BULLETINS
OF THE
CHESTER COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
1898.
OFFICERS FOR 1898–9.
PRESIDENT.
George M. Philips.
VICE—PRESIDENTS.
Alfred Sharpless,
Joseph Thompson.
DIRECTORS.
Gilbert Cope,
Gibbons Gray Cornwell,
H. Rush Kervey,
Samuel Marshall,
George M. Philips.
COUNCILLORS.
Rebecca M. Hemphill,
Alice Lewis,
Edwin A. Barber,
James Monaghan,
William P. Sharpless,
J. Preston Thomas.
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.
William T. Sharpless.
RECORDING SECRETARY.
Gilbert Cope.
TREASURER.
Charles R. Hoopes.
CURATORS.
Alice Lewis,
William T. Sharpless.
PFOCEEDINGS OF A MEETING
OF THE
Chester County Historical Society,
HELD NOVEMBER 18, 1897.
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[ Reprinted from the Daily Local Nezvs. J
The fourth and last of the Stated
quarterly meetings of the Chester Coun-
ty Historical Society was held last even-
ing in Library Hall, and the attendance
Was Very good. The President, Dr.
Geo. M. Philips, was in the chair. The
minutes of the previous meeting Were
read and approved.
MANY GIFTS RECEIVED,
The report of the curators showed
the following gifts to the Society since
the last meeting:
|Presentations to Historical
11-18, 1897:
Albert Commons, of Wilmington, Del.,
presents his portrait; also a map of the
lower part of Red Clay Creek and vicin-
ity, showing the roads, mills and other
buildings which were there in 1777, and
locating an entrenchment made by the
American Army while encamped there
just prior to the Battle of Brandywine.
Two letters from Isaac Yearsley, Jr.,
to Franklin Commons, in 1842, in refer-
ence to their lyceum. Another letter to
E. Commons from Joseph G. Harlan,
1841, then a student at Westtown Board-
ing School, of which he was afterwards
a teacher. A certificate from the School
Board of East Caln, to Franklin Com-
mons, 1842, accompanied by a letter
from George W. Price, son of Issachar
Price, of Downingtown. A note from
Thomas Garrett, the staunch Abolition-
ist, of Wilmington, 1853, giving informa-
tion of the death of his widowed
daughter, Sally Hewes. A copy of the
Declaration of Independence, finely ex-
ecuted on a small card. Copy of the
Public Ledger, September 20, 1838. Copy
of the Kennett Square Free Press, Sep-
tember, 18, 1855. Copy of the Delaware
Weekly Republican, April 5, 1860. The
Anglo SacSun, a phonetic newspaper,
Society,
printed at New York, 1847. A four shil-
ling note of the colonial currency of
Delaware, 1876. -
From Dr. W. D. Hartman, a copy of
the history of the Old Eagle School,
Tredyffrin, at which his father, Major
General George Hartman, studied sur-
veying.
From Mrs. Sarah H. Morrison, Coch-
ranville, a copy of the twelfth anniver-
sary sermon of Dr. J. R. Polk, at Fagg’s
Manor.
County Directory of Schools from
Prof. F. P. Bye for 1897.
The thanks of the Society are extend-
ed along with the acknowledgment Of
their receipt by the curators.
THE OLD INDIAN FORT.
President Philips introduced Alfred
Sharpless, who proceeded to read a very
able paper upon “The Old Indian Fort
On the Brandywine.”
We give this interesting paper in full,
as read by Mr. Sharpless. It was als
follows:
The Old Indian Fort.
The red man in his natural State, or
rather the condition in Which he was
found by the white man on his first ar-
rival in the new world, has departed from
the bounds of Chester county, never to
return to reclaim his inheritance, Dr
shed a tear Over the graves Of his anceS-
tors. The few Short years that have
passed since he roamed the forests here
in perfect freedom, and Whose title to the
land was unquestioned, his title deeds
being in his own brawny muscles, have
served to cover almost every trace of
him with Oblivion.
Such as still do occasionally stray with-
in our boundary lines at the present time
Come as Strangers to a Strange land.
They come in the habilaments of the
White man, and are only distinguishable
by their peculiar color, and facial pecu-
liarities.
The blanket, and deerskin Serape have
been thrown aside, and he is no longer
Seen carrying his bow and arrow at his
back as Was not infrequently the case
Within the memory of some of our older
people. He makes no more stone axes,
arrow heads, or other implements at the
present day Out of fragments of hard
rock, nor do many of the survivors of
his race even know of the use of Such
implements by their ancestors.
Of the Lenni Lenape who once travers-
ed the grand forests of Chester county
depending principally upon the game
these aforded for sustenance, a brave
and numerous tribe, who with stone
pointed arrows, sharpened flint knives,
and heavy Stone tomahawks, did not fear
to meet the great bears, fierce panthers,
Or Stately Stags Of the forest in deadly
Combat, We have now only the name
left. Indian Hannah was the last relic
Of her race to die on this their native
Soil in 1803, at the age of nearly one hun-
dred years. Her story is told in the his-
tory of Chester county, a short but Sad
One. A Small remnant of the tribe went
West only a short time before her death
to try and establish a new home, hoping
there to avoid contact with the hated
white man. If any of their descendants
Survive they are no longer known to us
as Lenni Lenape. True, We Still have
some traditions of the red men of this
section, handed down from old Settlers.
We Still retain a few names for Certain
localities derived from them. We have
some little history of their latter dayS
here, but it is very imperfect.
These, with many facts in regard to
the habits, modes of living, their path-
ways, camping grounds, and Cemeteries,
well known to Our forefathers a Century
ago, are fast being obliterated and lost
sight Of.
A pathway leading from the Delaware
to the Susquehanna River used by the
Indians as a common highway in their
annual trips to the latter river during
the season. When shad were abundant in
the sallow waters around the island at
Peach Bottom, ran through the length of
Chester county from east to west, and
portions of it were well known to many
of our farmers along the route less than
three quarters of a century ago. Prob-
ably there is not a man living at the
present day that can point out one hun-
dred yards of the exact line of that Once
well defined pathway. We only know
that it came across what used to be call-
ed the “Eighty Acre Woods,” passing
near a large spring on the farm of the
late Samuel Darlington, thence running
to the westward passed a very short dis-
tance south of the present borough line
of West Chester by a spring on the pro-
perty of John and M. Darlington, thence
through the properties of W. T. Ingram
and the late Emmor Davis, on each of
which was a Spring of good Water.
Thence on by the present site of Scon-
Inelltown School House and to near a.
spring at the Western end of Dr. Baker’s
farm, then on to the old Jefferis farm,
and across a ravine to the property of
Dr. Jacob Price On each of which Were
to be found strong Springs of good Water.
From thence the route led over the hill
almost directly towards the forks of the
Brandywine, not far from which and be-
fore reaching the creek is another good
Spring, or rather it was there in Our boy-
hood days and previous, but is now
closed up, on the property of George
Little, near which on top of the hill Was
a well marked camping site from which
We remember to have picked up two
Stone axes and many arrowheads. In
fact camping sites are to be found at Or
near all springs of good water in every
part of our county. The route of the
pathway was by no means a straight
line, but wound around so as to take in
convenient springs lying near the gen-
eral line of direction. On the JefferiS
property, near the pathway, if not di-
rectly on it, was a quarry of quartzoze
rock from which the natives obtained
material for their arrow and spear heads.
A great majority of the arrowheads
found in this county are formed from
this stone, and many of them no doubt
Côi Iſle originaliy from this quarry.
Beyond the Brandywine I have no
knowledge of the route of the pathway,
but suppose its terminus to have been at
Or near Peach Bottom, where on the is-
land a vast number of implements have
been found by collectors. The end of the
pathway may have been at Bald Friar,
a few miles below Peach Bottom, where
are still to be seen many pictured or
carved rocks in the river, the work of
the aborigines.
I Would be glad to hear from any one
having knowledge of this pathWay
through Southern Chester and Lancaster
Counties.
Less than a half mile above the forks.
Of the Brandywine On the West bank of
the east branch, and on the farm of the
late Emmor Seeds, is a collection of rocks
known to few of the oldest residents as
the Old Indian Fort. They are out of
sight from the creek and have long been
covered by a dense growth of timber, So
that visitors to that part of the Creek
have seldom seen or noticed the group
of rocks, or observed the manner of their
arrangement.
These rocks are located at the brow of
a sharp hill, about eighty feet above the
level of the Creek, and not more than
one hundred and fifty feet from it at the
nearest point. About One hundred yards
from this point down the stream, is a.
Spring of good water on the Shaw pro-
perty, formerly known as the Molly
Chamberlin Spring to the followers of
the gentle Isaaz Walton, who in olden
times frequented the banks of this
Stream, and here they found a pleasant
Spot to open their lunch baskets for re-
freshments, and perhaps enjoy a refresh-
ing siesta, after the labors of the morn-
ing. Fishermen are noted as a class for
being tired, that is constitutionally tired.
I am Somewhat of a fisherman myself.
It must be remembered that previous
to the advent of the White man and his
improvements along this Stream that
shad in considerable quantities ascended
it to points above this,
Old men have told me that they have
Seen this excellent fish caught above
Jefferis’ Ford in their younger days. So
probably this has been a favorite camp-
ing ground Of the Lenni Lenape in the
Spring of the year. The Old Fort is form-
ed by two or three large rocks that pro-
ject from the hill side, covering a space
of about fifteen by twenty feet. Under
these is a cave or Space varying in height
from five feet to less than a foot, and ex-
tending back some twelve or fourteen
feet. Around the mouth of this cave is a
pathway from six to ten feet in width,
with large bowlders bordering the outer
edge When I first saw it many years ago.
One or two have since been thrown off
the platform if I am not mistaken. A
half dozen persons or more could find
convenient shelter in the cave from any
Storm. The timber has all been cut alway
from around the fort within the last year
Or two, and a stump in the old pathway
in front of the cave shows the ring
marks of considerably more than one
hundred years of growth. A short dis-
tance back of and nearly on a level with
the top of the rocks is a small spot of
ground Said to have been cleared by the
Indians and used by them in growing
Such vegetables as they were accustom-
ed to use for food. There is no evidence
of forest trees ever having grown on
this spot. I am told by an old resident on
this farm that there was formerly a well
WOrºn path Way from this garden spot
leading down to the Chamberlin Spring,
but the Whole hillside is now so over-
grOWn. With brush, briars, and weeds
that the pathway can no longer be trac-
ed. From the top of the rocks may
now be had a very pretty view up the
valley of the Brandywine, where the
stream makes a graceful turn below. Jef-
feris’ bridge to the west running direct-
ly, towards, the rock, for nearly a half
mile through the pretty meadows of the
Mrs. Chas. . Roberts property. No
doubt this old Fort was often a resting
place and a shelter for parties of nomads
as they paSSed to and fro between the
Telaware and Susquehanna Rivers, as it
could not have been far from their great
pathway, and having convenient, ford:
ing places in the immediate vicinity. It
may have been the site of many a san-
guinary battle of which we have no
record, as the approach to it must al-
ways have been very difficult and dan-
gerous to a storming party.
The only tradition in relation to the
Fort that we have been able to obtain
comes down to us through one of the old
inhabitants of the neighborhood.
He states that an alarm Came One
morning and spread rapidly around
amongst the neighbors, that a party of
Indians on the war path were coming
down the Creek road and soon Was heard
what appeared to be the screaming and
yelling of a large party of Savages.
The neighbors hurriedly assembled
With guns and pitchforks at the Old
Fort as the best place for defence. Later
the cause of alarm proved to have come
from a farmer’s ox cart that was coming
down from the valley hills making a
great screeching, the farmer having
failed to grease the axle before starting
in the morning. This is said to have been
the last Indian Scare in Chester county.
IMARPKERS SUGGESTED.
When Mr. Sharpless had concluded the
reading Of his paper the President ask-
ed if any one had anything to say upon
the subject.
J. Newton Huston, Esq., suggested
that it would be well if the Historical
Society would take steps to have an
appropriate marker set up at the site
of the old fort, and at points along the
line of the Old Indian trail. “These
points will,” he said, “be quite as inter-
esting to future generations as the
routes marched over by armies and
their proper marking would preserve
the knowledge of them.” -
Prof. Philips said: “That should be re-
ferred to the proper committee and will
no doubt be the subject of consideration
by them.”
COLONIAL LEGISLATION.
An Able Paper Read by Miss Isabel
Darlington
Miss Isabel Darlington, who has the
distinction of being the only woman on
the roll of Chester county attorneys, was
introduced and read a carefully pre-
pared and very instructive paper upon
the theme of “Colonial Legislation in
Pennsylvania. Between 1700 and 1724.”
Miss Darlington introduced her subject
With the following language:
“I love the Quakers! Yes, if the Sea.
did not make me so ill, in thy bosom, O
Pennsylvania, would I finish my days!”
Now a more incongruous figure amid
the rude simplicities of colonial life
Could hardly be conceived than that of
Voltaire, that brilliant Sycophant of the
Courts Of kings, the author of these
words, and yet they have an interest as
indicating the reputation for tolerance
and prosperity which Colonial Pennsyl-
vania, bore in Europe. From its outset
the Colony enjoyed a certain distinction
by reason of the extraordinary positionſ
of its proprietor. William UPenn was the
advocate and champion of a Sect de-
Spised by the arisłocracy, and yet as the
Son of a great admiral, he won the royal
favor and secured the princely grant of
a fee simple title to over forty thousand
square miles of territory. The land was
to be held ‘‘in free and common SOCage,
by fealty only for al 1services, and pay-
ing therefore, to us, our heires and suc-
cessors two beaver skins to bee delivered
at our said Castle of Windsor, on the
first day of Januarie in every yeare.”
The Province and Seigniore of Pennsyl-
vania, thus created was in effect a huge
fief held of the crown by its proprietor,
who was not only feudal lord of the Soil,
but governor of the province as well.
This vesting of the government and the
absolute ownership of the land in the
same individual was a fruitful source of
struggle between the Proprietors and the
people, the authority of the Proprietors,
however, survived royal jealousy, fam-
ily dissensions and political attackS.
With the exception of the years from
1692 to 1694, Penn and his sons and their
sons held the Province down to the
American Revolution, a period of 94
years. The creation and possession to
himself and his children, for so long a
period, of so vast an estate, is unique
in history.
Charles II in his charter, empowered
“the Proprietor, his heires, their depu-
ties and lieutenants to ordeyne, make,
enact and under his and their Seales to
publish any Lawes whatsoever, * * *
'by and with the advice, assent and ap:
probacon of the freemen of the Said
countrey, or the greater part of them,
or of their delegates or deputies, pro-
vided that a transcript or duplicate of
all lawes which shall been scre as afore-
said made and published within the said
province shall within five years after the
making thereof, be transmitted and de-
livered to the Privy Council * * * and
if any of the said lawes, within the
space of six months shall be adjudged
and declared to bee void, then they shall
become void, otherwise shall remaine
and stand in full force.” As a matter
of practice, the laws were first examined
by the Lords Commissioners of Trade
and Plantations and generally upon
their report and under the advice of the
Attorney General passed upon and al-
lowed or disallowed by the Privy Coun-
cil.
This supervisory power was exercised
with no sparing hand. Of the first batch
of 105 laws sent over by the Governor
and Proprietor, 52 were disallowed. The
grounds of disallowance were various,
the most usual being that “The law of
England was not so. Acts which spoke
of offences against “the governmenu,”
instead of “her Majesty’s government,”
were struck down wholesale; an act
passed for special protection of the Pro-
prietor and Governor, and one for COn-
firming the privileges of a freeman,
were rejected as reflecting upon the pro-
tection already afforded by law to Her
Majesty’s subjectS.
The commercial interests of England
were never lost sight of ; when the colon-
ists sought to prevent trie sale of ill-
tanned leather, the Commissioners ob-
jected, “It can not be expected that en-
couragement should be given by law to
the making of any manufactures in the
plantations, it being against the advan-
tage of England;” and later when in J..e
efforts to foster the home consumption
of grain, an act was passed forbidding
the use of molasses or coarse sugar in
the brewing of beer Or ale, it was sub-
mitted, “This act has a very bad ten-
dency to encourage tillage to the hurt
of Great Britain, and to discourage the
Sugar colonies, which ought for the
good of Great Britain to be encouraged.”
Where the interest anu dignity of the
home government were not concerned,
the Council exercised in most cases a
Salutary restraint. Many acts were dis-
'approved because of the uncertainty of
their terms and their liability to arbi-
trary Construction, for example the act
against Scolding, where scolds were
designated as persons “clamorous with
their tongues” and the penalty was “to
be gagged and stand in some public
place” without Saying how long; some
because the penalty was inhumane, as
Selling burglars and perSons guilty of
arSon, When una, e to make fourfold
satisfaction, Or Lunreasonable, “as laying
a penalty on a person for drinking
healths, without being drunk;” some
because a crime was declared without
the requirement of evil intent, where
such intent Was essential, as the act
against impurder Where the the words
“wilfully or premeditately kill another”
Were used instead of “wilfully and pre-
meditately, for that wilful killing alone
may be in a sudden affray.” .
The Assembly, nothing daunted, upon
notice of repeal would reassemble and
re-enact “Such Of the Saide lawes as
were of importance to the countrey,”
answering, or attempting to answer in
form at least, the Cºbjections made
against them. It is almost puzzling to
read consecutively these two volumes,
covering a short period of 24 “ears; you
feel as if you Were progressing in a
Circle, meeting as you do, SO many acts
practically the same, two and three
times, and finding in the appendices the
same objections urged against them. It
is calculated to inspire at least admira–
tion for the tenacity of purpose and per-
Sistence of effort Of Our forefathers.
Some times the action Of the Assembly
came very near Open defiance: in one
instance, to the objection that a la W Was
not conformaſble to the indulgence al-
lowed the Quakers in England, they re-
plied “that it was as nearly agreeable as
to their convenience might be.”
The legislation of the period, to which
we are directing Our attention to-night,
from 1700 to 1724, found in Volumes II
and III of the Series of twelve to be
published by the Commission on Colon-
ial Legislation prior to 1800, appointed by
the act of Assembly of May 19th, 1887,
nay be regarded as practically the be-
ginning of our system of law. Before
leaving England. Penn had drafted a
frame of government and a body of
laws known as the “Laws agreed upon
in England,” but these, together with
the laws passed in the Province between
1682 and ſé92, had been abrogated or dis-
regarded by the royal Governor, Fletch-
er. When petitioned by the Assembly to
confirm their rights and liberties, he
bluntly replied, “These laws and that
model of government is dissolved and at
an end.” Between Penn’s restoration in
1694 and his arrival in the Colony in
1699, little or no legislation was passed.
The firs; act passed at that “General
Assembly begun and holden at New-
castle, the 14th day of October, 1700,”
was one concerning liberty of Con-
science: “Every person who shall confess
and acknowledge one Almighty God, to
be the Creator, Upholder and the Ruler
of the World, and that he is obliged in
conscience to live peaceable and quietly
under the civil government, every per-
son so professing is to be unmolested
for his conscientious persuasion or prac-
tice.” This was a broad platform for
those days, or any days for that mat-
ter; we have hardly grown up to it yet—
but to the end “that looseness, irreligion
and a theism may not creep in under pre-
tense of conscience,” it was further en-
acted “that according to the example of
the primitive Christians, and for the
ease of creation, every first day of the
Week, called the Lord's Day, people shall
abstain from their usual and common
toil and laſbor, that whether masters,
parents, children or servants, they may
the better dispose themselves to read
the Scriptures of truth at home, or fre-
quent such meetings of religious worship
abroad as may best Suit their respective
persuasions.”
his act was pleasing to the Attorney
General in no particular, “no regard be-
ing had in it to the Christian Religion,
tand also for that in the indulgence al-
lowed to the Quakers in England (which
Sort of people are also the principal in-
habitants of Pennsylvania), they were
Obliged by declaration to profess faith in
the Trinity and to acknowledge the
Scriptures of the Old and New Tesua-
ment to be given by divine inspiration,
tand also for that none can teſl what
Conscientious practices allowed by the
act may extend to and also for that on
Sunday they are only enjoined for their
ease to abstain from labor and toil.”
The Assembly in 1706 passed another
law meeting the objections as to the
Trinity, and inspiration of the Scriptures,
and omitting the portion of the former
act to the effect that anyone abusin - or
deriding any other for his or her dif-
ferent persuasion and practice of re.-g-
ion should be looked upon as a disturber
Of the peace. The restraining of the ped-
ple from labor on the first day of the
Week was made the subject of a sep-
a rate act and both were allowed to be-
Come laws by lapse of time, in accord-
ance with the proprietary charter, hav-
ing been considered by the Queen in
Council and not acked upon.
TAFCING OF OATHS.
The manner prescribed for taking of
Oaths and affirmations in the Colony
Was a departure from that established
in England, as Miss Darlington showed
in the following language:
an England Parliament had enacted a
form of affirmation to be taken y
Quakers in lieu of an oath: “I do de-
Clare in the presence of Almighty God
the witness of what I say,” by it was
eXpressly provided that they should not
be allowed to give evidence in criminal
Cases, to Serve on juries, or to bear any
Office of profit in the government. Penn
in One of his memorials to the Lords
Commissioners on this subject, said:
“Such a law in Pennsylvania, means an
entire failure of justice, for want of
magistrates and officers, juries, etc., who
Can in conscience take an oath, so great-
ly doth the number of people called
Quakers exceed that of all other per-
Suasions in that province. * * * I can
not. See any reason to oust the people,
that made it a country, from ...ie gov-
ernment of it for their tenderness aſbout
an Oath, that went thither to avoid it
with other things.”
The act passed by the Assembly in the
session of 1700 was to the effect that all
Witnesses might give evidence by sol-
emnly promising to speak the trut,..., and
nothing but the truth, to the matter or
thing in question, false witness being
treated as perjury, the name of God not
being mentioned.
This act, together with those passed
in the sessions of 1705-6, 1710–11, 1715, of
the same tenor, was repealed in Council,
for practically the same reason, that
they exceeded the indulgence allowed
the Quakers in England.
To this Objection the Assembly on One
occasion opposed the ingenious argu-
ment “that it was certainly considered
and expected at the time of the royal
grant that their acts might in Some
measure differ from those in England,
otherwise those in England would suffice
and no such power for altering them
needed to have been granted.”
When Lieutenant Governor Evans for-
warded the act of 1705-6, he accompanied
it with a letter which shows that the
Assembly at that early date had evolved
the method of legislative Warfare Which
they used with such effect in their later
history. He writes: “The country would
by no means be satisfied or the Assem-
bly depart, Or at least agree &O any-
thing or what importance soever lunless
they could have that piece of regard
shown to the exigencies Of their circum-
stances which they said so loudly called
for it. What in no Small measure pre-
vailed on me to agree to this bill so far
as I have done, was that it really very
much exceeds what could be expected
from an Assembly Of this Province at
this time. The representatives looked
upon it of so great importance * * *
that without it they could not account
they had done anything, and seemed to
take it more unkind of me to hesitate
upon it because they had Strained to the
utmost £o come up to What the Queen's
order seemed to require of t...em.”
The contest awakened interest in a
neighboring province. The minister,
church wardens and vestry of the
Church of St. Mary, in Bridlington, now
Burlington, New Jersey, felt constrained
to utter their remonstrance to the Queen.
They predicted “the entire ruin of our
church and State if these enemies of
both, who never want the will When they
have the power to hurt us, be emi-
powered by a law to destroy Our re-
ligion, lives, liberties, reputations and
estates, at their pleasure.” I think the
zeal of the worthy churchmen to Strike
at a rival sect somewhat exaggerated
the dangers to them in the situation.
THE CRIMINAL CODE.
Some important changes were made in
the Criminal code at that early date.
They were generally a modification of
the English system in the direction of
clemency. “The death penalty could
only be inflicted for murder, in the case
Of a white man.” A distinction was
made in the case of negroes which even
the Friends seem then to have regarded
as a dangerous class. An act passed in
1700 established a special court for their
trial, consisting of two justices and Slk
Of the most influential freeholders, with
power to inflict capital punishment in a
number of offences. By a later act a
Section was added “making it an Of-
fense for more than four negroes to be
together unless upon lawful business of
their master.”
The Indians were specially protected.
Any offence against them was punish-
able as Would be a like Offence against
an Englishman, with a discretion in the
justice to add a fine not exceeding five
pounds.
Various acts attempting to regulate
the social and moral habits of the peo-
ple were cited and much of an interest-
ing character given concerning them.
Legislation relative to the establishment
of courts and providing a proper cur-
rency Was discussed at considerable
length, and the opposition encountered
in the Privy Council of the Eing of
Great Britain, where much of this legis-
lation Was overruled, was given with
much detail.
THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.
As to the administration of justice in
the Colony, Miss Darlington spoke as
follows:
Most interesting in , connection with
this early statutory legislation is an ad-
dress, delivered by Judge Pennypacker,
of , Philadelphia, and afterwards publ.
lished in a little volume entitled “Penn-
Sylvania Colonial Cases.” In the twenty
or Odd more cases, there cited, he gives
a quite complete picture of the mode of
life, language and manners of the early
Settlers of Pennsylvania.
There are two cases which should have
more than a passing interest for us. In
Proprietor versus George Keith, Wm.
Bradford, Thos. Budd and Peter Boss,
for the first time in the history of Eng’
lish jurisprudence, a Court of Čompetent
jurisdiction 1eft to the jury the ques-
tion of the determination of the seditious
character. Qf an alleged libelous publica-
tion. David Paul Brown commenting on
the case in the Forum wrote: “We have
in this trial evidence of the fact that
On the . Soil of Pennsylvania her judges
maintained in 1692, with a precisión not
Since Surpassed, a principle in the law
9f libel hardly then conceived anywhere
but Which, now protects every publica-
tion in this State and in much of our
Union.” The second case which I read
With a great deal of interest is Proprie-
tor.Y.S. Mattson, tried before the Council
in 1682. This was the first and last trial
for Witchcraft held within the limits of
Pennsylvania. The evidence was of that
flimsy Sort Which in that day, when be-
lief in Witchcraft was almost universal
among Civilized nations, was sufficient
to gondemn to death many a p0GT
Wretch. Penn charged the jūry. They
Went forth and upon £neir return
“broughte her in guilty of haveing the
çommon fame of a witch but not guilty
in manner and form as she stands in-
afted.
Qan not refrain from quotin alt
length. Judge Pennypacker's *śaii.
remarks: “These cases show us that law.
in that early time was administered in
Pennsylvania with a considerable meas.
ure of technical skill, and what is of far
mºre importance, that , an enlightened
Spirit Of justice and fairness controlled
both the findings of juries and the decis-
ions of judges. * * Poor creatures
endangered by the credulous Sll perS LA-
tion of the age appear to have gone into
those primitive courts with a faith jus-
tified by , the event that neither pre-
judice, interest nor fanaticism would be
thrown into the Scale against them.
Gross Crimes u1d not occur and ferocious
punishments were never inflicted. There
is but one instance prior to 1700 of the
infliction of the death penalty and that
W2.S for the crime of murder. * * *
The blood of man or woman Whipped
through, the public streets for difference
Of opinion never Stained the soil of
Pennsylvania. It may well be a SOurce,
not of boastfulness, but of pride that
our jurisprudence from its very begin-
ning, justifies to a large extent the ap-
preciative language of the Abbe Raynal
When he says: ‘If despotism, SuperSti-
tion or war again plunge Europe into
the barbarism from which the arts and
philosophy have rescued it, these illum.
inations of the human mind Will flash
forth in the New World and the light
will first appear in Philadelphia.’”
The paper was well received and the
skill and discretion shown by Miss Dar-
lington in the selection of its materials,
the arrangement of them and her com;
ments thereon show her to have a mind
well trained and furnished in legal mat-
ters. Beside all that the paper is valu-
abel because of its historic merit. t
On motion of Dr. J. T. Rothrook at
vote of thanks was extended to the
Speakers of the evening for their in-
structive, and able lectures, after which
the meeting adjournièd.
A History of Railroading in Chester County,
By ALFRED SHARPLESS.
Prepared at the request of the Chester County Historical Society.
[Reprint from the Daily Local News of Jan. 20, 1898. ]
Having been urged by some of my old
friends to leave
behind me SOme
record of mily rec-
ollections Of the
advent of rail-
roading in Ches-
ter county, I have
concluded to thro W
upon paper a few
of Such reminis-
cences as have
been presented to
memory in leisure
moments t h a t
may possibly in-
terest Some of those who have come up-
on the stage of life at a later date, when
the iron rail had become an assured fact
or steam had even become threatened
with displacement by electricity as a mo-
tive power.
TO Others my notes will be a bygone,
too tedious and dull to attract attention.
I would Only claim that I should not
be held to any very strict account as to
dates, as my notes must necessarily be
largely from memory only. One may
easily make mistakes as to the date of
events that have passed over his head
without record more than a half century
agO.
Quarters of a century we have been pass-
ing through an era of progress unknown
to the World before.
phenomenal advances in that time, his-
torical events have Occurred with Such
rapidity and kiterally been sent with light-
ning speed all over the earth, so that the
historian of to-day finds himself encum-
bered with matter too voluminous even
for his ever greedy pen. I will be con-
tent to jot down a few facts in plain lan-
guage, with no attempt to cover the
whole ground, leaving it open for some
more polished scribe.
CONESTOGA, WAGONS FRECALLED.
Between the years 1820 and 1833 the
freighting and passenger business be-
tween Philadelphia and Pittsburg had as-
..sumed quite large proportions, consider-
ing the means by which it was carried
on. A line of four-horse stages was run
through Chester county along the Lan-
Caster pike and had become quite profit-
able to its owners. The freighting was
And then within the last three-
Science has made.
mostly done by wagons owned by far-
mers in Chester, Lancaster, Berks and
Bucks counties. Nearly every farmer
owned one of these large wagons, which
were strongly built, with high Wheels
and calculated to carry about two tons.
Each was fitted with a lock chain for One
hind wheel, or in some cases for both for
use in crossing the mountains. Hickory
bows were fitted to the wagon sides and
over these was a canvas cover to protect
the cargo in case of stormy weather, the
trough hung at the tail of the Wagon,
while a water and a tar bucket SWung un-
der the hind axle. These were known as
Conestoga wagons, and were drawn by a
team of four, five or six horses. At
certain seasons of the year and especially
after harvest, young farmers and even
ambitious boys of fifteen years of age
would drive to Philadelphia and Secure
a load for the far West, Pittsburg being
understood as that point. A half dozen
or more would agree to travel in Com-
pany for the sake of mutual help in case
of accident or sickness or trouble of any
kind. The cargo would mostly consist of
supplies for country stores, such as a
hogshead of molasses, one of Sugar, With
boxes of dry goods and other lighter air-
ticles carefully packed around them.
THE VARIOUS WAYSIDE INNS.
Taverns lined the main road to Pitts-
burg within a few miles of each other, in
front of which the wagons would be lined
up for the night. The horses would be
unhitched and tied to the trough, Which
was firmly attached to the Wagon tongue,
and there fed with oats or corn obtained
at the inn. The drivers, after a hearty
supper, would roll themselves up in blan-
kets, carried for the purpose, and lie
down on the barroom floor, or perhaps On
top of the load in the wagon to be near
their horses, for a night’s rest. When
the roads were bad the wagons took the
Lancaster pike through Chester county,
but if good they took the Strasburg rotad
through West Chester. The road was
much more hilly, but toll charged on the
pike was saved. We remember to have
seen as many as twenty of these Wagons
in a string, following each other closely,
going through the town. Occasionally a
fine team of Sturdy horses would carry
bells attached to the tops of their hames,

and they seemed to appreciate the
music, while it cheered the whole train.
The business afforded quite a considera–
ble revenue to the farmers of Chester
County at a time When Otherwise their
horses would be idle. The trips to Pitts-
burg and return required from four to
Six Weeks’ time, depending on the condi-
tion of the roads and the loads carried.
A bright boy of fifteen years, large enough
to harness a team, was often sent on
these trips. I have seen boys that had
to climb on the tongue of their wagons to
mount their wheel horse, crack their
blackSnake whips over the backs of their
five horses and start for Pittsburg with
all the confidence of a veteran. The aver-
age value of a trip to the owner of a team
was about one hundred dollars, or if he
was fortunate enough to get a back
freight of FCentucky tobacco or Ohio Wool
he would make it fifty dollars more.
Often a Western horse Was added to the
team on the return trip, which would
be saleable at an advanced price on ar-
rival at home.
WHEN RAILROADS WIERE FIRST
THOUGHT OF.
From about 1823 and after there began
to be much talk about railroads whatever
they might he. There were none in this
country, but Some short Ones had been
built in England, but as yet no One in
this country had much knowledge about
them. Between 1823 and 1828 Several at-
tempts had been made to organize a com-
pany to construct a railroad to connect
with the canals of the State, and thus
form a through freight and passenger
line to Pittsburg, but capitalists did not
take hold and each fell through.
THE BIRTH OF THE STATE R. R.
In 1828 the act was passed by the Legis-
lature to “provide for the commence-
ment of a railroad to be constructed at
the expense of the State, and to be styled
the “Pennsylvania Railroad,’ ” directing
that twenty miles at each end of the line
from Philadelphia to Columbia, be at once
put under construction. Soon after this
the prominent people of West Chester be-
gan to talk railroad, and about how much
more a horse could draw on one than he
could on a common dirt FOad or on a
pike. Steam as a motive power on rail-
roads was at that time not thought of
in this country, except by a few cranks
and dreamers like Stevens, in whom very
few had any faith. West Chester was
Still then but a village of less than 1000
inhabitants, and the Spare capital too
small to attempt so costly a work. One
reason for the earnest activity of the
State in pushing the Construction of the
State works early in 1828 arose from the
alarm created at the completion of the
Erie Canal through the State of New
York. Our merchants of Philadelphia
had been content with the very prosper-
ous business they had secured in the
West through wagons, but here was a
new competing line of immense carrying
capacity that could carry goods at much
Iower rates and in less time. They then
realized the danger of their Western CuS-
tomiers going to the New York market in
preference, SO there was no time for fur-
ther delay. The plans decided upon were
to construct a railway from Philadelphia
to Columbia, in Lancaster county; thence
use the canal to Hollidaysburg; from
there a railroad over the mountains to
Johnstown, from which a canal ran to
Pittsburg. It was thought that superior
Speed over So much railway would enable
Our people to compete with slower all-
Canal route.
GONSTRUCTION OF THE RAILROAD.
The knowledge in regard to railroading
at that date absolutely amounted to al-
most nothing. Major John Wilson, who
Was ta. Civil engineer in the Government
Service and had some experience in that
line, was appointed engineer in chief and
placed in charge of the construction Of
the State road. His want of knowledge
and experience, however, was a heavy
cost to the State, as was seen in later
years, when he and others came to better
understand the true principles of building
railroads. He put in many curves and
Several inclined planes, where it was later
discovered there was no necessity for
them. Many experiments were tried to
to ascertain and secure the best Sub-
structure for the proposed road. From
the head of the inclined plane at Philadel-
phia, to White Hall a heavy stone Sill was
Iaid With a flat bar Spiked on it, but it
failed, and this track Was abandoned soon
after locomotives Came into use on a,c-
Count of the vibration being so destruc-
tive Of machinery. The same two and
One-half by One-half inch rails were
tried on Wooden sills, but these soon
proved too light; the bars would draw
loose and curl up at the ends and in one
or two cases were driven through the
flooring of cars and the Sills soon crushed
under the weight. The principal part of
the road was laid on cubical blocks of
stone, measuring about twenty inches or
less on each side. These were firmly im-
bedded in the stone ballast; cast iron
chairs were Spiked to these Stone having
a Slot in them for the main rail. The rail
used was known as the edge rail, being
narrower at the bottom than at the top.
When this was laid in the chairs it yas
keyed fast with iron wedges. These were
a Constant Source of expense as the keys
would rattle Out from the Vibration as
trains passed over them, and men had to
be constantly employed in walking the
whole road daily to keep the keys in
place. This iron rail had to be imported
from England at a heavy expense, as no
American mills were at that time pre-
pared to make thiem. The rail was very
light, not more than about forty pounds
to the yard, and of poor quality, so that
it crushed down Quickly as SOOn as loco-
motives were brought into use.
The Columbia Railroad was finished in-
to the city of Philadelphia in 1833, enter-
ing it at Vine street, from which point a
city track laid on stone sills was extended
down Broad, Market and Third streets
to the foot of Dock.
FAREWELL TO THE CONESTOGAS.
As soon as the Columbia Road was
opened for travel the through line of
Stages on the Lancaster pike was taken
off and horses with drivers were trans-
ferred to the railroad. The Cars first
brought into use for passenger travel
were four wheeled, the body similar to
those of the Troy coaches, but much lar-
ger. The body was swung on two heavy
straps attached to Wooden Springs at each
end of the truck somewhat similar to
those in common use on chairs and gigs
of that time. The cars were very light in
Comparison to the street cars of the pres-
ent day. It was no uncommon thing for
a car to jump off the track, in which case
the passengers would be asked to get out
and help the conductor lift it on again,
which they always chieerfully did. The
Cars would carry from fifteen to twenty
persons, giving each. One a comfortable
seat either inside or on top with the
driver.
It was probably in 1831 when the writer
then a small boy first gained any in-
formation, not to Say knowledge of rail-
roading, and that was of a very misty
Character.
“AIR LINE” ROUTE TO NEW YORFC.
One day I noticed a Small body Of
strange gentlemen, say half a dozen,
standing in the meadow below the old
farm house On Dean Street, now occu-
pied by A. D. Sharples, then my home.
With all of the natural curiosity, as well
as impudence of the average small boy,
I walked down to the party to try and
learn What Was up. From their con-
versation I soon gathered that they
Were taking a preliminary view of a
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FIRST LOCOMOTIVE BROUGHT TO
- AMERICA.
route with a purpose looking towards
constructing a railroad from Baltimore
to New York. They had come from the
direction of Lenape and it was agreed
that to cross the Wilmington road just
South of where the Public School now
stands, pass around the eastern limits
of the town and thence on to some point
on the south valley hills would be
feasible. I believe that a Survey Was
made of this route, but the valley hills
were thought to be an Obstruction that
could not be overcome. Some years later
the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Bal-
timore Railroad was laid up the valley
Of the Delaware below the highlands
bordering the mouths of the numerous
Greeks running through Chester and
Delaware counties, thus avoiding the
cost of heavy cutting and filling or high
bridges that a more direct route would
have made necessary. I do not know
when the P., W. & B. Railroad was
built, but I do know that in 1831, and
for Scome time after the principal route
of travel between Philadelphia and Bal-
timore was by steamboat to New Cas-
tle, Delaware, thence by rail to French-
‘town and from there to Baltimore by
steamboat.















WEST CHESTER'S FIRST RAILROAD
During the year 1830 there had been
much talk amongst the citizens of West
Chester as to the feasibility and desir-
ability of constructing a railroad to
connect with the Columbia road, then
fairly under way, in course of Construc-
tion, at the most convenient point that
could be reached from West Chester. It
was argued that West Chester must not
be left behind in the great race Of pro-
gress now going On. And then again
great profit, it was not doubted, would
accrue from the venture to all Stock-
holders who were fortunate enough to
get in on the ground floor.
A public meeting was called December
11th, 1830, at the Turk’s Head Hotel,
with Judge Isaac Darlington in the chair
and P. Frazer Smith as secretary. A
committee was appointed to confer with
Major John Wilson and advise with him
upon the matter. Mr. Wilson, with the
Consent Of the Canal CommissionerS
Sent a corps of engineers to make a
preliminary Survey and himself made an
estimate of the probable cost. A practic-
able route having been laid out the COm-
mittee appointed at the first meeting re-
ported the fact to a second meeting held
December 22d, and a general town meet-
ing was called for December 24th to take
further action. Ziba, Pyle, Esq., Was
called to the chair and P. Frazer Smith
appointed secretary. Dr. Wm. Darling-
ton, from the committee, made a report
Which was accepted, and the following
resolution passed unanimously:
1St. Fesolved, That it is expedient to
Construct a railway from the borough Of
West Chester to intersect the Pennsyl-
Vania Railway at such point as shall
be found most eligible
2d. Resolved, That Dr.
lington, Wm. H. Dillingham, Thomas
Williamson, Ezra, Cope, David Town-
send, Thomas S. Bell and John H. Brad-
ley, Esq., be a committee whose duty
it shall be to take the necessary steps to
Obtain a layw authorizing the incorpora-
tion of a company to construct the said
railway.
January 8th, 1831, Major Wilson reports
that he has located a Satisfactory route
and submits an estimate of the same,
announ ting to $88,021.29. The charter was
obtained July 18th, 1831, with all of the
privileges and concessions asked for by
the petitioners. This was, I think, the
first railroad charter granted by the
State to be carried into effect, and was
probably more liberal than any that
has been since enacted, the Statesmen
at Harrisburg at that time all being SO
devoid of knowledge on railroad matters
that they did not realize what they were
William Dar-
granting, nor the future effects of the
§3 II l'é.
SUBSCRIPTION BOOKS OPENIED.
In pursuance of the purpose of this
act the commissioners advertised that
the books for subscriptions of Stock
would be opened at the Merchants'
Coffee House, in Philadelphia; at the
Paoli Tavern, and at the Washington
House, in West Chester, on Tuesday,
the 22d of March, 1831. On that day the
books were opened at the points Stated,
and a grand rush was made to Subscribe
for shares of stock; men fought for
places in line to secure it before all
should be taken and in a few minutes
more than double the amount Of Stock
authorized had been subscribed for, and
later was reduced by the Commissioners
as provided for by the charter. On the
28th day of March the Governor issued
letters patent to the company. The first
election of Directors was held in West
Chester at the public house of Sampson
Babb when the following persons were
elected: Dr. William Darlington, Ziba,
Pyle, William Williamson, S. C. Jefferis,
Jonathan Jones, Jos. Hemphill and
Elihu Chauncy, Esq. The directors elect-
ed met on the 3d day of May, 1831, at
which meeting Major John Wilson Was
appointed chief engineer with John P.
Bailey to assist him, each at a salary of
One thousand dollars. On May 26th Con-
tracts for grading were let in mile Sec-
tions, and the work was earnestly
pushed to completion. At a meeting of
the board held September 18th, 1832, it
was announced that John P. Bailey had
completed the entire construction of the
road in the short space of Sixteen
mon &hs. The track laid at this time Was
a flat iron bar about two and a half
inches by half an inch, spiked on yel-
low pine string pieces laid on chestnut
cross ties, and the road ballasted be-
tween rails, making a good path Way for
horses.
THE FIRST SUPERINTENDENT.
J. Lacey Darlington was appointed
superintendent of the road at a Salary
of one dollar a day when employed in
the service of the company, and Hick-
man James was appointed general agent
at $300 per year. At the Second annual
meeting of the board, held January 23d,
1833, the directors announced that the
road Was Opened in form on the 13th day
of September, 1832, and horses placed on
the road performing partial trips for the
accommodation and entertainment of
friends and patrons of the enterprise.
On the 18th of October, 1833, the Canal
Commissioners had completed a line of
rails to the head of the inclined planes,
and the West Chester Company’s cars
Were at once run to that point, from
When Ce passengers were conveyed into
the City in stages and omnibuses, a
drive of about four miles down the west
Side of the Schuylkill. About this time I
Was treated to my first experience in
railroading. It had been promised some
days previous and it was an event to be
looked forward to with expectations in
those days, and later the sights and in-
Cidents Of that trip were a theme for
discussion for many days with my
School fellows who had never traveled
So far Or seen Such Strange sights.
HIS FIRST RIDE TO PHILADELPHIA
The trip was a Wonderfully quick one,
not consuming more than three hours
in arriving at the head of the inclined
planes. The planes were not yet ready
to pass cars nor was the bridge across
the Schuylkill at their foot yet complet-
ed, but a large number of mechanics
were at work on both. Instead of talk-
ing the omnibus with other passengers
into the city, we walked down the
planes to examine their construction and
to see how far the big bridge had ad-
vanced towards completion.
From the foot of the planes we walked
down the Łowpath of the Schuylkill
Canal to Fairmount and crossing the
One arch bridge took an Omnibus into
the city. This bridge was burned in 1838
Or 1839, and later replaced by a wire
bridge, probably the first one of the kind
erected in this COuntry.
THE INOVEL SIGHTS FOR A COUN-
TEY BOY.
The roys of oil lanps along the
streets, the watch boxes at street cor-
ners and the cry of “All's well and a,
THE FIRST DIVIDEND DECLARED.
On January 1st, 1834, the company de-
clared their first dividend of three per
cent., not, however, it is supposed, Out
of their earnings, but the stockholders
were made happy with prospects for the
future. By this time the Columbia. road
had been finished into the city of Phil-
adelphia entering at Broad and Vine
streets. In 1834 it was deemed desirable
by the West Chester Company to have a
connecting road from Kirkland Station
across to Whiteland as a means of
reaching the limestone and marble Quar-
ries and shortening the distance to Co-
lumbia, whence lumber was obtained.
The capital stock was ordered to be in-
creased by the addition of ten thousand
dollars and the road built. In the year
1835 marble was brought by way of this
track from the Thomas quarry for the
construction of the front of the old
Chester County Bank, and the compara-
tively small announ & of lumber needed in
West Chester came by this route for a
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CORNER HIGH AND MARIKET, WEST CHESTER, ABOUT 1836.
cloudy morning,” of the Charleys were
sights and noises to attract the eyes and
ears of a country lad who had never
been accustomed to anything more bril-
liant than a tallow-dip in a tin lantern
to guide his steps after nightfall. When
the road from West Chester to InterSec-
tion (now Malvern) was finished the
total coss covering equipments and right
of way was stated at $92,209.06, which
was a few dollars less than the Original
estimates. This is said to be the only
railroad ever constructed for less than
the estimated cost. Truly engineering
was in its innocency as well as infancy
at that time.
time. This road was but very little used
and in a few years went to decay for
want of repairs, and proved an almost
total loss to the company. During the
year 1835 a lot was purchased on Broad
street, Philadelphia, south of Race, On
which was built a hotel called the West
Chester House, with tracks for the Com-
pany’s passenger cars under parts of the
same. In July, 1836, Wm. P. SharpleSS
was appointed Superintendent of the
road and property, to reside in Philadel-
phia, from whence it was thought a bet- .
ter supervision could be had of the prop-
erty. Wnn. P. Sharpless, in company with
others, soon after purchased the adjoin-





















6
ing lots on the southeast corner of Broad
and Race streets, and thereon built a
large warehouse suitable for a forward-
ing and commission house where he en-
tered into that business and from this
house the freighting to West Chester
Was principally done for several years.
RAILROAD BUILDING SUBSIDES.
At this time the railroad boom that had
SO excited the whole country began to
Subside. The times became very hard
and credit gave way in every direction.
Banks and merchants who had been do-
ing a Wild business and extending credit
Without limit failed in all directons. The
United States Bank went down under the
preSSure, Carrying nearly every Other
bank in the country with it. None was
able to meet its liabilities, none could pay
its notes in specie.
HARD TIMES CAMIE AGAIN.
The Chester County Bank lost half its
Capital in the general crash, and many
Others lost all and went out of existence.
The West Chester Railroad Company was
heavily in debt and could not meet its
interest and charges. The times Con-
tinued extremely hard from this time
till the passage of the tariff of 1842
gave relief. Travel on all railroads was
Very light, and to meet expenses the fare
between Philadelphia, and West Chester
Was raised from One dollar to a dollar
and twenty-five cents for the single trip.
No dividends, of course, were being paid,
and earnest efforts were being made to
sell portions of the mortgaged property.
STOCPC HOLDERS CLAIMORING FOR
DIVIDENIDS.
In 1839 the condition of the West Ches-
ter road had become quite serious, and
although a considerable concession had
been obtained from the State Legislature
in the way of remission of tolls on the
Columbia road, still expenses continued
to press the company, and its property
was constantly needing repairs, with in-
sufficient income to make them. At the
same time, stockholders were clamoring
for the dividends promised them when
the road was started. The Directors were
very much discouraged. Much unjust
censure was cast upon them for failing to
make the road pay by men totally ig-
norant of the first principles of railroad-
ing, and yet thought they knew it all.
A few years later some of these discov-
ered their ignorance to their sorrow in
attempting to start an opposition road.
At a meeting of the Directors, January
20th, 1840, an appeal was made to the pub-
lic for better support and encouragement.
They say, “It will be for the public to
decide whether this road shall be kept
up, or whether it must go down.” It then
states that “Hither to the only advantages
derived from it have accrued to the State
and the community at large,” reciting
that “It has paid about thirty thousand
dollars into the State Treasury for tolls,
and the borough of West Chester has in-
creased from a population of one thou-
Sand to that of twenty-ſive hundred, and
has become the seat of large and well
established schools, diffusing prosperity
around them under its good influence,
while the stockholders have derived little
or no income from their capital,” etc.
