After five days of fever, she reported a celestial vision and, upon recovery, declared herself a non-gendered messenger of God, adopting the name Universal Friend. This transformation marked the beginning of a religious movement that would embody the aspirational ideals of the nascent United States in ways often overlooked by history.
Universal Friend, embracing a genderless identity and distinctive attire, founded the Society of Universal Friends. This sect attracted hundreds of followers drawn to Friend's eloquent message of universal salvation, equality, and community. In a society where political and social rights were largely restricted to white men of means, Universal Friend preached that all individuals, regardless of race or gender, were inherently worthy and capable of self-determination.
Friend insisted that followers release enslaved workers, some of whom subsequently joined the sect. Leadership within the Society was based on talent and aptitude rather than gender or race, allowing women to assume prominent roles as preachers and administrators. The sect’s tenets emphasized not only repentance and eternal happiness but also the pursuit of joy in earthly life. Universal Friend also proclaimed that women should "obey God rather than men."
Initially, Friend prophesied Judgment Day for April 1, 1790. When this did not occur, many believed it was a reprieve granted through Friend's intercessions. However, as the sect grew in popularity, so did hostility from outside critics. Negative press depicted followers as "ravening wolves" and Universal Friend as "the devil in petticoats."
To escape this burgeoning animosity, Universal Friend guided the Society westward to the Finger Lakes region of New York, then the western frontier. There, they established settlements where the principles of the Declaration of Independence—equality, unalienable rights, and the pursuit of happiness—were put into practice. These communities comprised diverse households of men, women, and children, including orphans, who lived and worked together as equals, making their own decisions about finances and daily life. Unlike other contemporary sects, such as the Shakers, Universal Friend did not impose strict rules on daily living, eating, working, or dress.
Notable residents included Chloe Towerhill, formerly enslaved, who lived with Friend until the minister's death, and Henry Barnes, who became an expert maple tree tapper. Lucy Brown, a single woman, built her own home on land gifted by Friend and started a cheese-making business. These settlements prospered for decades, known for their economic stability, social progressiveness, and positive relationships with neighbors, including Native Americans.
However, internal conflict arose when a group of male followers began to resent being led by someone they now perceived as "a deluded woman." Motivated by a desire for profit and power as land values increased, these individuals initiated a campaign of harassment and intimidation. They pursued legal actions to dispossess their neighbors and sought to have Universal Friend prosecuted for blasphemy.
The blasphemy case reached a new county courthouse, where judges had to determine if blasphemy remained a crime in the United States, given the nation's laws on freedom of speech and religion. Ultimately, the court ruled that blasphemy was no longer an indictable offense in America, dismissing the case. Judge Lewis reportedly commented that if they lived in harmony with what the woman had told them, they would "be sure to be good people and reach a final rest in heaven."
The land disputes were also eventually decided in favor of the Society, though this occurred after Universal Friend's death in 1819 at the age of 66. The legacy of Jemima Wilkinson and the Society of Universal Friends represents a radical, early attempt to live by the foundational ideals of American independence, offering a compelling, yet often forgotten, chapter in the nation's history.