Biography

Early Life #

Born in Cumberland, Rhode Island, Jemima Wilkinson was raised in a Quaker family during the American Revolutionary period. The family's religious background would later influence the Friend's spiritual teachings.

Spiritual Transformation #

In 1776, after a severe illness, Wilkinson experienced what was described as a death and rebirth, after which they took on the name Public Universal Friend and rejected both their birth name and gendered pronouns. The Friend claimed to be genderless and referred to themselves in the third person.

Ministry and Legacy #

The Public Universal Friend traveled throughout the northeastern United States, preaching a message that combined Quaker principles with millennialist Christianity. The Friend's rejection of traditional gender roles and advocacy for women's spiritual leadership was radical for the time.

Later Years and Death #

The Public Universal Friend spent their later years in the community they founded in Jerusalem, New York, where they died in 1819. The Friend's life and ministry left a lasting impact on American religious history and the history of gender nonconformity.