There were several causes for discour-
agement at this time. Four horse coaches
were put on the common road to run in
Opposition, Offering to Carry passengerS
at reduced rates, getting at the same time
the U. S. Mail at half the rates formerly
paid the railroad company. These had
the countenance and encouragement of
enemies of the road. At the same time
the Canal Commissioners were asking the
Legislature for appropriations with the
view of avoiding the inclined planes by
going down the Chester Valley from
Downingtown, as it had by this time been
discovered that the planes were a great
obstruction to travel and traffic that must
be avoided, and even some miles Of One
track had already been abandoned be-
cause unfit for locomotive travel. And the
remaining single track was an every-day
dangerous run, as there was no telegraph
line at that day. One head end COllision had
already been encountered at a consider-
able cost to the company. Had the Canal
Commissioners succeeded in accomplish-
ing their object, the West Chester road
would have been left high and dry at
Malvern. Fortunately for Our company,
the State was in debt to the amount of
Some forty Odd millions of dollars at this
time, and the Canal Commissioners Were
unable to carry out their plan. The State
finances were in a terribly bad Condition,
her loans selling as low as 31 cents on the
dollar. The road had been in the hands
of trading politicians, put in through po-
litical influence who knew nothing of rail-
roading as a business. The road had been
used as a hospital for all kinds of party
henchmen for several years, until they
were in each other’s way, and so many
big and little with their hands in the
treasury pap had absorbed all that Was
in it. So that nothing came Out of that
proposition. The Board of Canal Com-
missioners was re-elected every three
years, so that by the time they had fairly
become acquainted with the duties Of
their Office and had provided for political
friends they were Ousted, and a new set
of hungry heelers were to be provided
for by the incoming Board.
THE WERITER I,EAFNS RAILROAD-
In the Winter of 1839 the Writer left
school and went to Philadelphia, where
he at Once commenced to take an active
interest in railroading, being more or less
Connected with the management Of the
West Chester road, and familiar with its
working from that time on. In 1841 the
company was so pressed for funds that
they sold out their horses and made a
Contract with J. H. Jones and H. J.
Brooke to furnish teams with drivers to
haul the passenger cars. Wm. P. Sharp-
less sent in his resignation as Superin-
tendent and under the determination of
the Directors to reduce expenses other
Officers were discharged, the Directors a S-
suming their duties without any charge
for services. The next annual report
showed a reduction of $2400 in expenses,
but unfortunately the same report show-
ed a falling off in the yearly income of
$2900. In 1842 the condition of the tracks
had become so bad that it was deemed
necessary to have them relaid, and a
committee was authorized to purchase
six hundred tons of T rails for that pur-
pose. Forty tons were bought at thirty
dollars per ton, and then the funds and
Credit of the company failed and no more
iron Could be obtained.
A NEW SYSTEM ADOPTED.
At the annual meeting held January
15th, 1844, Joseph J. Lewis, Isaac Thomas,
Philip Sharpless, Edward Hoopes, James
Martin, George Campbell and Wm. M.
Spencer were elected Directors. Philip
Sharpless and Dr. Isaac Thomas were
appointed on the Executive Committee,
and at Once both of them took an active
interest in the affairs of the company,
determining to lift it out of difficulties, if
possible. Up to this time the road had
been principally under the control of pro-
fessional men, most of them prominent
and able in their Specialty, but entirely
ignorant of railway management, and
having but little time to devote to study
of the same. Railroading was still in its
infancy, and all officers of the several
roads Were gaining knowledge and ex-
perience at a heavy cost to their employ-
eI’S.
NO RAILROAD MAKING MONEY.
The Stock in every company had greatly
depreciated and not one in the country
had been paying expenses. Norristown
Railroad was selling at $1.00. In this year
the writer bought one hundred shares of
the West Chester road at a dollar per
share, the par value of which was $50,
The visible property of the company had
been SO encumbered by debt that there
was no longer any value in it, and only
the franchise of very doubtful value re-
mained, SO that Stockholders quit attend-
ing Called meetings or to take much in-
terest in its affairs. AmIdst all of their
troubles a determined attempt was made
by the Board of Canal Commissioners to
drive the company from their road by in-
creasing their tolls.
They found that the horse Cars inter-
fered with the running of their loco-
motives, were often in the Way, and were
proclaimed to be a nuisance. But public
Opinion Was not yet prepared for this and
our charter rights stood in the way, as
in it the company had privileges of which
they could not be dispossessed by any
authority outside of the company.
THE RAILROAD ALL BUT STOPPED.
At a meeting Of stockholders August
23d, 1843, it was resolved that because of
exorbitant charges for tolls that the in-
come would not meet the running ex-
penses of the road, and that if the Direc-
tors should not be able to secure a rea-
sonable reduction of the same within
three months the Directors be authorized
to suspend the running of all cars and
call a meeting of the stockholders to
consult upon the best means of disposing
of all the company’s property and wind
up its affairs. The demands for a reduc-
tion of tolls was in a few weeks Con-
ceded, and the fare to Philadelphia was
reduced to seventy-five cents. Efforts
had been made at various times to induce
the State authorities to furnish steam
power to haul the company’s cars. On
January 31st, 1844, the Executive Commit-
tee report that they have appointed Sam-
uel M. Painter Superintendent, and that
an agreement had been made with the
Canal Commissioners to haul the com-
pany cars from the head of the inclined
planes to intersection at the rate of fif-
teen dollars per day for each train. This
agreement went into operation May 25th,
1844, when two second-hand eight-wheeled
passenger cars were bought for the ser-
vice. Later two new passenger cars Were
ordered built by the W. C. Allison Com-
pany. These had a compartment under-
neath the body of the cars in which bag-
gage was carried, to save the wheel toll
on a baggage car when used, and Were
for a time the best equipped and most
highly ornamented cars on the road.
They were known as 'possum bellied
cars, and were adopted by other passen-
ger companies. Previous to this Only
horse cars had been used. Horses Were
to be still used from the inclined planes
into the city and on the West Chester
branch. In the latter part of 1844 the
Executive Committee recommended the
reconstruction of the road upon the same
plans as originally built, that was, with
chestnut cross ties and yellow pine Sills,
with the old flat bar rail at an estimated
cost of $15,000, and arrangements were at
once made to carry out the plan as early
next spring as possible. By the time this
renewal had been accomplished business
on the road had improved, and prospects
were looking brighter for the old com-
pany. May 26th, 1845, the Canal Commis-
sioners agreed to haul the trains of the
company between the inclined planes and
West Chester for the sum of six thousand
dollars annually. Horses were continued
to haul the cars into the city from the
foot of the planes. P. P. Sharpless re-
ported the completion of the contracts
for relaying from Junction to West Ches-
ter January 19th, 1846. P. P. Sharpless
declined a re-election, his private affairs
requiring more Of his personal attention.
WEST CHESTER'S FIRST TURN-
TABLE.
This year a turntable was put in at West
Chester. The fare having been raised to
$1.00, was again reduced to 75 cents be-
tween Philadelphia and West Chester and
freights were also reduced. The branch
road from Rirkland to Oakland was also
this year abandoned, the iron rails taken
up and sold. April 28th, 1846, Philip D.
Thomas was appointed Superintendent.
Although the locomotives used at this
time were the lightest on the road, and
Scarcely able to make time with two or
three Cars attached, it was soon found
they were too heavy for the lightly ironed
Structure, and as the road had by this
time begun to show some considerable
profit over and above expenses, a few of
those Officers and stockholders best in-
formed upon the situation advised the
substitution of a heavy T rail at as early
a date as possible. By authority of the
Stockholders the property of the company
had a further mortgage of fifteen thou-
sand dollars put upon it to Secure funds
for this purpose. P. P. Sharpless was
again elected a Director. The Directors
and officers of the road with some friends
raised the money to purchase new rails
for the road and it was again rebuilt
more permanently in 1847. This debt was
paid off out of the profits of the road in
less than two years.
THE ROAD'S MANY ANNOYAN CES.
About this time the West Chester Corn-
pany was again much perplexed and an-
noyed by further exactions and petty an-
noyances on the part of Canal Commis-
Sioners and State agent. And as the State
Works under their management Were
showing a great deficit yearly, they
seemed determined to prevent our making
any show of profit. The inclined planes
had become more and more a delay and
hindrance to business.
So unbearable and annoying had be-
come the situation that a few of the Offi-
cers of our company determined to see if
a new route from West Chester to the
city could not be found that Would be
feasible and avoid the State WOrks en-
tirely.
A purse was made up by them and a
small corps with an engineer in charge
sent to look up and make a rough survey
of such a route if to be found. It Was
shortly made and the data gathered
handed in to them. On a very close ex-
amination by these experienced Tºen, the
estimated cost of a road over the best
possible route, would be at least one mil-
1ion of dollars. On this amount it Was
decided an interest could not be made
that would warrant the enterprise, and
the effort ended in so far as the origi-
nators of the scheme were concerned.
A SECONID ROAD CONCEIVED.
New parties, however, composed large-
ly of professional men in West Chester,
Some enemies of the Old West Chester
road, and some able business men of
Delaware county who wished to see their
section opened up, determined to make a
trial Survey of a route through the south-
ern end of Delaware County. Mr. Edward
F. Gay, one of the most prominent engi-
neers of his day, was engaged to make
the survey and estimate the cost of Con-
Struction.
Mr. Gay at that time was supposed to
be out of a job and looking for another.
His estimate footed up $768,829.03. This
estimate did not prove entirely Satisfac-
tory to his employers, as they had anti-
Gipated its being much less. Mr. T. C.
Sickles, another engineer just then also
out of a job, was called upon to make
another survey over the same route with
a revised estimate.
He at once seeing where the difficulty
lay, and knowing that none of his em-
ployers knew anything about railroading,
made his estimate about one hundred
thousand dollars less in a mount. This
seemed to Suit the parties interested. A
public meeting was called and a company
was organized to build what was called
the “West Chester and Philadelphia,
Railroad,” with John S. Bowen, a West
Chester lawyer, as President. Mr. Sickles
was appointed engineer-in-chief August
12th, 1851, and work was commenced to
locate the road. At the annual meeting
of the old West Chester road held Jan-
uary 18th, 1847, P. P. Sharpless was again
elected director. In April, 1848, Philip D.
Thomas resigned his position as general
manager of the company and P. P.
Sharpless was appointed Superintendent
in his place.
A PLAN TO AVOID THE PLANES.
About the year 1838 or ’39, a company
Was Organized to run a railroad from
West Philadelphia, to meet the line of
the Columbia road at or near Anderson’s
lane, now known as Ardmore.
This was known as the “West Philadel-
phia Railroad,” and was intended to
avoid the inclined planes. The route was
partly graded, but from the pressure of
the times or other causes the company
failed and the road bed was abandoned.
In 1851 the State authorities took pos-
Session of this route, finished grading it,
put in two tracks, running down to the
permanent bridge with tracks across the
same and On down Market Street, connect-
ing with the city track at Broad Street.
About the same time the Old West Ches-
ter company made an exchange of their
Broad Street Depot with Mr. John Rice
for a lot at the Southwest corner of 18th
and Market, where they erected a freight
and passenger depot. In the mean time
earnest efforts were being made by some
Of the promotors of the proposed direct
West Chester road to compass a union
With the Old road in interests.
THE TWO WEST CHESTER ROADS
CLASH.
The owners of the old road finding that
their property was yearly increasing in
value and promising fair dividends in the
near future, declined all overtures, know-
ing very well that it would be impossible
to build the new road for anything near
the estimated cost, and that like their
OWn, the Original Stockholders would meet
With a total loss of their investments.
They also advised others to take warning
from their experience; this brought on
a Violent newspaper war between the
friends of the two roads. The Delaware
and Chester county papers were filled
with pungent articles written by parti-
Sans of either side. Attempts were made
to injure the old road through political
influence with the party in power, which
had to be combatted through the same
forces. After a great struggle financially
the West Chester Direct Succeeded in
getting a single track through to Glen
Mills and there for a time was stranded.
The road was bonded for all it was
worth. West Chester by a popular vote
had subscribed for $20,000 worth of stock.
This Stock was sold for $4,000 a few years
later, and the original stockholders who
sold at this time came out in about the
same ratio of loss. Some of the original
stock was sold as, low as $1.00 per share.
A final effort brought this road through
to West Chester in 1858, a little Over ten
years from the time its charter had been
obtained.
NEW ROAD FINALLY COMPLETED.
On completion of the road arrange-
ments were made and the property re-
transferred by the Trustees, Messrs. J.
and I. T. Thomas, to the company, With
one million of bonds outstanding, and all
stock sunk, the road having cost about
two millions of dollars, several of its ori-
ginal projectors having been ruined and
passed out of the management. In the
mean time the management of the old
road had been improving and strength-
ening their plant and reserving some in-
come for the doming contest for the busi-
ness of West Chester.
THE FIRST TELEGRAPH LINE.
The year 1850 brought into use the
Electric Telegraph lately invented by
Professor Morse, an invention that Was
bound to be of vast importance to rail-
roading. The railroad business at that
time although of infinitely Small propor-
tions to what it is at the present day Was
beginning to be dangerous on account of
its increasing volume. All trains had to
be run on time, and the discretion of
conductors. Watches and employes would
frequently disagree and leave them only
accountable for accidents, or on single
tracks men would frequently have to be
sent ahead of trains on foot to Signal
Goming trains that might be out of time.
With all of the caution that could be
taken accidents were becoming more and
more frequent and disastrous. Without
the telegraph it would be impossible to
do the large amount of business now be-
ing transacted on most of our leading
railroads.
THE FIRST WOMAN OPERATOR.
Miss Emma. Hunter, of West Chester,
was probably the first lady telegraph
operator in this country, or in the world.
She took charge of the office in West
Chester in 1851 whilst Still in her teenS
and soon became ari expert Operator. A
young lady of refined manners and COr-
rect principles she commanded the re-
spect and confidence of all who had busi-
ness at her office, and did much to elevate
the morals of other Operators along the
line, as she would permit no vulgar or pro-
fane language over her wires at any time.
cutting the current when anything of
the kind was attempted, in which action
she was fully Supported by the Superior
officers of the company. The first instru-
ments made used Strips of paper from
which the message was read, but opera-
tors Soon learned to read 'by sound. So
highly was Miss Hunter esteemed by the
Company, and although she had re-
tired from their Services some time pre-
viously, that on the dedication of the
monument erected to the memory of Pro-
fessor Morse, in New York, in 1869, that
she out of hundreds of other lady opera-
tors was deemed most Worthy of the
honor of unveiling it, and was urgently
pressed to come on to New York for that
occasion. Tickets were sent her for the
passage of herself and friends, with word
that no excuse for refusal would be a C-
cepted, but much to her own regret and
that of her many friends, she had to re-
fuse on account of illness. She still lives
as the loved wife of Mr. T. T. Smith, the
oldest lady operator now living. She has
long been an invalid and a great Suf-
ferer, still retaining the cheerful, amiable
disposition of her youth. She is only
lznown to be loved and respected by all.
The telegraph line along the public works
was completed to Pittsburg in 1846.
STATE TIRES OF PUBLIC WORKS.
As early as 1842 there was much talk
and newspaper comment in regard to the
manner of conducting the State works.
Instead of being a source of revenue to
the Commonwealth as had been expect-
ed, they had been a sink for vast sums
of money until the State debt had
amounted to over forty millions of dollars
with a prospect of unlimited involvement
if the works continued in the hands of a
political party who used it to maintain
their party supremacy. Tax payers Were
becoming alarmed. It was seen that the
combination of several railroads and
canals in a through line could never be
worked so efficiently, as a through line
of all rail.
AFRAID OF THE B. & O. F. R.
The merchants of Philadelphia had also
become alarmed at the progress of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which had
reached Cumberland, and had obtained
authority from the Pennsylvania, Legis-
lature to pass through our territory On
to Pittsburg. They saw that if their road.
should surmount the financial difficulties
under which it was laboring, and reach
the Ohio River at so important a point
as Pittsburg, it would most likely control
the western trade and throw it largely
into their own city of Baltimore. This
must be prevented at all hazards. An
act was passed by the Pennsylvania.
Legislature April 29th, 1844, entitled “An
Act to reduce the State debt, and to in-
corporate the Pennsylvania, Canal or
Railroad Company.” providing at the
same time for the sale of the State works
to the same company for the sum of
twenty millions of dollars. This did not
seem to commend itself to the confidence
of capitalists and business men, and re-
Sulted in no action. Still discussions On
various plans were continued through
the press of the State during the year
1845. The Baltimore and Ohio people
were making strenuous efforts to push
their road through from Cumberland to
Pittsburg before March 1st, 1847, the limit
Of time granted them by the Pennsyl-
vania Legislature. New York merchants
were pushing through two railroad lines'
one from Albany and the other from
Piermont on the Hudson to Lake Erie,
intending to compete for the western
trade. The Baltimore and Ohio people
were being greatly assisted in their ef-
forts by the citizens of the southwestern
corner of our State, as they anticipated
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much benefit to that section on its Com-
pletion. Meetings of prominent citizens
were held at many points in this State,
at which plans were suggested for Carry-
ing out the one idea, of a through line of
rails entirely within the boyders of the
State. A meeting was held December
10th, 1845, in the Chinese Museum, in
Philadelphia, presided over by Thomas
P. Cope, and able speeches were made by
Hon. Wm. M. Meredith and others, at
which strong resolutions were passed
urging activity and earnest work upon
all to push the matter forward in every
manner possible. As we now remember,
being present, the meeting was a large
and enthusiastic one, composed of the
most prominent and wealthy men of the
city. From this meeting came the start-
ing force that later developed into the
great Pennsylvania. Railroad of the pres-
ent day.
After much contention in the Legisla-
ture between the advocates of the Balti-
more and Ohio Company and the politi-
cians who feared the loss of political
power in any change on the One side, and
those in favor of the New Central route
on the other, a bill was finally passed
both houses granting a charter Which
was signed by Governor Shunk April 13,
1846.
COMING HISTORY OF THE P. R. R.
There is now in course of preparation a
comprehensive and an exceedingly in-
teresting history of the Pennsylvania.
Pailroad from 1846 to 1890 by Mr. J. Elfreth
Waatkins, C. E., of which I have seen
the advance sheets, and can promise the
public a work worthy of his subject, and
therefore prefer to leave this matter to
his abler pen, only mentioning one or two
points connecting it with the older roads.
By an act of the Legislature approved
May 11th, 1857, the Governor was directed
to advertise the fact that the main line
of public works would be exposed at pub-
lic sale in the city of Philadelphia. The
sale took place at the Merchants EX-
change June 25th, 1857, at 7.30 p. m., the
writer being present at , the sale. The
rotunda was well filled with prominent
citizens. There was much anxiety Orl
the part of people present to see the Sale
consumated, as nothing was known as
to what action would be taken by the
Pennsylvania Company, or whether that
company would bid at the limited price
of $7,500,000.
THE SALE OF THE MAIN LINE.
The auctioneer, Mr. Thomas, asked for
a bid of ten millions, then gradually
dropped down to seven millions five hun-
dred thousand, at which President J.
Edgar Thomson made his bid, after
some little delay and asking for an ad-
vance bid the property was knocked off
much to the gratification of a large por-
tion of the people assembled, and the
State works were handed Over to the
company August 1st, 1857. An offer hav-
ing been made the Pennsylvania. Com-
pany for a lease of the Old West Chester
road an agreement was entered into by
the two companies April 6th, 1859, by
which the Pennsylvania Company took
possession agreeing to run trains on
satisfactory terms for five years. The
lease did not prove to be entirely Satis-
factory to the old company, as there Was
no apparent effort made to increase the
value of the property by drawing trade
to it, leaving the impression that it was
the intention of the officers of the Penn-
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THE FIRST STEVENS
T.O.COMOTIVE
BTUILT IN AMERICA.
sylvania. Company then in charge, to let
the property run down, and impair its
value So that at the end of the lease they
would be able to purchase it at a Very
low figure. Still the old company WaS
able during this term to pay its Stock-
holders four per cent. dividends and lay
by some surplus. In the mean time, the
Direct, or as then known the Media road
was doing a fair and growing business,
and strengthening itself under the able
management of its President, Marshall
B. Hickman.
THE NEW ROAD BTU Y.S THE OLD.
A Short time previous to the
expiration of the lease, it was Sug-
gested that the old company would be
Willing to sell out their road and charter
privileges to the Pennsylvania. Company
On very reasonable terms, but were in-
formed that their terms were entirely to O
high, and could not be considered. Mr.
Hickman seeing the importance of cut-
ting off competition with SO powerful a.
rival as the Pennsylvania, should it get
entire possession, and make an earnest
contest for the business of West Ches-
ter, which promised to be the case, came
forward with an offer to purchase on Cer-
tain Conditions. Terms were soon agreed
upon that were satisfactory to both par-
ties, and a transfer Was made without
further Consultation with the Pennsyl-
Vania, people, and the old road passed
into the possession of the Media. Com-
pany. The Pennsylvania, Company at
Once Saw they had overstood their mar-
ket, not looking for a rival bidder in the
debt covered Media, and complained biſt-
terly of their treatment, saying that they
would have given more for the old road
than the other party had if notice of the
transaction had been given them, but the







{1 I
Hetters pf their own chief Officers were
shown that closed their mouths On that
point.
THE P. R. R. THEN BUYS BOTH.
The yesult was that as they wanted
West Chester as a station for local trains
to and from the city, they were forced
to purchase both the old and newer roads
at a fair price for each before they could
get possession. I have given the names
Of the first board of directors Of the
West Chester road. From time to time
at the annual meetings Changes Were
made in these and many eminent men at
different times Served the Company,
Amongst those now remembered Were
David Townsend, Jonathan Valentine,
Eusebius Townsend, John R. Thomas, W.
H. Dillingham, John Tweddle, General
Joshua. Evans, Joseph Hemphill, Esq.,
Dr. Isaac Thomas, Philip P. Sharpless,
Edward Hoopes, Anthony Bolmar, Joseph
J. Lewis and P. F. Smith, of West Ches-
ter; Eli R. Price, Thomas Kimber. James
Martin, Algernon S. Hoberts, Coleman
His works at Broad and Willow streets
in Philadelphia, were large and costly for
the times, and in fine condition for work,
when he found himself to be liable to be
sold out any day by the Sheriff. He
called his creditors together, and stated
his position to them plainly and offered
to turn all of his property over to them.
PÖrlowing him to be a main of the strict-
est integrity and honor, with rare ability,
they at Once agreed to extend their
claims, and that he should continue to
hold the works and run them, expressing
every confidence in him, and in his ability
to Still manage them to the best advant-
age to all concerned. Matthew Baird was
then boss of the machinery department;
a Mr. Smith was an able financier, who
long ago had charge of that department
and George Burnham Was Office clerk.
THE CREDITORS WERE WISE.
The action of the creditors proved wise,
for in a few years under the careful
management Of these men the works
proved a grand Success, Messrs. Baird
To
////?AAA,
COLUMBIA RAILROAD BRIDGE AT FOOT OF INCLINE PLANE, PHILA-
DELPHIA, BEFORE COMPLETION.
Fisher, Wm. M. Spencer, Dr. M. C.
Shallcross, George Campbell and Joseph
B. Townsend, of Philadelphia. Of these
men only one now in 1897 survives to tell
the Story of their combined labors. S.
BALDWIN LOCOMOTIVE WORKS.
In 1839 Matthias W. Baldwin, originator
Of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, was
the principal if not the only builder of
locomotives in this country. He was an
able machinist and made many improve-
merits on the crude little locomotives first
sent over here from England, and in fact
Soon took the lead for Superiority in these
machines, although he had to Send to
England for much of the material used
in their construction.
But the times became So hard that
like almost every one around him who
was running business on credit he found
it impossible to meet his liabilities.
and Burnham succeeding Mr. Baldwin
in the principal ownership of the works
and the latter gentleman has long been
the honored head of what is believed to
be the most popular locomotive works in
existence at the present day. This es-
tablishment had much to do with the
rapid advancement of railroading in its
earlier days.
When the State or Columbia road was
built, it was with the idea and intention
that it should be run in the same manner
and plans upon which all turnpikes were
at that time worked. In fact, a railroad
Was When first talked of supposed by
most persons to be some new fangled
Sort Of pike.
CURIOUS IDEAS OF RAILROAD.
Any One and every one was to have the
privilege of putting cars on the road and
running them at his own convenience,

I 2
and with his own motive power in the
shape of horse or mule flesh and Sinews.
stopping only at collectors’ offices to pay
toll on car wheels, loading and passengers.
These Offices were established at various
point along the line of the Columbia road,
One at 15th and Willow streets, in Phila-
delphia, the next at Paoli and One at
Parkesburg, with others farther up the
road. Amongst the earliest Collectors
within my memory was Isaac Powell, at
Paoli, and A. Boyd Cummings, at the
Philadelphia, office, and here my first ac-
quaintance with Tom Scott, later the
ablest railroad man of the Rebellion,
then clearance clerk in Mr. Cummings'
Office, commenced.
Every freight car had to pass over the
scales at the Philadelphia, office and be
weighed, each conductor had to produce
a synopsis of his loading, pay his tolls at
various tariff rates on different kinds of
loading' and receive a clearance paper,
that would pass him to his destination,
the paper to be left at the last office he
should pass. The inclined planes at Phila-
delphia, when first put into service Were
a somewhat dangerous institution. Sev-
eral accidents occurred there from the
cars breaking loose from the main cable
when they would rush down the steep
grade at a fearful speed, mostly to de-
struction.
THE DANGERS OF THE INCLINED
PLANES.
The brakes at that day were very in-
efficient, though we ventured to run cars
down the planes sometimes when the
rails were dry, rather than wait long
for repairs being made, depending on
the brakes alone, but never risked the
lives of any passengers on such trips,
though other conductors often did so.
When the rails were wet I never took the
risk. Later little safety brakes made to
slide on the rails, contrived so that any
loose cars would run on top of them and
thus block the wheels, were tied on to
the cable in front of descending cars and
behind those ascending. The planes were
about three-eighths of a mile in length.
An endless rope nearly a mile in length
and about three inches in diameter made
of the best Russian hemp was mostly
in use. It ran its whole length on grooved
pulleys fixed in the centre of each track
and about twenty-five feet apart. At
each end the cable passed under plat-
forms level with the track. There they
passed around large grooved wheels.
The machinery was all run by a large
stationary steam engine set back Some
distance from the top of the grade.
Small towers at either end of the grade
were used as signal Stations. When CarS
were attached at the lower end of the
grade and ready to be moved a signal
vane on top of the station there would
be turned to indicate the fact to the Sta-
tion at the top, or in foggy weather a
large bell was used, when the engineer
would be notified by a small bell, and
the machinery put in motion.
Isaac Smith and Samuel Ogden were
long the trusted engineers at this place,
and “Dutch Jake” was the rigger, hav-
ing charge Of the cables and ties.
SOME OF THE EARLY DRIVERs.
Of the earliest drivers on the Old West
Chester road I Only now remember Jeff.
Cave and George Chio, famous old stage
drivers. The teams, two horses were al-
ways driven tandem except on the
Schuylkill level. The names of conduc-
tors remembered are Wim. H. Price,
Davis Gill, R. Maris Frame, George Zell,
David Zell, Jonathan Marshall and John
|Essig. Amongst the old conductors on
the Columbia, road, John Weiler, Cap.
Hambright, Chip. Parsons and Ned Low
are well remembered as favorites. J.
Bayard Jefferis and Ziba Wollerton serv-
ed as clerks for a long time in the West
Chester office of the old company, and
Peter Burton, a colored man, with his
little black horse and light wagon, did
all Of the express business of the town.
The Welsh Settlers in Chester County,
AND THEIR DESCEND ANTS.
AN ADDRESS BY THOMAS ALLEN GLENN BEFORE THE CHESTER COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, FEBRUARY I'7, 1898.
[REPRINTED FROM THE DAILY LOCAL NEws. I
The members of the Chester County
Historical Society and their friends were
cut in force last evening and their public
meeting in Library Hall was a success
in every way. No business meeting was
held, the call being for a meeting to lis-
ten to an address by Thomas Allen
Glenn, the author of a work entitled
“Merion in the Welsh Tract.” His theme
last evening was “The Welsh Settlers
in Chester Courity and Their I)escend-
ants.” Prof. George M. Philips, Pres-
ident of the Society, was present and ill-
troduced the speaker, who read from
manuscript which had been carefully
prepared. - -
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Histori-
cal Society of Chester County:—I have
been requested to address you this even-
ing on the “ Welsh . Settlers of Chester
County and Their Descendants.” Such
a. Subject is too broad, in its scope for the
time which your courtesy and patience
Will permit me to occupy. I propose,
therefore, to Confine my remarks chiefly
within the lines that will permit me to
present a few facts concerning the early
Cymric planters of your county, their
characteristics, the men which they pro-
duced, and the virtues and faults of the
raca from which they sprang. .
In the year 1630, because of a dispute in
reference to a division of the Welsh
Barony, to which I will refer presently,
a number of the Welsh settlers of Rad-
nor and Haverford addressed the author-
ities partly in these words:
“We,” they write, “being descendants
of ancient Britons who always in the
land of Our nativity, under the crown of
England, have enjoyed that liberty and
privilege as to have our bounds and lim-
its by ourselves within which all causes,
quarrels, crimes and titles were tried and
wholly determined by Officers,
trates, jurors of our own language, which
were our equals; having our faces to-
wards these counties, made motion to
our Governor that we might enjoy the
same here to the intent we might live to-
gether here, and enjoy our liberty and
devotion, which thing was soon granted
us before we came to these parts.”
Magis-
So far as I have been able to discover
this was the first trumpet note that
pealed for civil liberty in the plantations
of America, and it is well to remember
that it was sounded by Welshmen, not
in New England, not in New York, nor
in the South, but by the inhabitants of
Haverford and Radnor, Once in this
County of Chester, in Pennsylvania.
The very difference in the wording of
this petition from that of similar papers
Of the day drawn up by other settlers,
makes us pause to ask, Who Were these
men who boasted their descent from a
half-forgotten race; who prized So highly
both civil and religious liberty; Whose
words rang out so defiantly to the Of-
ficers Of the Province?
When Caesar formed, On the Sands of
Romney, the legions of brass and leather
that had over-toppled kingdoms he
found opposed to his forces a brave and
intelligent people.
The religion of the Britons even at that
time was superior to that of other na-
tions.
Much of the teaching of the Druid
priests “conveyed a very deep philoso-
phy. For instance, the three unsuitable
judgments in any person whatsoever—
the thinking himself wise, the thinking
every other person unwise, the thinking
all that that he likes becoming to him.
Or the three requisites of poetry; an eye
that Call See nature, a heart that can
feel nature, a resolution that dares to
follow nature, and the three objects of
poetry—increase Of goodness, increase of
understanding, increase of delight.”
Their religious belief called for a strict
morality, and of it a Writer has observed
that “it comprehended all the leading
principles that tend to Spread liberty,
peace and happiness among mankind, and
was no more inimicable to Christianity
i. the religion of Noah, Job or Abra-
a.m.”
The subjugation of the island of Brit-
ain by the Romans was only accomplish-
ed after a Severe Struggle or series of
struggles, lasting for nearly a century
and a half.
The ancient Britons loved their liberty
so well that they resisted for this long
period the best soldiers of Europe.
NOF was such resistance mere skirmish-
ing. The memorable revolt of Boadicea,
alone is thought to have caused the death
Of 70,000 Romans.
The GOnquest, gradual as it was, did not
exterminate the Britons. In accord with
the policy of Rome, the conquered pro-
Vinces Were handed back to the native
princes, Subject to the payment of the
tribute. Under Honorius the Roman
troops having been withdrawn to protect
Rome against the Goths, the Picts and
Other Wild tribes from the North made
incursions against the now defenceless
inhabitants. A large number of those
Romans who had settled in the county .
fled, and the natives were left to their
own resources. In this difficulty they
turned to the bands of Saxon sea, rovers
or Vikings, whom they employed to drive
back the northern savages. Having a C-
complished this the Saxons turned upon
the islanders, invited over their com-
rades to share the Spoils, and proceeded
to take possession of the 1and. But the
Saxon Conquest took even a longer time
than the Roman, and was not nearly so
complete, for whereas Agricola, finally
took possession of every part of Britain,
established a Fºoman city at Chester and
posted garrisons along the great roads
which traversed the island, the Saxons
never Succeeded in obtaining any foot-
hold in the West.
Says an eminenſt Student Of British his-
tory:
“The Eriglish (i. e., the Saxons and
Angles) had to make every inch of
Britain their own by hard fighting. Field
by field, town by town, forest by forest,
the land was won. And as each bit of
ground was torn away by the stranger,
the Britons Suillenly withdrew from it
only to turn doggedly and fight for the
next.”
It took, we are told, thirty years to
win Rent alone, and sixty years more
to complete the Conquest of the adjoin-
ing countries.
The Britons were not without military
genius in this conflict, which lasted un-
til about the eighth century, or over
three hundred years. One of their best
generals was a man of Cymric blood,
from the country we now call Spain.
For his services he was granted a large
tract of land including the present comot
of Talybont in Merionethshire. His de-
scendant, Ednowain ap Bradwen, held
the same land, and Edno Wain’s descend-
ants exhibited their title to it to the
commissioners of PÖing of England, af-
ter the Norman Conquest Of Wales, with
the pedigree of the possessor, back to
650. The title was declared valid and
the heirs of Edno wain, whose arms were
three serpents on a red Shield, meaning
wisdom on the field of battle, Continue
to hold parts of the orginal territory un-
til this "very day. Several descendants
of Edno wain ap Bradwen, in the male
line, were among the first to settle Ches-
ter county—they were the grandchildren
of Humphrey ap Hugh, and called them-
selves Humphrey. ... I believe that we
have some of their kinsmen with us this
evening. After nearly four hundred
years of fighting the Britons, now driven
into Cheshire, Lancashire, Hereford-
shire, and Wales, made treaties of peace
with the Saxons, who permitted them
to represent their provinces in the par-
liaments which marked the reigns of
Athelstan and other English kings.
After the Norman conquest of Eng-
land, Wales yet remained independent,
and it was found impossible, from the
time of Wiliam the Norman to the reign
of the S&uarts, to impose upon the Cymry
any injustice without a corresponding
revolt.
The uprising of the two Llewellyns,
the rebellion of one Owen Glendower and
several minor conflicts, are witnesses of
º love of liberty of this ancient peo-
ple. -
Three things, especially, were the
Welsh noted for: Their love of music
and poetry, their love of battle, and
their firm belief in the survival of their
race. -
“Think you,” said King Henry to a
Welsh Chieftain who came Over to the
English camp, “that your people of reb-
els can withstand my army.”
“My people,” replied the chieftain,
“may be weakened by your might, and
even in great part destroyed, but unless
the wrath of God be on the side of its
foe it will not utterly perish. Nor deem
I that other race or other tongue will
answer for this Corner of the World at
the last day, save the people and tongue
Of Wales.”
Their long acquaintance with war had
rendered them partially insensible of its
horrors.
Their 'bards delighted in chanting the
pedigree and bloody deeds of their lords.
We read that a certain Cadwgan, hav-
ing met his enemy whilst hunting, slew
him and cast his flesh to be food for his
dogs, and that afterwards he burned out
his brother’s eyes with red hot irons.
Less than three centuries after, this
man’s descendants suffered without mur-
muring the most terrible persecution
for preaching the Quaker faith.
The doctrine of George Fox began to
be preached in Wales about the year
1653, and one of the earliest ministers
of that faith was John ap John, who af-
terwards was a purchaser of consider-
able land within the boundaries of Ches-
ter county, who died in Wales.
The Welsh were eager to take upon
themselves #he trials and burdens which
fell to the share of those who were
‘‘convinced of the truth.”
“To the superficial observer,” says an
tauthority, “it would seem impossible
that, even after the long lapse of cen-
turies, the descendants of these war-
like men should accept and become iden-
tified with the peaceful doctrines . and
manners of the Quakers: and yet to the
earnest student of human nature, the
transition seems not only possible, but
eminently proper and natural. To a sim-
ple-hearted people there was much in
the simplicity of Quakerism to com-
mend it, while the direct dependence of
the individual upon God and his inde-
pendence of men accorded with what
has been the sentiment of their race for
generations. But when to this, and far
more than all this, was added the con-
victions that to them the call of their
God was in their field of service, they
did not hesitate because of the sacrifices
required, or the danger to which it ex-
posed them. They were of the blood of
heroes to which the blood of martyrs is
closely akin, and they brought to bear
in this warfare the earnestness of pur-
pose, the devotion to duty, and the
fearless courage which had character-
ized their forefathers on the fields.”
TJnder the Protectorate the Quakers
had to submit to the scorn and perse-
cution of the Puritans; but their cruel-
est sufferings were to come after the
Restoration of the Stuarts.
In Besse’s “Sufferings of Friends,”
and in other works and memorials, may
be found toluching accounts of the per-
secution of those who afterwards Were
instrumental in the settlement of Ches-
ter County.
When the Welsh Quakers learned of
Penn’s design to found a colony in the
new world for the oppressed of his
religious belief, they were anxious to
Secure there a district in which they
would be free to live and worship after
the dictates of their Own ConScience.
Their representatives, accordingly, met
the Proprietor in London in the fall of
1681, and arranged with him to grant
them a Barony in Pennsylvania.
In order to secure the privilege of a
first choice in the new lands they
bound themselves into companies, each
company purchasing several thousand
acres to be laid out in the Province of
Pennsylvania. These purchases Were
made by one or two persons who acted
as trustees and divided the land SO
bought to those who had contributed to-
wards the purchase money. The fatal
mistake made by the Welsh upon this
Occasion, I quote from my OWn paper
on the Barony, was that there seems to
have been nothing at all reduced to
writing, and that they allowed them-
selves to be persuaded by the Founder
that the powers given him in his charter
and the general articles of concession
to all colonies, which papers were signed
by the Welsh Patentees, would be suffi-
cient, with his personal promise, to pro-
tect them, and enable them to carry
out the plan they had in view.
There can certainly be no reasonable
doubt that by his charter Penn and
his successors were empowered to erect
Baronies. It is equally clear that under
the English laws there would appertain
thereto the ancient rights of Court
Baron, Frank Pledge, and other feudal
privileges and Customs.
In England, in early times, the sys-
tem. Of Baronial government was Op-
posed to individual freedom and equal
justice. Those in the Barony were Sub-
ject, without any appeal, or personal
rights bound to be respected, to the
Lord thereof. At the great Manor House
was held the Court Baron, and here the
Lord of his Steward received homage,
recovered fines, held the view of Frank
Pledge or levied the tithes. If the Lord
held criminal jurisdiction, executions
might be ordered without any appeal be-
ing permitted or indeed possible. And
such executions were entirely Within
the law of the realm. The tenants in the
Barony held by Service and Were bound
to gather the crops of their Lord, to
haul his wood, and to till his land. In
addition to this military service was a
possibility ever present. No man there,
then, was a freeholder. By degrees, how-
ever, all this was changed. The exact
tithes to be paid, the fines, the reliefs
and the services that a Lord could
claim, came to be defined by law. The
possession of land, On payment of Cer-
tain rent Or taxes, Came to be a right
that might be bought and sold, and the
Foremain of the manor, Or Receiver of
the Barony, was an officer elected by
the tenants Or land holders, and was
their representative, the Lord's Bailiff
acting only as his master's agent in col-
lecting the rents and taxes due, and
Such Bailiffs acted Only under the di-
rect supervision of the Reeve. In time
it came that the petty officers were also
chosen by the people, each freeholder
having his vote. In early times the
Lord's tenants were not annenable, ex-
cept for treason, whilst within the
Barony, to any other authority than
their feudal Lord, provided he held
criminal jurisdiction; but later this was
SO much changed that not only might
they be reached by process of common
law, but they held the right to have a
voice in the general government of the
country and vote for representatives in
Parliamient. But these privileges did not
detract from their right to decide their
-Own petty disputes annong themselves,
to fix their own local Ordinances, and
to levy their own taxes for the purposes
for which they were intended to be im-
posed. It was a modification of the Old
IEnglish Barony that the Welsh proposed
to establish in Pennsylvania. Probably
their scheme of government may have
been more like a large borough than a
feudal Barony, but the latter was of
course the Only form which they could
legally select, on account of the area.
covered and the probable Small and
scattered population.
The plan proposed, and which was
Subsequently attempted to be carried
Out in part, Was to elect a certain num-
ber of Justices or Chief Men, the Chief
Justice Or Foreman to act as Reeve Of
the Barony. These Justices were to de-
termine all minor disputes coming un-
der the head of civil suits. Sitting as a
Court in banc they inflict penalties in
criminal cases. They might also levy,
upon approval by Vote, Such taxes as
were required for the support of the
Baronical government.
The Barony being constitutionally a
part of the Province, the inhabitants
held it their right to be represented in
the Provincial Assembly, and they con-
sidered that the entire vote of the
Earony should be placed in One county,
viz.: Philadelphia, in which the tract
lay. At first they seemed to have im–
agined that the Barony should be per-
mitted to elect its own delegates to the
Assembly; but this having quickly been
found impracticable, they were content
to Cast their votes as above described,
and for a time at least to rest satisfied
With exercising only those rights which
Seemed to them clearly indisputable.
They insisted, however, upon refusing to
Serve upon juries in Philadelphia, or
elsewhere, or to bear any part of the
taxes of the county in which they were
included. Such were the plans submitted
by the Welsh to the Proprietor and ap-
proved by him.
William Penn, no doubt, was entirely
honest in his intentions, but he was
naturally sanguine, and moreover was
desirous of the ultimate success of his
Colony. This is not surprising. He had
at Stake not only a large amount of
money, but also his personal reputation.
Failure meant ruin. These reasons led
him to make many promises, given in
good faith, it is true, but which circum-
Stances entirely beyond his control sub-
sequently prevented him from fulfilling.
There can be no question of his pur-
pose to keep his word with the Welsh.
His warrant, given in 1684, to Thomas
Holmes, the Surveyor General, clear and
Concise as it is, can not be mistaken. In
it he says:
“Whereas divers considerable persons
among ye Welsh Friends have requested
me yt all ye Lands Purchased of me by
those of North Wales and South Wales,
together with ye adjacent counties to
ym, as Herefordshire, Shropshire and
Cheshire, about forty thousand acres,
may be layd out contiguously as One
Barony, alledging yt ye number allready
Come and suddenly to come, are such
as Will be capable of planting ye same
much With in ye proportion allowed in ye
Custom Of ye County, & SO not lye in
large useless vacancies. And because I
a.m inclined and determined to agree
and favour ym with any reasonable Con-
Veniency and privilege: I do hereby
charge thee and strictly require thee to
lay out ye tract of Land in as uniform
a manner as Conveniently may be, upon.
ye West Side of Skool kill river, running
three miles upon ye same, & two miles
backward, & then extend ye parallel with
ye river six miles and to run westwardly
So far as this ye Sā quantity of land be
Completely surveyed unto you—Given at
Pennsbury, ye 13th 1st mo. 1684.”
|PHolmes thereupon issued an Order to
one of his Deputy Surveyors, David Powell
(a Welshman), dated 2d month 4th,
1684, directing him “to survey and sett
out unto the said purchasers the said
quantity of land, in manner as before ex-
pressed, and in method of townshipps
lately appointed by the Governor att
five thousand acres for a townshipp,”
which directions were only partially car-
ried Out.
The warrant of the Proprietor was
issued on account of complaints from the
Welsh Friends already arrived, that they
were compelled to have the tracts which
they had purchased in Wales, divided,
part being surveyed to them near Phila-
delphia, and part in what they after-
wards called Goshen, and some of it in
the lower counties of New Castle, PCen't
and Sussex, now Delaware, and that al-
ready lands were being Surveyed to the
English within the bounds of their pro-
posed boundary.
The result of these compaints led to
various clashes with the authorities fur-
ther complicated by the proposal to
place the townships of Haverford and
Radnor, considered by the Welsh to be
a part of their Barony, within the bounds
of Chester county. Of the progress of
this dispute I have already Written at
some length, and I will not tire you by
going over it to-night. Suffice it to say
that the Barony in spite of Cymric Op-
position was divided and that the dis-
puted townships became a part of the
County of Chester.
You may search the records Of the
entire list of American Colonies but you
will not find in any of them any COm-
munity equal, in intelligence and indus-
try, to the Welsh settlers of Chester
county.
They were, with but few exceptions,
men of education and position in the
country which they left.
Here is a list of some of the first
Cymric settlers of Radnor and Goshen,
taken from the deeds executed in Wales
for the lands which they purchased, and
which, in many cases, their descendants
continued to Occupy for many general-
tions, and some believe, yet hold:
John Evans, of Nantmele, Radnor,
gentleman; James Price, Morthvery
Parish, Carmarthenshire, gentleman;
Richard Humphrey, Llanglynin, Merion-
ethshire, gentleman; , Roger Hughes,
Llanishangell, Rhydrython, Radnor, gen-
tleman; Thomas Jones, Glascombe, Rad-
nor, gentleman; Richard Cook, of the
same place, glover; John Lloyd, of DeS-
sart Parish, Radnor, glover; Edvan
Jones, St. Harmon Parish, Radnor, gen-
tleman; Evan ap William, Llanvachreth,
Merionethshire, gentleman; David Evans,
of Llanvachreth, Merionethshire, gentle-
man; Ellis Pugh, Merionethshire, gentle-
man, and So I might read you all night
the roll Of these Cymric adventurers
who planted your country two centuries
agO. -
The emigration of the Cymric Quakers
to the county Of Chester Commenced in
1682 and Continued until about 1700–10.
One of the last to arrive was Ellis Lewis,
who came from Mierionethshire by way
Of Ireland and Settled in Kennett. -
But although the Welsh Friends were
first in the Great Welsh Tract, there
Were two other Cymric emigrations to
Chester county of equal importance, but
made from entirely different reasons.
These were: First, the Welsh Episco-
palians, who began to come in numbers
in about 1698, and ceased a few years
after, and, secondly the Welsh Baptists,
Whose removal commenced about 1701
and continued pretty steadily until about
1735, Or later.
The Episcopalians, or members of the
Church of England, of course, had never
suffered any bitter persecution. -
The earlier history of the Baptists, in
this respect, however, about equals that
of Friends, but their sufferings at home
had terminated long before their coming
hither. The church of England people
are found, at an early date, principally
in the townships of Newlin, Easttown
and neighborhood. They came, with a
few exceptions, from the county of Rad-
nor, and they almost immediately estab-
lished the Church of St. David which still
remains a monument to their piety.
Services are said to have been held near
the site Of this ancient church before
1700, by one Evan Evans. The records,
which are very imperrectly kept, begin
in 1706. The first entry is the baptism of
Elizabeth, daughter of Morgan and
Elizabeth Hughes, June 8, 1706, and is fol-
lowed by the baptism of her brothers,
Benjamin and Edward, in the years 1708
and 1712, respectively.
The first records of the members of the
members of the congregation of St.
David’s is a list of “the names Of those
Who Were at the Sacrament on Good Fri-
day, March 23d, 1721–2.” -
They were: David Howell and Evan
Harry, Church Wardens, William Davis,
Thomas Edwards, James Price, Susanna,
Price, Thomas James, Ann James, David
Thomas, Ann Thomas, George Lewis,
Francis Lewis, Owen Hugh, Ann Hugh,
Philip David, Thomas Godfrey, John
David, Mary Morris, William Owen,
Evan Jones, Richard Hughes, wife and
sister, Peter Elliot, John Martin, Evan
Hugh, Mary Hugh, James Davis, Grif-
fith and James. -
Some of these names quaintly graven
by the chinking chisel of some old mortal-
ity, I have found traced on the shattered
and crumbling stones in the church yard.
The Welsh Baptists appear to have
mostly congregated in the neighborhood
of Tredyffrin and in Vincent townships.
The Rev. Morgan Edwards, in his book
on the Welsh Baptists of Pennsylvania,
printed in 1770, says, regarding the great
Valley Church: . -
“In 1710, Rev. Hugh Davis, (an ordained
minister,) William Rees, Rev. Alex-
ander Owen, John Evans . . and
Margaret his wife, arrived and
Settled in the same neighborhood,
Which increased their number to sixteen,
and made them think of forming them-
Selves into a church. Accordingly, April
22, 1711, they were incorporated, and did
choose Rev. Hugh Davis to be their mini-
ister; Alexander Owen and William Rees
to be elders, and the same year they
joined the association; the former of
ficiated as a deacon till Griffith Jones ar-
rived from Ryd wilm, in the year 1712.
From this time till 1722, they increased
fast partly by Mr. Davis' ministry, part-
ly by comers from other parts, chiefly
by emigrations from Wales, which made
it inconvenient for them to hold their
meetings in private houses, and set them
On erecting the building before des-
Cribed.”
This was the Great Valley Church—Its
dimensions were 28 feet square (erected
1722), with seats, galleries, and a stove.
The ground about it contained near two
acres; a part of which was given by
William George; the rest purchased by
the church. Adjoining it was a school-
house.
In 1770, the congregation consisted of:
John Williams, Sampson Davis, David
Thomas, Thomas Nicholas, George
George, Thomas Davis, Edward Powell,
Evan Thomas, Griffith Thomas, Thomas
Morris, Enoch Lewis, Joseph Philips and
Others.
Rev. Hugh Davis, the first pastor, was
born in 1665, in Cardiganshire, baptized
and Ordained at Rydwilm. Arrived in
this country 26th of April, 1711, and set-
tled with the church when first con-
Structed. He continued among them
until his death, which came to pass Oct.,
13th, 1753. He had one daughter, who
married David Davis. The family yet
exists. He was succeded by John Davis,
born Nov., 1, 1702, in Llanfernach Par-
rish, county of Pembroke who arrived
27 July, 1713. He married Abigail Miles,
and had Sampson Miles, who had Abner,
Abigail, Hannah, Nathan, and John.
But if the early Welsh of Chester
County were divided in their religious be-
lief, they were united in frugality, industry
and a clannish pride in the ancient race
behind them.
The Cymric settlers of Chester county,
in common with their kinsmen in Merion,
Were possessed of a social refinement
far in advance of some of their neigh-
bors. To understand precisely the mode
of life pursued by them here it is neces-
Sary to explain the conditions which sur-
round them in their native land.
