Join us on June 5th at 12:30pm for a Lunch & Learn with Dr. Jane E. Calvert. Bring your lunch to Stenton for a lecture with Dr. Calvert, followed by a special tour of Stenton focusing on Logan/Norris/Dickinson objects. Dr. Calvert's book, Penman of the Founding: A Biography of John Dickinson will be available for purchase.

Talk Description: In the late-eighteenth century, the Logan and Norris estates of Stenton and Fairhill were vibrant centers of female creativity and empowerment. Calling themselves the “Rural Circle,” in the 1760s the Norris sisters of Fairhill, Mary (Polly) and Sarah (Sally), together with a bevy of single female cousins and aunts, cloistered themselves away from the pressures of male-dominated society. Taking inspiration from Fairhill’s beautiful gardens and expansive library, and with Quaker faith at the center, they chose pennames and wrote poetry to one another, extolling the virtues of female independence, honesty, simplicity, and patriotism. In 1770, Polly married one of the few men admitted to the Rural Circle, John Dickinson, who also happened to be the most famous American and leader of the resistance to Britain. The women’s influence on his political thought during the Revolution angered men such as John Adams, who disliked Quakerism and confessed “a Terrour of learned Ladies.” The spirit of the Rural Circle persisted into the Confederation period and Early Republic, with Dickinson’s enlightened political and social priorities reflecting the values he shared with his female Quaker relatives, who now included Deborah Norris Logan at Stenton and the Dickinsons’ daughters, Sally and Maria. Although it would be an exaggeration to claim that the Rural Circle changed the course of history, its bold rejection of oppressive societal norms foreshadowed achievements of later generations of reformers.

Bio: Dr. Jane E. Calvert received her PhD in early American history from the University of Chicago in 2003. Her work focuses on the intersection of theology and political thought in the Colonial and Founding eras. She published her first monograph, Quaker Constitutionalism and the Political Thought of John Dickinson, with Cambridge University Press in 2009, and in 2010, she founded the John Dickinson Writings Project to produce The Complete Writings and Selected Correspondence of John Dickinson. Volume Four (1767–1769) of thirteen was just completed. She taught history for 25 years at several institutions, including St. Mary’s College of Maryland, the University of Kentucky, and Yale University. Last year, she published Penman of the Founding: A Biography of John Dickinson with Oxford University Press. Her work has been supported by leading research libraries around the country and private foundations, as well as the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Historical Publication and Records Commission. Apart from John Dickinson and Quakerism, she has also worked on Thomas Paine and coauthored several amicus briefs to the US Supreme Court.

📖🚶‍♀️‍➡️🌳🕵️ Historic Germantown's Stamp Rally runs from April 19th through June 21st 2025. Stamp Rally Walks are a great way to begin or continue your Stamp Rally adventure while connecting with friends and neighbors.

This Walk: Stamp Rally Walk @ Allens Lane Art Center

⌚Friday, June 6th | 10:00–11:00am
📍Meet at: Allens Lane Art Center front entrance, 601 W Allens Ln, Philadelphia, PA 19119

Join us for a walk around the beautiful grounds of Allens Lane Park! Connect with nature, meet new friends, and learn about the history of the Art Center. Don’t forget to collect your stamp!

More info about the Stamp Rally