The Dorcas Society of Salem, Massachusetts was founded on October 17, 1811 by Abigail P. Lawrence, Judith King, and Sally Jenks. According to the record book, "The primary object is to provide clothing for the destitute." A secondary object of the society was to promote Dorcas Society members' reading of "such books as will be profitable and useful," in addition to Scripture, which were discussed at weekly meetings. The society consisted of two types of membership, active (of which there was a limit of thirty dues-paying women), and honorary (of which there was an indefinite number, who were not required to pay dues). Over the next six decades, the society collected monetary and garment donations which were then impartially distributed to women and children deemed necessitous by the society.