The Welsh emigrants to Pennsylvania,
most of whom are described as gentle-
men, in deeds to them for land here,
were, indeed of the Gentry of Wales, but
by Occupation they were farmers or
graziers.
In Wales, in the spring, the wealthy
farmer, left his Hendre, or “Permanent
Home,” taking with him his family ser-
Vants, his cattle and his sheep. The
Sheep would be sent to the higher moun-
tains, but the cattle would be grazed
upon the joint or common pasture lands
belonging to the different Hendres. In
August the farmer would return with his
cattle to his Hendre, bringing with him
the Summer product of cheese and but-
ter, to gather his harvest. Later in the
Season the sheep would be brought from
the hills and secured in comfortable
Quarters for the winter.”
The Welsh in Chester county farmed
their lands in a similar manner, and
those who are at all familiar with their
habits Will note that they often possess-
ed farms, one in the more thickly popu-
lated centres which they considered their
homes, and another for grazing pur-
poses, further from civilization.
The Chester county Welsh were in-
finitely better provided than their Eng-
lish neighbors, with books and articles
of household luxury. I have noted in
inventories, mahogany shaving cases, tea,
tables and dieing tables, and handsome
chests of drawers; feather beds, mirrors
* Silver-plate are frequently mention-
6:01.
Among other articles of apparel ac-
Cording to old account books, we find
beaver hats, coats with silver buttons,
embroidered vests and silver mounted
riding whips for the men; ginghams of
lively color, colored silk hose, silk hand-
kerchiefs, silk gloves, bonnets and Irish
linens for the women.
Such articles, you will admit, exhibit
Signs of inherent refinement and of edu-
Cation. Their homes were so substantial-
ly built of Stone that many of them
Stand to-day as Solid and comfortable
as When first erected.
A recent historian has said that the
number of Welsh settlers in Pennsyl-
Vania, as compared with those of other
nationalities Was So Small as to have
but little, if any effect upon the history
Of the State.
I have examined, hastily, a number of
the tax lists, and other documents of
Chester county, for the early years of
the 18th century, With a view of ascer-
taining What proportion of the inhabit-
ants (landholders) at that time were
Welshmen.
The result of those lists examined is
about as follows:
Aston, Welsh settlers, 3 to 17, English
or other nationalities, Bethel, 3 to 11,
Birmingham, 4 to 27, Bradford, 2 to 26,
Caln, 3 to 14, Charlestown, 15 to 2, Chi-
chester, 7 to 13, Concord, 6 to 45, Cones-
toga, 11 to 29, Darby, 11 to 56, Edgmont,
7 to 40, Goshen, 11 to 9. Haverford, 25 to
1, London Britain, 20 to 1, Nantmeal, 14
to 3, Pikeland, 19 to 18, Radnor, 40 to
none of other races, Tredyffrin, 30 to
none, Vincent, 8 to 6.
The total is, in the townships men-
tioned, 248 Welsh land-holders against
237 Of Other COuntries. An examination
of other sections Would, doubtless pro-
duce a more Surprising result.
The early Welsh, of Chester county,
or their immediate descendants occupied
as time Went On, many positions of
trust under the Provincial Government.
Of the High Sheriffs of your county,
prior to 1775, six were Welchmen. One
of these, John Owen, held numerous
Other offices.
He was Sheriff 1729, 1735, 1743, 1749–57;
member of the Provincial Assembly at
periods from 1733 to 1748; was one of the
trustees of the Loan Office of Pennsyl-
vania, and collector of Excise for
Chester county, 1733–1737; he was also a
Justice. He married Hannah, daughter
of George Maris, and had children, Jane,
who married Joseph West, George, who
died S. p., Elizabeth, Wno married James
Rhoads, Rebecca, Who married Jesse
Maris, and Susanna, who married Josiah
Hibbard. All Of these names are fami-
liar to you as identified in after time,
with the history of Chester county and
Pennsylvania.
Allied to Sheriff Owen by ties of near
relationship were the Humphreys of
Haverford, then in Chester county.
Daniel Humphrey, the son of Samuel,
of Llangeleynin, came in 1862, and was
followed by his widowed mother and his
brother and Sisters.
Descended in unbroken line, as the old
manuscript pedigree of his family, still
preserved, proves, from a house so an-
cient that its history is lost amid the red
confusion of forgotten wars, this Welsh-
man became a hardworking farmer of
Chester county.
He married Hannah Wynne, upor.
whose family Dr. S. Weir Mitchell
founded his novel, “Hugh Wynne,”
and had a number of children. His
grandson, Joshua Humphreys was born
in Chester county in 1757, and died 1838.
At an early age he was placed with a
firm of ship-builders in Philadelphia,
and before he had finished his course,
his master died. Young Humphreys was
chosen to manage the business, and be-
Came, in time, the foremost ship-builder
in America.
He is regarded as the first naval con-
Structor of this country, and has been
called the father of the American Navy.
After the adoption of the Constitution
Of the United States he was Officially
Consulted regarding the proposed navy,
and his views and plans were finally
approved. -
The ships which he afterwards design-
ed for the United States, some of which
were built in his own yard under his
Oersonal inspection, and some elsewhere,
Were :
The Congress, The President, The
Constitution, The Chesapeake, The Con-
stellation, and the United States, and a
number of smaller vessels. His brother,
Charles Humphreys, was a member of
the Continental Congress, and was high-
ly respected for his integrity of chair-
acter. , ,
Joshua Humphreys' son, Clement, was
made the bearer of official despatches
to France during the John Adams ad-
ministration, and gained some fame as a
diplomat. . . .
Another son, Samuel Humphrey, born
1778, held the position of Naval Con-
structor from 1815 to 1824. The Emperior
Alexander, of Russia, once repuested him
to oversee the making of his Navy, and
offered him a salary of $60,000 per an-
Illl Iſl.
The reply of this Chester county Welsh-
man is worthy of record.
“I do not know,” he wrote,” “that I
possess the merits attributed to me, but,
be they great or small, I owe them all
to the Flag of my country.”
General A. A. Humphreys was the
grandson of Joshua. His first active Ser-
vice during the late war Was a COm-
mander of a division of the 5th Corps of
the Army of the Potomac, at the battle
of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.
At Gettysburg he was promoted to
Major General, , and his subsequent
career, a record that sheds great credit
upon the county in which his ancestors
i.ed, is too well-known for comment
eI’e.
The Welsh Of Chester COunty . Seem to
have inherited, in a considerable degree,
the fighting instincts of their Cyril ric
ancestors. *
IDuring the War of the Revolution, of
the Pennsylvania troops engaged, so far
as I can discover from the existing rolls,
fully forty per cent. were of Welsh de-
scent and many of these were from this
county. I have time, only, to name a
few Of them.
John Davis entered the Continental
army in 1776. He raised a company and
served as Captain until the end of the
War. He participated, with his Com-
pany, at he battles of Brandy Wine,
Germantown, Monmouth, Stony, Point,
and Yorktown, and was at the Surprise
at Paoli. - - - &
In 1800, he was appointed Brigadier
General of the Militia of Chester county.
His son, Dr. Isaac Jones, Was an emin-
ent Surgeon in the Army.
Dr. John Davis, a native of Tredyffrin,
Chester county, received the appoint-
ment of Surgeon-in-Chief of the Penn-
sylvania. Battalions, in 1776.
Rev. David Jones, the son of Morgan
Jones, then a resident of Chester county,
Was appointed Chaplain of the Contin-
ental Army in 1776, and served under
ºes. St. Clair and Wayne from 1776 to
i
The Rev. Horatio Gates Jones, son of
David, was an eloquent Baptist minis-
ter. One of his sons, I. Richter Jones.
Colonel of the 58th Pennsylvania. Volun-
teers, was killed at Newburn, North
Carolina, in 1863. * * -
Another son, the late Hon. Horatio
Gates Jones, was well-known as a his-
torian. • * -
I might mention to you a number of
Other descendants of the Welsh Who
took an active part in our struggle for
Independence, and if I do, the names of
Evans, of Morgan, of James, of Davis,
of Lewis, and of Williams, would be
most Conspicuous. -
I may add that the Brigadier General
commanding the Pennsylvania. Militia,
John Cadwalader, though not a native
Of Chester county, was a kinsman of its
early settlers, and that very efficient
Commissary-General of the Continental
Army, Owen Biddle was of Welsh line-
age, and a nephew of John Owen, Whom
we have mentioned as one of the Sher-
iffs of Chester. - * *
And last of the list, but first in the
ranks of honor and fame, I will barely
mention to you the name of Major Gen-
eral Anthony Wayne, of Welsh blood
through his mother, to whose memory
Pennsylvania has never thought fit to
raise any memorial, in return for the
blood he shed for her, from the frozers
fields of Canada to , the burning sands
of Florida, and whose bones, hadi & not
been for his noble son, would still have
remained un-coffined on the desolate
Shores Of Lake Erie. - - -
If the professoin of arms appealed to
the Cymric race in Chester county, the
profession of the law had its champions.
It would be inappropriate to name those
of Welsh blood who are now brilliant
members of the Chester county bar, but
you will permit me to mention. One or
two of &he descendants of the Welsh
settlers of your county who have won
laurels in the legal profession.
The first of these in name and place is
Ellis Lewis, Chief Justice, of Pennsyl-
vania. John Evans, another Chester
county man, and the son of John Evans,
was appointed , third Judge of the Su-
preme Court of Pennsylvania in 1777. A
stil earlier legal light in your county was
David Lloyd, who in early provincial
times was “a power in the land.” Horace
Binney, in his “Leaders of the Old Bar,”
tells us much concerning that most emi-
nent lawyer, William Lewis, , who, he
says, , was, born in Chester county in 1745.
Of his practice at the bar, Mr. Binney
says: “Whatever prerogative had been
given by Magna Charta, the Constitution
Or the law, either to the courts or the
people, for the vindication of public jus-
tice and Order, or for the defense of per-
Sonal liberty and reputation, had a sleep-
less guardian in him.” -
A later Welshman “learned in the law,”
native in your county, was Eli K. Price,
whose works on the law of real estate
have made him widely known.
Art, also, has its representatives in a
descendant of the early Welsh of Ches-
ter County in the person of Joseph Pen-
nell, Of London, one of the most skillful
etchers of our day. - - -
In the practice of medicine the Welsh.
have always excelled, and you can doubt-
less recall to mind a number of physi-
Cians of Welsh lineage who have at-
tained distinction in this COunty.
Of those early physicians of Philadel-
phia and neighborhood, who by descent,
association or influence are at all Con-
nected with the county Of Chester in
early times, I can only name to you as of
Cymric. blood, Dr. Thomas Wynne, Dr.
Thomas Cadwalader, Dr. Lloyd Zachary,
Dr. John Morgan, Dr. Cadwalader
IEvans, Dr. Thomas Parke, Dr. Evan
Jones, Dr. John Jones, Dr. John Foulke,
Dr. Morris J. Lewis and Dr. James
Walker.
Members of the Historical Society of
Chester County, I have attempted to-
night to bring to your notice, for further
investigation and research, the Welsh
Settlers of Chester COUInty.
The shadow has lengthened upon the
dial. More than two Centuries have
passed since the Cymry settled this
county, and your record of the Founders
is yet scant and incomplete.
The Sun of the nineteenth century is
fast going down, and ere it set, I would
ask you to gather from every Source, for
preservation by your Historical Society,
what fragments remain of the records
and achievements of your Welsh fore-
fatherS.
Although it is true that it can not be
said that the people and tongue of Wales
will answer for Pennsylvania, or for
Chester county, at the last day, yet do I
hold that Welsh brains and Welsh honor
will continue to have their influence in
this county and State until “religion and
piety, truth and justice,” shall cease to
|be a factor in the affairs of this Com-
Imonwealth.
The Discussion,
When the Speaker had concluded his
remarks, Professor George M. hilips,
the President, expressed his pleasure in
having listened to the paper and added:
“I hope there are some present who will
have something to add to it or who will
ask some Questions Concerning the sub-
ject Of this lecture.”
No One Spoke for a moment Or two and
then Professor Philips suggested that a
vote of thanks to the speaker was in
Order. This was given very heartily.
Rev. William L. Bull, of West White-
land township, Said, “As the descendant
of a fighting Quaker, I would like to
ask how far the Friends were in sympa-
thy with the patriots?”
Mr. Glenn : “It is said that when Gen-
eral Washington came up across this
district after the Battle of Brandywine
that he said “Now we are in the enemy’s
Country,” but I don’t believe it. I think
a large majority were patriots. Of course,
the wealthy men among them were ap-
prehensive of losing their money and de-
plored the war. They naturally sided
with the Crown.”
Dr. Jesse C. Green said: “I am glad
that the Question was asked. My father
used to talk considerably upon this sub-
ject. He said that in the neighborhood
where the battle of Brandywine WalS
fought there were no Quakers who were
Tories. One citizen who was very far
from being a Quaker was a notorious
loyalist. Everybody knew Tory Jake.”
Mr. Glenn : “I agree with Dr. Green
in the belief that the majority of the
Tories were people who were not Friends.
There were more Tories in New Jersey
probably than in Pennsylvania, New
York and all New England put together.
They raised a regiment to fight for the
Crown in New Jersey, and perhaps more
than One. These Tories took part in
the battle of Princeton or Trenton, I
am not sure which, and they were not
Friends. But we ought to discuss these
questions calmly now. It is no disgrace
for One’s ancestors to have been loyal-
ists. “Nothing succeeds like success,”
and if the other side had won the Tories
Would be the men who would have been
applauded afterwards.”
Rev. William L. Bull . “I think We
ought to realize that there were honest
men who differed upon that question in
those days. There are some who thought
that the crown was right.”
Mr. Glenn : “The crime of high treason
is popular. Many of the Old English
families had a way of changing from
One side to the other and the Other side
had a way of cutting their heads off
when they caught them. The fact that
an ancestor lost his head because he
took this side Or that was a matter of
boasting afterwards. Men honestly dif-
fer on many subjects and as I said
money interests SOImetimes Control
them.”
Dr. Green again expressed his pleasure
that this question had been raised by
Rev. William L. Bull, and added, “It is
Only a few days since I was called upon
by a man who asked me what was the
true position of the Quakers during the
Revolution.”
Dr. J. T. Rothrock said: “It is said
that a Friend who was the Owner of
SOme fine Oak timber was asked to sell
it to the Government during the late
War. Being in doubt as to whether he
Ought to Sell it to the Government when
he knew that it would be used in mak-
ing War vessels, he asked John G. Whit-
tier what he ought to do. Mr. Whittier
replied, ‘Friend, if thee sells thy lumber
to the GOvernment, be sure that it is
Sound.’”
Mr. Glenn : “The story of Dr. Roth-
rock’s reminds me of One who lived in
Revolutionary times and was something
of a Crank. I call him that without hesi-
tation, for he was an ancestor of mine.
In the Colonial Council he was opposed
to War and would not vote supplies for
the army, , but he was willing to vote
money to feed the hungry and so voted
all right On that question.”
* This closed the debate which was very
interesting to all, as the lecture before
it had been.
The Supposed Earl of Anglesea.
AN ADDRESS BY
SAMUEL R. SHIPLEY,
BEFORE THE CHESTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, JUNE 16, 1898.
[REPRINTED FROM THE DAILY LOCAL NEWS. )
Library Hall was well filled with peo-
ple last evening interested in the early
history of Chester county. The Histor-
ical Society had called a special meeting
for the purpose Of hearing the lecture
of Samuel R. Shipley, who had some
time ago promised to read a paper On
“The Earl of Anglesea.” There is a ro-
mantic story connected with the early
history of Chester county, in which the
supposed Earl figured.
Joseph Thompson, one of the Vice
Presidents of the Society, called the
meeting to Order and without delay or
ceremony introduced the speaker of the
evening.
Before beginning the reading of his paº-
per Mr. Shipley Stated: “I was in-
duced to prepare this paper because of
a reference to the Earl of Anglesea, by
a. Speaker before this society some time
ago. He had mentioned some incidents
which I knew not to be correct, but
without attempting to correct the
Speaker I endeavored to tell briefly the
story of the supposed Earl of Anglesea.
I felt special interest in the matter be-
cause of his relation with William Ship-
ley, a brother of my great-grandfather.
My great-grandfather did not come to
this country, although his brother, Wil-
liam, did. Several years later my grand-
father, whose name was also William,
came to this country. There may seem
to you to be most too much of Shipley
in this, but the theme is associated with
one branch of the Shipley family, as I
have stated. Having heard me refer to
the matter Mr. Thompson asked me to
prepare the paper, which I will read
this evening, and I consented to do so.”
THE PAPER READ.
Mr. Shipley read the paper in a delib-
erate manner, and was listened to with
much interest by all present. The pal-
per, which we publish in full, is strictly
historical, and is a valuable addition to
the records of the Chester County HiS-
torical Society.
THE EARL OF ANGLESEA.
The following is the paper in full, as
read by Mr. Shipley:
I am about to tell you a story which
has been related a great many times. I
can not hope to give it any original
color. It is simply a narration, compiled
from a great many sources, partly from
the Gentleman’s Magazine (a publica-
tion of the time) partly from publica-
tions made since that day and partly
from the story of Charles Reade, Com-
monly known as the “Wandering Heir.’’
It has in it, too, some traditions of this
neighborhood. It concerns a period in
the early part of the Eighteenth Cen-
tury. It is the story of an adventurous
life, in which the hero was (I am afraid)
a rather meek spirited man, not Very
prompt or ready to claim his rights, and
one disposed to take life as it came to
him. He was the son of a great noble-
man, in the north of Ireland. He was
born at a place not very far from Dub-
lin. His name was James Annesley,
that being the family name. It would
appear that he grew up until Six Or
seven years of age in his own father's
home, one of those great houses in which
wealth and station make their mark.
His father, however, seems to have been
an impecunious man; one greatly given
to dissipation and fast living. He sur-
rounded himself with boon companions
of a rather low type, and appears to
have alienated the affections of his wife,
who was, perhaps, an ordinarily good
woman; at all events she seems to have
had natural affection, which her liege
lord had not. The name of this great
Lord was Altham. By inheritance he
was Earl of Anglesea. This was a title
which afterwards fell into desuetude,
and was revived a hundred years later
in the family of the Duke of Wellington.
In the early days it was an ancient title.
This noble lord having spoiled his do-
mestic life, he sent his wife to England,
keeping his only son with him, in his
great castle. Lord Altham had two
brothers, one named Richard, who ap-
pears to have been a very wicked man.
This brother persuaded him to send the
boy to school, at a place about one hun-
dred miles from Dublin ; there he was
maltreated and plagued by his school-
mates and associates until his life was
rendered entirely miserable. He finally
runs away from the School and en-
deavors to find his father's house again.
After many singular adventures he
comes before his father at dinner,
where he was engaged in drinking and
gambling with men as bad as himself.
His father was at first ashamed; then
pleased with the boy's looks. He has
him dressed in accordance with his rank
and acknowledges him before them all.
Very soon he meets his uncle Richard,
who is of the mind to put the boy Out
Of the way, so that he may inherit his
brother's estate. He obtains the dis-,
Charge of the servants, until none is
left who knew the boy. An Old woman
is left in charge Of the house with the
little fellow. An execution is put upon
' ' tº hollse and the boy is turned Out On
the streets with nothing but the clothes
he wears. He tries to hunt up his
mother, but she is far away. About this
time his father dies. His Uncle Richard
presently appears upon the scene and
has the boy Carried Off by a lot Of
graceless fellows. He is indentured by
One of them to a stranger, who was
about to take ship to Philadelphia. It
Was the practice at that time to bind
boys and men to Service in the colonies
for a limited period of years. In this
Way their expenses were paid. There
Was a large immigration in Pennsylva-
nia, from Germany of men and women,
who were called “German Redemption-
erS.’’
to immigrate and obtained the requisite
moneys by binding themselves out to
Service. This was perhaps no great hard-
ship, but the difficulties lay in the ad-
ministration of the law that governed
it. Under the statutes of Pennsylvania,
if the apprenticed Or ind entured man
endeavored to escape from his master,
he was liable to have his term of Ser–
Vice prolonged greatly. It was, there-
fore, to the interest of the master to
make the burden of service intolerable,
hoping to so work upon the feelings Of
the servant that he would be disposed
to escape, and in this way another hold
was obtained upon him. -
You will, therefore, see from these few
remarks, how nearly allied to slavery
this system was, although it concerned
only people of white blood.
The boy was sold On his arrivel in
|Philadelphia to a Mr. Drummond, who
lived in New Castle COunty, Delaware.
He remained with him under the terms
Of his indenture for nearly seven years;
he was so badly treated that the temp-
tation to escape was yielded to. He was
recaptured and put in the gaol at Ches-
ter, Pennsylvania. Shortly after being
exposed in the stocks he was found by
his master, Drummond, and taken back
to a place in the neighborhood of Wil-
mington, Delaware.
That was not the Vy ilmington Of to-
day; the busy mart of commerce, full
of human industries, a city where iron
and steel are fashioned into a thousand
forms; where cotton and wool are made
into material for clothing; where skins
are turned into leather and morocco;
where the largest factories of powder
and dynamite exist; where art and lit-
erature flourish, a fitting example Of
the civilization of the Nineteenth Cen-
little village.
middle Class.
They had no means with which
It was in that far Off day Only a
The aboriginal inhabitants
Of the soil had left it Only yesterday, a.
little company of Swedes who came over
before W 111iam Penn had settled there.
It was a place of fertile lands, and ver-
dant meadows. The Brandywine and
Christiana, flowed through it; we may
imagine it a scene of great rural charmS.
Only lately there had come to it a man
whose name was William Shipley. He
appears to have landed in the first in-
stance at Philadelphia, about the year
1729. His ancestors had lived for several
generations in Uttoxter in Straffordshire.
They were evidently of the respectable
I have seen the house in
which he lived on the market square
in that little borough town. He was the
son of Thomas Shipley and Dorothy, his
wife. Thomas was the son of Joseph
who appears to have lived in the neigh-
borhood of Litchfield, Dr. Johnson’s
home. William Shipley appears to have
made his first home at or near Spring-
field, Delaware county. He shortly after
married Elizabeth Levis, who was a
woman Of Considerable Strength Of
mind. She was a preacher in the So-
ciety of Friends. They lived together
on her ancestral farm, late the resi-
dence of Thomas Shipley Newlin, and
now occupied by his children, who are
descendants of this William Shipley and
Elizabeth I levis.
On one occasion she appears to have
had a remarkable dream. She saw
her vision a view of an extended region
traversed by a beautiful stream Of
Water, On either Side of which were fer-
tile fields lined in the distance by the
native forest; a picture of exceeding
beauty. She stood on the hill as she
thought) and looked down upon this at-
tractive scene, when some one invisible
told her, “This is to be thy home; here
thou and thy husband shall live and
rear a family of descendants, who shall
live after you to keep alive your name
and to be of great use and influence
a.mong their fellowmen.”
Shortly after this occurrence, Eliza-
beth Shipley paid what was called in
those days and since in the Society of
Friends, a religious visit, that is to say,
she went on a missionary tour through
the Southern counties of Pennsylvania,
and into the State Of Delaware. It was
the practice in that day for such iour-
neys to be made upon horseback. She
was no doubt accompanied by some
member of the Meeting to which she
belonged, and as they passed through
the upper part of Delaware they came
to the hill which now Overlooks a large
part of the city of Wilmington. Some
of you who may be familiar with the
town will recall it if I mention that the
late Charles Howland lived upon it, and
had the Ownership of a considerable
tract there. It was a morning in the
early summer; they had ridden through
a primitive forest; the pipe of the wood
robin and the Song Sparrow gave Out
their liquid melody upon the air; the
hoarse voice of the blue jay echoed
through the woods; the Squirrels and
tury !
Wood-chucks and other wild creatures
ran across the road; high above in the
air, the buzzards floated with their ma-
jestic poise. It was a scene of wild na-
ture in its most inviting aspect. At once
her mind recurred to the dream which
had seemed so memorable. Here was
the picture reproduced with an exact-
neSS that seemed to her due to no
mere concidence. It seemed as if the
language which she had heard was
again repeated and she saw in it an
instance of that Divine illumination
Which is so distinctly an article of Faith
With the Society of Friends to which
She belonged.
After concluding her visit, she re-
turned to Springfield and very shortly
afterwards informed her husband (who
had beforehand been familiar with the
dream) of what had occurred. He was
a man Of Strong purpose and not easily
moved, but after listening to her solici-
tations oftimes repeated, he began to
think that he might do worse than lis-
ten to the counsel of his loving help-
mate.
It must have been about the year 1732
that this occurred. In the spring of that
year, they concluded to visit the region
which had seemed to be so attractive
to her, and when William Shipley fixed
his eyes upon the water of the Brandy-
Wine and saw how well fitted it seemed
to be for the beginning of a town, he con-
Sented to yield to her views and to es-
tablish themselves at Once in a home in
that place. Wililam Shipley bought sev-
eral pieces of land and immediately be-
gan the erection of a mill, the motive
poWer of which should be the river
Which flowed between his acres. It was
not long before others joined him. They
had confidence in his sagacity and re-
alized to some extent the future which
William Shipley looked forward to. They
Speedily organized a meeting of the Re-
ligious Society of Friends, in which
Elizabeth Shipley was a recognized min-
ister. Both Elizabeth and her husband
appear to have been highly esteemed.
William Shipley and his wife produced
a marked effect upon the future of the
to Wn. In addition to the mill he built a.
market house, which does not appear
to have been placed exactly as his a S-
Sociates in the town desired. Speedily
there sprang into existence another.
HOW annusing it is that this should
have been repeated in Our little town
of West Chester! Many of you will re-
nember the excitement which grew up
Out of the building of the two market
houses here. Human nature appears to
have been the same one hundred and
fifty years ago that it is to-day. The
trouble, however, passed away and
William Shipley's market was recogniz-
ed as the One Which should have the
business of the town.
Wilmington grew and flourished. The
descendants of William Shipley multi-
plied and were all that Elizabeth Ship-
ley could have expected as the full fru-
ition of her dream. Anong them was
Joseph Shipley, of the firm of Brown,
Shipley & Company, of London. He was
a simple country boy, who left his home
with the hope of becoming a merchant
in Philadelphia. He entered the employ
of John Welsh, the father of our late
Minister to England, and became a
trusted servant in the house of John
Welsh & Sons. -
One day William Brown, who was an
eminent banker in London and Liver-
pool, asked John Welsh to send him out
a Quaker boy from Philadelphia. Joseph
Shipley went to London and Speedily
gained the confidence of the great firm of
bankers by whom he was employed. In
the troubles of 1837, he was of great use
to the firm and made his mark SO effectu-
ally that they made him a partner of
the house. It still stands in the name of
Brown, Shipley & Co. When Joseph
Shipley retired from the house in 1850
he returned to his early home in Wil-
mington. He built a beautiful home in
the Suburbs Of the town and lived there
until his death.
The little village of Wilmington has
grown into an important centre. The
Brandywine and Christiana still flow
upon their courses, and the influence of
this man and this woman still lives in
the lives of the people who have come
after.
Just here it is that the local interest
of the story comes in. It is not clear
from the narration how long James An-
nesley remained with Drummond, but
very soon he came into connection with
Elizabeth Shipley, who appears to have
been a kind and generous friend to him.
It is possible that he lived in her family
for a time, but I am not certain of this.
During a number of years that he re-
mained in the neighborhood, he became
greatly attached to her, and she appears
to have stimulated his mind and ani-
mated his heart so that he took new
courage and determined to go back to
England to claim the rights to which he
Was entitled.
Charles Reade has concocted a roman-
tic story, in which a young woman of
fine character and great attractions'
figures, but so far as can be ascertained,
this is simply a creation of the novelist
for the purposes of his story.
James Annesley went back to England
about the year 1735, in a ship commanded
by Admiral Vernon, taking a place be-
fore the mast. When he arrives he finds
that his Uncle Richard has succeeded
to the title and is in possession of the
estate. He is, however, recognized by
a number of people as the rightful heir,
and soon finds friends who espouse his
cause. About this time, whilst staying
with One of these friends, he goes Out
with him to shoot pheasants. By acci-
dent they come upon some poachers, and
in the encounter he shoots One of them.
He is arrested and tried for the Offense.
|His wicked uncle hears Of his return
and is persuaded that fate has assisted
him to destroy the Only man who stands
in the way of the peaceful possession of
the estate that he has stolen. He em-
ploys eminent counsel to assist the
Crown lawyers in the prosecution so
4.
that James Annesley Can not escape.
It happens, however, that the friends
who had assisted him lost no faith in
his innocence and in the rightfulness of
his claims. They employed an attorney
who defeats the machinations Of the
Wicked uncle and brings about his a C-
CIuittal.
After some time the great tria.I, which
is one of the most remarkable in the
legal annals of England, occurs. It is
Conspicuous, not so much by reason of
the great value of the property or the
estates involved, as for the astounding
Contradictions in the evidence, and the
frightful perjuries committed. It is evi-
dent that Lord Altham had employed
all the arts known to unscrupulous prac-
titioners Of the law. There were thirteen
Counsel engaged for the claimant and fif–
teen for the defendant; some on both
sides being among the foremost lawyers
of the United Kingdom.
On the 11th of November, 1743, this trial
occurred in the Court of Exchequer in
Dublin. It lasted fifteen days. On the
One hand it was asserted that in the
Spring of the year 1715 Lady Altham
had been delivered at Dunmaine of a
son and heir; that all the customary
Solemnities and rejoicings had taken
place; that the child was uniformly ac-
knowledged both by Lord and Lady
Altham as their son; that he was shown
and Spoken of as such to visitors and
friends; that when the separation took
place between his father and mother,
the mother passionately entreated that
She might be permitted to take the child
with her, which the father refused.
On the other hand, it was denied that
Lady Altham ever had a child at all.
It was asserted that the ground of the
separation was the disappointment oc-
Casioned by her bearing no heir. That it
was known to every relation and visitor,
to every servant in the house that Lady
Altham never had a child.
It is impossible to conceive a simpler
, issue, yet two juries came to opposite
conclusions and so positive is the testi-
mony on each side that it seems even
now impossible to arrive at any satis-
factory solution. The household of Dun-
maine (where the boy was born) was
large and disorderly. One of the first
witnesses called on behalf of the plain-
tiff was a Major Fitzgerald. He deposed
that in the year 1715 he was in the town
of Ross; he there met Lord Altham, who
invited him to dinner; he told him that
his wife had had a son born to her.
They had some discourse about the child,
and Lord Altham Swore that the de-
ponent should see his son and according-
ly the nurse brought the child to de-
ponent and deponent kissed him and gave
half a guinea to the nurse; and Some
of the company toasted the heir ap-
parent to Ilord Angelsea, at dinner. It
seems impossible to add to the force of
this testimony. No attempt was made to
impeach the character of the witness.
John Turner was a servant to Lord
Anglesea—he had lived at Dunmaine ten
years. He said that soon after Decem-
ber, in 1714, Lady Altham told him she
had a son; that he afterwards saw the
boy and had him in his arms when he
was about a year and a half old; that
Lady Altham led the child across the
parlor and that Lord Altham kissed him
and called him “Jemmy;” that he saw
the child subsequently after the Separa-
tion between Lord and Lady Altham,
when he was treated by his father in all
respects as his legitimate Son.
During the twenty-eight years that
elapsed between the birth of the child
in 1715 and the trial in 1743, it was to be
expected that many of those whose evi-
dence would have been valuable should
have died. Among them were those who
stood sponsors for the child at his bap-
tism—the fact, however, Of the christen-
ing, the rejoicings that took place, the
bon fires and festivities were proved by
servants who lived in the house at the
time and proved repeatedly and COn-
sistently.
It is impossible within the narrow lim-
its of this paper to give even an outline
of the evidence of the fifty witnesses
who were called to substantiate the
claimant’s case. It would seem almost
needless to strengthen the evidence of
Major Fitzgerald and John Turner.
Every conceivable confirmation was
given by different witnesses. No Success-
ful attempt was made to impeach the
credibility of any of them, nor was any
inconsistency to be discovered in their
testimony further than might be a C-
counted for by the long period that had
elapsed.
The evidence for the defendant is now
to be considered. A woman named Heath
who lived with Lady Altham for a period
of sixteen years swore that while she
resided at Dunmaine she dressed her and
undressed her every night and this wit–
ness swore in a most distinct and posi-
tive manner that she never had a child.
It was contended that James Annesley
was the illegitimate child of Lord Al-
than by a Woman Of the name of Joan
Laffan, who had been a servant in the
house of Dunmaine.
This woman was not called as a Wit-
ness by either claimant or defendant,
although she was living at the time.
This adds to the mystery. She was never
examined, nor was her absence ever Sat-
isfactorily accounted for.
The jury, after a consultation of about
two hours, found for the claimant. They
must therefore have considered that
Heath and a large number of other wit–
nesses Who SWOre to the non-existence
Of the child, had perjured themselves.
The plaintiff appears to nave been dis-
posed to follow up his Victory, for an in-
dictment for perjury was at Once pre-
ferred against Mary Heath. A second
trial resulted. The jury found Mary
Heath not guilty. They must, therefore,
have considered that all those who SWOre
that Lady Altham had had a child WCre
guilty of a crime of which they acquitted
Heath.
James Annesley does not appear to
have taken any further steps to obtain
possession of the estates and honors to
which the decision of the jury had estab-
lished his title. He died at Blackheath,
on the 2d of January, 1760. His uncle,
Richard Annesley (Lord Altham) closed
his career of profligacy and cruelty
twelve months later. James Annesley
left a son, who died an infant, and a
daughter who married, and whose chil-
dren died young. Thus, his line became
extinct and his rights (whatever they
were) reverted to his uncle. Such was
the testimony of the “Annesley Case,”
memorable for the dark mystery in
which it must ever remain shrouded and
for the curious picture which it affords
Of the manners and habits of life that
prevailed little more than a hundred
years before Our Own day.
THE DISCUSSION.
Gilbert Cope, Secretary of the Society,
expressed his pleasure at having listen-
ed to the paper read and subsequently
when an Opportunity offered, read some
old records of proceedings in the Courts
of Chester county in the times long
ago, when Court sat in Chester. The
claims were for expenses of catching
and providing for redemptioners who
had run away from their masters. He
stated that if he had thought of it a
little Sooner he could have brought one
Of the indentures by which these people
bound themselves for a number of
years in Order to pay for their passage
to this country.
Wm. P. Townsend said: “I suppose
there are very few people living who
Can remember seeing any of these re-
demptioners. August John was one and
was indentured to Dr. Jacob Ehrenzel-
ler, Of West Chester.’’
SOME GOOD STORIES.
Samuel R. Shipley related three good
anecdotes that served to show the
Character of Some of the men who were
On the scene of action a century ago
niore or less.
Two of them concerned Joseph Ship-
ley, who was mentioned in the paper
read.
Joseph Shipley was in England at the
time of a great panic in business affairs
and many old firms of the best business
standing were going down in the crash.
Brown & Company, with whom he had
dealings, was involved. William Brown,
Of that firm, went to the Bank of LOn-
don and Stated that he must have a loan
Of a large amount Of money or the firm
would be compelled to assign. He was
asked hom much he wanted. He an-
Swered: “Twelve hundred thousand
pounds.” That was an immense sum in
those days. He was told that he could
not get it. He came home dejected and
informed the other members of the firm
that there was nothing left that they
could do and the financial ruin of the
firm must follow.
Joseph Shipley asked permission to go
on behalf of the firm to the Governors
of the bank of England. William
IBrown was in that condition of mind
that he would catch at a Straw in hope
of reiief.
Joseph Shipley went to see the Gover-
nors of the bank the next day and Suc-
ceeded in securing the loan. This Was
the service he rendered which is referred
to in the paper I read which secured
him a place in the firm known to the
present day as the firm of Brown, Ship-
ley & Co.”
Another story showed the gentle
spirit and self control of Joseph Shipley
to a remarkable degree.
“After his retirement from business he
brought with him to his home near Wil-
mington, among other things, a large
p}ate glass backed with black cloth
which cost several hundred dollars and
which, when advantageously placed, Will
reflect a landscape very beautifully.
This costly piece of furniture was stand-
ing near a window in his house one day,
when a farmer wearing big rough boots
came in. The clear plate glass Was Inot
seen by him until he had thrust One of
his big boots through it. A few minutes
afterwards Joseph Shipley came down
stairs. The farmer was standing there
looking somewhat aghast, but Joseph
Shipley smiled and addressed him kind-
ly. “I have broken something here,”
the man said, “which looks as if it
might have cost a good deal of money.
I had just come with a bill to present
to you of $12 for twenty bushels of po-
tatoes delivered. I wouldn't mind throw-
ing off $2 from the bill.” “Oh no,” Joseph
Shipley replied, “I guess we won’t have
anything thrown off of the bill,” and he
paid him his $12, thus passing over un-
ruffled the loss of what had cost him a
large sum of money.
BTUSINESS AND MATRIMONY.
The third story related by Mr. Ship-
ley caused a very hearty laugh. It told
how a shrewd business man WOIn repu-
tation and a wife. A Mr. Labouchere Was
employed by the firm of Hope & Com-
pany, of Amsterdam, to go to London
on very important business for them.
It was necessary for him to see Thomas
Baring, of the famous firm of Baring
Brothers. After securing an interview
and talking the business Over Mr. Bar-
ing invited him to his home. Thomas
Baring had three daughters. Two of
them had married members Of the no-
bility and the other was unmarried and
Mr. Labouchere met her at her father's
house. He was greatly impressed with
her and she with him. There were sev-
eral interviews necessary with Thomas
Baring and when at last the business
which had brought Mr. Labouchere to
London was concluded, Thomas Baring
complimented him very highly on the
great business skill displayed by him in
the negotiations. Mr. Labouchere thank-
ed him for his complimentary remarks
and asked if he could not have a pri-
vate interview before leaving for his
home. Mr. Baring wondered what he
could be wanting with him, but grant-
ed the interview. When taken into the
private office he said: “Mr. Baring, I
Wish to marry your daughter.” This
a.Stonished Thomas Baring greatly. He
answered: “Why, my other daughters
are married to members of the nobility.
Our family have alliances with the lead-
ing families of Europe. I have been
pleased with the business ability you
have displayed, and all that I have seen
Of you impresses me well concerning
your character, but I can’t conceive how
you could imagine for a moment that
it was possible for you to marry my
daughter.”
“But,” said Mr. Labouchere, “Suppose
I were a member of the firm of Hope &
Company?”
“That would alter the situation,” re-
plied Thomas Baring and the interview
ended.
PHe returned home, reported to Hope
& Company, who were also delighted with
the result of his work. The senior mem-
ber of the firm then took him aside and
Said: “Now Mr. Labouchere, what can
we do for you. What do you think your
Services deserve?”
“I wish to be made a member of the
firm 2'' answered Mr. Labouchere.
“But,” was the answer, “That is im-
possible; men who become members of
our firm must have rendered services
twenty times as great as you have yet
done.”
“Suppose, though, that I should marry
the daughter of Thomas Baring?” was
the astounding answer.
“That would alter the situation,” he
was told. He did marry the daughter
of Thomas Baring and did became a.
member of the firm of Hope & Company.
The Historical Society then adjourned.
Many of those present personally thank-
ed Mr. Shipley for his very instructive
lecture,
DIA FY OF -
BENJAM IN HUNT,
1799–1812.
REPRINTED FROM THE DAILY LOCAL NEWS,
Fo R T H E C H E S T E R C O U N T Y HISTO RIC A L SOC I ETY,
The writer of this diary was the SOn
1898.
and youngest child of William and Sarah
(Fred) Hunt, of Westtown township,
Chester county, Pa., where he was born
12th-mo. 1st, 1766. The older children
were Ann, who married William Sharp-
less, of West Chester, the grandfather
of Philip P. Sharpless, Mary, who maſr-
ried William Seal, of Birmingham, grand-
father of Alban Seal, Joshua Hunt,
grandfather of the late Joseph Hunt, of
West Chester; Rebecca, wife of Titus
Taylor and grandmother of Caleb Taylor,
; West Chester, and Eli Hunt, of West-
OWIl.
Benj. Hunt married Eleanor (Nelly),
daughter of James Huey, of Westtown.
She had a sister Mary, &
Thomas Francis and went to Virginia.; a.
sister Elizabeth, who married John MC-
Goodin, and brothers William and John
Huey, who are frequently mentioned in
this diary. Among his first cousins Were
Deborah, wife of Captain James Jefferis,
some time of Wilmington, owner of the
ship Neptune, who built the mansion at
Allerton, in East Bradford, and died
there; Hannah, wife of Robert Yearsley,
of Westtown; Charity, wife of Joseph
Garrett, of East Goshen; Dr. Joseph
Moore, of West Chester; also the Mer-
cers and Osbornes, of Westtown.
Of Benjamin’s occupation prior to the
commencement of the diary we knoW
little. At the beginning of the year 1799
we find him occupying a sawed log house
in Marshallton and a new frame Store
house on another lot, near the Center
Tavern, then kept by Abraham Marshall.
The property was rented, and his live
stock consisted of a horse and a cow. In
1801 he removed to Wagontown, in West
Caln township, and kept store there until
1803, when he came to West Chester, and
engaged in the same business. In 1806 he
sold out to Job B. Remington, and the
next year he is described as a board
yard keeper. In 1809 he removed to
Hamilton Village and for a year kept
tavern there. His death occurred 10th-
mo. 1st, 1812. His three Sons were Na-
than, who followed the seas, for several
years; James, who married Anna Mark-
ley, and was the father of Daniel Mark-
ley Hunt, of Philadelphia, owner of the
diary, and through whose kindness we
who married
are able to place it before the public, and
William Hunt.
The diary is neatly written and the
spelling is good for the time. It is here
given in full. To any one as familiar as
the writer with the Inames Of those men-
tioned it is full of interest.
When Benjamin Hunt was at Wagon-
town John Hughes kept the “Wagon”
Tavern and Owen Afflick, the “Hop Vine
and Barley Sheaf,” Succeeding Thomas
Evans, whose fleeting (moving) to the 40th
mile stone On the turnpike is mentioned.
When he came to West Chester the
Turk’s Head was kept by Benjamin Mil-
ler; the Gen. Wayne (White Hall), by
Ephraim Buffington; the Bear by James
Jackson; the Gen. Washington by Crom-
well Pearce, and the Green Tree by Jacob
Fighter.
Some of these hotels have disappeared
SO long that many persons are ignorant
of their location. The Washington stood
Where the Meconkey Mansion, now the
Assembly Building, Stands; the Black
Bear where the Farmer’s Bank is, and
the Gen. Wayne where Finegan's store
and SOme Others are.
The diary will be followed by a brief
genealogy of the Hunt family in the
early generations if sufficient records can
be obtained. GILEEFT COPE.
DIAIRY.
Fourth Day, April 3rd 1799. Rachel
Johnson came from Richard Strode’s to
my house in West Bradford, Stayed till
Seventh Day; then Went to Samuel Cum-
min’s about two Miles, to see them and
Stayed all night: the next morning,
which was first Day April 7th, after
breakfast, she was taken very suddenly
and very violently with something like
the Cholic or dry gripes, and continued
bad till third day towards noon, April
9th, When she died, Aged 18 Years and 6
Mo. And was next Day Intered in friends
Burial ground at Bradford.
10th February 1799. Jefferis left the
Capes of Delaware for India.
Phillip Derrick Married to Sarah
Sharpless about the Middle of April 1799.
May 23rd 1799. Sally Peirce brought me
a Humming bird she caught, and I weigh-
ed it in my gold scales and it weighed
nearly 1 dwt., 21 Grains.
May 30th 1799. this day Joseph Smith
informed me upon his solem affirmation
that Joseph Bernard informed him a.
few days ago that his father came to see
him, and he says, father, I believe I shall
loose all my corn with the cut Worms:
his father went into the corn fiel and
took out of One hill of corn 40 cut worms:
the next day he took out of the same hill
60 more himself; then went to an other
hill and took 60 or 65 Out, -Smith does not
remember which.
July 5th 1799. Doctor Joseph Moore De-
parted this life at his house at West
Chester after a long illness.
24th July. this Day a man and boy
Call'd at my house from Virginia, en-
Quiring for John Hare Jur.
: Abner Woodward married to
widow Elizabeth Harland last evening.
August 6th 1799. Sarah Moore, widow,
Died early this morning at her house in
West Chester.
7. This Day went to the funeral.
Sept. 9th. this Day bought a Watch of
Thomas CrOW in Wilmington for Dols. 22.
Sept. 29th. , this evening Rachel Baker,
wife of Richard Baker, Died aged up-
Wards Of 80 Years.
Oct. 1st. Went to the funeral at Brad-
ford.
Sept. 30th. Emy Coope Died.
Oct. 2nd. Emy Coope was buried at
Bradford. Polly Francis Came here.
3rd. Her & Nelly Went to Jonathan
Strode’s.
4th. This Morning was at the weding
of Gravener Marsh and one of Moses
Coat’s Daughters at Abr. Marshall’s in
presence of Moses Marshall Esquire.
3rd. Charity Garrett Died.
5th. this afternoon John Huey
here.
6th. this morning Nelly & me went
With Polly & John to Father’s & from
there to Birmingham Meeting with Billy
& Betsey. in the evening I returned
home by my self. John Clayton Died this
evening.
8th. this morning Went to Clayton's
funeral. In the afternoon went to the
Election at West Chester in company
with Abr’m Marshall and Hump’y Mar-
shall, in Richard Jones’s light waggon:
John Temple Driver.
11th, this Day went in company with
JOS. England to see my Uncle John Fred
whome I had not seen these twelve or
fourteen years. I found him a poor mis-
erable object, his limbs drawn out of
place by Rheumatic pains & confin'd for
three years to the house, two of which
he had scarcely been out of his bed; his
health and appetite during the time
pretty good but at times in great pain.
In the afternoon we returned home by
Joseph Leonards: bought of him a stack
Of hay for forty Dollars. this afternoon
Andrew Ferrill Died.
13th. this morning went to Ferrill’s
funeral.
16th. this Day in Wilmington : came
home this night through a Storm of wind
& rain.
17th. Mary Francis came here with her
Father & Billy on her way home to Vir-
ginia. I went with them as far as
Thomas Worth. wº
Thomas Worth Jur. Marryed to Lydia,
Williamson.
24th. this Day Isaac Mason was found
(who had been missing since the evening
before) with his Handkerchief tied one
end round his neck, the other to a small
Sapling bent down. he was quite Dead
having I suppose been in that position
Several hours.
25th. Went to Whalens Forge in the
afternoon went to Farrells vendue,
C3Iſlē
Nov. 1st. Went to the sale of Abrm.
Darlington plantation which was struck
Of to Wm. Brinton for £3013.
2nd. This Day was at my Uncle James
Smith's, helping to raise a sawmill.
4th, Went to Philadelphia.
5th. In Philad.
6th. this Night came home.
11th. Hannah Martin Died.
14th. Hannah Martin Buried.
19, 20, 21, 22nd. Attended West Chester
Court. James Cain was Indited for the
Murder of James Cain, and by the Jury
Was found Guilty of Murder in the
Second degree, and was adjudged to the
Jail and Pententiary house in Philad, to
be confined Nine Years in the Cell and
Nine to hard labour, tho in fact he aught
to have been hung.
4th Decm. This morning sent a letter
#. lºomas Francis in Virginia, by Abner
It'llS.
Some time between the 4th & twelth of
this Mo. Lydia Sharpless Marryed to Dr.
Roberts.
12th. This evening Jacob Marshall was
Married to Elizabeth Worth.
18th. This Day I went to Isaac Wood-
Ward's at the sign of the Indian Ring.
21st. This night Emmor Moore & his
Daughter Lydia lodged here.
22nd. This morning I started to go to
Philad. got into town in the evening.
23d. This Day in town buying goods.
24th. Went up Market Street & met
Wm. Smith & Abr’m Clark with their
Waggon Coming for my goods. about
noon I left town, got home about 8 o’clock
at night.
27th, paid Marshall Battin 59 Cents poor
tax.
30th. This Day Caleb Marshall informed
me that he saw Robt. Ingram at plow in
his field.
1800, 1st Jan. This Day Salley Pierce
dined at my house.
6th. Sent a letter to the Sherriff at
West Chester to inform him that I would
be no longer accountable for Bunting’s
Property (which I had engaged to do).
First day, Jan. 12th 1800. Doct. Roberts
and wife, Eli Hunt & wife, Nathan Sharp-
neSS & Polly Hains Dined with me, in
the afternoon Sally Peirce & Molly Baily
Came to my house, in the evening I &
my Wife Went to James Woodward’s on
a visit.
Second-day, 13th, went to Moses Mar-
Shall’s Esqr. to meet some folks by a p-
pointment. after business was done with
them the Squire and myself took each
Of us a pair of skeets and went up the
Creek to look for rock fern but got none:
found Caleb Marshall falling trees on the
ice and drawing them of with his horse.
by & by came Joseph Smith Jun. & Peter
Rodeback on their skeets and after di-
Verting ourselves w returned home. we
have now uncommon fine weather for
this time of Year, the people going about
in their sleeveless Jackets. r
Fourth day, 14th : This Day went with
Nathan Sharpless to Landcaster; lodged
at Green’s Tavern.
15, in the morning went to view the
poor house not yet finished; then we re-
turned to Green's to breakfast; then
Went to the Assembly room. in the after-
noon Went 3 miles up the reading road;
returned to Greens. in the evening met
my brother Eli Hunt & Amos Brinton
going to Virginia. this day was so warm
I would fain went to set the north side
Of the house. -
16. this morning started for home:
Came through Strawsburg and by the
Copper mines: in the evening got home.
