Jemima Wilkinson

they/them

1752 – 1819

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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.

Notable For

  • Rejecting both birth name and gendered pronouns after a spiritual awakening.
  • Founding the religious Society of Universal Friends, which was notable for its progressive views on gender and equality.
  • Advocating for abolitionism and the rights of women in ministry.
  • Establishing the community of Jerusalem, New York, as a utopian settlement for followers.

Sources

  • "The Public Universal Friend: Jemima Wilkinson and Religious Enthusiasm in Revolutionary America" by Paul B. Moyer
  • "The Notorious Jemima Wilkinson: America's First Female Prophet" by Michael W. Vella
  • New York Historical Society collections on the Public Universal Friend

Editorial History

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