The Duck Creek Meeting was very active until the 1830-40s. Over time there were several meeting houses, one of which was near downtown at E. Commerce and N. East streets; no longer standing.

Directions: Cemetery is on the northwest side of Duck Creek Parkway, between the road and the mill pond. There is now a sign marking the spot.

From Smyrna, head north on North Main Street and turn left at Duck Creek Parkway.

From the north, take Duck Creek Road at its intersection with Route 13. Pass Van Dyke Greenspring Road and Joe Goldsborough Road. The parkway is the next right.

The Duck Creek Meeting was very active until the 1830-40s. Over time there were several meeting houses, one of which was near downtown at E. Commerce and N. East streets; no longer standing.

Source for below: Phila Yearly Meeting history in 3 volumes written by Thomas Chalkley Matlack in typescript found in Friends Historical Library, Swarthmore College.

Location (now in) Smyrna, Del.

Meeting established before 1705

Monthly Meeting established 1705

Meeting House built before 1769

Boarding School established 1800

Boarding School discontinued 1805

Merged w/ Camden Delaware 1830

Preparative Meeting discontinued 1852

Meeting discontinued date unknown

Duck Creek property sold 1865

Duck Creek's history…practically forms the opening pages of of Camden's story, at least of its Monthly Meeting, for Duck Creek MM was merged into that of Camden in 1830. However, Duck Creek had been a prominent and important meeting for years before its decline, which caused it to be merged into Camden during 1830, and after that date it continued as a subordinate meeting 25 or more years. Duck Creek Meeting was established under Chester (Concord) Quarterly Meeting with which it continued subordinate until 1785, when it was transferred to what, four years later, was called Southern Quarter.

…but a meetinghouse was built and a graveyard used on the present site before that date, (1769) as mention is made of them in the deeds. On June 17, 1769, Thomas Woodward conveyed to Richard Holliday and Jeremiah Fisher, Trustees of the Quakers, a lot on which to build a meetinghouse….

On December 5, 1801, Robert Holliday of Duck Creek Hundred, sold to Solomon David, David West and Charles Green, belonging to the Preparative meeting of Duck Creek, 80 perches of ground.

…The old meetinghouse went rapidly into decay after 1800, until in 1830, nothing but its ruins stood. It was of stone and about 30x 25 feet in dimensions. At present (1888) not a vestige appears except a shallow cavity in the earth to show where its foundations were laid. The graveyard is the sole remaining evidence of what was formerly the most prosperous religious denomination in Duck Creek Hundred.

A schoolhouse was built of frame and was probably the first free school building in Duck Creek Hundred. (As of 1930s when Chalkley Matlack was writing) there is not a known Friend in the hundred at the present day. 

Note from researcher Kate O'Donnell: There is no known photograph of any Duck Creek Meetinghouse, though it could be assumed that it resembled Appoquinimink but somewhat larger, perhaps about the size of Camden. It is doubtful it was made of stone as there is very little native stone in Kent County, Delaware.

Further from Matlack found in FHL, Swarthmore College. "The property at Duck Creek is used solely for a Burial Ground, enclosed with a good fence." And "Camden Monthly Meeting held at Little Creek 2nd mo. 10, 1840 the Friends appointed to superintend the repairing of the MH at Smyrna are continued." Note: Camden Meeting and Little Creek Meeting were close together outside Dover, Del.

More reference to Camden Meeting Minutes "…committee on the subject of Duck Creek Preparative Meeting report that at an appointed meeting held at Smyrna at which most of the members of that meeting were present, they concluded that the time had now arrived when it would be best to lay down that Preparative Meeting and unite the members thereof to Little Creek Preparative Meeting, they consenting thereto, and, to permit an indulged meeting to be held there for the accommodation of Friends living in and near Smyrna. Which this meeting unites with."

IT GETS REALLY INTERESTING

Camden Monthly held at Little Creek 2nd mo 14th 1853:

The committee on the subject of the engine house (fire company) on our Meetinghouse lot at Smyrna handed a written agreement from the Commissioners of said Town which is as follows viz, "We the undersigned Commissioners of the Town of Smyrna, agree to pay to Camden Monthly Meeting of Friends, Two Dollars per year, for the use of the ground whereon the fire Engine House now stands belonging to the Town of Smyrna. Also we hereby agree to remove the said Engine House off of the Ground belonging to Camden Monthly Meeting whenever said meeting Shall sell said ground or otherwise desire to use it" Signed George W. Cummins (et al) Smyrna February 11, 1853

LATER

1857

Camden Monthly Meeting of Friends 5th mo. 18th 1857, The committee in the case of the application of John Huey, report that they are united in recommending the sale of three building lots of our property in the Town of Smyrna, to Witt: ‘One on Commercial Street, reserving an entrance to the meetinghouse five feet in width adjoining the property of Mary J. Offley (buried at Duck Creek Burial Ground); and two on the street back of the meetinghouse, reserving an entrance to the meetinghouse from said street ten or twelve feet in width.'

"…The Committee also informs, that they have rented our Meetinghouse in Smyrna to Jas. R. Clements and Benj'n Benson for the purpose of holding a Select School therein, at a quarterly rent of $12 and 50 cents."

1865

"The committee to visit the MH & property at Smyrna having performed that service report that all attended and after a careful examination of same, found the entire premises in a very dilapidated condition the house fast going to wreck and decay, a considerable hole in the roof, a portion of the brick wall falling out or had ben torn down, the glass nearly all broken out, the fence all gone, rendering the entire premises an open pasture for cattle—it has been in this condition for perhaps a year or more, or SINCE OCCUPIED BY THE SOLDIERS WHO OCCUPIED IT FOR PERHAPS A YEAR and left if in its present condition."

"It is our unified judgment that it is disreputable to the Society longer to retain it in its present condition and believing it not likely TO BE EVER NEEDED AGAIN as a place of Meeting, have no hesitation in reporting that it should be sold at public sale at an early day.

"We also visited the Burial Ground at old Duck Creek about a mile from Smyrna and found the fence enclosing same in a tolerable state of repair, it needed cleaning off from bushes, grass and weeds, which we ordered done, all of which is respectfully submitted."

  Signed Hunn Jenkins and Henry Cowgill -- Camden 7th mo 10th 1865