21st. Went to West Chester in Company
with David England by way of Richd.
IBuffington’s, Jacob Swain's & Abr. Bori-
sal’s to Squire Graves, to hear a lawsuit
between Isaac Woodward and Thomas
England in which England got Cast.
25th. this day was at Squire Graves’s
to meet some People who Owe me money.
there was a suit between Aaron Wood-
ward, plaintiff, and Eli Woodward, de-
fendant, about a waggon that Eli had
hired or borrowed of Aaron. the Squire
would not decide upon it so it was agreed
that David Scott and myself should set-
tle it: so we concluded to divide it be-
tween them.
27th. Martha. Taylor, Daughter of
Titus Taylor, came to my house.
31st. this day about noon my Wife
started to go to Isaac Woodward's. In
the afternoon it came on a severe storm
of wind & Snow and continued to blow
& Snow all night so that she could not
get home.
Feb. 1st. she came home about noon. .
2nd. Nathan went with Martha. Taylor
to her Father’s.
6th. This day in the afternoon I went
to Wm. Seal’s for money but he was not
at home, so I got none: returned by
Samuel Jones's: paid him Nine Dollars
and sixty Cents Interest for one Year of
a bond he had on me; then to Aaron
Davis’s, found him & Aaron Evenson in
the barn Cleaning rye; then to Thomas
Bailiff, in Peter Osburn’s house; then
home.
First Day, Feb, 9th 1800. This day in
the afternoon my father-in-law came
here: in the evening my Brother return-
ed from Virginia, him and father went
away together.
12th. this day I started to Philad., got
into town that night; went to the play.
13. In town.
14. In town.
15. Started about four O’Clock for home
where I arrived about eleven O'Clock.
21st. Went to West Chester, paid
George Cochran 5s, 7%d for righting a
watch I left with him on the twelfth In-
Stant. Rev'd Of Jas. Henderson on acc’t
of A.br. Chandler $4.60, of Aaron Davis
$7.66, of Wm. Townsend 5d: Came home
in the after noon with John Michal: paid
him $18.67 in full for whiskey.
David Scott, who some time ago got an
Execution. On my acc’t against John Mc-
Cormick, brought him to my store in the
afternoon and 'Seeing no likely hood of
getting the Money I ordered him on to
West Chester Jail. "William T.Hare
was convicted for stealing a pair of half
boots at this Court and Sentenced five
years to hard labour.
28th. this Day in the forenoon it began
to SnOW.
JMarch 1st, the Snow Continued.
iMarch 6th. Thomas Gibbons
Burnt this morning.
7th. This day a Great frolic of a bear
hunt at Abiah Taylor’s tavern between
West Chester and Bradford Meeting
house, kept by William Weston, ripping,
tearing, fighting and pulling hair like
madmen; keeping it up till twelve o’clock
next day.
8th. Joseph Taylor's house burnt.
Sunday, 9th. This day. In the afternoon
Polly Lloyd, Lydia Gibbons, Sally Peirce
& Lydia, Pelroe drank tea, at my house.
19th. Jefferis Arrived from India.
24th, went to Wn. Jefferis’s Vendue
with David England.
25th. went to the petty Sessions at West
Chester: Was appointed overseer of the
poor for West Bradford.
26th. went to West Chester to a Vendué
of the effects of Joseph Moore Deceased.
27th. this morning I heard that Eliza-
beth Huey Was marryed to John M'Gud-
house
gin, about noon James Moore came to
live with me to go to School.
1800, March 31st. This morning Samuel
Hart & family left this neighborhood for
Virginia by whome I sent a letter to
Thomas francis.
April 3d. Joseph Hawley sen. Marryed.
8th. In Wilmington.
20th. Doctor Roberts & Wife was here
at my house.
23d. this evening Thomas Weaver Came
ere.
24th. Aaron Jefferis came here to Iny
house.
25th. sent Yarn to the blue Dyers by a
"Woman of the name of Wilson, *
27th. Started to Philad, in company
with David England.
28 & 29th, in town.
30th. this Morning started for home
in company with John Carpenter Jur.
and John Hickman.
May 1st. Lydia, Buffington, Widow of
Thomas Buffington Died.
2, was interred at Birmingham.
3. James Smith Jun. and Wife came to
my house; likewise Jane Osburne.
4. I went to Smiths to see my old uncle
James, his Son James wife.
6. this Day went with my father-in-
law to see a plantation that Wm. Huey
had bought above Waggonto Wn.
May 15th 1800. West Bradford. Han-
nah Carpenter Died.
17th. Was buried at Bradford Meeting.
18th. Elizabeth M'Gudgin came to my
house: went alway next day.
21st. This day I hear that William
PHuey, my Wife's brother, is marryed to
Lydia, Way, Daughter of Jacob Way.
22nd. James Embree Jur. and Sally
Michener Marryed at Bradford. Francis'
Hickman & Jesse Pile came to my house
from French broad (Tennessee).
2nd June, this morning my wife went
to West Chester in company with James
Smith Jr. & wife and took stage for
Philadelphia. this morning I hear a
great noise of Locusts. there are great
numbers of them this year.
4th. This night my Wife returned from
PhIila.d.
11th. this evening Elizabeth Webb,
wife Of Isaac Webb, died at West Ches-
€I’.
18th. Francis Hickman returned by
my house on his way to French broad.
July 7th 1800. Went to Philadelphia,
With Jos Baldwin’s waggon.
8th. Came out of town towards home
but could hardly travel for heat. came
&O Wilson tavern white horse.
9th. this day got home.
14 & 15, at Joshua Hunt's reaping.
22nd. Susannah JHunt (my step Mother)
and Rebeckah Taylor Came to my house.
23. Went home again.
24th. this Morning paid James Wood-
Ward Seventeen Dollars in full for hay
or grass in presence of Mary Rergan.
1St Aug. Went to West Chester with
James Woodward where was a great
Meeting at James Bones's of the republi-
Gans of Chester County, there was de-
livred from the female Republicans to a
troop of light horse there present a most
elegant stand of Coulers. after the de-
livery Of Which the Marched in proces-
Sion into Dilworths woods where the par-
took of a Dinner after which a Number
; toasts Were given and the returned to
|OWIl.
August 2nd 1800. this evening an un-
happy affray took place at Joseph
Smith between William Smith and
Gººse Speakman, the latter was much
ll.Tºt.
11th. This day I went to William
Smiths he took me to see a. Grape vine
which measured three feet six Inches
for two Years.
Circumference.
18th Sept. This day I put off my stock
$º gººds to Abraham Baily to amount of
22nd. Went to John Pimm's in the
great Valley from there to John Hoopes.
1st Oct. Went with Wm. Huey and his
father to Wagon town.
4th. This Day James Smith and wife
Came to West Chester from Philad. in
the evening Came to my house.
7th. This Day William Jefferis & Elias
Jefferis and their families passed by my
house on their way to Redstone.
Oct. 8th 1800. This Morning started to
Philadelphia, with my wife,
10th. got home this evening.
14th. Went to Election at West Ches-
ter.
29th. Went into East Whiteland to
Abraham Philips's store to see him about
Some particular business but was not
at home.
Nov. 1st. Went to William Westons to
an appeal for Militia, fines.
7th. Took Simon Battin & Wife and
Aaron Jefferis to the poor house.
8th. Went to Isaac Woodward’s Vendue
in Company with his father James & his
uncle Richard Buffington.
15th. This Morning sued Isaac Harvey
before Moses Marshall Esqr, but it looks
as if I must pay the cost and loose the
debt. in the afternoon had a vendue of
Simon Battin’s property, one of the
paupers of West Bradford.
20th Nov. 1800. about daybreak this
morning heard a streange noise resemb-
ling an earthquake. this night snow.
29th. this day Daniel Grimes Died
about 12 O'Clock.
13th Decm. Was at a vendue of the
plantation of John Beal Bordley in West
Bradford but it was not sold.
16th. Samuel Entrikin the elder died.
My wife who went Yesterday to see her
sister Elizabeth returned this day, the
17th, to the funeral.
23rd. Uncommon fine warm Weather
for this season of the Year. Some peo-
ple at plough.
24th. Thomas Ash started for Ireland.
25th. William Smith & Orpha his wife,
James Smith Jur. & Eliza, his wife,
Moses Clark & Martha, Taylor Dined at
my house.
26th. A warm foggy morning most like
a may morning. Jane Ford buryed at
Bradford.
27th. Went with my wife to her fath-
er’s and stayed all night. uncommon
fine weather, Quite Warm.
Jan. 1st 1801. Went to William Smith's.
Recev'd of him forty Dolls which he
borrowed some time ago.
3rd. Went to Wm Westons, found it
a most severe cold day: from thence to
Isaac Woodwards at the sign of the
Indian Ring: stayed all night: came On
SIlſl W.
7th. Started to Philadelphia to settle
with my Merchants which haveing done
I returned home on seventh day the 10th
Instant.
11th. A beautiful fine warm morning.
2nd Feb. 1801. Wim Huey’s son born
Named John.
3rd Feb. 1801. Went to Wilmington.
10th. Went to Emmor Jefferis’s,
Joshua, Way’s, Alexander Gremes’s Jur.
and Fich’d Jones’s.
11th. Snow all this Day.
12th. A fine Clear Morning and Cold.
Feb. 17th 1801. Went with William
Huey to his plantation in West Caln,
stayed there all night: agreed to give
him sixty pounds rent for it per Year
Ground Quite Clear Of SnOW. .
18th. Came home, rain all day.
24th. Went to the Slitting mill and
brough two bundles nail rods and took
them to Joseph Engram.
26th. Went With John Clark Jr. to
Waggontown.
27th. Bought a Cow & Calf of Thomas
Baldwin Jur. uncommon fine weather.
March 4th. Bought a Bull 2 Years old
of Joseph Park Jur. for $41.38; sold him
same Day to Saml Marshall for $50.
7th. My wife very bad with the Rheu-
matism went to Dr. Jacques at Rennet
Square. returned to Moses Marshall’s
Esqr. to meet with several of my Deb-
tors Summoned there.
8th. John M'Gudgin and wife Came to
my house. stayed all night.
March 8th 1801. James Moore left me,
haveing been here 49 weeks a 7-6.
11th. Some talk with Jos. Woodward
and Moses Marshall Esqr. aſbout Joes
Debt: agreed to wait ten Days.
12th. Went to waggontown helped Wil-
liam Huey plant a Young orchard and
#ºd one bushel Cloverseed. Mary Sugar
13th. this night came home. William
Stayed all night.
14th. Mary Sugar buryed at Bradford.
23rd. this day I put part of my goods
into three waggons and my wife and
Children in a light Cart and left West
Bradford and arrived in West Caſln in
the afternoon. one waggon Wm Huey's,
another Abr. Clark’s, another Eli Hunt’s.
24th. This day I helped Wm. Huey to
thresh Corn, some he had raised on the
place last year.
25th. Wm and a Man he had hired
threshing Corn. I went to George Og-
lesby’s Vendue where I bought a Colt
for £10-5-0.
West Caln, March 26th 1801. Went and
brought my Colt home.
28th. Went to Bradford to settle the
towns Books: lodged at Humphrey Mar-
Shall’s, this night came on snow.
29th. about nine O'clock this morning
started for home through a very dis-
agreeable storm of Snow and rain which .
continued all day.
cº Apr. John Clark Jur. Came to West
alm. .
13. Dan. Patterson began to work for
a month for $13.
16th. Lent Joshua Way $60.
20th. Uncommon Cold weather for this
Season of the Year. peach trees in bloom.
21st. This night fell a, Snow about 3 In-
ches deep.
22nd. Continues to snow.
24th. Snow gone, but wet & Cold still.
26th. a fine Warm day.
6th May 1801, lent George Dannenhower
30 Dollars. Daniel Leonard, Carpenter,
came to Work for me at the storehouse.
7th. Richard White (Mason) and two
hands came to Work at the store house.
13th. Dan’s Months ends this day.
18th. The mason's finished the walls of
the store house, 27 feet by 20 two story.
23rd. Recw'd of Joshua, Way $60 lent him
Some time ago.
24th June. Carpenter finished the store
house, this Day I went down to Brad-
ford.
25th. returned home.
26th. went to Aaron Davis’s and to Eli
& Joshua, Hunt’s: lodged with Joshua,
that night.
27th. went to Robert Yearsley's: in the
evening returned home.
29th. Wrm Gibbons and Sarah Peirce
dined at my house.
30th June, 1801. I started for Lancaster
to buy a load Of Wiś -
July 1st. In Lancaster bought 229 Gal’ns
§y of Michael Gundaker for 4-3 per
'n
Žná, Got home this evening.
5th. I and my wife started to Philadel-
phia.
6 & 7. in Philad buying goods.
8, this afternoon started for home.
9th. got home this evening.
13th. Opened my new Store.
22nd. Thomas Evans and myself have-
ing concluded to ride out on search of
Sheep he started this morning.
24th. this morning I started after
Evans, rode forty three miles to Eliza-
beth town where I was to meet him.
lodged at Caleb Thornbury’s.
25th. Started this morning & went
through Middletown, from there to Hum-
melstown: got Our Dinners With John
Fox an Uncle of Evans who keeps a tav-
ern. after we rode about through that
neighborhood: bought a few sheep: iri
the evening we returned to Hummelstown
to Fox’s.
26th. Being first day we stayed all day
in town.
27th. This morning we started for more
sheep: in the afternoon we Collected
What we had bought and got part of the
road home: lodged with James Wilson
Esq. above Elizabeth town.
28th. this day got within six Miles of
Lancaster: lodged with John Smith, sign
of the Eagle. -
29th. Got 25 Miles to James Hamilton's,
; of the Bull: left the sheep and Went
Il OIIle.
30th. Sent Nathan for the sheep with
Evans Boy.
My wife started to go to her father's.
Aug. 2nd. returned.
13th, went to Benj'n Davises Vendue.
31st. Started to Philadelphia: lodged at
Wm. Bettles.
Sept. 1st, this morning went into town.
2nd. Started for home this afternoon:
lodged at John Siter's.
3rd. Got home.
8th. Went to Bradford; from thence to
Wm Huey's: lodged there that night.
Mary Speakman, wife of George Speak-
man, died.
9th. Teturned to Bradford: lodged this
night at Moses Marshall Esq.
10th, this Day got hp me.
25th. Went to West Chester to a meet-
ing of the Federal Republicans for form-
ing the ticket for the general Election;
was appointed one of the Committee for
forming said ticket. lodged this night
at Wm. Sharples’s. t
26th. Returned home.
Oct. 2nd. Peter Z. Lloyd Died.
Oct. 3rd 1801. James Smith died. I went
to the towns meeting at Eli Shugart’s in
West Caln, sign of General Wolf.
4th. Went to the funeral of my uncle
James Smith who was buried at Brad-
Ord.
13th. Went to the Election at Walter
Lilly's tavern on the Strasburg road.
16th. This day Susy Sweyney left my
house after a Servitude of three years.
18th. This day I Started for Philad, to
lay in my winter goods: lodged this night
With Dr. Roberts.
19th. got into town.
20th & 21st. in town buying goods.
22nd. Started for home: lodged at Mr.
Frices, sign of Wm. Penn, on the turn-
pike road.
23. this afternoon got home.
I might mention the flux has been pret-
ty bad this fall.
Nov. 4th. This day, or maybe it was
night, Humphrey Marshall Died.
6th., was buried at Bradford.
Nov. 14th 1801. John M'Gudgin and wife
and son & Joshua THunt came to my
house in West Caln: stayed all night &
went away next day.
17th. this day started with John Clark
Jur, for Philad. to look for a house for
him, he haveing a notion to go there to
live: lodged at Jonathan Miller's, sign of
the buck, on the turnpike.
18th. this morning went into town: got
a house for Clark. º
19. this evening started for home in
company with John Park: lodged at Wºm
Bittle on the West Chester road : got very
little rest this night on account of some
Market folks and some old noisey Wo-
man who kept up almost a continual
Ił01S62.
20th. Got home this evening. &
21st. this night snow for the first time
this fall.
1st Decm. John Clark's Vendue but
did not sell all.
5th. Advertised a second Vendue but
the folks did not gather. e
Decnn. 8th 1801. Wm. Huey and wife
came and lodged with me.
22nd. John Clark Jur. left West Caln.
with his family and bound for Philadel-
phia. This day went to Elect a new mem-
ber for the house of RepresentativeS, a.
vacancy haveing happened by the death
Of Abiah Taylor. -
It has been a long dry time but Very
moderat weather for this season Of the
Year. this night came on a very Welcome
shower of rain.
23rd. the rain continued till towards
evening. this I hope , will revive the
Springs and wells which were got very
low on account of the dry Weather above
mentioned.
25th. This day twelve months several
of my friends and relations dined With
me, but this day I was not so happy
as to have any of their company, so I
and my family dined by Ourselves. this
day something like last Christmas.
weather very moderate. Ground quite
clear of Snow.
28th. This night fell a Small Snow.
29. This day I dug up a small bed ini
the garden and Sowed some Salled &
radishes.
Jan. 1st 1802. A beautiful fine clear
Warm morning: larks a singing.
2nd. A very warm day for this sea-
Son: almost too warm to be pleasant. I
and my Boys picking stones of the
ground I expect to mow next year.
3rd. I and my Wife paid a visit to
Richard White & Wife. this evening be-
gan to rain.
4th. Rain and Wind all day.
evening Cleared up.
Jan. 7th 1802. this day rain in the fore-
part; in the afternoon Cleared up.
ited to go to Wm Smiths. lodged with
II].
8th. left Wim’s and went by Jos. Smiths
to Moses Marshall’s; from thence by the
Center House to West Chester: lodged at
Wm Sharples's.
9th. left West Chester and came to the
Center House: dined with the Widow
Marshall. Came on rain. towards even-
ing it slackned and I started for home.
Sometime in the night it blew and rained
very hard.
10th. Very windy.
11th. Clear & Windy.
17th. I went again to Bradford. as I
returned home this night I heard the
Eildear.
18th. This night a small snow.
26th. . This day I started for Philad. by
way of Bradford & West Chester, lodged
at Richard Fawks's tavern.
Jan. 27th 1802. Got into town: 10dged
at Wrm Elliot’s in Fourth St.
28th. in town.
29th, left town about 1 O'Clock; got
in the
that night about 16 Miles, lodged at John
Mi’Gudgin’s.
30th. got home towards evening.
31st. This Winter is remarkeable for
open warm weather, the like not recol-
lected by the oldes Inhabitants. my Son
Nathan informed me that he saw a
Grasshopper this day as he went to
Imeeting.
Feb. 1st. a beautiful fine morning but
Clowded up and began to rain before
Il OOIl.
10th. this day Richard White, JOS.
Stringfellow & myself got some hearth
stone and one step stone for the Store
dOOr.
11th. This night fell a snow about three
Inches deep, the greatest we have had
this winter Yet.
16th Feb. 1802. this day I started for
West Chester; from thence I went to See
my brother Eli Who was very bad with
a pain in his head; had been afflicted
for five Weeks & Continues to gro-W
worse: stayed with him all night; next
morning went to Joshua Hunt's, then to
Aaron Davis’s, then returned to Eli's,
then to West Chester to meet Wºm & Jos.
Smith, expecting to get money from
them. Wm promises to pay his in two
Months; Jos. in two or three weeks; like-
wise Emmor & Abraham Baily to pay at
May Court. this night I went to Wm.
Huey’s. 18th. I started home.
20th. Went to Downingstown for a
Letter in the post Office.
21st. this night came on Snow and Con-
tinued to snow and blow -
22nd, all next day. Oh this is a most
severe blowing, snowing day: nothing
like it this winter before.
23rd Feb. 1802. Clear Morning With a
great quantity of snow very much drift-
ed.
24th. Cloudy & continues wet till about
the 3d of March.
March 1st. Went again to See my
brother Eli: found him much better than
when I saw him last: stayed With him
all night. this day bought a new light
two horse waggon from David England
for six&y Dollars.
sick With the
5th. My Children all
Measel S. -
14th. paid a visit to Abraham Jefferis
& wife: his brother Wm was there from
Hedstone.
15th. I paid Edward Webster ninety
two Cents for road tax.
31st. I started for Phila.
1st Apr. In town buying godds.
2d. this Evening got home.
5th. Went Thomas Evans's fleeting
from waggon town to the turnpike.
12th. this evening started to Philad.
with my light waggon to get Shad.
15th. this morning got home after driv-
in all night.
23d April 1802. Went to Wm. Smith's
for Money promised at February Court
by like all other times I got nothing but .
fair words, but he say he will have it
setled at May Court.
26th. This night Titus Taylor lodged
ywith me.
5th May 1802. James Gibbons, son of
Thomas Gibbons, and Sarah Peirce,
Daughter of Caleb Peirce, for the first
time laid their intentions of marriage
before friends at East Caln Meeting.
8th. John Huey & Hannah Entrikin
Came to See me.
9th. returned home.
10th. Angus McNear left my house af-
ter staying two weeks. he is bound for
the Northwest teritory to take posses-
sion of his land got for his servitude in
the American War.
About the 7th of this month Jane OS-
ºne & Samuel Entrikin Jun was Mār-
The Cl. - - -
18th May 1802. Wet cold weather.
19th. went to West Chester Court, got
my money of Smith.
21st. returned home.
1st June. Went to the funeral of a
Child of John Buchannan’s which died
at its grandfather’s, Squire Hunter's:
#. at Brandywine Manor Meeting
OllSe.
2d. Started with my Waggon & horses
for Philad. : lodged at R. Fawkes's.
3d. In Philadelphia.
4th. Started for home; lodged at Jona.
Miller’s.
5th. Got home this Evening,
16th. this day I started with my
Waggon and horses to Lancaster for
Whiskey.
17th, got home. This day Sarah Peirce
& James Gibbons Married at Bradford.
rººm. Started to Lancaster for Whis-
ey.
July 1st. Returned home about noon.
24th. John Gilbert Died.
28th. Started for Philad.
31st. returned home.
August, 3rd 1802. This day William
FHuey sold his Plantation in Caln for
391400 to Caleb Foulk Jun. Richard
White’s second Daughter born.
10th. started for Philad.
12th. Got home this evening.
17th. Went to West Chester Court.
18th. Paid Robert Yearsley $36.38 in full
for Interest to this date.
19th. Returned home by Way Of Moses
Marshall’s.
Sept. 1st. Went to Lancaster for whis-
key.
12th. This night started to Lancaster
with an old still to be mended for
Thomas Bell: got home about the same
time next night.
18th. Rode to Springton forge.
23rd. Sent to Doct. Eaton's for Money
but like Other times got none.
28th. Started for Philadelphia with my
Waggon: took one HH d. whiskey for
gº as Eell: Sold it for 50 cents per
al’n.
29th. Got into town: lodged at Little-
woods, at the sign of Robin Hood, in
filbert Street between eighth & ninth
Streets.
Oct. 1st. got home.
6th. this Evening Went to help John
Buchanan Husk Corn.
12th. Mordecai Davis was here with 147
THead of Cattle. I hear that Emmor
Jefferis the elder, Of the forks of Bran-
dywine, was buried on the 9th Instant.
28th. This day by an order from West
Chester Court of Common pleas I at-
tended at Saml Sides’s at Brandywine
Bridge, with Robert Miller Esq.r &
James Withrow on an action between
Caleb Way Esq.r an Saml Sleigh.
Nov. 1st. A few flakes of Snow.
4th. Eli Hunt & his wife started to
Virginia.
9th November 1802. Started for Philad.
with my waggon by way of West Ches-
ter.
13th. got home again.
21st. Eli & his wife returned from Vir-
ginia, Stayed all night.
13th & 14th Dec. Killed five hogs and
Bull; some of them for market.
16th. This morning it blue up most
terrible cold. I started for Philad. about
two O’Clock. Oh! Its enought to frieze
a fellow’s ears off: however I was de-
termined to go or perish in the attempt,
so persevered till I got within three
miles of the Ferry: Todged there that
night.
17th. Got into the City; sold my pork
for four Dollars and 34 per Cwt.
18th. , Left the City about one O'Clock
and, with traveling all night got home
next morning a little after day light.
25th Dec. 1802, the Day like the two for-
mer Christmases, ground clear of snow.
27th, weather altered, cloudy & warm
and like for rain.
28th & 29th, warm rain.
30th. this morning died about seven
O’clock Sarah Hughes, Daughter of John
Hughes, after a short illness of about
four days, aged about 21 years.
31st Went to the funeral. Previous to this
day, Owen Afflick who keeps publick
house at Richard White's, formerly
Whitacers tavern, had procured a bear
and advertised to have a bear hunt: a
good many people were gathered in the
house and Just ready to launch forth,
When at the interference of Jesse Rersey
they proposed to postpone it till another
day, but the funeral was not long past
before the Bear, was loosed by some
means and to it they went, but the chace
was but short; they soon returned to the
house, and whether from the intoxicating
Qharmes of Nancy Whiskey or , whether
they had imbibed during the chace the
ferocious nature of the bear, however
they soon began with fervid passion to
mall, beat, tear and main one another
and a most retched house they kept of it
all night, till the return of the morning
recal'd their scattered Sences.
Jan. 2nd 1803. This night fell a pretty
large Snow, the first we have had this
Winter of any account.
5th. This day Thomas England & Mary
Clemson laid their intentions of Marriage
before friends for the first time. Wil-
liam England Jun. & Lydia Peirce came
to my house. this night fell a great rain;
took away most all the snow; an uncom-
mon long dull damp time; snow gone.
January 10th 1803. This morning went
to Sam’l McLean’s store; bought of him
seven Ib pepper (G) 2-6 per Ib: paid 17–6 in
full. Likewise went to George Baldwin’s
and paid him 5–7% in full for Repairing
Imy Watch left with him. Some time ago.
12th. This day went to Mathews tavern
near Hybernia, forge to a Constable’s
Vandue.
13th. This day Wm Dawson informed
me that he heard a frog peep, peep, peep.
14th. a very wet day. John Collins and
Matthew Philips being sued came to beg
time. I went to Squire McClellan but no
body appeared.
15th. a fine pleasant sunshiny day.
17th Jan. 1803. This Morning started to
Wm Huey by Bradford Meeting house;
turned aside to Moses Marshall’s at his
mill; then to Wm Smith's; stayed all
night.
18th. Went to West Chester; stayed all
night at Wm Sharples’s.
19th. Went to Wm. Huey's; stayed all
night: went to John Sharples's to see my
old step Mother, Susanna Hunt,
20th. left Huey's and turned towards
Home by Eli Hunt’s, James Huey's, &c.
to West Chester: stayed all night.
21st. this day rode home. By Bradford:
Dined at Margaret Marshall’s.
25th Jan. 1803. paid Alexander McFar-
son 4-6 for steeling my ax, and 12–2 for
repairs done my waggon some time ago.
31st. Went to Eli Shugert’s six Miles
above Lancaster.
Feb. 1st, Returned home.
3rd Went to West Chester: agreed with
J. Miller & T. Tucker for , their store
House; gave my obligations for £141,5s.
5th. This evening fell a small Snow a
little after night came on rain and con-
tinued pretty hard most of the next day.
9th,. This day Thomas England & Mary
Clemson appeared before friends at Brad-
ford and continued their intentions of
Marriage.
16th Feb. 1803. Went to John Bicking’s
paper Mill: this afternoon began to snow
& continued to snow & blow all night
(very cold).
17th. a great deal of snow on the ground.
this afternoon Black Joe, playing some
fool gaggery with a Gun, accidentally
shot a cow for Owen Afflick, this evening
lent Richard White twenty Dollars.
21st. Went to West Chester Court. Wrm.
Hare was Indited for stealing ten Yds toe
linnen from Aaron Davis, ten Yols lininen
from Nathan Scholfield Esqr. and for
breaking Jail, was Sentanced to undergo
ºrvitude of three Years at Philadel-
p1113.
23d. A Young man in this neighbour-
hood of the name of Wm. Neally was
killed at the falling of a tree.
24th. Feb. 1803. Thomas England and
Mºy Clemson Was married at West
3,111.
26th. got home from Court.
1st. March. Snow.
15th. Mett Caleb Brinton by Appoint-
ment at West Chester; articled with him
for part of his house, to give him twenty
Seven pounds for one Year.
e *i. paid John Withrow $2.19, Road tax
III IUIII.
23d. This a severe Stormy Snowy day.
I had advertised a vendue but few peo-
ple came.
28th. Vendue again.
31st. sent one load goods to West Ches-
eI".
2nd April. sent another load.
7th April 1803. Went with my family to
West Chester.
15th. It has been fine pleasant weather
for some time by dry this night snow.
16th. Continues cold and Spiting snow.
17th. this morning snowing; ground not
Covered.
18th. Went with my wife to Philada. to
lay in fresh goodS.
21st. Returned.
25th. Opened my store in West Ches-
ter, a cold rainy day. Benanuel Ogden's
Daughter died.
2nd May. Volunteers paraded. afternoon
Cool for the season.
3rd. This Morning Quite Cold. I am all
but shivering as I write. people say there
is frost.
4th. This Morning Richard Hannum's
Clover field. White With froSt.
5th. Rain.
6th. Clear, Windy & uncommon Cold.
May 7th 1803. This morning frost; went
to the pump to wash; found hard Ice in
a Cup.
8th. This morning when I first peep’d
out of my bed I Was Surprised. I saw
what had never been seen in this cuntry
bv the oldest man: that was large flakes
pf snow falling and a considerable Quan-
tity on the ground; the trees so loaded
that the limbs brake.
9th. a pretty stout frost.
10th. Still froSt.
23d. Thomas Hoops Buried at Gosheri, -
I suppose the oldest man in this Neigh-
ºrhood. This day supreme Court be-
gins.
June 1st. This morning started to Wag-
gon town to Collect my outstanding debts
in that neighbourhood: lodged this night
at John Hughes’s in Waggonfown.
2nd. Went to John Boyds in Landcas-
ter County: returned as far as James
Entrikins; lodged with him.
June 3rd 1803. Came to Waggon town:
Stayed a while and Started for Vanleer's
furnace: returned to waggon town; lodged
With R. White. . -
4th. Went tº the turnpike a while; re-
turned to waggon town; from thence
Ground.
home in the Evening.
5th, Wm. Beaumont’s wife Buried at
Goshen.
13th. Went to Philad. in the Stage.
15th. Returned.
25th. Paid Caleb Brinton 18 Dolls. in
full for One Q’rs Rent.
July 4th, Volunteers met to celebrate
Independence. Emmor Moore the Elder
Was at my house.
6th. Emmor Moore left my house this
morning to joine his family fifty miles
beyond Pittsburgh,
10th. Paid Robert Yearsley $28.66 in
full for Interest to this date: from there
Went to Wm. Huey’s in Concord.
12th July 1803. Went to help Wnt
Sharples Drawin wheat: in the after
In OOn a thunder Storm Struck Wºm
Eachus's Barn but did no great Dam-
age. ^
15th., one of George Entrikin’s Child-
ren, died (Parkes woods).
17th. Went to Birmingham Meeting;
to Peter Osborn’s in the after noon: in
the evening came on a pleasant shower
, of rain, not having had any of Conce-
Quence these six weeks.
20th. I went to Philadelphia.
21st. Returned home.
22nd, Went to Wilmington in company
With Obed Otley to procure a Vessel to
COInVey a number of us down the river
towards Cape May.
27th. We left home and went to Wil-
Imington, and went on board the Sloop
Harmony, John Robinet Master: we
Were about twenty in ##inber, their
Names as followeth: Benj’n Hunt, Wil-
liam Sharpless, Ann Sharples his wife,
Ruth Mendenhall, Jabez Hoops, Davis
iPowell, Jesse Mercer, Thomas Howell,
Charles Howell, Obed Oxley, Joshua
Hunt, James Hunt, son of Benj'n Hunt,
aged about 10 Years, Lydia Hains, wife
Of Jacob Hains, John Williams, Jesse
Chandler, William Townsend and Mary
his wife, Joseph their Child, about seven
Years old, Abigail Sharpless wife of
Benjamin Sharpless, Rachel Gray, John
Shugart. -
28th. Loosed from the Wharf and sail-
ed down the River as far as egg Iland
that night; stayed there most of the next
day: in the afternoon Weighed anchor
and stood down the River.
29th. Got on Shore near Cape May.
30th. Went to Cape Iland: stayed
there and thereabouts till fourth day
the 3rd of August; then we stood across
the Bay for Lewis town: got on shore
there on fifth day, the 4th of August,
and went to the light house; then we
Came to Lewis town. Some of us got
Dinner and went on board. Our Captain
remained on shore till the last boat
load, then came on board so Drunk he
could hardly keep his feet, leaving three
Of Our Men on Shore. he was scarcely
On board till he ordered the anchor up
and go to Sea; it then looking as if it
would blow a hurricain, and blow it did
in a few minutes, and away we went
for sea everything in disorder. after
Some time we wore and stood in again
and soon came to anchor. next morning
We Stogd into shore for Our three men
and then, August 5th we stood up the
River for Wilmington: got as far as the
pea patch that tide, next day the 6th.
got to Wilmington wharf: in the even-
ing got home. -
. . 7th. Elisha, Green’s Barn Burnt with
the lightning.
3rd Sept. 1803. John Harper died at
Dilworths town.
4th. Buried at Cheney's burying
6th. Went to Philad.
7th. Returned.
9th. Democrats meet at Pearces to
#. their ticket for the General Elec-
OIl.
12th. Paid Ephraim Buffington 1 Dol.
º gents in full for County tax to this
alte.
24th Sept. 1803. Went to Caleb Brin-
tons; left 18 Dollars with his wife, in
full for one Q’rs Rent.
16th. Oct. Went to Philadelphia.
18. Returned.
25th. Samson Derry & Teany Watson
Marryed.
30th Oct. William Gibbons Died this
night about ten O'Clock.
10th Nov’r. Charles Humphrey Came
to board with me.
18. Richard Baker Died.
19th. Richard Buffington Died.
20th R. Baker buried at Bradford.
Thomas Francis, his wife and Daughter
Polly came to my house from Virginia.
21st. R. Buffington Buried at Bradford.
24th. Thomas Francis left here to go
to Winn Huey’s in Concord.
8th. December 1803. Richard Williams
(Barber) came to board with me (3) 10-6.
12th. Emmor Bradley came to board at
10–6 week if he or we Chuse to move at
the end of three Months, but if we con-
tinues together the Year he pays 27:6.
this Day old John Chamberlain Died at
his house in West Chester.
16th. This day let the South Corner of
my Store house to Richard Williams
(Barber) that is to say from the cor-
ner to the Queens Ware. Shelves, 5 feet
9 inches & along the same 11 feet; for
which he is to pay me six Dollars for 3
Months & he is to be at the expense of
making a DOOr through the corner and
putting a partition a Gross at the length
of eleven feet above said, & he shall leave
the window as good as he finds it; and if
any damage should happen the Queens
Ware by any mis conduct from his side
the partition he shall make it good. This
day went to Winn Gibbons Vandue.
17th Dec’r 1803. T. Francis, Wife and
Daughter Returned to my hpulse.
18th. John McGudgin and wife came to
my house.
19th. Thomas, Polly & Daughter, John
McGudgin & Betsey & Nelly started to
go and see their Father,
20th. This day I went to Waggon town
to Collect old Debts.
24th. Returned home:
Muddy Roads.
25th. Greeni Christmas. this night fell
a little snow: very muddy roads.
29th. Fifth day morning: Thomas Fran-
Cis started for home.
31st. This afternoon William Huey and
Wife came here.
Jan, 1st 1804. This morning come ing into
my Store I hapning to look at one of the
Windows observed the key that keys
the bar from the outside was dropped out
of the bolt. the key was fastened with a
String. the bolt had been screwed round
till it broke the String and then the key
droped out; and going to another I found
Wet Weather:
it served the same way; then going to
the drawer I missed some money, I knew
not how much, perhaps 3 or 4 Dollars,
and a particular Multiplying glass for
viewing linnen worth $1.50.
* Very muddy Roads: this night-
Talri. *
3d. a dark wet morning. Very un-
pleasant, dirty going. David Neiss Came
to board at 10-6 a week.
4th This Day blew up cold; in the even-
ing mud hard enough to carry.
5th. This morning pretty cold. Yester-
day paid Jabez Hoops $2.59% ruad tax
for the Borough of West Chester.
9th Jan. 1804, Went to Philad. in the
Stage. Stayed there till the 12th, being
disappointed in the stage not come ing
down on acc’t of being broke. I Re-
turned in Jonathan Parke’s Waggon.
19th. This morning come ing into my
Store I found there had been an
attempt made last night to break in but
did not succeede.
22nd. This day began to Snow.
23rd. Snowing and blowing all Day.
this night Cleared, a great body of
Snp W on the ground.
13th Feb. Doct. Joseph Moore having
been for some time makeing preparations
to leave this Borough this day got his
goods on board a Wagon bound for Pitts-
burg and Started; himself intending to
follow in a few days and to proceed
from Pittsburg to Louisiana.
Feb. 18th 1804. John Christy, Register,
Died this morning about four O’Clock
at West Chester.
20th. Christy Buried. Dr. Joseph Moore
left this town and bound for Pittsburg
in Company with Richard M. Hannum
and Caleb Hannum. Aaron Davis’s wife
died about six O'Clock this morning. this
day our Court begins.
21st. Deborah Davis, Aaron’s wife,
buried at Birmingham. My wife went
to the funeral; got a bad fall from her
Mare; brought her home in the even-
ing in Sharples’s Carriage.
28th Rote two letters to Bradford, One
to Eli Ring Jun. and One to George
Fisher. Hannah Otley Died,
March 1st. Buried. James Bones Suc-
ceeds Christy in his bffice. Spiting Snow.
this night fell a good deal of snow.
2nd. Very bad going: wind very high:
snow blowing.
3d. A very cold day wind high.
5th. Lent my Mare to Eli Hunt.
6th. This day Received of David Niess
Ju’r Eleven Dollars and twenty Cents
# ºil for boarding and lodging to this
alle.
12th. Rachel Clemson & Rebeckah
Way was at my house. Sent three let-
ters to Wagon town One to John
Humphrey at Hybernia. Forge, one to
Caleb Foulke at Waggon town and One
to Levi Downing at Brandywine Bridge.
13th. Wet weather, Oh most terrible
Roads.
15th. Recy’d of Richard Williams $18.20
in full for One Q’tr board due 8th Instant.
March 18th 1804. cold weather for the
season: this nigh froze hard.
19th, a very Cold morning.
22nd. Margaret Coope wife of Samuel
COOpe buried at Bradford.
26th. John Babb came to West Chester.
28th. This morning Started to Philadel-
phia in Righter's Stage in Company with
David Neiss, Obediah Retchum and
others. Neiss & PCetchum had taken
Wm Sharples’s store about six or seven
MO. agoe and before I returned their
goods was seized on by James Kelton,
Sheriff,
31st. Returned from Philad. Caspar
Wistar’s wife buried at Birmingham.
6th Apr. Edwiard McCloskey Died at
his house in Parkers Woods.
7th. Recy’d Of David Neiss One DOl-
lar and Seventy Cents and One Dol-
lar and ten Cents recw'd on Second
day last with what I recw'd the 6th of
March, makes fourteen Dollars in full
for his boarding and lodging to this date.
10th. This Day Richard Williams Bar-
ber Evacuated the South Corner of my
Store house and there Remains due to
me for the Rent thereof Seven Dollars
and fifty Cents.
Recy’d of Cha. Humphrey 20 Dollars
for boarding an lodgin: leaves my house
and goes to Benj’n Millers.
23rd. Went to Philadelphia, in Black's
Stage: went on board the Ship Neptune,
arrived here a few days ago from Cal-
in Jemisons
Stage
May 3rd. 1804, this evening joined the
West Chester fire Company. Emmor
Bradley joined at Same time.
14th. Joel Bailey Came to Board with
Iſle.
27th. Thomas Howell Buried.
5th June. Went to Waggon town.
6th. Returned home.
8th. Went to Sharples's forge or Slit-
ing mill.
10th Richard Williams’s Quarters
board ends and begins anew this Day.
18th. Brinton Webster Came to Board
With me.
21st. Joel Baily absent 11 Days.
27th. Went to Robert Yearsley's; paid
him 31 Dols. in full for Interest to this
date.
2nd July. Brinton Webster left board-
ing with me. Paid Edward Miller 1.43, in
full for County tax to this date for this
year I Suppose.
10th. 'Started to go to Philadelphia.
11th. got into town. Emmor Bradley,
Deborah Hannum, Thomas Tucker &
Phebe Park started to go to Lancaster.
12th. I returned from £OWn.
14th. Bradley, Tucker & their Ladies
returned from Lancaster.
23rd. Joel Baily returned: absent 15
Days.
24th. Uncommon cold weather for the
SegaSOI).
22nd. Thomas Sweney takes three
rooms in my house; that is, one in the
North corner down stairs and one in the
South corner up Stairs and one in the
Garret, for three Months, for which he
is to pay 12.50 Cents: and he takes the
south corner cuf my store house and
pays 5.00 Dolls. for three Months.
July 26th 1804. Joseph England Mar-
ried to Sarrah Ferral.
27th. this morning Nathan Sharples
and William Price started for Muncy.
1st August. Jabez Hoops, Abner
Hoops, Sidney Hoops, Joshua, Pierce &
Mary Coope started for Cape May. -
14th. Nathan Sharples Returned This
day I went to Philad. Miet with Jabez
Hoops in the Market House, returned
from Cape May or Egg Harbour.
15th. I returned from Philad. Joseph
Buffington’s Wife Died about 4 O'Clock
this afternoon.
25th. Paid Charles Wollerton Six Dol-
lars in full for his Brother John Woller-
ton Drawing goods for me from Phila-
delphia.
1804, August 30th. John Patton Mar-
ried to Betsey Evans and Joseph Worth-
ington Married to Amelia. Evans.
Sept. 8th. Richard William's Quarters
boarding & lodging ends this day.
18th. Richard M. Hannum with his
family left West Chester & bound ſom
Rentucky.
Oct. 9th. This day Our Election was
held. this morning an uncommon Storm
of rain and wind. the rain soon ceas'd
but the Wind continued all day and the
day following.
11th. Nathan Sharples Married to
Patty Price.
17th. John Jones Died this night in
consequence of a wagon running over
his head a day or two ago.
22nd. Thomas Sweyney
house,
Oct. 23rd 1804. This day James Kelton
(Sherif) leaves West Chester and Jesse
John Supplies his place.
Returned home
leaves my
IO
24th. Joseph Painter Died. Paid Ed-
ward Miller 1 D, 43 C tax.
26th. Nathan Sharples brought his
Wife home. I and my wife took Dinner
with them in Company with several re-
Spectable Neighbours. a great deal of
rain fell after night turn’d to Snow fell
a considerable quantity.
29th. This day recy'd account by
James Woodward who lives on or near
the head waters of Juniata, informing
me of the death of my Uncle Joseph
Hunt and his wife who died within one
day of each other Some time last
Month.
I forgot to mention the marriage of
Hannah Osborne with Jos. Gheen on
the 25th of this Month.
Oct. 30th 1804, this day Starked for
Philadelphia in a light Cart with my
Wife & Rachel Clemson & William
Sharples with his Cart.
1st November, got home again.
13th, Martha, Levis died at Henry
Hoops’s.
14th, this day fell a considerable Snow.
after night came on rain, against morn-
ing Snow all gone.
I had forgot to mention that Thomas
Tucker’s Store was rob’d on first day
evening last, the 11th Instant. there was
a meeting in the Court House, Joshua.
Vaughan, Minister, and while Tucker
was at meeting the Raskel, supposed to
be one Henry Decker, a Young Man
Servant to Jesse Roberts but living with
Amos Worthington, entered the Store
at a back window, took some Cash and
Some Cloathing and made his escape.
15th Nov’r 1804. Anthony Taylor Mar-
ried to Iddith Sharples. This day I
Started to go to Philad., cart and horse,
Son James with me: lodged Joseph
Baldwin’s, Sign of the king of Prussia.
16th, went in to town; lodged at An-
drew Olivers, Elbow lane.
17th, Returned home.
28th Nov. This evening Roſbert Black
and Rachel Anderson, both of the Bor-
ough of West Chester, were Married in
Philadelphia.
2nd Dec’r. this day a Son of Patrick
McKernan in this town, Died very Sud-
enly. they found him laying near the
foot of the Sellar Steps, not quite dead.
3rd, fell a small Snow. Jos. Night &
Ruth Mendenhall Married.
5th. William Hemphill and Ann Mc-
Clellan Married.
6th Dec’r 1804. Emmor Bradley Mar-
ried to Deborah Hannum.
9th, Joshua, Hoops's wife died.
10th, Went to Wilmington; bought 4
bbls Midlings of James Jefferis at 7.50
per bbl: returned as far as John Hick-
mans; lodged there.
11th : Got home this aftern OOn. Snow.
12th : Still Snowing.
17th : Hannah Scholfield,
Nathan Scholfield, Died.
Wife of
20th : Very Cold Weather. ©
s: December, Ground cover'd with
In O.W.
27th: Jonathan Wells Died. Elizabeth
Yearsley Married.
Jan. 1st 1805, Went to Wilmington;
Bought 6 Bls Midlings (G) $7.37% and 1 Bl.
S. fine (G) 11 Dols. of James Jefferis.
Returned this evening as far as John
Hickman: lodged there: came on Snow:
left one of my horses on account of its
not being willing to draw. Borrowed
one of THickman to help me home.
4th Jan. 1805. This a most uncommon
cold Windy day.
5th. Not quite so cold. Hannah Gheen
came to my house: my wife went with
her to Jos. Gheen’s.
6th. this, evening returned. Thomas
Tucker's Store broke open again this
Evening, Supposed to be the same Ras-
kal Who Rob'd it On the 11th Nov’r last
as he entered at the same window after
breaking a light of glass and drawing
too nails that was put in over the Sash.
he is supposed to have got between
forty & fifty Dollars and a pair Blan-
kets Which were found next morning
hanging on the fence near Amos Worth-
ings Barn, as I understand.
8th Jan. 1805. Tucker Went to, Phila-
delphia, in Quest of Decker Caught him
and Sent him up in the Stage and he is
now in Jail here.
11th. Tucker returned. I went with
Tucker and several others linto the Jail
to see the lad. he tells where the bag
may be found that had the money in
and he tells of being in Worthings Barn
a Sevenday night and first day and of
leaving the Blankets there first day
night, but the money he has made way
With except about five Dolls. they got
with him, and twelve he says he lent
his land lady.
22nd. Oh! most Severe Cold Weather,
and has been some time past. Wrm.
Huey, his Wife and three Children, John
Huey, Mary Entrikin. & One Of her
grand Children came to my house this
Evening in a Sleigh.
23rd. Started for home again.
29th, let two appartments in my
Stable to Thomas Sweney till the 25th
March, for which he is to pay 2 Dolls.
1st Feb. Eliada, Townsend came to
Board with me (3) 10–6 per week.
4th. Went to the poor house in a
sleigh with my wife, ‘i’homas Sweney &
Wife. On the way got upset; hurt my
wife considerably.
a great Quantity of Snow on the
ground since New year and has been
Severe weather ever since, except a
chance day. the snow so drifted that
the roads have been impassable in many
places.
18th Feb. 1805. Richard Eva,Son Buried
at the Poor house.
26th. This Day was at Caleb Foulk's
near Waggon town, for Money he pro-
mises to pay in four Weeks.
2nd March. Fine Weather Over Head
bu& bad roads: people makeing Cider.
4th. Democrats rejoicing on acc't of
Thomas Jefferson being reelected Presi-
dent and George Clinton vice Do., firing
their Cannon and ringing the Bell of the
Court house.
8th. John Huey got one of his legs
broke by the Overturning of a Cart. Dr.
Joseph Peirce's Tanhouse burnt by light-
ning this Night.
John Huey I understand was Married
º; fifth Day was two yeeks, 21st Feb.
805,
March 11th 1805. Anthony Taylor Mov’d
to Joseph Buffington’s house. Weather
more Moderate snow almost gone; the
ground has not been clear of it since
New Years day last: people at plough.
12th. Wrote a letter to Virginia.
14th. Emmor Entrikin and Ann Schol-
field Married at Birmingham Meeting.
16th. James Peirce died at James Gib-
bons's in West Chester, aged about
twenty four or twenty five Years (about
three O'Clock in the morning of a Con-
Sumption).
18th. Let the South corner of my store
house to Wm. Adams for three Months
for which he is to pay me five Dollars,
this day went to Dr. Roberts vendue.
20th, went to Albr. Marshal’s vendue.
21st, went to Philip Hallar's vendue.
Anthony Taylors Wife brought to bed.
If
March 25th 1805. Went to Mary Dil-
Worth's Vendue at Dilworthstown.
26th, Went to a Vendue of the property
of Amos Thomas Deceased. *
31st. Jonathan Matlack the elder Died.
8th. April. Nathan Hunt and Joseph
Jefferis went to Wilmington to advise
With Captain Jefferis about going to sea.
he promises to get them a place.
11th & 12th. Matlacks Vendue.
13th. This day William Hunt was here
from Bald Eagle Valley.
16th. (Missed a Dollar out of my Draw-
er in the Store; pursued the suspected
person and got it.
17th. Dan Patterson, a black mail,
Was committed to Jail for Breaking open
Abraham Martins Store.
20th. Mare Foalded. Went to Caleb
Foulke's; got a horse of him for 52.50.
26th April 1805. This Night Joshua,
Hunt had a horse Stole out of his Stable,
Suspected to be taken by one Thomas
Hare and gone to Philadelphia.
27th, this Morning Eli Hunt, Aarori
Davis & John Welsh rode into Philad. in
pursuit of the thief, got him and the
horse at the horse Market; put him in
Jail there & brought the horse home.
30th, Owen Afflick being sued his Wife
came to Squire Graves's I went with her;
agreed to see the money paid in three
Months, 30th July, £3-11-1.
5th May. Jesse Hoops's house broke
this night and about 250 Dollars taken
Out Of his desk, the thief was taken in
Philad. a few days after, one Benj’n Wil-
iº. and is now in Jail here in West Ches-
er.
6th May 1805. This morning started for
Philad. in Jemison’s stage.
9th, Brought Thomas Hare from Philad.
and lodged him in West Chester Jail.
20th. This day our Court begins here.
Thomas Hare was brought to the bar;
he pleads gilty; the Court Sentance him
tWO Years to hard Labour. Dan Patter-
Son Was likewise put to hard labour for
One Year.
27th. Our Supreme Court begins.
28th. Several Prisoners were arrained,
amongst the rest was one Hannah Miller,
alliaS Negro Hannah, For the Murder of
Her Child the Jury Brought in their Ver-
dig Gilty. Charlot Sharp, another Negro,
Gilty for Concealing her Child after it
Was born. Jesse Reece was arrained for
the Murder of Jonathan Garrett. He
pleaded not Guilty to the Inditement:
the Jury, brought in their Verdic, guilty
of Man Slaughter.
31st. This Morning Frost.
1St June, this day five Prisoners Recy’d
Sentence: Jesse Reece 2 Years at hard
labour in Philad. Jail. Henry Decker, 6
Years: Charlot Sharp, a black woman,
for Secreating her Child after it was
born, 2 Years: _ _Benjamin Wilson, 3
Years: Hannah Miller, a black woman,
for Rilling her Child, Condemn’d to be
hanged.
3d June, Went to Wilmington.
4th, Went to Philadelphia in Blacks
stage: 8th, Returned.
14th June 1805, Sarah Rnox Came to
board with me at 10 shillings per week.
July 8th, Shoemaker came to board
With me at 10–6 per Week. Wm. Adams
engages to Se me paid.
9th, Daniel Fitzpatrick’s sister Buried
at the Chaple in West Chester. Died of
a. Flux.
10th. A Daughter of Jonathan Strode’s
Buried, aged about seventeen or Eighteen
(Betsey), this day my son William,
turn’d of ten Years of age, Slip'd of to
Wm. Eachus to the reapers, got a Sickle
to try his hand at reaping; unfortunately
for him cut off his little finger (only the
end).
15th July 1805. Sarah Knox paid her
board to this date.
17th. William Taylor died at his house
at FCennett Square. • *
26th. Sarah Thornbury, wife of Joseph
Thornbury, died at Bradford.
27th. Owen Afflick’s wife came and dis-
charged the debt I engaged to se paid on
the 30th of April last. *
28th. Went to Wilmington with Nath-
an Hunt & Joseph Jefferis to go ori board
the Ship Neptune, Capt. James Taylor,
bound for St. Domingo, but the ship had
not come down from Phila.; stayed there
and abollt with them till the 31st, the
Ship Went down to Newcastle, in the
afternoon they left me and went to
join the Ship.
Alugust 1st 1805, was executed Hannah
Miller, condemned at our Court in May
last, a considerable Concourse of peo-
ple, perhaps two or three thousand.
3rd. Thomas Tucker Married to Phebe
; Daughter of Joseph Park, Brad-
KOI’C1.
5th. This day the Ship Neptune went to
Sea. As I find published in a News paper
Dated August 8th 1805.
15th. Joseph Hunt & Caleb Hunt Came
here from Bald Eagle.
21st. RecV’d a letter from Nathan,
Dated Cape Henlopen, Aug'st 3rd 1805.
20th August 1805. Isabela. Hughes came
to board with me at 10-6 per Week.
28th, this morning we are bless'd with
rain, it has been very dry this long while,
not having had much since the beginning
of June last.
31st, Richard Williams settles and pays
his board to this date and pays one week
in advance. Since riting the above acc't
of rain on the 28th I have been informed
there has been the highest flood ever
known on the West Branch of Brandy-
Wine. Several Mills and Bridges were
Swept away.
31st, James C. O’Brien Came to board
at 10–6 per Week.
2nd Sept., let the South corner of my
Store to O’Brien at 5 Dolls. per Quarter.
4th Sept. 1805. Samuel Entrikin Married
to at Phila.
10th, Rode up through West Bradford
to Collect old debts. Mir. James Hughes
Came to my house from Phila.
11th. This evening a child about Seven
Years old who came out of Phila. a few
days ago died with the Feaver.
12th, Dan'l Fling came to board with
Iſle,
14th, Mrs. Wood & three Daughters
Came to board (3) 13–14%.
16th. A child of Amos Warrens died.
17th, Mrs. Wood & Daughters left us.
21st, Samuel Sellers Died. John Huey's
Wife delivered of a Son for the first.
1st Oct. Isabella. Hughes pays her
bgard to this date. Mary Sellers, widow
Of Sam’l Sellars, Buried.
2nd Oct. 1805. This morning I was in-
form'd of the Death of Richard Buffing-
ton Commonly call’d Daddy Dickey. he
Was found hanging in Moses Marshall’s
Garden.
11th Oct. Sarah Rnox paid her board
infull.
14th, Dan'l Fling pays his board. Isaiah
Shoefield buried at Goshen Yesterday:
his father and brother died two or thrée
Weeks ago in Mary-land.
15th: Being Summoned to view a liné
between James Nealy and William Ken-
nedy in West Caln township, attended
On the ground in Company with Several
Qthers. James Hughes pāys me in full
à himself and wife boarding to this
alte.
16th : Got home after night,
f 2
18th. Started to go to Wilmington; got
as far as John Hickmans tavern. Recy’d
of Curtis Jefferis a letter from Nathan.
19th Oct. 1805, Returned from Wilming-
24th. Snow mixt with rain.
26. Snow again.
31st. Emmor Moore Married to Eliza-
beth Hickman, Daughter of Moses
Hickman. Seth John Married to Sidney
Taylor, Daughter of Thomas Taylor.
4th Nov., Went to Philad. in Blacks
Stage; rot a letter to send to Son Nathan
in Saint Domingo, Port au Prince.
7th, returned home.
12th, Abigail Rankin Died, Wife of
John Rankin of this Borough.
16th. Went to Aaron Davis's; brought
my Cart home, bought of him a few days
ago for 40 Dollars: brought 500 Segars
from James Gambles for William Dil-
Worth.
21st Nov. 1805. James C. O’Brien Eloped
from West Chester this night; carried
a Way With him. Several Watches that
Were left with him to be repaired.
25th: This morning Moses McCloskey
Was found laying dead at the foot of the
Stairs in James McGills Weaver shop.
he went to bed in the Shop loft with Sev-
eral others in the evening & it is Sup-
posed he had got up in the dark and fell
down, the steps and hit his head against
the hinge of the door, as there was a con-
Siderable wound in the side of his head
behind his left ear. I with others of the
Jury examin'd the wound and were of
Opinion there was no fracture in the
Scull. it did not appear that that wound
alone could have caused his death, the
Juries verdic is that he came to his death
by Some Way unknown to them unless
it Was by that wound & falling down
Stairs: though there was no evidence
that he did fall.
26th Nov. 1805: this day Settled with
Hugh Reed Executor of Estate of John
Patton Deceas'd and paid him Eleven
Dollars infull for ground rent of my
Store house till the eleventh Instant, at
which time his Executorship ceased.
27th : Sarah Rinox takes a Room in my
house till the twenty fifth of March next,
for which she is to pay 4 Dollars.
28th. Rote a letter to Virginia.
3rd Decm. Fine weather for the Sea-
SOIl.
4th. This night about 7 O'Clock I Start-
ed to go to Philad. haveing loded Wm.
Eachus’s Waggon with 64 bushels flax-
Seed and Sent it on. I pursued and Over-
took it at Wn. Beaumonts tavern. Stay-
ed there all night.
5th: this morning rode into town: Sold
my seed for 13–3 per Bushel.
6th Decm. 1805: Bought 22 bushels Salt
at 90 Cents per bushel, and Some other
things and Started the wagon out.
7th, rode home.
9th: John Gheen's wife buried: a
Daughter of Edward McCloskey Buried.
10th : N Scholfield’s Mill sold for 1705:6.
11th : Paid John Forbus 28 Dollars in
full for 8 Cords Hickory wood on the
ground in presence of Salm’l Hopkins.
12th : Lydia. Jefferis Married to George
Worth.
16th : This day about eleven O'Clock
was at Jacob Ramseys: Bought of him a
quantity of Buckwheat, he says 35 or
40 bushels, he is to deliver it at Henry
Hoopses Mill this week at 6, 2 per bushel.
17th, Went to a Vendue at William
Smiths in Newlin Township.
22nd Decm. 1805: uncommon fine Weath-
er; this day rote three letters to Virginia.
by Morgan Francis: one to John Hunt,
one to Thomas Francis, and one to
Thomas Fred,
24th: Morgan Francis & Sister Hannah
Came here to My house at W. Chester.
this is a wet day. :
25th. No Snow this Christmass.
28th; a wet day: this night fell a great
Quantity of rain.
29th : very Windy to day.
30th, Paid Thomas Hoops for 25 bushels
& 40 lb wheat at 12 per bushel, and grind-
ing, 15, making in the whole $43.07. S fine
flourr of the above wheat, 10C, 10, 61b.
Jan. 1st 1806: this evening Patty Taylor,
Nancy Jackson, Polly Jackson, Betsey
Johnson, Hannah Entrikin, Hannah
Sharples, Rebeckah Sharples & Patty
Taylor again & Isaac Weaver & Moses
Peirce, Doct., was at my house.
Jan, 5th 1806: this is a beautifull fine
warm day. a number of Small flies re-
Sembling mosquitoes flying about, this
night began to Snow.
6th. Snow all this day.
8th : James Bones turned out of his of-
fice of Register by the Governour Mic-
Rain, and John Smith Esqr. appointed in
his place.
14th : Rain in the evening, and after
night hail and Snow: very stormy.
15th : this morning Cold & Windy. Caleb
Hoops Died.
24th: Richard Williams Charged with
his boarding to this date.
27th, Went to Richard Dilworth for
Money: promises to pay by the twentyeth
March next.
28th, Went to George Hoops for Money:
promises to pay by the 1st March next.
5th Feb., Went to Philad. in Blacks
Stage.
8th, Returned. Arthur McCloskey died.
10th : was buried at the Chaple in West
Chester.
12th : John Blakey buryed.
20th : Recw’d a letter from Nathan
Pºd Port au Prince, Jan. 6th 1806, per
OSt.
22nd: Very fine weather, blue Birds &
frog's singing, People ploughing. -
24th, Richard Williams pays his board to
this date.
25th, Went to Wilmington with my cart.
Weather much colder.
1st March: Very Cold.
2nd & 3rd: Cold wind & Dry.
3rd: Hugh PCerigen Died, this night a.
little SnOW.
5th. Hugh PCeregan and Jacob Swain
buried at Bradford.
7th: this morning Snow.
8th : this morning about 3 O’Clock John
Ryan Died at Benjamin Miller's in West
Chester after a few days Illness.
March 9th 1806, this night a great light
in the South.
14th, rote a letter to Virginia.
16th, rote a letter to Nathan by Benj'n
Matlack Mate of the Brig Ruth & Mary.
(it was returned, he not going.)
18th, Francis Ganson came to board at
11, 3 per week: Isaac Weaver pays.
19th : This day Snow.
20th : William Cain and Phillis Memory
Married this Night by John Graves Esq.r.
23rd, this day I heard of the death of
Jean Williamson a fine blooming young
Woman in the bloom of Youth; died in
Childbed.
24th : this day Snow again.
27th: Cold, Cold windy weather.
1st Apr., Started to Philadelphia. With
my Cart & Son Wm.
3rd, Returned home.
7th: Court begins: Wet day.
8th : Cloudy cold & Windy.
10th : this day spit Snow a little.
April 11th 1806: Cloudy, very Cold and
windy; very high North West wind.
13th: wind abated.
16th: this Morning a while before day
i 3
Thomas Tucker, tavern keeper at the
Turks head, had a Daughter born; this
afternoon Night Baily was killed by the
Sawmill wheel at Worth’s Mill.
18th : a Man at Jacob Jefferis's had his
leg broke by a kick of a colt.
22nd: Nathan Hunt and Joseph Jefferis
returned from Saint Domingo; been Ab-
sent since August last.
29th : Ann Sharpless, Daughter of Wm.
Sharples & Ann his wife, departed this
life about Sunset this evening aged twelve
Years or thereabouts.
5th May, Paid James Jackson $2.70 Road
Tax for last year.
I had forgot to mention the Marriage of
Wm Osborne to Polly Davis on the 2nd
Instant, and my being in Philad. 2nd &
3rd Ins.
7th, went to Wilmington with my Cart.
9th : Cold weather for the Season.
10th : this morning they Say frost.
12th, Went to Philad. with my Cart.
13th, Returned. -
15th : Mrs. Peirce, her maid and Children
came to Board With us.
17th : I)aniel Fitz Patrick Died after a
few hours Illness.
22nd, Paid Jonathan Townsend 5 Dolls.
# gºor Muster fines for the Years 1796,
24th : Hannah James Died. an Old WO-
man 90 Odd Years.
27th : David Moor Esqr. takes a room
in my house at 10 Dolls a Year.
28th : Ship Pekin Went to Sea.
5th June 1806, Nathan and my Self went
to Philadelphia, with my Cart. Spoke
with Thomas P. Cope about Nathan go-
ing in his Ship to Liverpool: Ship Re-
becca, Captain Barry. Imlah Hains takes
my Shop for three Months; is to pay me
five Dollars.
7th, Returned from Philadelphia.
9th, Nathan went to Philad. in Blacks
Stage to go on board the Ship for try all
for two or three days.
10th : John Springer died in this town.
11th, Took Nathan’s Chest in my Cart,
with Billy and Jemmy, and went to Phil-
a.delphia.
12th, Signed Shipping articles to be on
board the 14th at 1 O'Clock: he is to have
6 Dollars per Month. Sent Billy up in
Blacks Stage. Nathan, Jemmy and my-
self went on board the Ship Neptune, Just
...d from Port au Prince, via Charles-
OWI).
13th, I returned home; left Jemmy with
Nathan till tomorrow.
20th : a Dark Cloud from the westward
with high wind passed over to the South
east With a great deal of litening.
21st: high wind.
28th : I find in a Newspaper of this
date that the Ship Rebeckiah went to Sea.
on the 18th Instant.
8th July, Went to Robert Yearsley's;
paid him 64 Dollars Interest due the 27th
last Month. Sent a letter to Liverpool by
the Ship Jupiter, directed to Nathan.
9th, RecV’d a letter from Nathan dated
15th June 1806.
July 11th 1806. People busy at harvest.
25th : a Child of Emmor Jefferis died.
26th : Charles O’Neal Died.
27th : John Fairla.mb Died.
28th, Billy and myself Started to Philad.
in the Cart.
31st, Got home again.
3rd August, Rote a letter to Nathan per
the British Packet Windsor Castle.
4th: this day Our Court begins.
5th: Wm Rogers Died. -
8th : A woman of the name of Elizabeth
Rimbey found guilty of Murder in the
first degree for killing her own Child and
condemn’d to be hung.
Alexander McKinsey found guilty of
Murder in the second degree for killing
James Sill, Sentance 7 Years to hard la-
bour in Philad. Jail.
August 10th 1806, Died Samuel Huey,
son of Wm Huey, aged about 6 Mo.
17th : John Beaumont Died.
20th : Lydia Haines, Wife of Jacob
Haines, died.
17th, Job B. Remington came to board
with me at 11, 3 per week.
20th, Sold out my Store to Job B. Rem-
ington, announting to $1095.12%. he payS
200 Dolls. Cash and the remainder in tWO
equal payments at four and Eight
Months.
29th, A Son of Benj'n Temple, his name
Benj’n as I understand, had been missing
for several days, was found this day
dead, hanging with his head hitched in
the fork of a plumb tree, without any
rope or String of any kind.
16th Sept. 1806. Went to Philad, with
my Cart.
18th, Returned.
19th : I understand this day. By Frances
Smith that Daniel Mercer died about the
12th of the present mo. 14th was buried.
22nd : Margaret McCloskey Died.
6th Oct. This day myself and wife
Started to Virginia in a Cart; got to
Landcaster.
7th, left Lancaster, crossed Susquehan-
nah at Rights ferry, about four Miles
beyond met Mary Commons, Daughter of
Joseph Smith, in the Stage comeing down
to Chester County to see her father and
friends. this day got nine Miles beyond
York; lodged at Michael Wiest’s.
8th Oct. 1806: this day went through
Hanover, Peter Littles Town and Taney
town, within two miles of Woodsbury;
lodged at William Cookerleys.
9th, Went through Woodsbury and
Frederick Town, crossed potomack at
Luckets ferry; got to One Taylor's;
stayed all night.
10th : This morning got to John Fran-
cis’s about nine O’clock: his wife went
to shew us the way to Thomas Francis,
* twenty-five Miles; got there after
IllS Ilić.
11th : a wet day but little rain.
12th : a Rainy day.
13th Oct. 1806. This morning I left
Francis's and went to my relations,
Freds; found my Unkel and aunt both
dead above 18 Mio, before; the Sons
Joshua, Thomas & Joseph living on the
land. Joseph went with me Over the
Mountain and put me in the road to
Thomas Shepherd's: lodged with him
that night.
14th: Thomas & John Shepherd rode
with me this day: passed by Richard
Shertlef’s; called to see him but he was
not at home: went up the Shenandoah,
cross'd at Barry’s ferry and the moun-
tain at Ashby's gap: got back to Fran-
Cis’s in the evening.
15th : At Francis’s.
16th Oct. 1806, Went to Joseph Bald-
wins, son-in-law to Tho. Francis. he had
a. Coffin to make for a young man Who
died of a bite of a Spider.
17th, Went to see my Cousin Rachel
Gibson (formerly Fred) wife of John
Gibson.
18th & 19th, At Francis's.
20th, Started for home. Thomas came
along with us through Leesburg and to
Enoch Francis's: stayed there that
night. Saw Joseph Hunt in Leesburg,
Son of Mary Hunt.
21st, left Enochs and forded Potomack
at Nowlands Ferry: got through Fred-
erick Town and as far as Cookerley's
tavern, thirteen Miles from Frederick.
22nd Oct. 1806. This day I was very
much indisposed Yet I Went on about 29
i4
§: to Hanover: lodged with Wm.
CO&t.
23rd, 1eft Scotts, got on to the river,
crossed it and lodged at Jos. Jefferis’s
ta. Vern.
24th: this day got down the turnpike
as far as Sloans tavern.
25th : This day got home, having
traveled since we left home about 340
Miles.
29th : Samuel Trimble died.
31st: Buried at Bradford.
4th Nov., John Shugert and family
left Westtown and Bound for Muncey.
3rd: John Huey 2nd son Born.
9th, Started for Columbia.; took Thom-
as Burnett with me to buy Boards: goë
to Pettets Tavern, 7 Miles from Colum-
bia.
10th Nov. 1806, Got to Columbia, Bought
8500 feet Boards: Cost $103 Dollars: got
back as far as Pettits this night.
11th, Started and got into Landcaster:
stayed and saw the Races: left there
about one O'Clock: got home about
twelve this night.
12th, Brought 6 bushels corn for E.
Thornbury, got of Wm. Ingram.
16th : this day a little snow for the first
this fall.
17th : John Townsend came to Board
with me (3) 11, 5.
20th : George Worth takes a part of
my Stable till 25th March next, for which
he is to pay “me 5 Dollars. McLaughlin
takes a room in my house for which he
is : pay me 7 Dollars till the 25th March
Ilex U.
Nov. 23rd 1806: Lydia. Evenson, wife of
Seth Evenson, died.
25th, Recºv’d of Job B. Remington $7.50
infull for One Quarters rent due the 20th
InStant, likewise $19.50 for 13 Weeks
boarding (@1.50 ending 16th Instant and
begins again 17th at $1.75 per Week.
26th, Went to the Funeral of Lydia.
ºnson att Birmingham: a, Very Wet
aly.
27th, Borrowed 200 Dollars of Jabez
Hoops payable on the first day of Janu-
alry next.
29th : Elizabeth Osborne, wife of Sam-
uel Osborne, died.
1st Dec., ent to the Funeral.
3d : Snow all this day followed by a
Blowing night.
7th Dec. 1806, Sent a Letter to Francis
Hickman, State of tennessee.
10th, RecV’d a letter from Nathan.
12th: Severe cold Snowy Sleety Weath-
er: ground cover'd with snow.
14th : Clear cold and Windy.
20th : Weather moderated.
22nd: John Welch and Ann Davis
Married.
24th: Cyrus Carpenter and Sally Worth-
ington Married.
s: Ground partley
In OW.
5th Jan. 1807, Went to Waggontown:
lodged at John Hughes.
6th, rode about through that Neigh-
borhood Collecting old debts. Eli Hunt,
grandson of John Hunt and Son of John
Hunt, Came to my house from Virginia.
this night lodged at John Sloans.
7th, got home.
Jan. 9th 1807, Asher Hunt and Freder-
ick Richards came to my house from
Baldeagle valey.
15th : IEli Hunt from Virginia, Son
James & myself went to Philad. in my
Cart: put up at Mr. Calvert’s North
fourth Street. this night some raskal
stole my Cart Cover. 16th, in town.
17th. Fºeturned home. -
1st Feb. : about this time died Dr. Jo-
seph Peirces wife, Amos Harvey wife,
Wm. Thatcher and Abraham Williamson.
covered With
- ; Most severe cold Weather, high
W
nd. -
12th: Caleb Hunt from Bald Eagle was
ere,
18th Feb. 1807: Benj’n Matlack died.
23rd: Caleb Hunt left here bound for
Bald Eagle.
26th; This day was on a Jury to Value
SOme property of Wm. Rogers deceased
with John Graves, Esqr., Tho. Taylor,
Wm. Sharples, . Tho. Tucker, Jabez
Hoops, Jacob Righter, Eph. Buffington,
Wm. Worthington Esq., Wm. Eachus,
Benj’n Miller and William Wollerton.
t Job B. Remington Brought his Mare
O hay.
2nd March: Jabez Baily killed at
Worths Mill by the Sawmill wheel the
Same place where his Cousin was kill’d
the Sixteenth April last.
5th: Cold Snowy Weather since this
Month came in.
5th March 1807: Nathan Hunt return’d
from. Liverpool via Cork where they had
put in in distress and lay four Months
there had a passage of about fifty days,
Very disagreeable.
7th, Setled with Job B. Remington and
recy’d payment of him in full for Rent
and boarding up to the tywentieth last
month.
16th, Went with Nathan to Philad.
with my Cart to bring his Chest home;
Went the turnpike on account of bad
roads.
18, Returned home: very cold weather
for this time of Year.
22nd, Little Eli Hunt Started home to
Virginia.
26th March 1807; this day I was present
at the Marriage of Thomas Baker &
Sarah Massey at James Jacksons in W.
Chester before John Graves Esqr.
30th : This night Issabella. Pearce, wife
Of Cromwell Pearce, died in this town,
West Chester, likewise this night fell a.
pretty Stout Snow the largest we have
had this winter.
31st: This is a most terrible Snowy
blowing day.
April 1st: Snow drifts four feet deep.
Such a first day of April has Scarcely
ever been seen here I believe, People in
their Sleighs.
2nd. Pearces wife buried: uncommon
bad roads, two o'clock Isicles two feet
'hanging to the eves: now comes on rain.
April 6th 1807: This morning Nathan
and myself started to Philad.: T roads in
many places impassable with snowdrifts.
7th, in town: got Nathan in the Ship
Rebecca, Capt. Barry, bound for London.
he gets 16 Dollars a, Mo.
8th, the Ship hawls off from the wharf
and I return home.
Joseph James takes a part in my
Stable till the first of August next, for
Which he is to pay me 6 Dollars.
12th : Wet, Snow Chiefly gone.
13th: . Very wet day: Wind E. & N. E.,
Very high: rote a letter to Thos. Francis,
Virginia.
16th: Went with my mare & cart to
help David England move from West
Chester to Marlborough.
18th : this night aſbout 11 O'Clock John
Hyfield the elder died in West Chester.
19th April 1807: this evening Jemmy
and myself started for Philadelphia, with
mare and Cart to get Shad.
20th, bought. Shad for $8 per hundred,
I heard the Ship Rebecca was returned
from Sea: , Went and found them out
the wind that blew so hard on the 13th
occasioned the ship to leak the sailors
got dishearted and refused to prosead
the Consequence was they returned to
Philad, and put six of the men in Jail.
got home this evening.
I 5
25th, Recw’d a letter from Nathan in
Philad. informing me that they had re-
pair'd the Ships uper parts a little and
got a new pump in and expect to sail to-
In OITO.W.
29th : a great rain: thunder and litning.
30th, Jabez Hoopes & John Patton
Starts to the Westward for Sheep.
May 1st 1807, George Cochran died at
his house in West Chester. -
3rd: Cold and Windy after thunder &
rain & lightning night before last.
th, Recw'd ten Dollars of D.
for One Years rent for room.
10th : this morning a white male in-
fant child was found in the borough of
West Chester in a piece of woods belong-
ing to John Patton by George Worth
and his Journeman Cooper who was
Walking through the woods with a dog,
the dog pulled it out from under an old
Stump. it appeared to have lain there
a considerable time as it was in a very
decayed State. John Lindsay’s wife de-
rainged.
May 10th 1807, took my Colt to Joseph
Taylor’s.
11th, Went to Wilmington. On my re-
turn paid Wm. Dilworth for 5 bushels
apples got of him last fall at 1–3 per
bushel, 6–3.
14th, Went to Philadelphia.
15th, Returned home.
17th, Charles Kenney and James Mc-
PCenny started to the Westward.
20th, Went to battalion at E. Webbs:
this morning frost.
26th : Jehu Roſbert’s Barn burnt by
lightning this night.
27th : Valley John Hoops’s wife Buried.
Obed Beaumont maried. rote a Letter
to Nathan ; Sent it by the Eliz. Ann,
Capt. Williams, for London.
June 1st 1807, Setled with Job B. Rem-
ington my acc’t with him to this date;
likewise settled for boarding Rent &C up
to the 20th last month.
12th, Abraham Hoops & Joshua Scott
died Suddenly.
14th, Went to Joseph Taylor’s, paid him
five Dollars for Cutting my Colt and
keeping these five Week past,
16th, Caleb Marshall died.
18th, Charles Renny & J. M’ISCenny Re-
turned from the Westward.
29th, Went to Robert Yearsley's; paid
Him 32 Dollars infull for interest to 27th
InStant.
30th : Daniel Sharples's Barn Burnt
With lightning.
3rd July, John Patton returned: left
Jabez Hoops beyond, Lancaster with 600
Sheep.
22nd : Benjamin Jacobs Buried.
24th : People busy at harvest.
25th : J. Righter reaping his field in the
Eorough of West Chester.
3rd. August, this evening Jacob Mar-
shall died.
4th, put my mare to pasture.
8th : Edward Brinton Buried.
13th: A child Of Thomas Evans buried
at Uwchland. a very wet day: great
deal of rain.
14th : A Child Of AmOS Warren’s died.
21st: Early this morning Wm Worth-
ington’s Wife died (Goshen). Setled with
Job B. Remington and recw’d payment
of him infull for rent and boarding up to
the 20th in Starit. Nelly, James & Wil-
liam went to John M'Gudgins.
August 29th 1807: Patrick Rirk, an
ºman, drowned in Am OS Brington’s
all Iſl.
2nd Sept. This night about eight O’clock
Cheyney Jefferis's Wife died.
11th, Paid John Thomas $5.50 per Cord
for 4 Cord of Hickory wood delivered,
ant. 22 Dol
Moore
Ol.
13th: A great quantity of rain with
Unusual hard thunder.
º Paſtrick Cannon’s wife died Sud-
enly.
17th, Nathan arriv'd from London in
70 days.
19th, A child of Jals. Chamberlain died.
24th : Edge Taylor died. This day re-
turned from Phila... with Nathan’s chest.
t 29th, Moses Pierce started for Charles-
:OIl.
1st Oct., John Townsend left here.
Oct 2nd. 1807: Jonathari Davis drowned
in B. Rees’s Mill dam.
14th, Went with Nathan to Phila... to
draw his wages for last voyage.
15th, In town. this night Emmor
Worthington, son of Włłłiam Worthing-
ton Of West Bradford, was married to
Sarah White, Daughter of Wm. White
Of PCennett.
16th. This night got home.
19th. Went to Battalion at Henry
Pelens in East Bradford. this day Small
Spitting Snp W.
20th : this morning ice in a tub, the
first I have seen this fall.
29th : Jesse John, Sheriff, leaves the
Jail and Titus Taylor succeeds.
31st, Benjamin Jefferis returned from
Petersburg.
4th NOV. 1807: Isabella. Entrikin,
T)aughter of George Entrikini of Crum-
creek, buried at Sam’l Entrikin's bury-
ing ground.
5th: Thomas Hair, Convicted of Lar-
ceny, Sentenced two and an half years
to hard labour, has been but five Months
Since he came Out of Philad. Gaol for
Serving two years for stealing a horse.
9th : Thomas Hair haveing cut his
Iron S off had like to have made his es-
Cape by a rope and hook which he threw
Over the Wall & had got almost to the
top When his rope broke and he fell. his
hook was seen by somebody out side who
informed the Sheriff.
10th Nov. 1807, Was at the funeral of
Peggy Hanthorn, wife of Isaac Han-
thorn, Daughter of Henry Faucett &
IHannah his wife.
11th : Tom Hare Went to Philad. John
Yººh moves from Westtown to West
a. [I].
12th : This Evening John Townsend
(Carpenter) Married to Hannah Warner
at JOS. Miller’s Tavern in West Erald-
ford.
17th, Zibah Vickers came to board with
me at 11–3.
20th : Gheen died.
21st, Sent Billy to Wm. Cain & Wm.
Weston’s for Money: got none. Went my-
self to C. White’s, G. Bradley’s & J.
Thomas’s for Money: got none. Rote a
letter to G. Hoops requesting the pay-
ment of Money.
21st Nov. 1807: Abraham Chandler died.
Settled with Job B. Remington for board-
ing, rent & keeping horse up to the 20th
Instant,
24th : Wm. Mann & Biney Beaumount
Married at Ephraim Buffington’s in West
Chester.
26th : Isaac Weaver & Fanny Pearce
Married in Philad, they above two cou-
ple all of the Borough of W. Chester.
28th : James Jefferis Of East Bradford
died aged 80 y.
16th Decm., Went in Miller’s Stage with
Nathan to Philad.
17th, Got him a birth on board Ship
Ganges, Capt, Bray, bound for London
Derry.
18th : this day his time begins at sixteen
Dollars per Mo.
19th, I returned home.
23rd Dec. 1807; Ship Ganges halls off
from the Wharf.
I6
25th: I hear the Ship is not permitted to
proceed in consequence of an Embargo.
Green Christmass, no Snow to be seen.
30th, Went to Philad.
31st, Got Nathan releas'd by paying
back 11 Dollars Of his wages.
1st Jan. 1808, Return’d Home.
12th : Ebenezer Worth died.
13th: James Gibbons, son of Thomas
Gibbons, died. this night came on snow.
14th : Snow continues till about noon: in
the afternoon clear & and windy.
27th : Wim Huey & wife came here: this
Night snow.
28th : Richard Jones died, aged about
70.
30th, Went to Isaac Taylor’s, being
Summoned by the Sherriff (T. Taylor),
together with Abraham Sharples, Wm.
Bennett, Cheney Jefferis, Jos. Brinton,
Sam’l Osborne, Benjamin Sharples, Jesse
Mercer, Sam’l Jones, Jacob Righter, Rich-
ard Jacobs and Philip Price to enquire
Whether he was noncomposmentus or
not. the Opinion Of the Jury was that he
WaS nonCOmposmentuS and incapable of
transacting business.
1st Feb. 1808: this day Court Begins. wet
Weather, muddy roads. Heard of the death
of Elizabeth Walton, Daughter of Robert
Yearsley.
2nd: Buried at Concord. George Hoops
Sued Yesterday before John Graves
Esqr. : Stay of Execution till the first of
§ next. A Child of Joshua, Jackson’s
162C1.
7th: Meriam Ingram, wife of Wm. In-
gram, died Suddenly.
9th or 10th Feb. 1808, Was on a Jury of
enquiry at the Jail together with John
Graves Esq., Jesse M’Call, John Lindsay,
John Rinehart, Job B. Remington, Joshua,
Gibbons, Jacob Hains, Gid’n Williamson,
§: Sharples, Richard Jacobs & William
€a, 1.
11th, Brought two loads hay from P.
Prices, while putting on the Second load
SaW a parcel of hounds in pursuit of a,
Fox, hard upon him. I ran but before I
Came up they dogs had him dead.
15th : Martha Painter, Wife of Sam’l
Painter, died.
20th : Snow. Settled with J. B. Reming-
ton and there appears a balance due him
$19.12%.
26th : Nathan goes to Philad. to go to
School : a very Cold morning.
1st March. This night part of Brandy-
wine Bridge fell.
2nd March 1808:
Dilworths Town.
15th : Abraham Woodward, Son of Mary
Baily, was found dead in Richard Wood-
wards fields but a few rods from the
house, where it is believ'd he had lain
above five weeks.
7th: Billy went to his uncle John’s.
18th : Eleanor Pennock died.
22nd : Andrew Byers Pºilled by the Wag-
gon going over him.
27th : Jane Gibbons, daughter of Tho-
mas Gibbons, died.
30th : John Rankin leaves West Chester
and bound to byberry.
Benj’n Jefferis and Frances Osborne
Married in Philad.
Dr., John McLaughlin to Benj’n Hunt
for one Years Rent, $
Dr., Benj’n Hunt to John M'Laughlin
for Schooling, ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Balance recw'd of him this day, ....12.16
Apr. 8th 1808. We have had fine Weath-
er for the Season: this night Cloudy.
9th : Snow most all day: this night
Joseph James died at
s tº g & e s 6 tº e º º s & tº e º 'º a tº $ tº ſº
froze pretty hard.
10th : fine Sun shiny morning.
11th : wrote a letter to T. Francis,
Virginia.
13th, Jemmy & myself went to Philad.
14th, Bought Shad for $8 doll’s and
Came home.
24th. This morning about one O'Clock
januel Chamberlin died in West Ches-
€I’.
29th : Wm. Worthington’s (little) wife
Buried at Goshen.
rº Samuel Osborne Married to Sarah
yie.
30th : Jesse Tharp killed by a Waggon
loaded with wood passing over him near
the lit&le grave Yard on the barrens
above Henry Hoopes, to use the Doctors
language his death was occation’d by a
partial Luxation of the Spine, the con-
sequence of a loaded waggon passing
over his body. Ephraim Buffington
|Esqr., Coroner: Jury, John Marshall
(Kennett), Dennis Whelen, Jabez Hoopes,
Emmor Bradley Thomas Evans, James
Miller, John Patton, Doct. Josiah Ank-
rim, James Ryan, Thomas Worth,
Charles W. Humphrey Esqr. & Benjamin
Hunt.
30th : This Evening Betsey Hyfield
Married to Tho. Williamson.
Sometime about the beginning of May
a boy was killed in the valley by a Cart
overturning.
11th May: John Marshall, son of David
TMarshall, died in consequence of a fall
from his horse a few days before.
12th, Nathan return’d from Philadel-
phia.
17th : Charles Renney Starts to the
Westward.
18th May 1808: Ziba Vickers leaves the
Store and Nathan Hunt goes to it in his
place. Ann Welch (formerly Davis),
Wife of John Welch, died in West Caln.
21st, Settled with Job B. Remington
and recV’d Of him in Cash and S&ore
goods $87.85 for 3 Months past including
$26.85 for One Years Interest on Bond.
Samuel Cheney Buried
26th : Elizabeth Neilds died.
29th, Went to Philad. with Capt. Crow.
31st, Returned home.
June 3rd. Planted 10 rows potatoes, 4
bushels seed, at M’Clellans.
4&h June: Billy begins to right in the
Registers office.
18th : A man hung himself in the Jail.
Dr. Moses Peirce died about seven
O’Clock this evening.
19th : uncommon Cold for the season.
23rd June 1808: Charles Renney return-
ed from the Westward.
24th : Edward Thornbury buried.
29th : John Woodward the elder died in
Consequence of a fall from a load of
hay. uncommon warm weather.
July 2nd, was call’d on by Benjamin
Hickman to sign his last Will& Testa-
ment. -
6th : Joseph Worthington Starts
Zeans Ville.
11th : Susanna. Thornbury died aged
about 92 Years.
30th : Eli Hunt, after night was thrown
from his horse and pretty badly hurt in
his left hip.
1st August: Henry Guest was killed by
a fall from the Scarfold at Gideon Wil-
liamson’s Barn where he was going to
point (or paint).
to
17
6th August 1808: Joseph Taylor (the
elder) died about 12 O'Clock this night.
18th : John Walton’s wife died.
20th : Isaac Webb died.
25th : Isabella, AnderSon died in West
Chester.
30th : Joshua, Vaughan died.
5th Sept. Benjamin Taylor died , at his
house at Kennett Square.
6th : Rebecca, Embree died, wife of James
Embree of Bradford.
11th : Mary Boulton died at Joseph Mat-
lack's in GOShen.
10th : Isaac Jackson died suddenly in his
Qart going to market.
14th : Job B. Remington Married to Han-
nah Pim. Eli Hunt, son of John Hunt,
was here from Virginia.. the Boys
Nathan & James rote letters to T.
Francis.
20th : Sept. 1808: A severe storm of wind
& rain, not having had any to Sigriiy
this six or seven weekS: it has been an
uncommon dry time.
7th Oct. : Job Brings his wife home to
West Chester.
24th : Sarah White died at West Chester
3rd: Nov: James Jackson died at his
house at West Chester.
7th: Paid Wm. Worthington $6.75 in full
for hay & drawing and likewise in
full of all acc’ts.
15th : Jane Hannum died in Concord,
Age about 90. Thomas Finney, an Irish-
man, died in Goshen, said to be gecation-
ed by falling over a log in the dark.
6th Decm., Setled with J. B. Remington
for his Boarding, keeping horse, store
house rent &c., up to the 20th last
month. e
20th Dec. 1808: Nelly, Nathan, James
and William, Thomas & Sally Taylor
Started for Philad.
23rd : Returned home : most terrible
muddy roads.
25th, May be call’d green Christmass:
a small skift of Snow. Job B. Remington
& Wife dined with U.S. John M'GOOClini
Wife Came here in the afterrio On.
26th : M'GOOdin & Wife left here.
Jan.2nd 1809, rote a lefter to Ashur
Hunt in Bald Eagle Valley by Job
Packer.
4th: Caleb Hannum died at Emmor
Bradley’s in West Chester about Eleven
O'Clock forenoon, Aged about 27 Years.
I hear James Bain Died almost Sudden-
ly last night.
Jan.17th 1809: this day Charles Renny
(a roman Catholid imported from Ire-
land) appointed by Governor Snyder,
fills the Register’s Office in place of
John Smith a native American.
23rd: Job talks of leaving this house.
takes his horse to Miller's.
20th Feb., in Philad. : agreed with
Atkinson Rose for his house in Hamil-
ton Village for 300 Dollars per annum.
7th March was at Joshua, Hunt's &
Benj’n Coates’s Vendue.
9th, Was at Rogeres Vendue in Goshen
Township.
This day Thomas Worth of West Brad-
ford, aged about 35 Years Married to
Ann Buffington, daughter of Ephr.
Buffington of West Chester, aged about
17 years.
March 16th : this night resigned my
right in the West Chester fire Company.
20th : This night Aaron Woodward’s
Wife died.
22nd, Went to Philad. with Nathan.
23rd, from the recommendation of Capt
Jas. Jefferis, Jos. Jefferis & Nathan
Hunt gets a birth in the Ship Phoenix,
Capt. Callendar, bound to Amelia, Island.
rote a letter to Virginia.
24: I returned home and the boys goes
on board to bend Sails and get ready to
Sail.
26th, Sent some sea stores to meet the
Ship at New Castle, which I since learn
£he recw’d.
27th : Ebenezer Speakman buried.
April 3rd, Put my Goods in three
Waggons and Started for Hamilton Vil-
lage: arriv'd there in the evening.
April 13th 1809: Snow all day.
19th : Philip Roads’s too Young men
came at noon to board at $2.50 per
week.
20th May 1809, Reev'd a letter from
Nathan dated Charlestown May 9&h.
23rd : Nathan came home from Amelia.
Island via Charlestown.
12th June, Nathan ships on board the
Ganges, bound to London, Capt. Earl;
Gets 24 Dollars per Mo.
13th, Goes on board & hawls off from
the Wharf.
8th July, Recw’d Nathan’s Cape letter
dated 25th June.
24th : James Smith came to Botard
with me at 3 Dollars per week.
25th : Son William goes to Mr. Rasch
to try the Silver Smith trade.
4th Oct. 1809: Ann Taylor, Daughter of
Titus Taylor, Married to William B.
Atkinson.
rºth Nov. 1809: Snow, the first this
alſ I.
22nd : Ann Atkinson comes to Hamilton
Village.
25th Dec’r: Green Christmas, Cloudy
with rain. James, William & Lydia.
Scott went into Philad. in the evening
Thomas Jones & Eli Hunt stop’d here.
28th : Eli Hunt, son of John, Came here
from Virginia.
30th : left here for home: sent a letter
to Francis: a snowy morning.
1st Jan. 1810: Fine warm weather for
the time of year.
5th, 6th & 7th, still warm : very muddy
roads.
11th : Mud continued: very foggy this
morning and warm for the season. I
forgot to mention that, Wm. was on the
sixth Jan. 1810 bound to Mr. Rasch for
five years.
Jan. 17th 1810: Son James Goes to Wm.
Warner’s.
19th, 20th : Most shaveing Cold
Weather: some people says it has not
been so cold these six Years and goes
SO far as to say these fifteen Years.
25th : very Moderate and warm for the
Së9, SOFI).
1st Feb. : Cold again.
3rd: Most terrible snowy, Stormy
Blowing day.
4th: Quite pleasant.
5th: Snow again.
24th : Fine weather over head these
few days but most terrible roads.
5th March: this night an uncommon
Gale of wind Blew down a large tree
in Kingsington (Philad.) under which
Wm_ Penn signed his first treaty with
the Indians.
March 22nd 1810: Lydia Peirce and
John Sugar Married at Bradford Meet-
ing, Chester County. W m Rose. Of
Blockley township, Philad. County
Buried. Ann Fawkes, wife of Richard
Fawkes, Died.
4th Apr. 1810 left the tavern in Hamil-
ton village and went over to Blodgets
house in the bushes. Atkinson Rose
Comes to the tavern with some of his
goods, but could not bring his wife on
acc’t Of sickness.
5th : Rose’s Wife died.
6th, I went to the funeral.
5th May, Sold my horse to a man in
Philadelphia, for $135.
I Omited mentioning my takeing a lot
of Ground in Hamilton Village of Jos.
I8
Lehman and putting a house on it at
my expence.
20th Apr., Began the house.
June 1st 1810: This day I hear that
fourteen horses was kill'd , with light-
ning in the Road about 14 Miles from
Landcaster, five in one team, three in
another, three in another & three in
One Other.
23rd July 1810: Ann Atkinson Deliver-
ed of a son about 12 O'Clock at night.
28th : Eleanor Hunt takes stage for
West Chester.
30th, Returned.
4th Aug. : Son James takes Stage for
West Chester.
8th : Moves into our new House
Hamilton Village.
13th: Son James returns from West
Chester.
20th : Joseph Hunt’s Black boy Bill got
One thigh broke.
23rd, Sent a letter to Virginia.
Sept. 3rd 1810. This day read an acc’t
in the Newspaper of the Ship Ganges
having been seen under Convoy Near
Gottenburgh on the 9th July last.
Oct. 7th : I hear of the ship Grace Ann
Green arriving at New York in 44 Days
from London: left the Ganges there
about the 20th Aug't.
30th : Thomas Francis and Daughter
Mary came to my house in Hamilton
Village (from Virginia).
31st: Thomas, Mtary, Nelly and myself
Went into Philad. John M'Goodin &
Wife came to my house.
1st Nov. : this morning a trunk was
found near my house on the turnpike:
had been cut off from the Landcaster
Stage. Thomas Francis and Daughter
leaves here and goes to M'Goodins.
f This afternoon Snow for the first this
alli.
2nd: Snow all this day.
3rd: a fine clear morning: Snow Sev-
eral inches deep.
9th : Nathan returns from his fifth
voyage, having been absent sixteen
Months and twenty seven days to Lon-
don, St. Petersburg: froze up there from
the 14th Nov. 1809 till 28th May 1810.
10th : this day went in town with him :
a most terrible wet blowing day.
19th : Still wet: got his wages for 16
Mo. & 26 days @ 24 dol. am’t $404.80.
23rd. Snow all day.
3rd Dec. Snow this day.
11th Dec’r 1810: William got his eye
burnt by pouring hot lead into the
spout of his teapot.
19th : this day I was inform'd by Tho-
Tntas Burnett that John Huey’s Oldest
son, William, died on the 15th Instant,
aged 5 Years and 3 Months nearly.
25th, Green Christmass: this morning,
seven O'Clock, cloudy and like for fall-
ing weather: twelve O'Clock a 'butifull
clear warm day: nobody to dine with
us, Boys all in town, Nathan, Jamres &
Williamſ.
28th; Very Cloudy, warm foggy weath-
er: Saw Richard Crane's man harrowing
29th, Nathan & myself went into town
and Nathan signs shiping articles, Ship
Ganges, Capt. Day, $26 per Mo., Bound
to Lisbon.
30th Dec’r 1810, Nathan, William and
myself goes into town: we meet, James
and goes on Board the Ship laying be-
low town: stay there on Board till they
weigh Anchor and go down as far as
the point, then came on shore with the
Capt. and they procede to cross the
barr in the evening I got home after
Dark began to SnOW.
31st: Snowing and blowing in the
morning: in the afternoon more moder-
alte.
in
Jan. 3rd 1811: William Huey Brought
Polly Frances here. Yesterday morning
I found a horse, saddle & Bridle in my
lot: this day the owner came for him.
Jan. 4th 1811: early this morning it be-
gan to snow: Snowing all day.
6th : a beautiful fine warm day for
this time of Year: snow going very fast.
8th : Still warm and foggy: very muddy
roads.
9th : This day I was informed by
Flizabeth Carter that Rachel Baily, wife
of Abr’m Baily of West Bradford Hung
herself. On the 4th Instant with her
handkerchief hitch'd on a nail in the
Ritchen: this night rain, John M'Good-
w'in wife here.
10th : very disagreeable, dull cloudy
weather. Nelly & Polly Francis Went
Home with John M'GOOdin and his wife.
11th Jan. 1811: Clear morning and
sºlºins Colder: Noon cloudy and
CO1CleI".
13th: this day Snow. Nelly and Polly
Trancis return’d from M’COOdins.
15th : This day Nelly, & Polly Francis
Went in {O to Wn.
17th : John Huey’s Daughter buried.
18th, Wrote a letter to T. Francis in
Virginia; likewise one to Lisbon for
Nathan *
19th : Sleet this morning.
20th : Hazy, very warm for ye season.
21st: Cloudy morning, like for rain.
Went to J. Jones for Money : he says
he will have some to day Or tomorrow :
Likewise John Fling : he says in two
weeks he will have Some he expects.
22nd : Warm, some times Cloudy, some-
times Sunshine, morning.
23rd Jan. 1811: Cold freezing Weather.
24th : More moderate . Polly Francis
goes to John M'Guggans.
30th : Snow.
3rd Feb. : a little SnOW.
4th: Cloudy, Drizly.
6th : Snow this day & all night.
7th: Pretty deep Snow.
11th : A beautiful fine day but very
bad roads.
12th : A very stormy snowing blowing
day. Sent too letters to Polly Francis at
John M'Guggin's by Jesse ICersey. in
the aftern OOn rain.
16th : Snow.
19th : a considerable quantity of Snow
on the ground and very cold.
21st: I hear that Phebe Taylor, Daugh-
ter of Titus Taylor, was Maried to Ben-
jamin Worth on the 198h Instant. Polly
Frances returned from M’COOdin’s.
22nd : Stormy, Snowing and blowing.
Sam’l Newel Bro’t his wife home.
23rd Feb. 1811, I hear John Huey
buried his son Nathan, a little child, a.
few days ago, this is the third they have
buried this winter, this day Nelly
starts to go up there.
25th: Second day of the week: this night
some thief stole my 'ax, my wood saw
they stole a few weeks ago, I have found
it in a saw wheters shop in Philad,
26th : Polly Frances and my self went
into town and to the Museum. wet day,
muddy roads.
1st March: Nelly returned from West
Chester.
4th, Went into Town with Nelly &
Polly Francis, stayed a while then Nelly
returned home and Polly & myself went
to the play. .
5th, Got an new ax, cost two Dollars,
Brooks Facet.
March 6th 1811: Snow.
7th: fine Sunshiny day. Edward Miller
moves into Philad. from West Chester.
15th, I go with Polly Francis into town
to Samuel Baker’s, she stays all night,
{n the evening Wm. Huey came here
I9
with two horses to take Polly to his
house, he goes into town.
16th, they came out of town and after
dinner they start for Wºm Huey’s.
24th: this day rain in the afternoon
preceded by strong southerly winds for
several days: fine warm Weather Since
the beginning of Margh.
25th : the day colder after rain and
thunder yesterday.
26th : George Entriken, Cruncreek,
got pretty badly hurt in the road not
far from my house.
27th : I hear that Lydia Worth, wife
of George Worth, died a few days ago.
29th : John Warner (of Blockſley)
Motherinſlaw died at his house near
Schuylkill Bridge.
March 30 1811; this day sold my Cart
and geers to Wim. Mi’Nutt of uper darby
for 38.50 CentS
April 6th: I hear that my old neigh-
bor Thomas Taylor of Chester County
died a few days ago. Like Wise Thomas
Newlin Esq. Of Concord township, Dela-
ware County, died a few days ago.
4th, 5th & 6th of April, was in Philad.
helping Emmor Moore and David Wil-
son Buy Goods.
11th : a very Wet day.
12th : in Philad. again with E. Moore.
13th: Went home with E. Moore in the
Westtown School Stage to help them
mark their goods.
14th, busy helping them.
15th, walked home in consequence of
the stage being full.
23rd April 1811: Gideon Williamson
House Burnt: himself not at home.
29th : Charles Robinson’s wife died.
1st May, I hear Amos Carter is dead.
C. Robinson’s Wife buried. an uncom-
mon dry time; the roads very dusty.
2nd: Rain. 3rd : Rain.
6th : Shaym fight began at the uper
ferry, ended in Hamilton Village: in
the afternoon rain.
8th : Rain in the aftern OOn.
9th : Andrew Hunter, wife & three
Children being Out of a house came to
my house for a few days till they can
find a house.
11th, Got a house at Squire Jones’s.
13th: Very showery.
17th : Cool for the season.
18th : this morning frost.
23: Very dry weather and dusty
roads, this day was on a Jury Of par-
tision to divide tract of land in Block-
ley Township, Philad. County, Francis
Johnson, Sheriff.
25th May 1811: Caleb Bradley Died in
Philadelphia. verry dry dusty roads.
31st: James leaves Warners and him
and I go on board the sloop Sampson
at Schuylkill Bridge and bound to Mor-
ris river. I forgot to mention that some
vilian entered my house yesterday while
my wife walk’d out into the garden and
Stole my Watch: Supposed to be too
Black men. -
4th June: Nathan Return’d from LiS-
bon, haveing been gone five Months &
four days.
8th : James and myself got home from
Morris’s River.
11th : Nathan & James starts to West
Chester in the stage.
14th : Boys returned from W. Ches-
ter.
15th : Got my watch in Philad. Of Orie
A. B. Cohen, No. 371 North 2nd Street,
a dealer in old Clothes, where it had
been left by too black men who wanted
money on it but he questioned them so
close they fled and left it.
21st June 1811: This day I am inform’d
some man Jump'd of Schuylkill Per-
manent bridge and drowned.
22nd, about 10 O'Clock the above men-
tioned man was taken out of the Water
near the Bridge.
23rd: Started in the Sloop Sampson
from Schuylkill Bridge bound to
Mauris’s River.
28th : George Weidner killed with the
Waggon. Elizabeth Holsten died.
2nd July: Got home in the sloop Samp-
'SOI!.
10th, was in Philadelphia, with Nathan
and James at the launch of the Ship
Phoenix, Captain Wm. M'PGibbon.
16th : Nathan Sined Shipping articles
on board the Ship Lancaster, Capt.
Thomas Robinson, bound to Canton, 16
Dollars per Month.
18th July 1811: Nathan goes on board
and the ship hauls off from the wharf.
Wm. Comes home with the Cart. James
and myself got a boat and goes on board
the Ship. James stays all night.
22nd: Billy starts to his Uncle Wim.
PHuey’s in Concord.
25th : this day I hear that Patrick Greg-
ory was found dead on the 21st in One
of Jacob Righter’s fields near West
Chester where it is supposed he had lain
too weeks. another man was mowed
up in Jams Bones’s Barn and not found
till the Snell became Offencive.
27th : Nelly starts for her fathers in
Sam’l Entrikin’s Cart. this aftern OOIn
recV’d Nathan’s Cape letter.
2nd August 1811: Billy and his Mother
returns home, she very bad with a paint
in her right arm, perhaps rheumatism.
3rd, rote too letters to Virginia.
14th: Wm. Galloway’s Child badly
burnt by its cloaths takeing fire while
its mother was gone to market.
17th : Galloway’s Child died. James
Hunt starts to John Rankins.
19th : this morning a little before day
one of Wm. Guire’s Hay stacks took
fire, had hard work to put it out but by
wetting it & drawing it away we ex-
tinguished it.
20th August 1811: Mr.
too rooms in my house.
24th : this day I hear that John Fling
was buried on Wednesday last and John
Rinnard a few days before.
28th : James Goes to Collins’s to try
the painting business. dOnt
OIl
1st Sept. : James leavs Collins.
Goes to J. Shaw to try the Hating
Brasier takes
like the trade.
2nd:
trade.
3rd: Rachel Curle goes to the artificial
flower Factory.
5th: Catharine Hunt, daughter of Eli,
aged about 16 Years, Maried to Wm.
Hilton, aged about 19, Aprentice to A.
Rasch.
Sept. 28th 1811: About this time Jacob
Hains died at his house near West
Chester.
Oct. 6th : very Warm Weather for this
time Of Year.
12th : Still warm. Mary Darlington
brought her son to live with us at 75
Cents per week. I hear that my Old
Neighbour John Hughes of Waggon
Town, Chester County, died some weeks
a.S. O. -
24&h: Went into Philadelphia, Bought
5 Tons Plaster for Wrm. Huey @ $11.00.
27th : this morning pretty Smart White
fººt, the first of any consequence this
3.11.
12th Nov. : fine Weathier for the sea-
SOI) : pull'd a Water Mellon in the Gar-
den: in the afternoon went to the cattle
ShOW at Bush Hill.
John
13th, Went into
19th Nov. 1811, Was in town; Got a
to Wn. With
M’Goodin’s Boys. -
pair coarse shoes of Edward Miller:price
2O
2 dolls.
23rd: This day some Rascal Stole my
Watch.
24th: This day I started in the sloop
Sampson for Mauris’s River.
4th Dec., Got home again.
13th: This night snow for the first this
Winter.
14th : Snow continued till morning: be-
fore noon cleared away.
19th : about this time very cold: Schuyl-
kill froze over.
23rd: Moderate and thawing: in , the
night blew up very cold and Snow’d.
#h: High wind and cloudy: very
CO ICI.
25th : not quite so cold: ground not
Cluite COver'd with Snow. Boys James
and William in TOWn.
Jan. 1st 1812: this morning wet after a
wet night. Cloudy all day: in the night
blowed up cold.
2nd: Clear, Cold and windy: this morn-
i. was in Philad. ; Sign'd James Inden-
Ull’e.
4th, Rote a letter to Joshua Haller.
Mary Mongy was at my house.
7th: Robert Brady left boarding here.
10th; Cold dry windy Weather; roads
dusty, uncommon good : Was at the
Funeral of a Young woman who died
at Henry Clark’s, in Hamilton Village.
11th, Took out an Execution for Salm-
uel Newel On, Eli Hunt’s a CCOllnt.
15th : Smooth, dusty roads, like Sum-
nner: this night SnOW.
16th : Snow about too Inches deep. This
day Joseph Haller Call'd at my house
and paid his father’s note.
17th & 18th : Cold, Freezing weather:
this night snow.
21st Jan. 1812: this day Eli Hunt, Wife,
son Hiram and Daughter Fanny, with
George Davis, came here. Eli, Wife &
son stay’d all night: the res& Went
Hamilton’s.
23rd, Bought one cord Hicory wood:
paid for it 11 Dollars, this day a drove
of turkeys pass'd here down the pike.
24th : Cloudy, Thawing, in the evening
Small rain. - -
30th : William Hunt from Bald Eagle
Valley call’d at my house on his way to
Philad, a Man was killed at or near the
turnpike first gate by the waggon
crushing him against a post.
31st, Rote a letter to Levi Downing.
4th Feb. : Wm. Hunt stopped at my
house on his return: stayed all night.
5th: left here this morning.
Feb. Sth 1812: this day the Ice in
Schuylkill made a general move and
went off without doing much damage.
11th : This day was in Philadelphia, at
the funeral of Brigadier General Mich-
ael Bright: Buried with the honors of
war so call’d.
19th : William Cole came
ford to Hamilton Ville.
21st: William Hunt and Joseph OS-
borne was here. I sent Eli Hunt’s money
to him by Aaron Davis that was recov-
ord of Sam’l Newell.
23rd: Snow, Mist, forepart of the day. :
after night rain. -
24th : snow all g|One.
25th : this night SnOW.
26th : Job B. Remington mooves from
West Chester to Philad.
25th Feb. 1812, Hamilton Village. Tho-
mas Evans, Tavern keeper Gok his left
§ badly hurt by the bursting of his.
ll IT.
March 5th, Widow Died. t
6th : This night Joshua, Büffington’s
wiſe died in Philadelphia.
10th : Ann Jefferis, Widow of Jas. Jef-
feris of East Bradford, died (Chester
County on Brandywine).
15th : Hunt Osborn, son of Samuel OS-
born, died.
18th : Eli Hunt lodged here this night
Cadwaleder Evan’s store in Hamiltons
Village broke open and Robed of $577.
about this time William Bittle Ships on
board the Helvetius.
25th : last night George Hilton Died at
Hamilton.S.
IEnd of Diary.
- from Frank-
A BRIEF GEN EALOGY
OF THE
HUNTNS OF WENSTYTNOWN.
- ---
James Hunt, of the parish of Bear-
stead, in the county of Kent, England,
was a purchaser of land from William
Penn, in 1684, before coming to this
Country. Early in the following year he
had arrived and purchased land in King-
sessing township, Philadelphia County,
Where he settled. The Hunts of King-
sessing and Darby are descended from
this perSon.
Roger Hunt, son of John and Elizabeth
Hunt, of Birmingham, England, settled
at what is now Downing town about the
year 1739, and through his wife, the
daughter of George Aston, became pos-
SGSSed Of a large tract of land at that
place. His descendants have embraced
many prominent citizens of our county.
Joseph Hunt, of whom tradition says
that he also came from Birmingham,
and that his landing in Pennsylvania
occurred On the day of Queen Anne's
death, August 1, 1714, first appears annong
the taxables of Chester County, in 1718,
as a single man, in Birmingham town-
ship. In 1720 he is still there but classed
a.mongst the married men, perhaps be-
cause a land Owner. In 1721 he appears
in Westtown township, and there con-
tinued the remainder of his life. If mar-
ried as early as 1721 he must have lost
his first wife, as he was married 3 mo.
21, 1724, at Concord Meeting, to Mary
Hickman, daughter of Benjamin and
Ann Hickman, of Westtown. In 1862
the marriage certificate was among
what are lºnown as the Taylor Papers,
of which the greater part have since
been deposited with the Penn. Histori-
cal Society, in Philadelphia, but the
Certificate appears to be mislaid. Some
of the witnesses were as follows:
Rich'd Buffington, Benj. Hickman,
Tho: Buffington, Ann Hickman,
Mary Turner, Elizab’h Hickman,
Susanna, Pyle, Rob’t Chamberlin,
Thomas Arnold, Robert Way,
Sarah Arnold, Thomas Marshall,
Sarah Edwards, Charles Turner,
Benjamin Hickman owned 230 acres of
land next eastward of the Boarding
School tract, and Aaron James 208 acres
south of Hickman, the two, tracts ex-
tending across the township. To the
westward of the present School property
came Richard Whitpaine, 1920 acres; and
Richard Collett, 1000 acres, at the west-
ern end of the township. Neither Whit-
paine or Collett came to this country.
The Whitpaine tract was sold by his
heirs or assigns to various persons. Be-
ginning at the School property the
purchasers Were James Gibbons, 400
acres, Thomas Mercer, 401 acres, Rich-
t
__*—
ard Eavenson, 219 acres, John Yearsley,
290 acres, Joseph Hunt, 252 acres, and
Philip Taylor, 200 acres. The purchase
of Joseph Hunt included the greater
part of the present Frederick C. Brinton
and James C. Smith farms. His deed is
dated March 31, 1719. By deed of March
10, 1748–9, from William and Judith
Harvey, he purchased 120 acres of the
Collett tract to the westward, and on the
same date obtained from Amos Harvey,
Son of William, 94 acres more of the
Collett land. By deed of 1 mo. 14, 1758,
Joseph Hunt and wife conveyed to their
son John Hunt the homestead of 252
acres, for love and affection and the
sum of £120; and On the 20th Of the Same
month they conveyed to their son Wil-
liam, for love and affection and the
sum of £160, the two tracts purchased
from the Harveys. In 1764 Joseph Hunt
was assessed with 60 acres Of land in
Westtown, and one negro man; the tax
on the former being nine shillings and
on the latter six shillings. It appears
there were no buildings on this land,
and that it was first put down in the
name of John Hunt, from which it may
be inferred that the father still occupied
a part of the homestead and farmed a
part of the land. John Hunt was also
assessed with 150 acres, 5 horses, 10 cat-
tle, 24 sheep. William Hunt had 140
acres, 5 horses, 6 cattle.
Benjamin Hawley made the following
notes in his diary: 2 mo. 18, 1771:—Sec-
ond Day: “Joseph Hunt Departed this
Ilife this morning, being, as Supposed
well the Over Night, & supposed by a C-
counts to be aged 82 years: to be Buried
at Concord on fourth Day Next.”
20th:—Fourth Day: “Went to the
Burial of Joseph Hunt but not to the
Grave Yard.”
21st:—“At home till I was sent for to
Jno Hunt's by Hannah Moore, to give
Some account of Joseph Hunt’s Will. I
Wrote what account I had remembered
and gave to Peter Osborne.”
3 mo. 11, 1771:—“Went to Hunt's ven-
lle y y
Letters of administration on the estate
of Joseph Hunt were granted to Wil-
liam Hunt, Feb. 28, 1771, who filed his
accounts March 10, 1772.
Children of (1) Joseph and Mary (Hick-
man) Hunt:
2. Hannah, married about 1742 to Henry
Collins, son of Joseph Collins, of Goshen.
Henry died in 1752, after which Hannah
married Nathaniel Moore, whose antece-
dents have not been discovered. He pur-
chased the lands of his predecessor, in
Goshen, where he died in 1777. Hannah
was disowned by Friends for her first
marriage.
22
3 Mary, married about 1750, to James
Smith, *by a priest,” or minister, for
which she made an acknowledgment 8
mo. 8, 1750. They afterward settled in
Newlin township, where James died Oct.
3, 1801, and was buried at Bradford
Meeting. He was not a member of the
Friends' Meeting.
4. William, born 1728, married 10 mo.
25, 1753, at Birmingham Meeting, to
Sarah Fred, daughter of Nicholas Fred,
late of Birmingham, and Ann his wife.
She died Jan. 25, 1773, aged 43 years,
and William was married a 2d time, 6
mo. 16, 1774, at Birmingham Meeting, to
Susanna. Yearsley, widow of Nathan
Yearsley, of Thornbury, and daughter of
Jacob Wright. In the early part of 1790
Joseph Hunt sold his farm and removed
to Bald Eagle Valley, Lycoming Coun-
ty. His brother William Visited that
region and decided to remove thither,
but was taken with a fever a few days
after his return and died June 1st, 1790.
His will, dated two days before his
death, does not appear to have been
probated. He devised the land to his
three sons to whom his widow, having
no children by him, released her right
of dower for £3 per annum, Aug. 7, 1790,
having received household goods to the
Value of £61. She removed from the
premises 8 mo. 13, 1790, and died in Con-
Cord township, 6 mo. 9, 1815, aged 88
years, 7 mos. and 15 days.
5. John, married “by a priest,” about
1752, to Hannah Jefferis, daughter of
William and IElizabeth Jefferis, of East
Bradford; for which marriage they made
an acknowledgment 8 mo. 6, 1753. He
married a second wife, Mary Stanley,
Widow, daughter of Thomas and Eliza-
beth Speakman, of Goshen. He settled
at the homestead, but after the Revolu-
tion removed to Virginia.
6. Joseph, born July 1, 1733; died Sept.
27, 1804; married 6 mo. 13, 1754, at Brad-
ford Meeting, to Deborah Jones, daugh-
ter of Evan and Sarah Jones, of East
Bradford. They received certificates from
their respective meetings to Exeter
Monthly Meeting, Berks County, in 1755.
IHis wife dying, Joseph returned to Ches-
ter COunty, married Ann, daughter of
William and Margaret Trego, who for
several years kept the tavern Since
known as the General Greene. By deed
Of July 29, 1761, he purchased 201 acres in
Goshen from the heirs of James Paul.
This he conveyed to John Sharpless May
11, 1780, and removed to Bald Eagle Val-
ley. “Nancy” Hunt, his wife, was born
May 5, 1739, and died Sept. 23, 1804.
7. Jane, married by a justice of the
peace to Thomas Mercer, born 1 mo. 18,
1734; died 3 mo. 18, 1816; son of Thomas
and Hannah Mercer, of Westtown, where
they continued to reside. For their mar-
riage out of meeting they made an ac-
knowledgment to Concord Monthly Meet-
ing, 10 mo. 8, 1761. Jane was buried 9
mo. 9, 1772. Thomas married again, June
3, 1802, Lydia Harlan, by whom he also
had children.
8. Betty, born 1 mo. 21, 1744; died 3 mo.
1824; married “by a priest,” Peter OS-
born, born 6 mo. 14, 1742; son of Samuel
and Frances Osborn, of Westtown. He
was buried at Birmingham Meeting, 5
mo. 18, 1814. They were disowned by
Friends on account of their marriage.
Children of (2) Hannah Hunt and
Henry Collins:
9. Mary, died unmarried.
10. Ann, married 11 mo. 26, 1767, at
Goshen Meeting, to Aaron Hoopes, son
of Nathan and Margaret, of East Érad-
Christ Church, Phila., Oct.
ford. They lived in Goshen.
11. Charity, born 1 mo. 5, 1751, married
- 8, 1770, to
Joseph Garrett, Son of Joseph and Mary
Garrett, of Goshen. He inherited his
father's farm, near Goshen Meeting
where he died 10 mo. 1, 1792, and she 10
mo. 3, 1799.
Children of (2) Hannah Hunt and Na–
thaniel Moore:
12. Joseph, married 2d Presb. Church,
Phila., Jan. 1, 1780, to Sarah Jefferis,
daughter of Emmor and Elizabeth Jef-
feris, of East, Bradford, at Jefferis' Ford,
He was a physician and died in West
Chester, July 5, 1799, and she Aug. 6. 1799.
13. Thomas. 14. Emmor. 15. Benjamin.
16. Nathaniel.
Children of (3) Mary Hunt and James
mith:
17. Joseph married Swedes' Church,
Wilmington, to Frances Buffington,
Aug. 9, 1770. He inherited 150 acres of
land. On Brandywine.
18. Ann, married Isaac Buffington.
19. William, married 7 mo. 22, 1779, to
Orpha. Cloud, born 9 mo. 4, 1760; daughter
of William and Mary Cloud, of East
Marlborough. He inherited 200 acres of
land in Newlin township, from his father.
20. Mary, married to John Taylor.
21. James, married &
Children of (4) William and Sarah
(Fred) Hunt:
22. Ann, born 1 mo. 16, 1755; died 11 mo.
5, 1820; married William Sharples, son of
Nathan and Hannah Sharples, of West
Chester.
23. Mary, born 7 mo. 8, 1756; died 5 mo.
6, 1849; married William , Seal, son of
William and Susanna, Seal, of Birming-
a.IIl.
24. Joshua, born 1 mo. 17, 1759; died 3
mo. 10, 1830; married 5 mo. 5, 1791, at Bir-
mingham Meeting, to Lydia, Davis,
daughter of James and Mary Davis, of
East Bradford. She was born 6 mo. 2,
1765, and died 7 mo. 1, 1814. Residence in
Westtown.
25, Rebecca, born 4 mo. 17, 1761; died 12
mo. 14, 1840; married Titus Taylor, son of
ºnas and Martha Taylor, of West-
OWI).
26. Eli, born 4 mo. 25, 1763; died 1813;
married Ritty (or Catharine) Sheppard
and Settled On part of the lands of his
father.
27. Benjamin, writer of the diary, born
12 mo. 1, 1766; died 10 mo. 1, 1812; married
Eleanor Huey, daughter of James Huey,
of Westtown. He was a storekeeper at
Marshallton, Wagontown and West
Chester, and died at Hamilton Village
(West Philadelphia).
Children of (5) John and Hannah (Jef-
feris) Hunt:
28. Mary, removed to Virginia. She had
a Son John Hunt who is mentioned in
the diary.
29. , Elizabeth, married, about 1772, to
Daniel Mercer, son of Daniel and Re-
becca, Mercer, of East Marlborough.
30. , Hannah, married about 1775, by a
magistrate, to Robert Yearsley, for which
# was disowned by Friends, 8 mo. 7
{ {t}.
_31. Jane, married about 1779, to John
Iſare, for which she was disowned 2 mo.
9, 1780. It is said that she was the mother
of Joseph Hare, a noted highway robber,
born in Chester County, who was exe-
cuted in Baltimore, Sept. 10, 1818. His
Confession was published in the New
Jersey Mirror, Oct. 14, 1818. Other per-
y
23
sons of this name, mentioned in the
diary, were probably her children.
rº. Ann, removed to Virginia, before
33. John, disowned by Concord Month-
Iy Meeting, 11 mo. 6, 1782, for mustering
with the militia, and attending horse
I”2,CeS.
34. Major, received a certificate to Fair-
fax, Va., 2 mo. 6,
Children of (5) John and Mary (Speak-
man) Hunt:
36. Lewis.
35. Lydia.
Child of (6) Joseph and Deborah
(Jones) Hunt,
37. Joseph, born April 5, 1755; died
March 1829.
ºldren of (6) Joseph and Ann (Trego)
UIIlt .
38. Deborah, born Aug. 15, 1762; died
May 9, 1842; married May 17, 1781, at
Marcus Hook, to James Jefferis, born
about 1758 died Jan. 25, 1822; Son of Em–
mor and Elizabeth Jefferis, Of East Brad-
ford. He followed the seas for many
years as Captain and Owner of vessels,
one of which was the “Neptune,” and
resided at Wilmington, but retired to
his native farm before his death.
is: William, born June 7, 1764; died May
40. Benjamin, born April 10, 1766; died
Jan. 11, 1795; married Elizabeth and
had a daughter Molly, born Dec. 24. 1795;
died Oct. 12, 1799.
41. Jesse, born July 3, 1768; died March
17, 1829.
42. Elizabeth, born July 15, 1770; died
Dec. 11, 1772.
43. Gideon, born June 3, 1772; died Dec.
20, 1777.
44. Mary, born May 22, 1774; died Dec.
3, 1842.
*aleb, born June 29, 1777; died April
'46. Asher, born May 20, 1780; died Jan.
22, 1834 married Sarah Richards.
* Nancy, born Nov. 15, 1782; died Feb.
º Hannah, born Oct. 1, 1785; died July
Children of (7) Jane Hunt and Thomas
Mercer:
49. Joseph, born Aug. 5, 1761; probably
died unmarried.
50. Hannah, born Nov. 1, 1763; died July
6, 1825; married George Smedley, March
#. 1785. They resided in Uwchlan town-
SIl 1p.
51. Thomas, born March 23, 1765.
52. Jesse, born July 6, 1766; died Oct.
16, 1837; married 11 mo. 18, 1790, at New
Garden Meeting, to Betty Baily, born 6
mo. 29, 1771; died 11 mo. 4, 1856; daughter
of Isaac and Lydia. Baily, of West Marl-
borough. They resided in Westtown.
53. Mary, born Aug. 7 (or 9), 1768; died
May 7, 1827; married by a Baptist minis-
ter, to Aaron James, son of Caleb and
Mary James, of Westtown.
54. David, born Jan. 23, 1771; died Aug.
8, 1846; married 10 mo. 20, 1790, at Con-
cord Meeting, to Elizabeth Hatton, born
7 mo. 17, 1763 died 9 mo. 29, 1829; daughter
of Peter and Sarah Hatton, Of Concord.
About the year 1811 they removed from
Westtown to London Britain township.
55. Jane, born July 14, 1772; married Oct.
17, 1798, by John Graves, Esq., to Ben-
jamin Taylor, Jr., of West Caln.
Children of (8) Betty Hunt and Peter
Osborn :
56. Mary, born 9 mo. 19, 1766; married
William Taylor, son of Benjamin and
Febecca. Taylor, of Pennsbury.
57. Samuel, born 9 mo. 21, 1768.
58. Joseph, born 1 mo. 30, 1771; married
3 mo. 11, 1819, to Elizabeth (Worrall)
Yearsley.
59. Jane, born 6 mo. 13, 1774; married
spout May 7, 1802, to Samuel Entrikin,
r.
60. Frances, born 9 mo. 30, 1776; died 5
mo. 10, 1856: married 10 mo. 22, 1802.
Richard Strode, of East Bradford; son of
Fichard and Sarah Strode.
61. Hannah, born 3 mo. 14, 1779; married
10 mo. 25, 1804, to Joseph Gheen.
62. Elizabeth, born 6 mo. 22, 1781; mar-
ried William Beale.
63. William, born 1 mo. 12, 1784; married
Mary Davis.
"" or moºd.
BU L LET INS
O F THE
CHESTER COUNTY
.HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
1899-1900.

BULLET INS
OF THE
CHESTER COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
1899-1900.
OFFICERS FOR 1900–1.
*
PRESIDENT.
George M. Philips.
VICE-PRESIDENTS.
Alfred Sharpless,
Joseph Thompson.
DIRECTORS.
Gilbert Cope,
Gibbons Gray Cornwell,
H. Rush Kervey,
Samuel Marshall,
George M. Philips.
COUNCILLORs.
Rebecca M. Hemphill,
Alice Lewis,
Edwin A. Barber,
Smith Burnham,
William P. Sharpless,
J. Preston Thomas.
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.
William T. Sharpless.
RECORDING SECRETARY.
Gilbert Cope.
TREASURER.
Charles R. Hoopes.
CURATORS.
Alice Lewis,
William T. Sharpless.
CONTENTS.
George Washington in Chester County,
Selections from the “The Brandywine,” a Poem,
Ye Olden Times in Chester County,
Minutes of a Meeting of Council,
List of West Chester Taxables, 18O1,
Some Social and Domestic Customs of the Last
Century,
Minutes of Meeting of Council,
Moses Marshall, M. D.,
Mason and Dixon's Line,
Centennial History of West Chester,
Taverns of West Chester,
Thomas Cheyney, Esq., -
The American Flag and the Battle of Brandywine,
PAGE.
IO
I4
I5
17
2 I
23
31
36
57
67
7I

Proceedings of the Chester County Historical Society,
9th Mo. 1 Oth, 1898. w
[REPRINTED FROM THE DAILY Local NEws. J
“George Washington in Chester County,"
By JOSEPH S. WALTON,
Principal of Friends' Central School, Philadelphia.
The Chester County Historical Society,
in accordance with its annual custom,
celebrated the anniversary of the Battle
Of Brandy Wine On Saturday evening by
holding a public meeting in Library
Hall and listening to the reading of his-
torical papers. The attendance was a S
good as has been secured at any meet-
ing of the society for a long time past.
The President, Dr. George M. Philips,
is absent or a tour of Europe and Al-
fred Sharpless one of the Vice Presi-
Čients, was in the chair. The Secretary,
Gilbert Cope, was present, as were also
a large number of the members and
their friends. -
The address of the evening was deli-
vered by Professor Joseph S. Walton, of
the Friends' High School, Philadelphia,
but recently instructor in history at the
& West Chester Normal School and prior
to that for several years Superintendent
Of Public Schools in Chester County.
Professor Walton had chosen as his
theme,” Washington in Chester County.”
The theme was in lºeeping with his line
of Study, as it is only a few years ago
that he published a “History of Chester
County,” and has since been gathering
much material of value concerning local
events in times gone by. Out of his
fund of knowledge thus gleaned, he
Spoke on Saturday evening, and his au-
dience was greatly interested in his
reading. The state of affairs existing at
the time of the encampment at Valley
Forge and the manifest mismanagement
and Cruel neglect which Washington
Vainly tried to overcome, aroused the in-
dignation of the audience. We give the
lecture in full as read:
There are four distinct and separate
issues in the life of George Washington,
which entitle him to the honor of being
Called the father of a new government.
First, the organization of a Continen-
tal army which was practically complet-
ed when the camp at Valley Forge broke
up in May, 1778.
Segond, in preventing a revolt of the
Continental army in 1783.
Third, in inaugurating that series of
Conferences out of which the great con-
Stitutional convention of 1787 became
possible.
Fourth, in maintaining single handed
the celebrated struggie for neutrality
Which gave the United States her Conti-
nental policy, her Monroe Doctrine and
her freedom from European broils, a
Condition which has prevailed from the
days of the French Revolution to the
Opening of the present Spanish Ameri-
Can War. In these four places Washing-
ton reveals unusual power and ability.
Though rarely a brilliant man Wash-
ington was pre-eminently a judicious
Iſla 11.
History saps the vitality of biography,
when it places the life of Washington on
a pedestal to be worshipped by poster-
ity, when boys are taught that Washing-
ton was the perfect One who never erred,
never lost his temper, and never told a
lie.
On the other hand, history, and es-
pecially modern history, pursues an
equally injurious policy when it digs
an Ong long forgotten records to find
SOme time Or Circumstance When VVash-
ington did lose his self control or make
a mistake or use deception, or reveal a
penurious disposition. From neither ex-
trenne d'O We arrive at the truth about
this unusually able man.
Washington’s magnificent self-control
stands out in stronger contrast when his
native inpulsiveness and deep passions
are found in the background. We then
learn the quality and the temper of the
man, the thing controlled should elicit
Our admiration, not Our criticism.
Henry Tuee, then known as “Light
|Horse Harry,” now known as the fath-
er of Robert E. Lee, was one of Wash-
ington's trusted officers during the try-
ing Winter at Valley Forge.
Lee’s fleet footed Virginia, horsennen
were often instrumental in preventing
the British from foraging in Chester
COunty.
Lee's spirit and reckless dash were in
marked contrast to Washington's re-
markable caution and deliberation. At
the very time when John Adams was
severely censuring Washington for his
Fabian policy, declaring that a battle at
any risk was better than this continual
delay, Henry Lee, who lived in camp
and probably knew what he was Writing
about, declares that “cautious as Wash-
ington undoubtedly was, his caution was
excelled by his spirit of enterprise.” He
resembled, continued Lee, “Marcellus,
rather than Fabius, notwithstanding his
rigid adherence to the Fabian policy
during the war. Ardent and impetuous
by nature he had nevertheless subjected
his passions to his reason, and could
With facility, by his habitual self con-
trol, repress his inclinations whenever
his judgement forbade their indulgence;
the whole tenor of his military life evin-
Ces uniform and complete self-control.”
It is highly interesting in this connec-
tion that the ablest English authority
Of the nineteenth century should reach
a similiar conclusion entirely from his–
torical sources.
Mr. Lecky says, “Washington’s mind
Was not quick or remarkably original,
his conversation had no brilliancy or
wit. He was entirely without the gift of
eloquence, and he had very few accom-
plishments. He lºnows no language but
his own, and, except for a rather strong
turn for mathematics, he had no taste
which could be called intellectual. * * *
In civil as in military life he was pre-
eminent annong his contemporaries for
the clearness and soundness of his judg-
ment, for his perfect moderation and
self control, for the quiet dignity and
the indomitable firmness with which he
pursued every path which he had deli-
berately chosen.
“Of all the great men in history he
was the most invariably judicious, and
there is scarcely a rash word Or judg-
ment recorded Of him. Those who knew
him well noticed that he had keen sen-
sibilities and strong passions; but his
power of self control never failed him,
and no act of his public life can be trac-
ed to personal Caprice, anbition, or re-
Sentryment.
“In the despondency of long continued
failure, in the elation Of Sudden Success,
at times when his soldiers were desert-
ing by hundreds, and when malignant
plots were formed against his reputa-
tion, and constant quarrels, rivalries
and jealousies of his Subordinates, in the
dark hour of national ingratitude, and
in the midst of the most universal and
intoxicating flattery, he was always the
same, calm, wise, just and single mind-
ed man, pursuing the course he believed
to be right, without fear or favor or
fanaticism; equally free from passions
that spring from interest, and from the
passions that spring from the imagina-
tion. He was in the highest Sense of the
word a gentleman, and a man of honor,
and he carried into public life the Se-
verest standard of private morals.”
It was during the winter that the Con-
tinental army lay in camp in and on the
borders of Chester county that Washing-
ton completed the first of the four acts
which made him great. When the battle
of the Brandywine was being fought We
were thirteen separate colonies; nation-
alism was a name and a theory. There
was no place or person containing any
centralized potency equal to that found
in the weakest province. Then govern-
ment, intoxicated with freshly plucked
freedom, gloried in localized power; then
State sovereignty was at its maximum,
and nationality at its minimum. Bran-
dywine, Paoli, Germantown, Valley
Forge, after these things, and especially
after Valley Forge, a new era was born.
When the Continental army was drawn
Out of Chester county the country was a
very different nation than it was when
War first invaded its borders. The SOver-
eignty of the States had yielded a little
to a centralized power, Continental Con-
gress had surrendered its Own Opinions,
Suspended its own resolves and eaten its
OWn Words Out Of deference to a Cen-
tralizing power, and that power was the
character and personality of George
Washington.
The opening of the Valley Forge win-
ter found the Continental army beset by
numerous difficulties. The Commissary
department had changed heads. During
this change there was an absolute cessa-
tion of all business. It had recently been
decided that the soldiers should be cloth-
ed by their respective States, and not by
Continental Congress. There were two
kinds of paper money in circulation, the
Continental paper and the State issues.
These were rapidly depreciating in Spite
of enactments making it treason for
any person to place a higher value On
Coin than on soft money. The greatest
difficulty, however, which sorely embar-
rassed Washington and his army was
the existence of a new one year old revo-
lutionary Constitution in the State of
Pennsylvania. This Constitution had
been hastily made in 1776 by a minority
faction in the State, which had suddenly
swept into power when the peace-loving
Friends and Germans voluntarily with-
drew from public places. The Constitu-
tion had never been Submitted to the
people for ratification, and was exceed-
ingly unpopular annong the more wealthy
and Substantial citizens of the Common-
wealth. Nothing short of the excitement
of war and an invaded Soil made it at all
durable. At its best the execution of
laws made under its Operations was slow
and sluggish. The chief sufferer from the
rash and unwise action of the men who
had suddenly gotten into public position
was the Continental army, and their
first experience in Pennsylvania, was dur-
ing the winter at Valley Forge.
This Constitution of 1776 gave Pennsyl-
vania, no executive head; instead it fur-
nished the Supreme Executive Council,
a large collection of discordant minds
who rarely succeeded in agreeing
annong themselves.
The embarrassing power of the Council
was great, its executive power Small.
Washington realized this when he came
to select a place for going into winter
quarters. The disorganized, ragged, and
starving condition of the army led
Washington to believe that Wilmington
would be the most suitable place to lo-
cate. There he thought the disabled con-
dition of the soldiers could be best min-
istered unto. Provisions and supplies
could be secured either from the Dela-
ware or the Chesapeake, and the soldiers
could find the shelter and recuperation
they so much needed. No sooner did the
Supreme Executive Council hear of this
plan than fear seemed to have paralyzed
their judgment. The Assembly was in-
terviewed and the two bodies drew up
a remonstrance to Congress. In this in-
teresting document (Penna. Archives,
Vol. 6, pp 104, 105,) Congress is informed
that if Washington goes into winter
quarters at Wilmington, all of “Pennsyl-
vania, and New Jersey will be abandoned
to the ravages of the British, and the
inhabitants would be obliged to fly to the
neighboring States, or submit to such
terms as the enemy may subscribe.” If
the army goes into winter quarters taxes
can not be collected. The $620,000 tax
laid for the support of the war will fail.
The tax of 5 shillings in the pound on
all real estate and personal property for
the purpose of redeeming the State is-
Sues must also fail. If the army goes to
Wilmington Pennsylvania, can not re-
cruit its regiments, the tories will gain
strength and the patriots will be obliged
to flee. And lastly if the army goes to
Wilmington it will ruin the credit of the
Continental money in the State.
Indeed, the Pennsylvania Council was
determined that the Continental army
should remain in the field actively em-
ployed during the winter. They seemed
to be in fear of what they called the tory
element, and every person who dared to
express his opinion on the new State
Constitution of 1776 was immediately
branded with “tory,” and his property
became fit prize for his enemies.
This Council being in control of one of
the wealthiest States in the Confedera-
tion made effective use of its power and
threatened Congress with the loss of
financial Support if the army was not or-
dered to remain in the field.
The Pennsylvania Council soon discov-
ered that there was a power back of
Congress, a power almost as strong as
Congress, and one that in many ways
could influence the State Council itself,
and that power was George Washington.
Wayne's influence was immediately
called into requisition. In his letter of
December 4th he writes to Washington,
“I am not for a winter's campaign in the
Open field—the distressed and naked con-
dition of Our troops will not permit of
it—but if taking post at Wilmington &
the villages in its Vicinity, or hutting
at a distance of about twenty miles west
Of Philadelphia, by way of quarters
[which will not only support the honor
and reputation of your army in the eyes
of the enemy and states of Europe, but
will give confidence to America, and
cover this country against the horrid
rapine and devastation of a wanton ene-
my] be deemed making a winter’s calm-
paign—I am then for it upon every prin-
ciple of honor and justice.”
Wayne's suggestion of hutting within
twenty miles west of Philadelphia, struck
the compromise between Washington and
the State Council. And Valley Forge Wals
selected as a place where the huts could
be built, the State defended, the tories
suppressed, and in return Washington
fully expected that the State Council
would do all in their power to make the
army comfortable. Valley Forge was,
however, an unfortunate place. It was
difficult of access. Supply wagons and
droves of cattle were exposed to the at-
tacks of the British for long distances
before reaching the Camp and in numer-
Ous cases were captured.
The situation was almost in the heart
Of that territory which had been overrun
by both armies during all the previous
autumn. The colonial roads were during
the winter season almost impassable;
the river furnished some defense but no
transportation. Here Washington allow-
ed himself to take the ragged remnant of
a half-fed army. Here the soldiers were
placed at the mercy of a State whose
government machinery was in Wretched
Working condition. A State which de-
manded the presence of the army in
order to assist the ruling minority to
Subdue the reluctant majority, and by
the cry of tory raise money by confisca-
ting the estates of the doubtful.
Although the selection of Valley Forge
was somewhat a compromise, yet after
it was selected we find Washington Writ-
ing a letter to his soldiers, and using
every argument to induce them to re-
main contented with their situation. He
tells them that it would have been un-
Wise to have gone further West for win-
ter quarters, Since the country was full
Of refugees who were in great need.
That the people further west were al-
ready under a great burden in caring for
these refugees, and it would have been
unwise to have added unto the people’s
burden S. In telling the soldiers this,
Washington refrains from telling them
that these very refugees were from the
immediate vicinity of the camp, and had
fled west after all their subsistence had
been taken from them. Washington
with characteristic self control always
made the best Of the conditions he found.
Valley Forge, he tells the army, was se-
lected to prevent the depredations of the
British upon the territory near Phila-
delphia.
After complimenting the soldiers upon
their gallant conduct during the previous
campaign he tells them how they can
erect huts which would be warm and dry.
“In these,” he says, “the troops will be
Compact; more secure against surprise,
than if in a divided state, and at hand
to defend the country.” He closes by
telling them that he will share their
hardships and partake of every incon-
Venience, and urges them “to resolve to
surmount every difficulty with a forti-
tude and patience becoming their pos-
Session and the Sacred cause in which
they are engaged.”
But when the camp was actually form-
ed at Valley Forge the realities of the lo-
Cation and the poverty of the surround-
ings glared every One in the face. Dur-
ing the following March, when the hor-
fors of that winter were known to all,
Washington reminded President Whar-
ton, of the Pennsylvania Supreme Exe-
cutive Council, Of the influence which
led to the selection of Valley Forge.
“Give me leave further to remark,” he
writes, “that the army seems to have a
peculiar claim to the exertions of the
gentlemen of this State, to make its
present situation as convenient as pos-
sible, as it was greatly owing to their
apprehensions and anxieties, expressed
in a memorial to Congress, that the pres-
ent position was had, where with unpar-
alleled patience they have gone through
a severe and inclement winter, unpro-
vided with any of those conveniences
and Comforts which are usually the Sol-
dier's lot after the duty Of the field is
Over.’’
It is doubtful if any location could
have been secured where supplies were
more difficult to Secure than at Valley
Torge. If any thing had been left in
Chester county after the raids of two
armies, it had been Carried away by the
action of the Board Of War before Wash-
ington came to Valley Forge.
A Board of War had been recently con-
stituted by the Continental Congress as a
less Cumbersonne and more efficient body
in reference to war details. Indeed, the
Board Of War was a blind effort On the
part of Congress to secure an executive
without experiencing any legislative sac-
rifices, or frightening the people with
the dreaded dangers of Such a personage.
Yet Sad to relate the Board Of War
had none of those restrictions upon its
actions which in modern days are at-
tached to the functions of the executive.
This Board located at York, in Pennsyl-
vania, readily believed all the rumors it
received. Through its “Star chamber”
proceedings men were accused of trea-
son, their properties confiscated, and their
persons sent into exile without so much
as the form of a trial.
In writing to President Wharton the
Board under date of October 18th, 1777,
says it has “received satisfactory infor-
mation that a great number of the in-
habitants of the County Of Chester Con-
veyed intelligence and supplied provi-
sions to the enemy during their progress
through that county, and without such
assistance their attack upon Philadel-
phia would in all probability not have
Succeeded. These persons can be consid-
ered in no other light than as traitors to
this State, and avowed enemies to the
United States, and therefore the great
principle of self preservation requires
that the most effectual means should be
forth with pursued to put it out of their
power to persist in their former prac-
tices, by taking from them. Such articles
of clothing and provisions, and of the
former particularly shoes, stockings and
blankets, as might serve for the comfort
and subsistence of the enemy’s army,
and the acquisition thereof is of abso-
lute necessity to the existence of Our
OWI).
“The Board, therefore, earnestly request
that the Council will, with the utmost
dispatch, Call forth and send to the
county of Chester, Spirited and determin-
€d militia, under the command Oſ dis-
creet and active officers for the purpose
of Collecting blankets, shoes and stock-
ings for the use of the American army
from such of the inhabitants of the said
county as have not taken the oath or aſ-
firmation Of allegiance to the State Oſ
Pennsylvania, and have shown their at-
tachinnerht to the CauSe Of the enemy.
The Board also requests that you will
send careful persons to take charge of
and convey to places of safety such ar-
ticles as may be collected, and to give
Certificate expressing the number and
quality of the articles taken in order that
compensation may be made at a reason-
able rate to Such as may be deemed en-
titled theretO.
“It is also recommended to the Council
that they cause to be removed all the
stock and provisions which may be use-
ful to the enemy from all parts of the
country immediately exposed to their in-
cursions, giving to the possessors certi-
ficates as aforesaid.” See Pa.. Archive,
Vol. V, 686.
The above action. On the Dart of the
Board of War produced great consterna-
tion in Chester county. Hundreds of peo-
ple knew nothing of it until the Officers
and militia, appeared at their doors.
Others, who had some warning, and who
were loath to take loan certificates in
payment, used every means to conceal
their property. By the time the recom-
mendations Of the Board Of War reached
the Supreme Executive Council for a,c-
tion, that body, in the absence of an AS-
sembly’s session, referred the paper to
the Council of Safety, which governed
the State Of Pennsylvania, from the 17th
of October, 1777, until the 4th of Decem-
ber, 1777. Almost the first action taken
by the Council of Safety was to appoint
October 21, 1777, Col. Evan Evans, Col.
William Evans, Col. Thomas, Col. Gib-
bons, Capt. Thomas Levis, Capt. William
Brooks and Captain Jacob Rudolph to
Collect blankets, shoes and Stockings
from those who in any Way aided the
British Or had not taken the Oath. If re-
Sisted, they were empowered to call up-
On the State militia. All material collect-
ed was to be handed over to the Cloth-
ier General. (Pa. Archive, Vol. 5, p. 691.)
To what extent the above Officers were
successful in collecting clothing and pro-
visions in Chester county we are not told,
but three weeks had hardly passed be-
fore the Council appointed twenty-two
commissioners for the purpose.
Ninety-three Commissioners were ap-
pointed at this time, November 8, for the
eight counties in Pennsylvania. The
usual number was ten, but in Lancaster
and Chester, when the people were re-
ported as indifferent to the cause of lib-
erty, more were Commissioned. These
men were to receive 20s., nearly $5, per
day for their services.
The Chester county commissioners
were as follows: Col. Evan Evans, Capt.
John Gardiner, Philip Scott, Esq., Sam-
uel Holliday, Elijah McClenaghan, Capt.
Israel Wheelan, Capt. John Ramsey,
John Wilson, Patterson Bell, Esq., Capt.
Samuel Van Leer, Thomas Boyd, Esq.,
Thomas Levis, Esq., William Gibbons,
Capt. William Brooks, Col. George Pierce,
Capt. David Coupland, Capt. McCay
(Concord), Col. Thomas Taylor, Major
Cromwell Pierce, Capt. Allen Cunning-
ham. These men were authorized to pay
by loan certificate the following prices:
Eor a new single blanket, £3.
Old blankets in proportion.
Strong, large, well-made shoes, 25s. per
pair.
Good yarn stockings, 22s. 6p. per pair.
Good well manufactured cloth, three-
fourths yards wide, 30s. per yard.
Good linsey woolsey, one yard Wide,
15s. per yard.
Good linen, one yard wide, for soldiers’
shirts, 15s. per yard.
Good tow linen. 8s. per yard.
While these men were commissioned
early in November and while a number
of influential men in Pennsylvania, SaW
no reason why the Germans and Friends
should not bear the burden of clothing
the army, thus relieving the taxation upon
her citizens, (See Col. Rec., Vol. 9, pp. 339,
340) how much was collected is not known,
but when Washington’s army wellt into
winter quarters more than a month later,
the soldiers had not received their stock
of winter clothing. Indeed, such meth-
ods of going from house to house and
making seizures would scarcely suffice
to clothe an army in this day.
IPeople knew not when the war would
be over, and all clothing except what was
on their backs was concealed and hidden
in all imaginable places. The prices paid
were on the assumption that the paper
issues would pass at par. These things,
together with the rumors of properties.
confiscated, terrorized the people. Nu-
merous patriots were turned into Tories
by this policy, and still Washington’s
army found no relief. Men with no stock-
ings stood on picket duty with their feet
in their hats as a last resort.
Washington was bitterly opposed to
this method of obtaining clothing and
provisions. In writing to Congress, Jan-
uary 5th, 1778, about the failures of the
Commissary Department, he says that
“unless something is done at Once the
army cannot exist. It will never answer
to procure supplies of clothing or pro-
visions by coercive measures.” This was
just what Pennsylvania had been doing
for over two months, during which time
Chester county was the centre which re-
ceived the full burden of executive en-
ergy. Washington, who seemed to be the
only man in authority who thoroughly
realized the effect of such methods upon
democracy in its infancy, Went On to Say
that “the small seizures made by the Sol-
diers a few days ago, in consequence of
the most pressing need and absolute me-
cessity, when that, or to dissolve, was
alternative, excited the greatest alarm
and uneasiness, even among our best and
warmest friends. Such procedures may
give a momentary relief, but if repeated
will prove of the most pernicious conse-
quences, besides spreading disaffection,
jealousy and fear among the people. They
never fail even in the most veteran
troops under the most rigid and exact
discipline, to raise in the soldier a dis-
position to licentiousness, to plunder and
to robbery, difficult to suppress after-
wards, and which has proved not only
ruinous to the inhabitants, but in many
instances to armies themselves.”
Thus Washington was compelled to
Complain, argue and explain to Congress,
to the Board Of War, to the Pennsylva-
nia, Executive Council, to the Pennsylva-
nia, Assembly and to his military officers.
He finally took measures in his own
hands to secure provisions. The farmers
within seventy miles of the camp were
Ordered to thresh out their grain under
penalty of having the soldiers come and
thresh it, and then they would be paid
Only straw price for their wheat. Two
markets were opened at the camp, one
On the east Side of the river and the
Other in the rear Of the Adjutant Gen-
eral’s hearquarters, within the present
limits of Chetser county. Washington's
instructions for the management of the
market illustrates that he thoroughly
knew the difficulties the farmers endured
in disposing Of their produce. It was the
duty of the clerk of the market “to
protect the inhabitants from any kind of
abuse or Violence that may be offered to
their persons Or effects, and to see that
they receive pay for their articles accord-
ing to the prices advertised.” The clerk
was also to see that the farmers' wagons
and Oxen Were not impressed or other-
wise detained, and that they should not
receive from the soldier in payment any
kind of clothing or military stores.
Washington Closed his proclamation as
follows: “It is to be hoped that all per-
sons well affected to their country, both
for their own advantage and from a re-
gard for the accommodation of the army,
will manifest their zeal upon this occa-
sion, and cheerfully contribute to the
success of a plan intended to answer the
most Valuable purposes.” Could such a
proclamation have been thoroughly ad-
vertised, and had the country not been
devastated in the early autumn, and by an
iniquitous System of seizures and con-
fiscations during October and November,
there is no doubt that such a market sys-
tem would have brought relief for a few
weeks. But even in a land of plenty an
army cannot long be supplied by the sur-
rounding neighborhood. It therefore
seems singular that historians continue
to hold Chester County responsible for
the starvation in the Continental army.
Wayne's letters written during this
dark period fixes the blame upon the au-
thorities of the State of Pennsylvania.
There is much truth in this since a gov-
ernment So recently formed was un-
doubtedly filled with incompetent men,
unworthy of the responsibility of filling
public positions. -
It was four months after the battle of
the Brandywine before the officers who
lost their baggage there had new gar-
ments Supplied. The people paid their
taxes and Submitted to all kinds of
seizures that the army might live. Thou-
sands gave their all and gave willingly,
but the soldiers at Valley Forge never
Saw it.
The cloth for garments sufficient to
clothe the army was collected at Lan-
caster early in the winter, but through
. Some red-tape ruling the State Clothier
General refused to issue that cloth.
Finally in March, when the cloth was
made into garments, they lay until May
for Want Of buttons. Meanwhile the Sol-
diers had been tying old blankets over
their freezing shoulders. -
A letter in the Pennsylvania Packet,
dated January 7, 1778, says:
“We can assure the public from the
best authority that by the assiduity and
industry of Messrs. Otis and Andrews,
Of Boston, agents for the purchase of
clothing for the Continental troops, up-
wards of 5,000 suits, with shoes, stock-
ings, Shirts, etc., have been procured and
are now on their way to camp. This, with
the Supplies which are expected from
Virginia and other quarters, gives us the
pleasing prospect of seeing our whole
army completely clothed very soon.
“A very rich prize was lately taken by
a Continental brig and carried into Bos-
ton. She is a large ship from Glascow,
loaded with dry goods, shoes, stockings,
etc., and a great variety of other neces-
Sary and useful articles.”
December 18, a letter in same copy of
Packet, Says: Another brig was cap-
tured at Wilmington the 30th or 31st of
December. Another from New York to
Philadelphia, was driven ashore near
Wilnhington and captured by General
Smallwood.
arms with 25 stand in each (8,750 arms).
clothing for four regiments, the baggage
belonging to the Officers of four regi-
ments, a quantity of wine and spirits.”
Also, a Scottish brig was secured, con-
taining a Cargo of Shoes, Stockings and
clothing. Here was the material to
nnake an army comfortable. What be-
came of it all 2
This dark chapter in American history
reads like Something very modern.
Great Quantities Of Continental Stores
It contained 350 chests of
were captured in a swamp in Bucks
County, having been collected by some
speculators. Numerous wagons were cap-
tured that winter busily employed in
hauling Continental stores to the Boston
markets, there to be sold as private
goods.
Shoes enough were captured Off British
vessels for all the men at Valley Forge,
and yet soldiers continued to wrap their
frozen feet in ragS.
These things resulted from the inade-
quacy of the governmental machinery
from placing untrained and dishonest
lmen in public places.
The disaffection in Chester county does
not appear to be a cause. Indeed, the
disaffection in Chester county was llot
larger than in other counties of Fastern
PCnnsylvania. Such as it was, it result-
ed from an unfortunately contrived State
government.
Yet Out Of all this sorrow and Suffer-
ing out of the dark period in American
inistory, the centralizing organizing
power of Washington arose. A Congress
that in December turned its back upon
Washington and a ready ear to the Su-
preme Council of Pennsylvania and the
Board of War learned ere spring time
that one voice is always true to the in-
terests of American, always true to the
people’s Welfare.
That one voice was honest and relia-
ble, and that voice was Washington's.
While the army lay starving on the
borders of Chester county, Washington,
by virtue of his Supreme self-control,
held one hand firmly upon the discordant
elements in the State and National gov-
ernments, and with the other placed him-
self at the head of executive affairs, and
from that hour until the ClOSe Of that
remarkable struggle he became the
masked executive of a government Which
was all legislative.
Thus upon the border of Chester county
was born annid weary months of pain
that idea, which forced into Our repub-
lican institutions, in the teeth of long
hatred towards European monarchs,
what we call the executive.
SELECTIONS FROM A POEM,
“T H EN E F. A. N. D Y WIN EN.”
READ BY THE AUTHOR,
J O H IN ER. T.J SS ET, T, IET. A. Y. E.S.,
OF SVV AFTH M OF E CO LLEGE.
“I lie as lies yon dreaming Brandywine,
Holding the hills and heavens in my
For contemplation.” —Sidney Lanier.
Dear Stream of Beauty,+famed from
Olden time,
Renowned in annals of our early days;
Stream by whose banks the ancient In-
dians dwelt,
And on its waters plied their fleet
Can Oes,
And in its woodlands tracked the pant-
ing deer,
“WAWASSAN” called by those red
foresters,
Or “SUSPECO,” as other legends say:
Stream on whose shores our fathers
fought and fell;
Inn Ortally remembered with the name
Of Washington—and Wayne, Our coun-
ty’s pride—
And glorious Lafayette—and many
more,
Whose memories romantic shall not
die,
Forever in Our grateful hearts en-
Shrined.
Dear Stream of Beauty, loved of
poets all;
Dear to our Taylor in hſs ardent prime;
The joyous theme of Read and Ever-
hart;
And sung by him from out the south-
ern land,
Lanier, the lover of all loveliness:
Dear Stream of Beauty,+flowing gent-
ly down
Among the windings of my native hills,
Gathering from all thy tributary brooks
A richer force, and bearing from far
heights
IEternal tidings to the hoary sea:
Thee would I celebrate. O fill my page
With thy soft music, and vouchsafe to
grant,
In measurement however small,
power
To picture with a true and loving hand
Thy visionary beauty, calm and Sweet!
the
A Song Of gratitude is mine, for since
In boyhood's hour I rambled on thy
banks
And bathed or angled in thy peaceful
pools, -
My love has been for thee; and later
days
Have but enhanced the joy thy presence
ga, Ve.
Youth’s golden years and seasons of de-
light,
Its happy fantasies and dreamings high,
Were brighter yet for thy companion-
ship;
Thy rocks and
daisied fields,
Deep pastoral
Vales,
And all the voices of thy hundred hills,
Did speak in memorable accents, rich
With messages from Nature’s inner
shadowy groves, thy
Solitudes and placid
heart.
*: * :: * sic
Born of the distant hills and northern
WOOds
And wandering wide throughout a fer-
tile land,
Bringer art thou of richest fruitfulness,
Abundant harvests and the laden
bough.
Full-handed plenty follows all thy
COUlrSe,
And thou art blessed by thankful multi-
tudes
Who love thy tranquil beauty well, and
hold
In fond regard thy ever-winding stream,
From those high crystal springs that
give thee birth
To thy last reach
fields. -
For whether hastening with murmurous
SOng
Down pebble-fretted slopes, or lingering
In tranquil majesty along thy deeps,
A kindly influence is ever thine.
in Delaware’s far
No fairer meadows or more fertile
farms -
Are known than those thy quiet cur-
rents lave.
Thy mellow acres yield their rich in-
CI’ea.Se g
Of clover, corn, and gently waving
wheat; -
Sleek-coated cattle graze upon thy
plains, -
The sweetest flowers cluster by thy
banks
And waft their incense from a thousand
Vales.
The old farmsteads upon thy grassy
slopes
'Are homes of a contented people, proud
( 7 )
To till the acres which their fathers
held
Ere that red day on BIRMINGHAM'S
high hills.
PHere old-time faith and manners are
not dead;
Calm days and nights fill out the tran-
Quil year;
Simplicity hath here her dwelling-place,
And all is pastoral happiness and peace.
Sk :: Sk sk sk
I'ar from hot pavements and the vex-
ing Cares --
Of crowded marts, thy peaceful waters
flow ;
By banks where bloom
named from thee,
By upland fields where wild strawber-
the cowslips
ries grow,
By meadows green with Spicy pepper-
mint;
By woodland aisles and Sylvan corri-
dors,
Where moss and tangled fern clothe all
thy banks .
With tenderest green, and little fairy
groves
Of dainty maidenhair SWay in the
breeze.
And winding forth again, thou dost
Care SS .
The whispering reeds that line thy
Small lagoons,
And those long Water-Weeds Whose am-
ber arms
Wave ceaselessly along thy currents
clear.
In stately march thou Sweepest past
the fields
Where ruddy farmers ply their harvest
toil,
Mixing the music of the whetted scythe
With thy soft murmurs, piling up the
TOWS
Of dry, sweet-smelling hay,
thence is dra Wn
In Creaking WagonS
Which
to the generous
In OWS
Of Old Stone barns, upon Whose mossy
roofs -
The Crimson-footed pigeons sit and
CI"O Orl
In sober companies; now Wheeling down
In white-winged circles to the yard be-
1OW
To pick the scattered grains of wheat
and oats; -
Now settling on the eaves with stately
pride
To show the beauty of their burnished
necks.
:: *: zº #: *
Full oft thy forceful waters are re-
strained
And sent along the deep, rush-margined
I’a,Ce
To turn the wheel of some loud-droning
mill.
What pleasure,
Within
The olden chambers dim with dusty
meal—
pausing here, to peer
To see the portly sacks of new-threshed
Wheat,
And yellow corn that almost bursts the
bins,
And hear the mill-wheels
O'er their task
Of grinding grain for all the country-
side :
sº sk sk $r ×
How Sweet I found it Oft On Summer
days
To launch my boat, and on thy placid
tide
To drift as did the clouds, without a
grumbling
Care
And full of peace as they ! O hour of
dreams,
Of dreams and soft imaginings, and
fond
Reflections—fantasies without a name !
Anon I loved to pause with dripping
Oar,
And peering into thy transparent deeps,
To mark the timid fish that hovered
there—
The silver-sided chub, the dusky bass,
And little sunfish with their golden
Scales,
Now winnowing the water with clear
gills,
Now darting with a flash of purple fin
Far into watery shades and silent
homes
Of Willow roots beneath the sedgy bank,
Or shadowy chambers in the sunless
rocks.
sk Sk :: sº Sk
An ever-varying poetry is thine,
O gentle BRANDY WINE; songs light
Or grave,
As fancy’s changeful ear interprets
them,
Thy crystal-chiming waters sing to me.
Yet not thy voices only do I hear,
Soft and mellifluous ever though they
be;
For blending with theyr harmony the
SOund -
Of Old World rivers comes across the
year'S,
And pleasant reverie bears me to the
banks
Of Derwent sweet whose music filled
the heart
Of Wordsworth while as yet a little
child;
Or silver Duddon, offspring of
Clouds; |
Or honest Walton’s peaceful river Lee;
Or that slow-winding stream, the lan-
guid Ouse,
Well-loved of him who sang of country
JOyS
In calm, reflective verse;
To old Dean Bourne,
plashy brink
Grew Herrick’s daffodils whose loveli-
Ile SS
He made immortal.
yet
My musings carry me, and echoes faint
Of reedy-marged Ilissus do I hear
Murmuring of nymphs and river-deities,
And all the glory of the violet hills
That lay around Athena's marble town.
Athena l ah,
known;
the
Or yet again
where by the
Yea, and farther
the name is here un-
Unheard Cephissus and Ilissus here;
Thy woodlands are unhaunted by the
nymphs;
No hannadryads whisper 'mid the leaves
Of thy tall trees; nor does the sportive
CreW
Of satyrs range with Pan thy vernal
fields.
No far-descended echoes wake thy hills
Of that poetic life whose perfect joy
Made fair unto all time Aegean isle,
Idalian fount and Heliconian Vale,
And liveth now but in the faded grace
Of Carven. Attic frieze or Grecian urn.
Nor does the nightingale, lorn Phil-
Omel,
Among the
glades,
Pour out her old ancestral threnody
For Itylus through all the summer
night.
shadows of thy moonlit
Nay, yet thy thickets have their own
Sweet bird,
The poet-bird that keeps his lonely state
In Sylvan cloisters far from eye of man,
The dear wood-robin Underneath green
roofs
Of forest solitudes What joy to hear
The liquid fluting of this minstrel rare
Thrilling the beechen shade with rapt—
urous Song ! y
Now fading—now returning—comes his
voice, -
In purling cadence, clear as is the plash
Of sweet-toned rills O’er pebbles Smooth
and Cool.
Sk 2: Sk §: §
Ah, still with happy heart to thee I
turn,
Beloved Stream, that nourished first my
love
For rural beauty and idyllic scenes,
And solitude, that teacher calm and
Wise.
Well may fair CHESTER COUNTY'S
Children bleSS
Thy tranquil flood that from far north-
ern hills
Brings fruitfulness to their wide coun-
ty’s vales
And fills their fields with verdure rich
and deep.
The soul and center thou of all green
tracts
And fertile townships
rents flow.
where thy cur-
Each bubbling waterfall, each amber
pool,
Each tributary runnel dimpling down
From folded hills, confirms thy gentle
power,
Thy peaceful charm and sweet train-
Quillity.
TJnfading is the loveliness that clings
Round each familiar scene along thy
COUlrSe:
The upland slopes of fertile HONEY-
BROOK; -
The Willowed banks of pastoral FAL-
LOWEIELD ;
The silent wooded
NEWLIN,
Home of arbutus and primeval pine,
And its old hills whereon my fathers
wrought
For generations long agone; thy shores
In green POCOPSON, haunt of fisher-
men ;
And pleasant BRADFORD, rich with
Waving corn;
And BIRMINGHAM, on whose renown-
ed heights
Brave Lafayette, exemplar bright and
pure
Of old noblesse and ancient chivalry,
Spared not to shed his blood in our high
vales of dear
Call Se,
And linked his name and Liberty’s for
ayeſ
Such beauty and such memories still
cling
Around thy valleys and thy verdant
dales, *
Lush pasture-lands and silent virgin
WOOds,
Historie hills and loved ancestral farms,
From those high crystal springs that
give thee birth
TO thy last reach in Delaware’s far
fields.
>k $: sk 3}: sº
Then blessings on thy heaven-given
power
To cheer the heart of man with lofty
JOy,
With joy and sweet content and deepest
peace—
Dear Stream of Beauty, flowing gently
down
Among the windings of my native hills,
Gathering from all thy tributary brooks:
A richer force, and bearing from far
heights
Eternal tidings to the hoary sea..!
Proceedings of the Chester County Historical Society,
9th Mo. 15th, 1898.
[REPRINTED FROM THE DAILY Local NEws. |
Ye Olden Times in Chester County.
By ALFRED SHARPLESS.
The regular meeting of the Council of
the Chester County Historical Society was
held last evening in the room of the So-
Ciety in the Library building, on North
Church street. As the President, Pro-
fessor George M. Philips, is absent on
a trip to Europe, the Vice-President,
Alfred Sharpless, was in the chair.
Gilbert Cope, the Secretary, read the
Iminutes of the meeting of July 21st,
which were approved.
The Curator, Miss Alice TJewis, was
absent from town and therefore unable
to attend, but sent her report.
She stated that the following gifts to
the Society have been received:
Two copies of a parmphlet, entitled
“Report on a Plan for Organization of
Colleges for Agricultural and Mechani-
cal Arts,” addressed to the Trustees of
the Agricultural College of Pennsyl-
vania, by Dr. Evan Pugh, President,
1864, were presented by Mr. H. R. Ker-
vey, Village Record, September 9, 1894,
Containing a sketch “Grandmother 103,”
(Phebe Thomas), by H. M. Jenkins.
Golden wedding of Wm. Darlington and
wife in Daily T local News, March 20th,
1879, presented by Lizzie A. Thomas.
“Suggestions With Regard to Railroad
Hygiene and Prevention of Accidents,”
presented by State Board of Health.
“History of Fame Fire Company,” pre-
Sented by George B. McCormick.
Other presents were brought to the
meeting by members of the Council.
They were as follows: A pamphlet, en-
titled “The John Harris Mansion, 1766–
1897, ” written by Wm. C. Armor, pre-
sented to the Society by Major L. G.
McCauley. “Services of Col. Fred Tay-
lor Post, No. 19,’’ presented by Judge
Samuel Pennypacker.
Miss Alice Lewis asked to be reliev-
ed from further service in the work of
arranging a card catalogue of books and
relics belonging to the Society, and sug-
gested that Miss Ada, A. Townsend, the
Librarian, should be employed to do the
work.
Joseph Thompson reported that W. W.
Polk, of PÖennett Square, will address
the Society at any time desired On
“Some Social and Domestic Questions
Of the Last Century.”
The Secretary reported that copies of
the Bulletin, recently published by the
Society, had been distributed. He also
reported that he had not yet conferred
With the Treasurer, James C. Sellers,
Esq., relative to the funds of the So-
ciety.
On motion, the Secretary was instruct-
ed to have postal cards printed in blank
for the purpose of acknowledging pre-
Sentations to the Society.
Nothing in the way of manuscript
reading had been promised beforehand,
but the Vice-President, Alfred Sharp-
less, had a paper in his pocket which
he was requested to read and which he
Consented to do. It proved to be very
interesting, as it recalled some things in
the way in which the people of this
Country lived in olden times. The paper
2n full as read by Mr. Sharpless was as
follows:
There are still a few of us old farmers
left that were born and raised within
twenty-five or thirty miles of the city
of Philadelphia, who remember to have
Sat at the footstools of honored old
grandmothers, in the earlier days Of this
century to listen with intense interest
to overtrue stories and traditions Of
their youthful and more active days
whilst this country was still well cover-
ed and shaded by primeval forests. Our
young hearts were thrilled with tradi-
tions relating to the doings of the Red
man in this vicinity. There was but
little fear Of the Indians in their days.
as the most of them had already re-
moved to less thickly Settled localities,
and those that remained were well dis-
posed, for the natives had always been
kindly treated in this vicinity and no
cause for hatred had ever existed be-
tween them and the peace loving white
settlers. Stories of the depredations of
wild animals committed long ago were
In Ore alarming to us boys, and often
caused us to tremble with fear when
tranping the still, dense woods in search
Of a Stray cow wanted at milking time
in the gloaming of evening, and which
had failed to come in on time. The
Story of how a catamount had seized
and killed a neighbor’s cow as he was
driving her home in the evening, and
Of his narrow escape from the fangs of
( 10 )
I I
the same animal, or of how their own
pig pens had been time and again in-
vaded by black bears, and little roasters
carried away squealing lustily for help,
or rescue, all of these had a tendency
to sharpen the eyes and quicken the
ears of the boy of our day to all strange
sights and sounds when forced by cir-
cumstances to be out after nightfall.
Some of these facts and traditions
Inay well be recalled that later general-
tions may be able to note some of the
changes made within the space of a
century that has truly been One filled
with great eventS.
The early settlers in this part of
Pennsylvania, from necessity as Well as
choice, turned their attention princi-
pally to agriculture for a living. The
soil was mostly good and promised food
in abundance when it could be brought
under Cultivation. Food was an article
of prime necessity with all immigrants
from the start, as they could carry Only
limited Supplies from the old country.
The first thing for an emigrant to do,
on his arrival in this country, was to
locate a farm site that would be desir-
able. A tract of land sometimes to con-
tain several hundred or a thousand
acres was bargained for, and often
partly paid for before leaving England.
One feature that was very important in
the eyes of the immigrant in selecting
his farm site was to have a small stream
of water running through it, that could
be diverted along some convenient hill-
side whereby he could in a few years
have a watered meadow bank On which
to raise a crop of natural grass, for
Winter forage for his stock. These water
rights were highly valued by the early
farmers and Some of them are retained
to the present day. A farm site secured,
the first thing to do was to clear a
small patch of ground of the original
forest as quickly as possible, with axe,
fire and grubbing hoe, for a vegetable
or truck garden, and at the same time
build a log cabin in which to shelter the
family for the first two or three years.
This meant hard and heavy work for
every member of the family from day-
light to dark. A little patch of corn
under the care of the Women and chil-
dren, with a few hills of potatoes, a.
very few beans and pumpkins, was the
entire and scanty crop of the garden for
the first Summer.
The products of this kind in new, poor-
ly worked ground must for the first year
Or two have been very limited, and the
families often found themselves on
short allowances of food in the larder.
If the farmer or his older boys were
expert with the rifle, as was often the
case, they would occasionally bring in
a deer, or perhaps a bear found prowl-
ing around, thus renewing Supplies ma-
terially for a time, or the streams being
well Stocked with fish, often contributed
greatly to the Comforts of the family.
Shad, we have been told, were caught
in abundance in the Brandywine above
the forks in those days. There was,
however, but little time for sporting.
each year.
The men and sturdy boys had a heavy
work before them. The grand old oaks
and splendid pines, hemlocks and poplars
that had possessed and enriched the
soil for thousands of years, must be
gotten rid of. The great trees one after
another were felled with the axe, piled
together and fired as the quickest way
of removing them. Larger and larger
tracts were brought into clearings
At and near the close of the
1ast century, when Our grandmothers
were the practical gardeners, improve-
ments in farming implements, in nº al-
chinery for working soil and gathering
Crops were very few, and all were quite
primitive, and heavy, making farm work
extremely laborious. The wooden mould-
board plow was the modern inplement
for stirring up the soil, tearing out roots,
stumps and rocks. The sickle was the
Common and most efficient implement
for cutting grain, and all grain crops
were gathered by its use. The grain,
with the exception of corn, was beaten
Out With flails during the Winter. As
soon as corn ripened, several bushels
were brought in, dried in the Oven, and
Shelled by hand in the evenings, sent to
mill to be ground into meal, when bread
for the family would again be abundant
for a time. The little milk obtained,
butter and cheese made, was mostly
consumed in the family. The flax was
pulled by all hands, rotted under the
care of the women folks, broken and
hackled by the men in the winter.
The wool was washed, cleaned and sent
to a mill to be carded and returned in
little rolls to be spun into yarns for do-
mestic use. Care of the cows, calves and
chickens fell almost exclusively upon
the Women and children. Money was an
exceedingly scarce article amongst far-
mers about this time, and trading was
the common practice with Workmen,
tradesmen, and at the country store.
About this time Philadelphia began to
be a market for any little surplus pro-
ducts that farmers had to spare beyond
their needs.
It became a common practice after
a while for our grandmothers, when this
Surplus began to increase, to attend the
Philadelphia market, say once each
Week.
This was at first done on horseback.
A Strong leather saddlebag with a small
Wooden tub made to fit the sides Of the
horse in each end. Wherein were careful-
ly stowed say a dozen pounds of butter
and a few dozen eggs, was the means
Of transfoortation.
At a certain hour on each eventful
market day mother, dressed in her best,
llad Dobbin, a good, quiet, reliable horse,
brought to the horse block, a conveni-
ence near the front door of every farm
house at that day, saddled and bridled
for the trip. Saddlebags already filled
were carefully adjusted, the mother of
the family or sometimes the eldest
daughter was quickly mounted and Off
on her journey to the city, not, how-
ever, without the cheers and good wish-
es of the whole family, who came to see
I 2
her off with many charges not to forget
to bring a toy of some kind for John-
nie, a doll for Maggie or a small supply
of Candy for all. -
Dy previous arrangement these market
Women starting from their several
homes at different hours would so time
it as to meet on the road at some as-
signed point, such as Mill Town, Tuck-
er's Tavern, the Fox Chase, Buck or
Hale's, and from thence journey in com-
pany to the city, where they would put
up for the night at the Indian Queen,
Black Bear or possibly at the home of
some relative or friend having a Con-
venient stable. Next morning butter
and eggs would be sold in market, the
butter av eraging a levy or twelve and
a-half cents per pound, and eggs about
the same per dozen. The total proceeds
of marketing often were less than five
dollars.
With this the good housewife would
lay in a few necessaries to carry home,
such as a few pounds of sugar, a pound
of real coffee for some special occasion,
rye coffee being the staple for every day
home use, and a quarter of tea, with a
plug of pigtail tobacco or a half-pound
of cut and dry for the old man’s pipe,
not forgetting a cent’s worth or two of
Scotch snuff ordered specially by the old
cook. The market folks would rejoin
each other at the Permanent bridge and
journey towards their several homes in
company as far as possible. That Some
Of them were timid about traversing the
Philadelphia and West Chester road was
Ilot to be wondered at, as it was only a
very few years since that road had been
the stamping ground of the motorious
highwayman, Jim Fitzpatrick, One of
whose retreats was said to have been
at Castle Rock in Preston’s woods.
Tales of his darings and doings Were
rife in all parts of Chester County, and
these tales of crime Of Course never
grew less in their telling. Preston’s
woods was a dark dismal place, the road
through it rough and rocky many years
after this, as we well remember it, as
we have time and again been compelled
to traverse it day and night. Yes, it
was in fear and trembling as a boy We
ventured through that gloomy Valley,
watching the cave rocks back in the
woods with strained eyes and plying the
whip to our horse earnestly, lest some
spook or highwayman might appear and
catch us before we could gain the clear-
ed and better road beyond. It would
seem to have been a long, tedious and
tiresome journey to and from market for
all there was in it. -
Eut in those days a few dollars were
made to go a great way; they Came in
by dribs, and went out in Smaller drops.
Economy was the rule at every point
and was strictly enforced by common
consent as well as necessity. These trips
to Philadelphia markets were mostly
confined to the fall, winter and Spring
months, as butter could not be thus car-
ried in good condition on hot Summer
days. Nor was the good woman to be
spared from the farm at that most busy
S622, SOI).
In the Summer all surplus butter was
heavily salted and potted for winter use
On the farm. At a later date when the
public roads became better through
more use and the removal of rocks and
Stumps, a light canvas-covered cart was
brought into use as a market vehicle,
but it gave the market-goers some pro-
tection from storms and cold Winds, and
enabled them to increase the amount of
marketing carried by adding a few
bushels of potatoes Or apples to their
list. The market cart being without
Springs of any kind, it was a rough rid-
ing coach, but it was Quite in advance
of the saddlebag conveyance when the
roads were not too deep with mud.
The next vehicle to come into general
use Was intended more especially for a
riding carriage for two persons, with a
fixed stool between their feet for a
child. It was called a chair, and was
mounted on Curved wooden springs,
with a roof or cover over it, with side
and back curtains, all supported on four
upright posts from the body, the whole
being nicely painted and Varnished. The
farmers who first reached the dignity of
such an outfit Were looked upon with
some envy and accused Of alping the
City aristocracy.
Stephen Girard long sported such a
rig on his business trips around the
City. The Chair was Superseded about
1830 by the more stylish falling top gig.
but by this time the good old grand-
mothers of Our vicinity had mostly quit
their weekly trips to the city markets.
Farms in Chester County had increased
in their productions greatly, grain was
hauled On large Wagons with five and
six-horse teams to Philadelphia, and
Wilmington. These wagons and teams
were often hired by merchants to trans-
port store goods or freight of any kind
from Philadelphia, to Pittsburg, and
return with a load of western produce
of some kind at a very considerable pro-
fit to the farmers Owning them.
This trade was broken up about 1835
by the advent Of Canals and railroads.
Chester county farmers then turned
their attention more to raising Stock and
the feeding of Western cattle for beef.
For some years this proved to be quite
a profitable business.
About the year 1840 a thousand head
of fat cattle on foot going to the Phila-
delphia, market might be counted on a
drive from the city to West Chester on
eVery market day. But the railroads
SOOn Commenced to carry beef animals
to market at lower rates than they
Could be driven a foot. And since then
the refrigerator cars have almost driven
good beef cattle from the Chester coun-
ty farms until now there is but little
beef to be had in our home markets
Cther than that of superannuated milk
COWS and that shipped here from Chi-
Calgo.
But to turn back again for a few
years. Toward the latter end of the
eighteenth and beginning of the nine-
teenth centuries, many of the farmers
of Chester county began to feel them-
Selves Sufficiently forehanded to erect
I 3
more comfortable and larger residences,
made necessary by their increasing
families. Larger and better barns were
also needed for housing greatly in-
creased crops and wintering their live
Stock to better advantage.
Soon commodious and substantial
Stone houses and barns began to appear
on many of the best farms in the Coun-
ty. Stone masons who worked On SOme
of these now old buildings, told me that
the wages paid them as journeymen
mechanics was sixty-two and a half
and seventy-five cents a day, and a day
at that time meant from daylight to
dark. Many of them now a century Old
are as sound and firrn as the day they
were finished.
On the ground floor of the house, at
one end two small or moderate sized
rooms were partitioned off, one for a
parlor, the other for a bedroom; the rest
of that floor was mostly occupied by a
large kitchen, and this was the COm-
mon living and every day working and
dining room for the whole family. The
parlor was a room that was seldom
opened except to air or dust. Only on
the occasion of special visitors were its
treasured furniture and contents of the
best China, closet on view to the juniors
of the family.
The greater portion of one side of the
kitchen and that end of the house was
occupied by a large open fireplace, a
great stone chimney and its surround-
ing heavy jambs. The fire place and
hearth had a front of about fourteen Or
fifteen feet. A heavy beam about head
high supported the inner wall of the
chimney, which above was built up
solidly of stone and mortar. A great
heavy iron crane swung over fire and
hearth. One or two small cupboards,
and Sometimes an Oven door were left
open in the cinimney walls. The chim-
neys had great Open throats, and run-
ning two or three feet above the roof
were gradually reduced in size until
about three feet square in the clear at
the top. There was never any question
as to having sufficient ventilation in the
room attached to these chimneys, and
especially so when the thermometer
would occasionally drop to Zero Or below
in Winter. Each side Of the chimney
was furnished with a narrow slab bench
along the jamb from back to front.
These were the favorite resting places
in long winter evenings for Sambo and
Dinah, who had by this time become
necessary to the comfort and conveni-
ence of the prosperous farmer. In some
cases they came into the family as
slaves, but more frequently as hired
help. -
When the long cold winter nights
came along, Sambo early in the evening
would be seen wrestling with a log of
wood as large as he could manage, fi-
nally landing it on the hearth back of .
the heavy and irons, then piling three
or four armloads of split logs and brush-
wood against it he would Soon have a
roaring fire that would keep the kitchen
comfortable until bedtime, in spite of
tne not too tightly fitting doors and open
chimney. After supper and the kitchen
chores done up - for the evening, the
head of the family would take his seat
at the little table ten feet away but in
front of the blazing pile of wood on the
hearth, take up his latest newspaper,
probably a week or two old, and per-
haps read a few paragraphs of news
Or a more lengthy article of interest for
the benefit of the female members of
the family, who would be gathered
around plying their knitting needles on
Stockings for the family, an every even-
ing Occupation that could be carried on
in the dim light of home-made tallow
dips, the only lights of that date in
the farmer’s home. The library of the
a Verage farmer of this date consisted
Of the Almanac of the current year,
With two or three old ones which al-
Ways hung on a nail in the chimney cor-
ner, a Bible, a few school books for the
Children and possibly a copy of Fox's
“Book of Martyrs.” The tired young-
Sters WOuld early be sent off to their
beds. Sambo and Dinah in their respec-
tive chimney corners would keep up a
lively duet al snoro for an hour or two,
the women folks would slip quietly off
One or two at a time. The candles would
burn low and the old man's specks be-
COrne dim. Sambo and Dinah would
be routed up and sent to their lofts and
finally the old man would cover up the
remaining coals with great care so as to
make sure of a starter in the morning.
Failure to keep a few coals over night,
Which was sometimes the case, involved
the necessity of sending a boy to the
nearest neighbor's, perhaps a quarter
or a half mile away, early in the morn-
ing for a shovel full of coals, for friction
matches were unknown in those days.
Sometimes flint and steel with a smal;
piece of Spunk was resorted to for a
Spark, when with home-made matches,
mere Splints of fat pine wood one end
having been dipped in melted Sulphur,
a fire was started. The last thing for
the farmer to do was to step Outside,
take a careful look around to see that
all Was right, listen for any noise at the
barn. All being satisfactory, and state
of the Weather noted, the tired farmer
Stepped inside, closing and bolting the
One Outside door, windows needed no at-
tention, when he would retire to a sound
and peaceful rest not often disturbed
until the light of day began to appear
again in the east. Then it was time
for the farmer to be up and doing. The
kitchen fire was quickly rebuilt with
Wood brought in by Sambo on
the previous evening. The kettle
filled with fresh water was hung on the
Crane, and then without mercy the
Whole family were routed out. As each
One appeared he sought the well curb
just Outside the kitchen door, where the
One tin basin served for the ablutions
of each, and all in water just pumped
from the well fresh and cold on a frosty.
morning, but health-promoting.
When our good old grandmothers went
I 4
to the city in later days they generally
Went in their own private two-horse
dearborns or carriages with a grandson
for driver, for a visit of several days
to friends and relatives, and do a little
Shopping. Sometimes a grandchild or
tWO Would be taken along to see the
Sights and wonders of the city that he
had so often heard and dreamed of. We
remember such a trip as the outing of
Our lifetime. Twenty-two miles was a
long, tiresome trip to the anxious boy,
but the sight of Permanent Bridge re-
Vived his Spirits and curiosity, and from
the time when we crossed the little canal
long Since filled up, near which stood
the toll house, for collecting tolls charg-
ed then for crossing the great bridge,
there was no lack of interest or want
of Strange Sights to see until we re-
Crossed the same bridges to return to
Chester county some three or four days
later.
We had pointed out to us in this trip
Sixth street as the western limit of the
built-up city in the market days of Our
grandmother. Penn Square at Broad
and Market was considered rather out
of town at this our first remembered
visit, about 1830.
Those present expressed their pleasure
in listening to the paper read, and it
WaS resolved that it shall be incor-
porated in a bulletin to be published by
the Society in the future.
*-
The Secretary, Gilbert Cope, called at-
tention to the fact that next year will
be the centennial of West Chester's in-
Corporation as a borough, and it would
be fitting and proper for the Society to
take Some action in the way of properly
Observing it. The date of our charter is
March 28th, 1898. Mr. Cope did not,
however, make any formal motion.
Samuel Marshall remarked that the
West Chester Fire Company will also
Celebrate its anniversary next year.
The date of the latter comes later in
the year. “There is some talk of the
propriety of observing both together,”
he remarked.
The idea that the Society should act
in the matter was favorably received,
but no definite action was taken. On
motion, the meeting adjourned.
Meeting of Council, 10th Mo. 20, 1898:
Alfred Sharpless in the chair : Minutes
of the last meeting of council read and
adopted.
The name of Horace L. Cheyney, of
Cheyney, being presented for active
membership, he was on motion duly
elected.
Alice Lewis, on behalf of the cata-
loguing committee, reports a prelimi-
nary examination, from which it appears
that there are in the Society’s posses-
sion 317 bound books ; books with pa-
per backs, 41 ; pamphlets, 615; maga-
zines, 72. Besides these are the bound
volumes of newspapers in care of
Samuel Marshall, and a few other pub-
cations in private hands.
H. R. Kervey moves that the Society
pay Miss Ada Townsend the sum of
$25 for making a card catalogue of all
the publications now the property of
the Chester County Historical Society,
which being carried in the affirmative,
the committee is continued to have the
oversight of the work and provide the
cards, cases for pamphlets, &c.
PRESENTATIONS.
From William L. Elkins, Esq., of
Philadelphia, a copy of “Memorials of
the Reading, Howell, Yerkes, Watts,
Latham and Elkins Families.”
From the Paoli Memorial Associa-
tion, copy of the charter and by-laws
of the association.
From L. G. McCauley, a copy of
Smull's Hand Book for 1898, hand-
somely bound, with name of Society
on side. -
From Judge Pennypacker, a copy of
his address at Valley Forge, June 18th,
1898.
From Jefferson Christman, a copy of
the Penna. Gazette for June, 16, 1784.
From the Berks County Historical
Society, copies of their first publica-
tions, including their Constitution and
By-Laws.
The Secretary read some extracts
from the earliest assessment of the
borough of West Chester, made in De-
cember, 1801.
On motion it was decided to appoint
a committee of three to confer with the
borough council in regard to the ob-
servance of the centennial of the bor-
ough next year. After some discussion
it was agreed that the number should
be five instead of three, and the chair
appointed Geo. M. Philips, Gilbert
Cope, H. Rush Kervey, G. G. Corn-
well and Samuel Marshall.
Adjourned.
I 5
west CHESTER TAXABLES.
By Act of Assembly, passed March 3d
1788, the territory included in the borough
Of West Chester was erected into a
County town, and by Act of March 28th
1799, the town was incorporated into a
borough. The assessment for the year
1799 had been made prior to the passage
of this last act, and for some reason no
'Separate assessment was made the fol-
lowing year for the borough as distinct
from Goshen township. Hence the first
distinct list of taxables for West Ches-
ter was made late in 1801, and contains
the names of 67 Owners or Occupiers of
real estate, 9 inmates, without property
and 28 unmarried men. The number of
acres outside of Small lots was 1012,
valued at from $25 to $40 per acre. The
taverns were the Turk's Head, kept by
Benjamin Miller; the Green Tree, by
Jacob Righter; the Bear (where is now
the Farmers' Bank), by James Jackson;
the Washington (where the Assembly
Building now stands), by David Lewis,
and the Gen. Wayne (afterward While
Hall,—Finegan's Corner), by Ephraim
Buffington. -
Of the farms, that of Wm. Bennett la,
on the western side of the borough, north
of Gay street, and was long occupied
by his daughters. Jabez Hoopes was
adjoining and John Hannum occupied
the house late of T. Roney Williamson.
Jesse, Henry and Abner Hoopes lived
north of the borough but owned land
Within the limits. Richard Jacobs lived
at the late Hettie Trimble house and
Joseph McClellan was east of the Wil-
mington Road. John Rankin’s farm sub-
sequently became WillIam Wollerton's
and then William Everhart's. The
farm house of William Sharpless is now
occupied by Alfred D. Sharples, on
Dean Street. It would be interesting to
1znow the location of each owner of real
estate in the borough in that day, and
this identification will properly come
within the labors of the future historians
of the place.
RETURN OF THE BOROUGH OF
WEST CHESTER (1801.)
James Bones house & Lot........ 1600
horses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
1 COW . . . . . . . . . , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 15–1935
William Bennett Land 80 acres
at 30 D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Stone house, frame barn..... 400
3 horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
9 Cattle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135–3055
Ephraim Buffington, Stone House
& Stable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1600
1 Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Tavern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150–1825
Joseph Bailey Stone house &
frame Barn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1000
1 Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . © & tº dº º º 15
Hatter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60—1135
Sarah Boyde, Log house
Thomas Beaumont, Log house &
Smiths shop
1 Horse
Caleb Babb, Brick house
1 Horse
Cornelius Beard, Log house &
mith Shop
Blacksmith 50— 550
John Brown, Log House & Stable 310— 310
Robert Cloude Frame House. ... 500– 500
Thomas Cummins, Brick house &
ble 1
* * * * * * * * *
s is e º 'º e º e º e º 'º º e º 'º -
• * * g e º a - e º e s - e s is º e s tº e º s º º
- © e º 'º tº º ºr
• * * * s s a • * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
s e º & s - e º e s - sº º e º e º ve
Stable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Storekeeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40–1655
John Christey, Esq. Stone house
& Stable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1600
OW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Register & Recorder . . . . . . . . . 200–1815
George Cochran, half Stone
house . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Clockmaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80— 580
Joseph Clarke, 1 Stone House. . . .1400–1400
1 COW
Philip Derrick, Esq., stone house
& b 2000
• * * * * * * * * * s tº e a e º a sº e º e º e º & º º
Stable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100—21.15
Wililam Eachus 1 Log house .... 100
Mason . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50— 150
Jacob Ehrenzeller Esq., 1 Brick
house & log Stable . . . . . . . . 1400
2 Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Physsission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200–1775
Richard Faukes 2 lotts . . . . . . . . . . 300— 300
William Flenagan, Frane house &
lot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00
1 COW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Shoe maker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50— 365
John Graves, log house and Brick
1OP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Stocking weaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50— 465
James Gann ble, 1 Brick house... 450
Tobacco Spinner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50– 500
Nathaniel Grubb, Log house .... 300— 300
John Guest, Frane House. . . . . . . 300
1 Horse Blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20– 320
Thomas Hoopes, 40 acres of Land
at 30 D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1200
Stone House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
3 Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SO
10 Cattle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150–1880
Widdow Hannum, Stone House... 400
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15— 415
John Hannum, 75 acres of Land
at 40 Dol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Brick House & Stone Barn ...1000
4 Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Cows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30–4310
John Hayney, log house & lot .. 200
Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50— 250
Jesse Hoopes 40 acres at 30...... 1200–1200
Samuel Giller, Brick house...... 450
Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
1 Cow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15— 515
Henry Hoopes, 40 acres of land
at ol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . —1200
Abner Hoopes, 30 acres of land
at ol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . — 750
Jabez Hoopes, 59 acres of land
at 3. ol. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
2 Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100–1988
James Jackson, Brick house and
frame Stable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2000
1 Horse ............ • * * * * * * e e g º º q 80
*
I 6
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Tavern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200–2295
Richard Jacobs, 90 acres of Land
at 28 Dol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2520
Stone House & Barn frame. . 450
2 Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5 COWs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75—3145
Charles Renney Esq., frame
OTG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 00
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Store keeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80— 395
John Kinnard, a Lot of Land.... 80
David Lewis, Brick house & Log
Stable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2000
Stone House..................... 650
2 Seperate Lotts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
1 Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tavern Keeper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150–3075
William Logan, Log House &
hop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 COW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Weaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40— 355
Joseph McClelan, 150 acres of
Land at 28 Doll. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4200
Brick House & Stone Barn... 800
3 Horses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
3 COWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45–5255
Benia min Miller, 80 acres at 30 D.2S00
Brick House and Stable
frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1800
2 Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
2 COWS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Tavern Reeper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200–4975
60a. 1andlord allows tax, separate it.
Edward Miller, Stone House.... º
O
COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shoe Maker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50– 965
John McCullough, frame House. 175
OW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Weaver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40— 230
Joseph Miller, Ilog house. . . . . . . . . 200– 200
Penjamin Matlock, 2 Lots Of
Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300— 300
Jonathan Matlock Junior, 1 Lot
of Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
16 Agres & lot of 94 of a Cre
at 35 Dolls per acre. . . . . . . . . . 560– 610
George Matlock, 2 Lotts of Land 350
Edward McClaskey, half a Stone
House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Taylor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50— 550
Jesse Matlock, 1 Acre. . . . . . . . . . . . . 35— 35
HOntura. Nevil, Log house........ 100
Tanyard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
1 Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Tanner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50— 470
Elizabeth Peters, Brick House... 900–900
T{eziah Pugh, Tuog HOuse. . . . . . . . 200– 200
2 Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4 COWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
2 OXen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30–5010
Jacob Righter, 100 acres at 35 D.3500
Brick House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2000
4 Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320
4 COWS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Tavern Reeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200–6080
David Rogers, brick House &
table . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 650
1 Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15— 685
Joseph Ralston, Log house. . . . . . 180 *
OW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15— 195
James Roney, Frame House &
tt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
Vy illiam Singles, frame House &
Lott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300— 300
Simson & Lindsey, Stone Store
house, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Storekeepers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90— 590
William Sharpless, 100 acres of
Land at 30 D.................. 3000
Houses & Barns................ 400
3 Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Brick House. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1200
Store keeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150–5005
Thomas Tucker, frame Store
House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Store keeper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85— 385
John Underwood, Log House.... 300
Stone House & Stable. . . . . . . . 600
1 Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15–1195.
Joshua Weaver, 10 acres of Land 350
Brick House & frame Stable. 1200
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Scrivener . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50–1615
William Woolerton, Stone House
& frame Stable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . G50
a Lot of Land.................. 100
1 COW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saddler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80— 845
SuSannah Williamson, Log
House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200– 200
James Warren, Log House...... 100— 100
Sarah White, log House........... 300— 300
INIMATES.
John Alcorn, Senior, Weaver.... 50
John Alcorn, Junior, Weaver...... 60
John Dunlap, labourer............. 50
Richard Everson, labourer. . . . . . 40
Emley Hoopes, Carpenter........
Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0— 135
James ICelton, Esq., Sheriff. . . . . . 50 -
2 Horses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1 Cow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15— 675
James McCaddin, Carpenter...... 50– 50
Abraham Rankin, labourer...... 50
1 Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., - - - - - - 80— 130
Emmor Simcocks, Shoemaker... 40– 40
FIREE MENN.
William Babb, Mason............. 100
David Beaumont, Hatter. . . . . . . . 100
Cornealeas Beard ................. 100.
Robert Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Moses Bailey, Blacksmith......... 10ſ)
Enock Cummins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100.
James Grimes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
William Hemphill, Esq., attorney 300
Daniel Hiester, Esq., Prothono-
tary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
James Hannum .................... 100
Jabez Hoopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Patrick Hayney, Weaver........ 100
Joshua, Jackson, Wheelwright.. 200
Joseph Lawson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Samuel McClay, labourer........ 150
Henry Melone, labourer........... 100
James McGill, Weaver............ 200
John McClay, labourer............ 150
1 Horse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80— 230
George Peters, Silver Smith...... 100
William Purdey, Shoemaker. . . . . . 150
Nathan Sharpless. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
William Trucks, Hatter. . . . . . . . . . 100
John Taylor, Esq., attorney...... 250
David Woodward, Saddler........ 150
David Years.Iey .................... 100
Davis Beaumont, BlackSmith.... 200.
John Allison, Clerke............... 250
John Jemmison. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
The foregoing Valuation and Return
made by us the Subscribers this 10th.
day of December 1801.
THOMAS HOOPES, Assessor.
JOHN GRAVES, /
JOHN RANKIN,
Assistant Assessors.
Proceedings of the Chester County Historical Society,
11th Mo. 18th, 1898.
[REPRINTED FROM THE DAILY Local NEws. I
The Chester County Historical Society
held a meeting last Friday. First the
Council of the Society met at 7.30 in the
room in the ILibrary Building which they
have occupied during the entire existence
Of the organization. The President, Dr.
George M. Philips, is absent on an Euro-
pean tour, so Captain G. G. Cornwell
was chosen President pro tem. The read-
ing of the minutes was dispensed with.
It was found that very little business
needed attention and the meeting Was a
brief One. i
Two books, presented by H. Rush Ker-
vey, of West Chester, to the Society
were accepted with the thanks of the
Society to the donor. They were the fol-
lowing: One is a copy of the report of
the Librarian of Congress, John Russell
Young, for 1897. A few lines written on
One of the fly leaves by Mr. PCervey
calls attention to the fact that Mr.
Young is a native Of Chester county.
The Council having adjourned the mem-
bers repaired to the hall on the second
floor of the same building and were
joined by a number of others who had
turned out in spite of the inclement
weather to hear the lecture by W. W.
Polk, of Kennett Square, editor of the
Rennett Advance.
Mr. Polk was present and it was de-
Cided after a little conference to go on
with the meeting according to advertise-
ment. Mr. Joseph Thompson then intro-
duced Mr. Polk, who delivered a very
interesting and instructive lecture.
Some Social and Domestic Customs of the Last Century.
By WILLIAM W. POLK,
ED I To R O F T H E K E N N E T A D v A N C E .
So much of wonderful achievement has
been crowded into the last half hundred
years; SO great development in the arts,
the sciences and in the industries that
the preceding century seems to us ages
distant, and yet it has some times hap-
pened that two lives have spanned the
whole period from Colonial times down
to the present. When on the 19th of Oc-
tober, 1881, the hundredth anniversary of
the Surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown
was celebrated with much pomp and cir-
cumstance, there were then living in
New York in the full enjoyment of men-
tal and physical vigor two sons of that
Alexander, who had led the American
storming party against the Yorktown in-
trenchments a century before, and who
afterwards, as Washington's first Secre-
tary, gave the infant republic its first
sound financial system. And when Ben-
son J. Lossing, who only recently passed
away, began gathering the materials for
his “Field Book of the Revolution,” he
talked with three men who had been of
that immortal company on Lexington
green on that fateful morning When
there “was fired the shot heard 'round
the world,” so that while all that be-
longs to the colonial and revolutionary
periods of our history seems, by reason
of the entirely changed condition, So re-
note, it is after all but a mere yester-
day, readily linked with the present by
the survival within our own times of
SOI. In 6
“Last leaf upon the tree,
With his old three cornered hat,
And his breeches and all that.”
It is, therefore, not the lapse of time
SO much as the wonderful industrial and
Social revolution which makes the eigh-
teenth century so far removed from the
nineteenth. When one may travel from
New York to San Francisco in four days
and to London in less than six, it seems
like an extract from the journal of the
Imound builders to read an account of
a journey from Rennett to Philadelphia.
in 1791.
‘‘I made some preparations in even for
journey to city. Rose before day and
made ready and Started man with
wagon. I stayed till near Sun rise,
then rode to Dr. Peirce's, warmed and
rode on and Overtook wagon at Paint-
er's. Fed at Vernon's and Stone House
tavern. I dined at James Clayton's. We
went to Grey's Ferry and staid till
morn. After breaking ice across Creek
we were obliged to go to middle ferry
and so on to town. Sold off and took On
sundries and came to Beitle's tavern On
( 17 )
I 8
Strasburg road nine miles from city.
Wagons started early next morning I
staid behind to help landlord to fix
pump, then followed, overtook wagon
and fed at Rising Sun tavern, then to
West Chester, unloaded sundries and
Came home.’’
This journey, which may now be made
in a few hours, consumed three full
days, yet as tedious and tiresome as we
would consider it, it was but a trifling
incident in the life of this busy man,
Jacob Peirce. Here, for instance, is the
record of a single day On his farm in
Rennett:
“Leveling sleepers in school house till
noon. Bled Indian Hannah; sawing and
riving cooper stuff; bled Maria. Shivery;
butchering pig for market; bled Robert
Lamborn, started at bed time for mar-
ket; fed at Billet, and then on to town.”
In this diary, reciting the daily life of
a busy man for Over ten years, there is
a constant reiteration of the bleeding
process, the panacea in those times for
all ills that work would not cure. If not
feeling Well in the morning this good
man would bleed himself Once, twice and
thrice, or till he felt better, and neigh-
bors came from every direction to under-
go a like ministration at his hands. We
find it recorded, too, that upon One oc-
Casion he bled his “Creatures’’ when
they seemed to be ailing, and SO uni-
versal was this practice, not only among
laymen, but practitioners as well, that
although the physicians who attended
Washington in his fatal illness would
have been indicted for manslaughter in
this day they were justified in the light
Of the knowledge of that time in bleed-
ing Washington to death in vain effort
to Cure a malady which, in Our day
yields to simple remedies. Tiet us take
a glimpse at the domestic hearth-Stone
Of this Jacob Peirce, doubtless a fair type
of the household of an intelligent, well-
to-do farmer Of that day. His dwelling
was a log structure Standing close to
the Great road, between Philadelphia,
and the Susquehanna. It was somewhat
more pretentious as to room than many
of its contemporaries, for it was divided
into three compartments on the ground
floor, and the second story afforded more
room to stand upright than was usually
the custom. But of this crude habita-
tion it might be said, as well as Of the
more pretentious brick house which suc-
ceeded it—long the goal of the fleeing
slave and of the anti-Slavery agitators
and reformers of every sort, that
“In that mansion used to be
Free hearted hospitality.”
For we read in his diary of almost daily
entertainment of friends and family
connections who often staid days to-
gether and were lodged and fed in com-
fort, though one wonders how it was ac-
complished, especially in view of the
fact that there were a large number of
children composing the household. The
fare doubtless was plain, home raised
beef and pork, corn meal, middlings and
hominy and such other homely fare as
the farm produced.
Of ready money there was little in Cir-
culation, domestic trading being in kind,
and even the long journeys to Philadel-
phia culminated largely in the exchange
Of the products of the farm for such
things as were needed in the household.
During the bitter winter days the
house was warmed by the great logs on
the hearth, around whose ample width
each one was entitled to his corner,
Where he might bake his face while his
back was cold. There were no pleasant-
ly heated bed rooms, no warm bath, no
cheerful evening lamp, no etchings or
paintings to Satisfy the taste and re-
fresh the eye. Wholesome white wash
Served the double purpose of a beautifier
and a disinfectant; a tallow candle pro-
vided light for study or household work,
and if by any ill luck the ash-covered
embers on the hearth died out during the
night, there was no match to renew the
fire upon the family altar, and unless
there was a near neighbor from whom
to borrow live coals, recourse was had
to the flint and the bunch Of to W. The
shoemaker and the tailor, like the school-
master of a somewhat later period, went
'round from house to house at Stated
periods, where they made up the cloth-
ing and the foot gear of the family
from materials produced on the farm.
The hatter was also a local institution in
every Village and the product of his
hands, especially of the better sort, last-
ed a generation. In that section of
Chester county, of which I speak, plann-
TheSS in dress as well as in speech was
daily inculcated and there was, there-
fore little variety in the form or coloring
of the gafments. Linsey woolsey, home-
spun and home dyed, served for the pur-
poses of the clothing in daily use, and
the education of no housewife was com-
plete unless she knew how to prepare the
flax and wool from the field and the
sheep’s back to the Weaver’s Shuttle, in-
cluding all the mysteries of dyes. Many
of the Friends about Rennett and New
Garden came from Ireland and doubtless
that love of bright and cheerful coloring
inherent in the Irish race might na-
turally lead them to break the bounds
of Quaker simplicity, yet I believe it
was seldom done, the hard and self-de-
nying life of the new world doubtless
tempering the lively Irish character.
That there was a difference between the
Irish-Quaker in America, and those who
remained in the old country, we know
from a letter written by John Carpenter,
of New Garden, from Duncannon in the
county Tyrone,Ireland, to Michael Gregg,
of Rennett, on the 19th of the 2d-mo.,
1753. This John Carpenter, if we may
gather a hint from his letter, was possi-
bly searching for a wife for himself or
for his friend, for after stating that he
had had a good passage over, being but
four weeks and two days on the voyage,
he wrote:
“But I would have thee not to marry
till thee, travels some; the girls in this
Country I believe thee would not fancy,
for they are more like Prispaterians
than Quakers, but I don’t know what
I9
they are like in England, but I hope to
know in 2 weeks, for I sale in 5 days to
Liverpool.”
While the household duties in these
primitive households were simple and
free from the complications which beset
the modern woman, they were constant
sand laborious. Baking and brewing,
Spinning and weaving, made up the
daily round, and not infrequently the
daughters of the household were called
upon to aid their brothers in the field.
The labor of the men was also hard,
when viewed from the vantage seat of
the modern mower, the binder or the
Sulky plow. Everything used to provide
food and shelter was hand made, even
to the nails by which the shingles were
fastened to the roof. The harvest con-
tinued from six weeks to two months.
The grain was beaten out with the flail,
or trodden out by horses, and the scythe
and the sickle were, next to the
plow, the most important implements of
husbandry.
The social pleasures were as simple as
the daily rounds and as crude as was the
manner of living. Dance frolics were
permitted in sections where the Quaker
influence was not dominant, but it was
the custom to have these at some coun-
try tavern in the neighborhood, where
fiddlers were easily procured, and where
rough roystering and horse play enter-
ed largely into the social gayety.
Husking bees, apple parings and quilt-
ings were also social diversions, innocent
enough to secure the sanction of Quak-
ers, though they usually wound up with
a dance on the barn floor dimly illum.1-
nated by the rays of a tallow dip confirl-
ed, in a lantern of perforated tin.
Vendues were favorite resorts of the
Imen, occurring as they did, in the
least busy season, and on these occa-
Sions political and social questions were
discussed often with much heat, leading
not infrequently to fistic combats of
Such vigor that it would be necessary
to adjourn the sale until the argument
Was Settled. The tippling habit was
Common as is evidenced by the large
number of taverns in that sparsely set-
tled era. Of Our history. On all these
Social and public occasions, to which
reference has been made, there was
Cnough drinking to incite brawls and
not infrequently tragedies grew out of
them. Every farmer was expected to
provide spirits in harvest, a practice
which continued down to within the
memory of many now living. But in
that early day Jacob Peirce had begun
to be a reformer, for we find that in
the harvest of 1791, he declined to fur-
nish rum to the men, whereupon, as he
gravely records, they left the field and
repaired to the Anvil tavern, where they
got drunk and abused themselves, and
then returned and abused him, where-
upon he dismissed them forth with, will-
ing to sacrifice his harvest to his convic-
tions.
The methods of Conveyance were few.
For pleasure the journey was chiefly on
horseback, and the Jacob Peirce to
which I have already referred made long
excursions in this manner, journeying to
Virginia, to the Mennonite settlements
in Tancaster county and frequently to
Philadelphia. It was a common sight
on festive occasions to meet on the high-
way large calvacades of young men and
women, all of them fearless and daring
riderS.
The aged and the decrepid rode in the
heavy lumbering farm wagons and Carts.
At late as a century ago there Were
not over twenty-five carriages in the
whole of Chester county, and of these
a number were the two-wheeled chairs,
the last example of which in Rennett
survived in the possession and daily use
of the late Chandler Darlington.
The arrangements for the conveyance
of the dead were of the most primitive
character. The hearse was simply a
board swung under the wheels Of a
“chair,” a two-wheeled vehicle, and to
this board the coffin was strapped. The
undertaker usually rode on horseback
and led the horse attached to the chair.
Isaac Mendenhall, of Scrabbletown.
known in modern times as Centreville,
fashioned a case for the coffin of the
same shape, the top and head of which
were hinged, and by this means the
coffin itself was protected from mud and
Storm. The accounts of this great im-
provement spread far and wide, and
reached the ears of Ephraim Taylor, an
undertaker who lived at the Ship, On
the Philadelphia pike, in the region now
known as Malvern. He went to Scrab-
bletown and saw Mendenhall's Outfit, but
went home with an idea of his own. He
built a straight case, long and wide
enough for the largest coffin, put it upon
four wheels and fixed a seat in the
front of the case for the driver. This
was the forerunner of the modern elab-
orate hearse, and when its fame spread
abroad Taylor was so universally in de-
mand that the other undertakers were
obliged to adopt the four-wheel improve-
ment or go out of business.
Of carpets there were none, save annong
the more prosperous. The floors of the
living rooms were scrubbed to immacu-
late cleanliness and frequently sanded,
fantastic figures being traced in the
White Sand, the forerunner, possibly, of
the complicated Carpet patterns of mod-
ern times.
About the period of which I speak, the
county seat was removed from Chester
to West Chester, and if we may judge
from the occasional reference thereto in
Jacob Peirce's diary, ousiness in the
Temple of Justice was carried on pretty
much as it is now. We find this good
man summoned as a witness in a case
which dragged, and, evidently chaſing
under the inactivity thus forced upon
him, he records that he put in the time
walking about the town, eating cakes
and drinking Sundries at Sampson
Babb’s.
We have a glimpse, too, though only
by inference, of the feeling with which
the Chester county Quakers regarded
Washington. That good man died in De-
*
~)
O
cember of 1799, and his taking off was an
event which caused almost every new S-
paper in the land to go into mourning,
and the great loss must have been known
to Jacob Peirce very Soon after it Occur-
red, by reason of his frequent intercourse
with Philadelphia and Wilmington, yet
we search in vain through the entries
in his diary in the closng days of 1799
and the beginning of 1800 for any refer-
ence to the event, and it is not till We
reach April of that year that we find
any mention of it, and then in these
words Only: “Went to Wilmington;
bought a poem on G. Washington.’’
From this it may readily be conjectured
that the great Washington's scant re-
spect for the Quakers of Chester county
as evidenced by his observation at the
Battle of Brandywine, that he felt as
though he were in the enemy's Country,
was reciprocated in kind by these follow-
ers of the Gospel of peace.
In the midst of that rude and laborious
life, love still maintained her altar, and
many hints of romances quite as thrill-
ing as any of modern days are half-re-
vealed in these prosy records of every-
day life. Thus we have the story of a
British soldier during Howe's Occupation
of Kennett Square, who, having been
smitten with the smiles of a farmer's
daughter, who gave him a cool drink
from a spring, dropped to the rear of the
marching column on that fateful 11th of
September, when the British encountered
Maxwell's men behind the walls of Old
IKennett, and hiding his musket and him-
self in the forest till eventide, returned
to the scene of his more peaceful Con-
quest, exchanged his scarlet uniform for
the more sombre homespun, and, after
sufficient lapse of time to prove his
worth, married the damsel who had given
him the cup of cold water, and became
the founder of a most worthy line.
Sometimes, as nowadays, these heart af-
fairs were not without suggestion of
worldly thrift, an illustrious example of
which that greatest man of his age and
country, Benjamin Franklin, records out
of his own career. You will remember
that when he returned from his stay in
London, whither he had gone under
promises from Governor ICeith which
had not been fulfilled, he found that dur-
ing his long absence, and his equally long
silence, his Deborah Read had been per-
Suaded by her relatives to give up
thought Of her absent and recreant lover,
and to marry a man who, being subse-
quently arrested for debt, had absconded
to the West Indies. When Franklin re-
turned to Philadelphia, anxious to make
an ends for his conduct, he proposed to
marry his former sweetheart, yet he did
not take this step, till, as he naively in-
forms us, he had ascertained that in so
doing he would not be liable for the
debts Of the former husband.
When comely Mary Rowland, already
twice a widow, came from Chichester to
New Garden, and acquired title to the
larger portion of Toughkenamon Valley,
and built herself a house on the great
road between Nottingham and Philadak-
phia, her home naturally became the
stopping place for Friends journeying
from Penn’s remoter Settlements to the
Yearly Meeting in his capital, and it is
not surprising that the widow and her
fertile plantation with its broad stretch
of meadow and its coursing streams,
should have attracted the admiration of
Evan Powell, of Nottingham, who had
been her frequent guest, or that his grave
Concern for the Welfare of the widow
should receive the sanction of the Month-
ly Meeting.
Party feeling doubtless ran quite as
high then as it does in these days of
Fusion. Thus, when Peter Bell, the blus-
tering Whig landlord of the Unicorn, in
Rennett Square at the time of the British
Occupation, filed his claim of £657 for
property taken by the British army, On
the 9th, 10th and 11th of September, 1777,
consisting of rum, cattle, horses, bonds
and Other sundries, he added to his a C-
count this significant item : “To be added
to the above account, with the greatest
presumption the loss of my house with
all my effects, money, etc., therein Con-
tained, by Other adherents, etc., at a
very moderate computation, is no less
than £51, 3s, 6d.” This was in plain
terms an allegation that his Tory neigh-
bors had burned , the Unicorn Out Of
political Spite, and it is not surprising to
find t1] is Peter Bell actively engaged
after the war, with Colonel Isaac Taylor
and others, in banding themselves to
seek out and expel all those ‘‘persons,
lost to all sense Of Inonor and virtue,
who deserted their country and joined
her enemies and used every means in
their power to distress and enslave us.”
One of those upon whom the heavy hand
of justice thus descended was a man in
the same line of business as the landlord
of the Unicorn, one Stephen Anderson,
the keeper of the public house at the
sign of the “Ship,” a little later the
“Hammer and Trowel,” who soon after
the above recited action of Bell and his
Compatriots, Was G' ºnvicted of treason
his estate seized and sold, a stipulation
in the deed requiring the purchaser to
pay annually to the University of Penn-
sylvania, the value of nine bushels of
merchantable wheat, a clause in which
we may readily trace the fine hand Of
the wise founder of the University, Ben-
jamin Franklin.
In that crude and simple age, life went
on, however, much the same as it does
in Our day. We find the men building
school houses, discussing new kinds of
crops, and intensely alive with human
impulses. We find Jacob Peirce going
early to the Rennett midweek meeting,
that he might repair the leaking windows
before the hour for worship. We find
him also busy gathering up supplies
about the neighborhood for the relief of
the yellow fever stricken in Philadelphia,
revising the tax rate, adjusting differ-
ences between contentious neighbors, Sup-
plying the place of a doctor to his neigh-
bors, making the bricks for the building
of a new home for himself—a gentleman
in homespun, content to serve his day
2 I
and generation in hearty, wholesome
work, which left no time for morbid in-
trospection or idle speculation. From
out this primitive log house, brought
up with plain living and high thinking,
went forth a worthy line of men and
women to take their place in the world’s
work, of whom I may mention the son
who honorably bore his father’s name,
that Jacob Peirce who became botanist,
geologist, linguist and investigator, and
who gave the best of his life to the ser–
vice of the Academy of Natural Sciences.
From such environments went the men
who founded this government and estab-
lished it upon enduring foundations, and
it is to the sturdy sons of toil that we
must look for its perpetuity.
Macauley tells us that in the most
Splendid age of Rome, the public baths
were so numerous and so magnificent
as to excite the wonder of the stranger.
But that was not the strong period of the
Roman Empire, nor was the introduction
of the silk worm by Justinian an un-
mixed blessing. While the indolent and
enervated Romans were sunning them-
selves in the marble porticoes and the
splendid baths, discussing the idle tattle
of the town, the Germanic tribes, clad
in skins, dwelling in tents and Subsisting
by means of the chase in the great for-
ests beyond the Appenings, Were propos-
ing to overflow and devastate the fertiſe
plains of Lombardy, and presently to sack
the imperial city iself and lay waste its
fairest possessions. Nor must we despise
the rude and simple ways of our fathers,
but ever bear in mind that
“Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a
prey,
Where wealth accumulates and men de-
Cay.”
When Mr. Polk had concluded the
reading of his paper, Gilbert Cope ex-
pressed his pleasure at having heard it,
and referred to the fact that among
those mentioned were the Buffingtons who
were among the ancestors of his Wife.
Joseph Thompson spoke briefly, too, in
much the same manner, after which Wil-
liam P. Sharpless moved that a vote of
thanks be extended to the speaker of
the evening, which was done unani-
mously. A motion to adjourn Was then
put and carried.
The members of the Society and their
friends lingered a few minutes and
talked over some of the reminiscences
which they called up in connection with
the theme of the evening. Several of
those present as they personally thanked
Mr. Polk for his able paper expressed
regret that the rain had interfered so
seriously with the attendance.
Proceedings of Council, 12th Month 16th, 1898.
[REPRINTED FROM THE DAILY LOCAL NEws. J
A meeting of the Council of the Ches-
ter County Historical Society was held
last evening in the room of the Society
in the Ilibrary Building. Professor Geo.
M. Philips, President of the Society,
Was in the Chair for the first time in
several months, having only recently re-
turned from a trip to Europe. There was
a good attendance of the members of the
Council. Those present were the follow-
ing: IProfessor George M. Philips,
Samuel Marshall, William P. Sharpless,
Rush Rervey, Gilbert Cope, Charles
R. Hoopes, Miss Alice Lewis, Mrs. E.
Dallett Hemphill and Joseph Thompson.
The minutes of the previous meeting
were read and approved, after which a
Small amount of business was transacted.
II. Rush Kervey presented the Society
with a few pamphlets, which were re-
ceived with the usual thanks of the So-
Ciety. -
THAT LAFAYETTE MAREER.
A letter from James Monaghan, Esq.,
of Swarthmore, Delaware county, for-
merly of West Chester, was read. It was
as follows:
* - e.
Swarthmore, Pa., December 15th, 1898.
To Mr. Gilbert Cope, Secretary Historical
Society, West Chester, Pa.—
Dear Sir:-It occurred to me that pos-
sibly the question of the Lafayette mark-
er might come before your Council. As
a member of the committee to procure it,
I should probably make a report. In the
first place we were limited to the money
raised, which was collected with no
small effort. In the next place, we Want-
ed a marker which could be seen from a
distance. We also wanted something
with some artistic excellence. Terra
cotta was being used in many of the
finest buildings in Philadelphia, the
Drexel Institute, the Harrison Building,
at 15th and Market and others, with fine
effect. The manufacturers assured uS
that the work would be satisfactory. I
Suggested running a rod through the
Centre, SO as to guard against high winds,
etc., but they assured me there was no.
necessity for it. In fixing, the large
block at the base was cracked and the
Committee refused to accept the work,
and the money has never been paid over,
I believe.
22
The manufacturers have always ex-
pressed a willingness to make it right. I
do not know what they are willing to do
now. It may be worth your while to call
on them and learn what they will do. If
it is not too much broken they may be
able to repair it and brace it with an iTOn
rod. If they can, I do not see why it
will not be entirely satisfactory yet. It
is desirable to preserve it in the form in
which it was erected, if possible. If pro-
perly braced terra cotta should be as
good as any material which can be pro-
cured. It is more impervious to the
weather than marble, and the expensive
Stones cannot be had for the money.
It has been suggested in the newspapers
that a terra cotta shaft is not a suffi-
Ciently worthy monument to the memory
of the great Lafayette. It ought to be
understood by this time that Our Society
did not undertake to raise a monument,
except in the sense that every surveyor’s
Stone planted in the ground is a monu-
ment. It was meant as the first of a
Series of markers, to designate the points
of historic interest in the county. Wooden
markers have been placed by the So-
Ciety on many of the roads and I have
heard them commented upon by travel-
el's from distant points. I hope the work
Will be continued by the Society. The old
Indian trail, which passes within half a
mile south of West Chester, should be
marked. This work has an educational
Value and increases the interests in your
Community. Yours truly,
JAMES MONAGHAN.
The subject was briefly discussed when
it was decided to appoint a connmittee
Of two to look into the matter and report
What should be done. The chair ap-
pointed Dr. William T. Sharpless and
Samuel Marshall.
WANTING A NEW HOME.
For a long time past the Society has
felt the necessity of having some better
place to keep its books and other valu-
able property. Some of the property of
the Society is of such a character that
it could not be replaced if lost or destroy-
ed. A few of the more valuable posses-
Sions are locked up in fire proof safes be-
longing to individual members. Many
books and pamphlets of great value are
in their room at the Public Library. The
limited space there alſTOrded is rapidly
filling up, and more space is needed.
Many times members of the Society and
Others have stated that there is much
more in the way of relics and treasures
that would be placed in the keeping Of
Gide what is feasible or wise.
the Society if it was known that there
was a proper fireproof vault in which to
preserve then. The subject so often dis-
cussed was up again last evening and
was talked over in a general way. The
general feeling was that something
should be done, but it was not easy to de-
Finally a
motion to appoint a committee was put
and carried. The Chair appointed Joseph
Thompson, Wm. P. Sharpless, Samuel
Marshall, Mrs. E. Dallett Hemphill and
H. Rush ſervey. This committee is not
bound to any course of action, and is
not likely to take any action without an
understanding with the rest of the mem-
bers of the Council.
OTHER BUSINESS DISPATCHED.
The question of fixing the amount of
the Treasurer’s bond was discussed, while
it was decided to fix it at $1,000. Incident-
ally, the question was asked as to how
many members of the Society were in
good standing. The Treasurer, Charles
R. Hoopes, said: “There are over one
hundred who have paid their dues.” This
was very gratifying, but there are some
delinqlents. The Treasurer was not
asked to give the number of them. Or
their names. The finances of the Society
would be materially improved if all would
pay lip.
Professor Geo. M. Philips presented the
name of Smith Burnham, of West Ches-
ter, for membership when he was unani-
mously elected.
H. Rush P&ervey reported having pro-
cured about sixty pamphlet cases which
will be used for the preservation of that
class of literary works of which the So-
ciety has a large number. Each of these
cases is in the form of a book, but is in
reality a stiff pasteboard box. On lifting
the lid several pamphlets of average size
can be slid into them. When there is a
series of pamphlets on one Subject, a
case can be filled with them and a
proper label placed on the outside. The
boxes then set in rows on a library Shelf
present the appearance of books, all
bound alike. Any one desiring to study
any subject treated upon in these pam-
phlets would find the labels a sufficient
guide to enable him to take from the
shelf at Once the panphlets needed. The
pamphlets themselves will thus be pre-
served, which is of the highest import-
ance to the Society.
On motion the meeting adjourned, af-
ter which the members of Council dis-
cussed in an informal manner some
matters pertaining to the work of the
Society.
Proceedings of the Chester County Historical Society.
MOSES MARSHALL. M. D.
Read before the Society Zzz/, Mo. 21st, 1895,
By WILLIAM T. SHAR PLESS, M. D.
The subject of this sketch has an es-
pecial claim upon the notice of the peo-
ple of Chester county, for he was the first
of a long line of men who, in addition to
being successful physicians, have been
distinguished as scientific men.
Besides Dr. Marshall there have been
William Baldwin, William Darlington,
Ezra Michener and George Martin, who
are deceased, and Dr. Hartman and Dr.
Rothrock, who are well known to us all
as members of this society.
In almost every case their reputation as
scientists has overshadowed that as prac-
titioners of medicine, and, indeed, after
considerable time spent in looking into
the lives of the men who practiced medi-
cine in this county in the last century, I
believe that any physician is soon forgot-
ten unless he has some other claim upon
posterity than his strictly professional
work of attending the sick. -
In 1849 Dr. Darlington published the
memorials of Bartram and Marshall, which
contain eight letters either written to or
written by Dr. Marshall, and in Hum-
phrey Marshall's correspondence he is
frequently mentioned. In addition to
this a foot-note in the “Memorials '' con-
tains a sketch of Dr. Marshall. This
sketch by Dr. Darlington was also pub-
lished in the Medical Reporter in 1853, a
journal then published jointly by the
Chester and Delaware County Medical
Societies, and was copied into the “His-
tory of Chester County,” by Futhey and
Cope. t
As the sketch is short I will give it en-
tire :
“Moses Marshall, son of James Mar-
shall (the younger brother of Humphrey),
was born in West Bradford, Chester
county, on the 30th of November, 1758.
After receiving a tolerable education, both
English and classical, he studied medicine
with Dr. Nicholas Way, in Wilmington,
Del., from 1776 to 1779. He had an ex-
traordinary opportunity of being initiated
into surgery in attending the soldiers who
were wounded in the battle of Brandy-
wine, September 11th, 1777. After prac-
ticing medicine a short time, he seems to
have become an inmate in the family of
his uncle, Humphry, devoting his time
and services exclusively as an aid to his
uncle in the business of collecting and
shipping plants and seeds to Europe. He
made several long exploring journeys in
that pursuit through the wilds of the
West and Southwest. He was a good,
practical botanist, well acquainted with
most of our indigenous plants, and ren-
dered valuable assistance to his uncle in
preparing the Arôzsärizma Amzericantlemt.
On the 6th of April, 1796, Governor Mif-
flin appointed him a Justice of the Peace,
in which office he did excellent service as
a peace-maker in the community around
him. In all his acts he was a remarkably
cautious, upright, conscientious man. The
editor had the happiness to know him
well, and passed many pleasant, instruc-
tive hours with him investigating the
plants in the Marshallton botanic garden.
Dr. Marshall discontinued the business of
sending seeds and plants to Europe soon
after his uncle’s death, and the garden in
consequence has been almost wholly neg-
lected. Dr. Marshall died on the first of
October, 1813, aged 54 years and Io
months.”
This sketch and the eight letters before
( 23 )
24
mentioned are all, so far as I know, that
have been published of Dr. Marshall.
Parts of his diary, journals kept while
on his exploring expeditions, letters re-
ceived from scientific friends abroad,
copies of his answers to these and various
note books, have been preserved by his
descendants and others, and kindly placed
at my disposal by them. They have
seemed of sufficient interest to merit a
more detailed sketch of his life.
As before mentioned, he was the son of
James and Sarah Marshall and the grand-
son of Abram Marshall, who came from
Gratton, in Derbyshire, England, to Dar-
by, Delaware county, about the year 1697.
A few years later he bought a large tract
of land on the west branch of the Bran-
dywine, near the forks (part of which is
now occupied by Abram Marshall, a de-
scendant ), where he died in 1767 He
was a minister in the Society of Friends
for about 70 years, and a memorial of
him, published by Bradford Monthly Meet-
ing, says that by the general account he
was in his ninety-seventh year, though
there is some reason to believe he was
one hundred and three.
Abram Marshall married Mary Hunt,
whose sister, Elizabeth Hunt, married
William Bartram, so that their son John
Bartram, the first American botanist, was
a first cousin of the Chester county bota-
nist, Humphry Marshall, and of James
Marshall, the father of the subject of this
sketch.
The first authentic record we have of
Dr. Marshall is the following document :
“Memorandum of an agreement made
and concluded upon between James Mar-
shall, of Chester county, and Dr. Nicho-
las Way, of Wilmington, in the County of
New Castle, as followeth, viz: The said
Dr. Way undertaketh to instruct Moses
Marshall, the son of the said James, in
the art of physick, according to the best
of his understanding, for the Space of two
years, which time the said Marshall is to
abide with him and his wife. He is to
find and allow him sufficient meat, drink
and lodging during said term. And in
consideration thereof the said Marshall is
to give the sum of seventy-five pounds,
the one-half now and the other half in
one year fronn this date. Witness of our
hands the first day of November, 1776.”
Dr. Nicholas Way, who thus became
the preceptor of Moses Marshall, had
been settled in Wilmington for some time,
having received the degree of Bachelor
of Medicine in the first class that gradu-
ated in the Medical Department of the
University of Pennsylnania, and in fact
the first class that graduated in medicine
in this country, in 1768 ; and in 1771 he re-
ceived the further degree of Doctor of
Medicine. At the same time a cousin of
Moses Marshall, Abram Baily, also from
Marshallton, was a pupil with Dr. Way.
The associations thus formed in Wil-
mington were kept up in after life, and in
Dr. Marshall's diary he frequently speaks
of his trips to Wilmington, and always
states that he dined with Dr. Way.
Moses Marshall never received any
medical degree, none being at that time,
or for nearly a hundred years afterward,
required in order to practice medicine in
this State. The first to receive such a
degree, who settled in Chester county,
was Dr. Darlington in 1804. But it was
customary after serving two or more
years as an apprentice in a doctor’s of
fice to attend one or two courses of lec-
tures at the University of Pennsylvania.
Accordingly we find that the advice of
Dr. Thomas Parke was asked relative to
Moses Marshall spending the winter in
Philadelphia for this purpose. Dr. Parke
was a native of Chester county, had taken
his medical degree at Edinburg, had an
extensive practice in Philadelphia, and was
one of the physicians to the Pennsylvania
Hospital. He advised him to attend the
lectures, especially those on anatomy, by
Dr. William Shippen, and those on chem-
istry, by Dr. Rush. The winter of 1779
and '80 was spent in this manner, and his
diary covering this period has been pre-
served. The entries are short and relate
mostly to his own doings, though he OC-
casionally gives us some comments On
the times. There is nothing to indicate
that he realized that in sitting under the
teaching of Dr. Rush he was brought
into almost daily contact with the most
25
dignified and exalted character that has
graced the annals of American medicine.
Although Dr. Rush had taught chemistry
and practiced medicine in Philadelphia
for ten years or more, had served in Con-
gress and signed the Declaration of Inde-
pendence, he had not reached that pro-
fessional eminence or rendered those pub-
lic services which made Dr. Lettsom Say
of him : “All Europe is astonished at
his novelty and bold decision, his un-
precedented sagacity and judgment.”
It must be admitted that some entries in
Moses Marshall's diary at this time indi-
cate that his time was not exclusively de-
voted to medical studies and scientific
work, for a certain Polly Howell receives
more frequent mention than does the im-
mortal Rush, and Sally Sansom, who
“behaved for three evenings, especially
the last, in a most engaging manner,”
evidently occupies his thoughts more than
hospital clinics or work in Parke's shop.
Here is a sample page from his diary
describing his parting from these charmers:
“Feb. 25, 1780. Sat by the fire until
two or three o’clock P.M.; went to Savery's;
S. Sansom came there ; shall never forget
her loving behavior; afterward we went
to Horner’s ; staid at the door some time ;
was coming back for Polly Howell; met
her and B. Savery, who told me some one
was come for me ; we all went to Savery’s
and sat there awhile ; then went to the
Bull's Head; after awhile went to Horner's
again ; that was the last time I saw S.
Sansom ; then went to Allen’s and took
my last farewell and came away; Betty
Allen took some of my hair ; Betty and
Polly came down the alley with us and I
went back with them.
“26th. Saw Polly Howell and Betty
Emslie and bade them farewell ; osculatio
primum ; scripsi ad S. Sansom ; (we re-
member that he had parted with her but
the day before :) went to see Cad. (Dr.
Cadwallader Morris,) and left Philadel-
phia.”
He then returned to Marshallton, and
we are not surprised that a little latter we
find him writing to Dr. Morris: “Since I
left Philadelphia I have scarce enjoyed
one hour of contentment. I have had an
aversion to this part of the country for
some time, but especially since I left
Philadelphia. I would go to sea or any-
where rather than live in this dead and de-
tested part of the country; but paſſer meus
will not consent. He advises me to con-
tent myself with reducing to practice
whatever of the Esculapian art I may have
acquired. But my mind is constantly with
you in the midst of some agreeable com-
pany. The truth is, I am naturally of a
melancholy disposition, and I see no
prospect of anything but a continued scene
of discontent.”
In answer to this Dr. Morris writes: “I am
sorry to see that you are still in a state of
discontent and suppose that nothing short
of the company of those ladies with whom
you have attained an intimacy will make
the time pass agreeably with you. You
say that the proximate cause of your un-
easiness is owing to want of employment,
You know, my dear Moses, that all things
must have a beginning and so must your
practice. There are many poor people in
the neighborhood who would be willing
to have their children inoculated (for
small pox), but can’t afford the current
prices. A word to the wise is sufficient.”
Possibly as a result of this suggestion
we find that after staying at his father’s,
doing nothing of account for a year, and
spending another year keeping a sort of
apothecary shop in Wilmington, which, he
says, “came to nothing and less,” that in
the spring of 1782 he “came up into the
country and inoculated for the smallpox
about Londongrove, making his home at
Samuel Sharp's, and afterward about
Kennett with Dr. Pierce, making a home
there.”
After inoculation was over, in the
spring of 1782, he stayed at his father’s,
professing to practice medicine, but
really doing very little, if we may judge
from his diary, until 4th month 27th, 1784,
when he became an inmate of the family
of his uncle Humphry. The years 1782
and I783 appear to have been unprofita-
bly spent, and his diary indicates that at
that time he was drifting into idle com-
pany and questionable habits.
He was now 26 years of age and up to
26
this time we see nothing in his career to
give promise of future distinction. As a
Sample of the way he spent his time we
may quote the following :
“I783, Dec. 24, Die Mercurii. Snow-
ing. Went to Welsh’s ; D. Marshall and
A. Baily came along, going to election,
and took me along, molens volens, to Car-
penter's and with several others to the
Red Lyon ; saw several people; nothing
very material ; fighting, damning, etc.
* * * Col. Hannum there ; supped,
drank wine, etc., and all came down the
road; our company came to Carpenter's
and stayed all night.
“25th, Die Jovis, Christmas. Got up
this morning between Io and II and got
breakfast ; then got to sporting and pass-
ed the day.
“I784, Feb. 15, Die Solis. My resolu-
tion is, not to lose sleep, etc., for the fu-
ture, nor yield to any persuasion that may
be a means of bringing upon me trouble
and disgrace.
“March 18. Went to town and staid
too late ; mean never to do the like again ;
unless I break off connections with them,
I shall be ruined.
“I9th, Die Vezzeris.
day, repenting.”
About home all
These entries give us a glimpse of his
character. They show us a strong man
under temptation. They also show us that
he realized his peril, and we may antici-
pate his future history at this point and
Say that after entering his uncle's family
and finding congenial employment with
him in botanical work, his good resolu-
tions were kept, as shown by Dr. Dar-
lington’s statenment that in middle life he
was “a remarkably cautious, conscien-
tious, upright man.”
Having, therefore, laid aside his youth-
ful follies, and having found occupation
that was agreeable and suited to his tal-
ents, we enter upon the period of his
scientific work from 1784 to 18OI.
In Dr. Darlington’s sketch it is stated
that during this period he “devoted him-
self exclusively to botanical work.” While
this seems to have been true in a large
measure, yet his diary indicates that he was
frequently called upon to attend the sick.
Under date of June 25, 1785, John Han-
num, who may be regarded as the founder
of the town of West Chester, writes :
“Esteemed Friend, Please send by my
daughter Peruvian bark sufficient for two
Or three doses or more, and a gentle
vomit for a person of a weak constitution,
with proper directions for taking them.
With respect, I remain, Thy friend,
John HANNUM.”
It is difficult to determine when Dr.
Marshall began the study of botany. His
intimacy with his uncle Humphry and a
few entries in his diary suggest that he had
made a beginning before he entered his
uncle’s family, and in 1786 the latter, in a
letter to Sir Joseph Banks, the President
of the Royal Society of London, solicits
employment for Dr. Marshall, and sug-
gests that if the society should want any
one on this side the water to explore our
western region in search of botanical
specimens, fossils, minerals or inflam-
mables, that Dr. Marshall would be willing
to serve them, and states that he is “well
versed in the knowledge of botany.”
Humphry Marshall also writes to Ben-
jamin Franklin in 1785, and suggests that
his cousin William Bartram and his
nephew, Dr. Marshall, would be willing to
explore the western part of the United
States if they should meet with proper
encouragement, and thinks that the Philo-
sophical Society or possibly Congress
would give them substantial support.
This appears to have been the work that
the elder Marshall had mapped out for
him, and it is evident that Dr. Marshall
was favorable to such an undertaking, for
in 1788 he writes to Dr. Lettsom : “I
have indeed had a design highly favorable
to discoveries in view—a journey to the
Mississippi westward, but have not yet
been at leisure to prosecute it.”
He had already, in 1784, taken his first
trip in search of seeds and botanical speci-
mens. This was almost immediately after
entering the family of his uncle, and con-
sisted in going to Pittsburg with the
wagons and returning by the same route.
He writes from Bedford to his uncle :
“We have been among the pine moun-
tains, where we have seen cucumber trees,
27
rhododendrons, mountain raspberries, and
yesterday about Juniata the broad-willow-
leaved oak and the redberried elder. In
Coming along I have seen many strange
plants, but may be chiefly varieties of what
we have already. However, I shall gather
what seed I can of any such or bring the
plants.”
He kept a journal of the trip, which has
been preserved. He also speaks of hav-
ing seen the horse chestnut and of getting
specimens to bring home.
In 1786 Sir Joseph Banks wrote to Hum-
phry Marshall asking for a hundred weight
of the fresh roots of the ginseng on the
Curing of which he wished to try some
experiments. The procuring of the roots
was undertaken by Dr. Marshall. It oc-
cupied about twenty days, and necessi-
tated his going into the Alleghanies for
them. -
The following extracts may be of in-
terest. When he was on the Juniata he
writes :
“AXie Solis. Dined at Freer’s, then
came up the river near a mile to the
mouth of the Raystown branch, and got
upon a ridge or mountain upon which was
a small path, which I followed four or five
miles without seeing any house or person.
On the ridge is a very fine prospect of
large mountains on every side, with narrow
gutters of valleys winding between them.
On this high ridge about three o'clock
P. M., I stopped and put on a clean shirt,
unstopped my bottle of bitters, which was
ready to burst with rarified air, and with
a small sup of bitters and one of my cakes,
refreshed myself and proceeded. I went
down a steep hill to a little cabin near the
river, where I expected further direction,
but found no person at home, therefore
kept on a path to the river side, and by
reason of a large and steep hill was
obliged to cross over on the other side,
where I tore my way through high weeds
and spice-wood bushes a mile or more
till the mountain came close into the river,
obliging me to cross again. I made an
attempt, but plunged in till my horse was
almost taken off his feet; then tacked and
came out, went higher and crossed by a
fish dam ; water belly deep and rocky
bottom. Came through a bottom filled
with high weeds of almost all kinds.
(Mem. Saw here the three-leaved sun-
flower or telphium, and lower down a little
arrow-leaved colt's-foot.”)
Arriving at his destination, he writes :
“Thus situated we in the first place
struck up a little fire, then made withe
hobbles and put them upon our horses,
and, also putting upon each a cow bell,
turned them loose to eat leaves. We
made a shelter by propping up with a
couple of small sticks to an angle of for-
ty-five degrees, a piece of bark about
five feet in length which had lately by
some person or other been stripped en-
tire from the body of a neighboring chest-
nut. In this we passed the night in a
much more comfortable manner than I
expected. Our feet indeed were unavoida-
bly exposed to the rain. My own, how-
ever, were somewhat sheltered by my
hat, which was covered with oiled cloth.
In the morning, after drying ourselves, we
took some meal and a piece of chestnut
bark to the run, washed the bark a little
and put some meal into the hollow side
of it. I dipped up water with a hat,
while my companion kneeded the meal to
a dough, which we baked in the ashes
and ate with our cheese.”
He returned with about a hundred
weight of ginseng roots, and charged for
them an English crown a pound.
Dr. Marshall soon began a correspond-
ence with scientific men in Great Britain
and Europe on his own account, especial-
ly with Dr. Lettsom, of London. In
these letters he sends descriptions of new
or rare plants that he has found, and oc-
casionally ventures to suggest a name,
One of these descriptions (that of the
talinum ſeretifolium), is especially praised
by Dr. Darlington, who says that it was
written long before the plant was gener-
adly known to the botanists or published
in the books, and adds that “from dif-
fidence or want of opportunity to pub-
lish many of the discoveries, much of the
credit really due to Bartram, Marshall and
Muhlenberg, has been ascribed to or ap-
propriated by European botanists.”
About this time we find Dr. Marshall in
28
correspondence with Rev. Henry Muhl-
enberg, of Lancaster, Pa. It was due to
the influence of this dinguished botanist
that the Marshallia, a genus of plants of
which there are several species in the
South, was named in honor of Moses
Marshall, as the following correspondence
will show. The first letter is from Muhl-
enberg to Dr. Marshall :
“DEAR SIR :—I beg leave to inform you
that the new edition of the Gezzera Zim-
naei is safely arrived. I am happy to see
that the editor, my friend, Dr. Schreber,
has done what I requested of him. He
has given your name to a hitherto undes-
cribed plant that belongs to the Syngene-
sia, which he names the Marsha/Zia. Give
my best respects to your uncle, Mr Hum-
phrey Marshall, and believe me, with
great esteem, sir, your humble servant,
HENRY MUHLENBERG.”
In the collection of the Marshall papers
in the possession of Gilbert Cope, I have
found the following copy of the reply to
this note in the handwriting of Dr. Mar-
shall :
WEST BRADFORD, April 13, 1792.
REVEREND SIR :—I haye just received
yours of the 9th instant, and am much
pleased to hear of the arrival of the Ge-
mera Plantarum. I am very sensible of
the honor done me through your request
by Dr. Schreber, and think myself but too
undeserving. I shall be pleased in your
calling on your intended journey, and
hope you will consider my uncle’s house
as a welcome stage. I am, with all due
respect, your much obliged friend,
MOSES MARSHALL.”
I have given this correspondence com-
plete, as, in the list of plants named for
Chester county botanists, prepared by Dr.
Darlington in 1857, we find the following
Statement :
“The genus Marshallia was so named
in 1791 by Dr. Schreber in honor of Hum-
phry Marshall, of West Bradford town-
ship.”
In another place Dr. Darlington Says
that the plant was named for Humphry
Marshall and his nephew, yet the above
correspondence indicates that Moses Mar-
shall alone was recognized by Schreber
and Muhlenberg in the transaction. It
may be interesting in this connection to
give the list of plants named for Chester
county botanists, as prepared by Dr. Dar-
lington. In addition to the Marsha//ia,
which was the first, there is the Baldzøinia,
named in 1818 by Thomas Nuttall for Dr.
William Baldwin, of Newlin township,
who accompanied Major Long in an ex-
ploring expedition to the west, and died
at Franklin, on the Missouri, in 1819.
The first Darlingtonia was dedicated
in 1825 by Professor DeCandolle, of Gen-
eva, to Dr. Wm. Darlington.
The genus thus proposed was merged
into a prior one, and a second Darling-
foreia was established on a rare and re-
markable California plant by Professor
Torrey in 1850. -
The genus Townsendia was named by
Sir Wm. J. Hooker in honor of David
Townsend in 1833.
A species of lichen, the Biafora Mich-
emeri, was named by Tuckerman in 1853,
in compliment to Ezra Michener, M. D.,
of New Garden township.
A tree of tropical growth was called
the Hoopesia, in compliment to Joshua
Hoopes, and a species of the Tozwnsendia
has been called the Rothrockii for Dr.
Rothrock. There may be others not men-
tioned in the list.
Dr. Marshall’s correspondents appear
chiefly to have been Descemet, of Paris ;
John Reichert, of Belvidere; Grimwood,
Hudson & Barrett, and Dr. Lettsom, of
London ; Richard Barnet, of Dublin ;
Thomas Russell, of Middletown, Con-
necticut, and Joseph Watson, of Charles-
ton, South Carolina. The last supplied
him with many Southern plants for ship-
ment abroad. In addition to plants he
shipped other natural objects, as shells,
live tortoises, frogs, birds' eggs, etc.
His letters speak of many trips of
which the Journal has not been preserved.
On one of these he went to Pittsburg,
then south through Kentucky and Ten-
nessee, then over the mountains into
South Carolina to Charleston. From
thence he proceeded into the western
part of Georgia and returned to Charles-
ton, and thence by water to Philadel-
29
phia, and says: “Notwithstanding the
great fatigue, danger and expense in trav-
eling, I have in contemplation a second
and more extensive route.”
We have seen that Humphry Marshall
was interested in having the country west
of the Mississippi explored in search of
plants and other specimens of scientific
interest, and that he wrote to Dr. Frank-
lin and to Sir Joseph Banks, stating that
his nephew was willing to undertake such
a trip. We also know that for at least
fifteen years before the Lewis and Clarke
expedition started for this purpose, that
Thomas Jefferson was active in endeavor-
ing to procure a suitable person to lead
such an expedition and to raise the funds
to defray his expenses. The following
letters from Dr. Caspar Wistar, of Philadel-
phia, are of much interest in this connec-
tion. In a postscript to a letter to Hum-
phry Marshall, dated May 27, 1792, Dr.
Wistar inquires : “Has Dr. Marshall any
inclination to explore the country west of
the Mississippi 2 If so, I shall be glad to
See him when he comes to town.” And on
June 20th he writes to Dr. Marshall :
“Respected Friend —By a conversation
with thy uncle, I find that thee is already
acquainted with the wishes of some gen-
tlemen here to have our continent ex-
plored in a Western direction. My reason
for writing at present is to inform thee of
the present state of the business. Mr.
Jefferson and several other gentlemen are
much interested and think they can pro-
Cure a subscription sufficient to insure one
thousand guineas as a compensation to
any one who undertakes the journey and
can bring satisfactory proof of having
crossed to the South sea. They wish the
journey to be prosecuted up the Missouri,
as the easiest and perhaps most interest-
ing track * * * If thee has any incli-
nation I think it would be very proper to
come to town immediately and converse
with Mr. Jefferson, who seems principally
interested. I am confident that no small
matter will stop them if thee is disposed
to engage in the business. At any rate
shall be glad to hear from thee as soon as
possible, and am, with respect for thy
uncle and thyself, thy assured friend, Cas-
par Wistar, Jr.”
My friend, James Monaghan, suggests
that this letter indicates that Dr. Wistar,
at least, considered Dr. Marshall a suitable
person to lead the expedition, which after-
ward became known to history as that of
Lewis and Clarke, and there seems to be
no doubt that this was the case. Whether
Dr. Marshall went to see Thomas Jefferson
or not, we do not know, but it is a matter
of history that Thomas Jefferson, in the
same year in which Dr. Wistar wrote to
Dr. Marshall, “proposed to the American
Philosophical Society a subscription to
engage a suitable person to proceed to the
north-west coast by land, and Captain
Meriwether Lewis, who was then stationed
at Charlotteville, in Virginia, was engaged
for the purpose. M. Michaux was to be
his companion. They had gone on their
journey as far as Kentucky, when Michaux
was recalled by the French Minister to:
pursue in other quarters his botanical re-
searches, which put a stop to the enter-
prise.”
But in 1803 the expedition under Lewis
and Clarke set out and proceeded by the
same route up the Missouri, as was sug-
gested in Dr. Wistar's letter.
In a letter to John Reichert, dated De-
cember 31, 1795, Dr. Marshall says, with
reference to the shipment of seeds abroad:
“There was nothing forwarded last year
for these reasons : The present war and
confusion in Europe has greatly lessened
the demand for articles in this way ; from
this and other causes my attention and
pursuits have been otherwise employed
and directed, and taking into considera-
tion the uncertainty and precariousness of
safe conveyance, owing to the confusion
of the times, determined me not to for-
ward anything. I have contemplated to
decline this business altogether, yet it is
probable that for the next season, if early
orders are received, they may be complied
with.” .
The “Other cause ’’ which diverted his
attention and pursuits was probably his
appointment as Justice of the Peace,
which occurred in 1796. The list of cases
tried before him and of the marriages at
which he officiated, have been preserved
and show the business of the office to
have been considerable. He held this of
30
fice until his death. That he did not at
once discontinue the business of shipping
Seeds is shown by a letter to Thomas
Russell, of Middletown, Conn., in 1797 :
“I may observe that the present con-
vulsed state of European affairs, with the
uncertainty of safe transportation, has
given a considerable check to business of
this kind. However, a few plants of the
following kinds may be procured. The
average price of a general collection may
be about ten cents per root.”
'Humphry Marshall died in 1801, and on
his death a considerable part of his farm
west of the Brandywine passed into the
hands of Dr. Marshall. He made use of
the water power in the Brandywine and
erected a stone mill and dwelling house.
The house is still standing. The mill
was burned a few years ago. The vil-
lage of Northbrook, which was formerly
known as Marshall’s Mill, stands on land
once owned by Dr. Marshall, and much
is still owned by his grandson, Dr. Ed-
ward Marshall.
After Humphry Marshall's death his
nephew seems to have discontinued his
former business, as well as his Scientific
work. I have not been able to find any
records of this period, except Some ac-
counts which refer to his milling business
and are of no particular interest to us.
He was married about 1797, to Alice Pen-
nock. They had six children, who have
left a numerous progeny, most of whom
live in Chester county. He died in 1813.
For much of the material for this sketch
I am under obligations to the grand-
children of Dr. Marshall, Dr. Edward
Marshall, of Northbrook, and Mrs. Wil-
liam T. Matlack. I am also, as usual,
under many obligations to Gilbert Cope.
Proceedings of the Chester County Historical Society.
*——
History of Mason and Dixon's Line.
By GEORGE MORRIS PHILIPS, Ph. D.
A'ead before the Society Feb. 20, 1896.
In 1632, Charles I. of England, granted to Lord Baltimore the
Delaware-Maryland peninsula from about 38° to 40° north latitude, and
also the territory west from the Chesapeake bay, between the Potomac
river and the 40th parallel of latitude to the source of the Potomac.
Baltimore's charter contained the words “hitherto uncultivated.”
These words were doubtless meant simply to be a description of the land
conveyed in the charter, and not to restrict the grant to such of this
territory as had not been cultivated, as was afterwards contended, for
neither the King nor Baltimore seems to have known that the year be-
fore this grant was made, a small Dutch colony had settled on the shore
of lower Delaware, on Cape Henlopen opposite to Cape May, near
where the town of Lewes now lies, upon land bought of the Indians.
After a few months these colonists were all murdered and their improve-
ments entirely destroyed by the Indians. But this abortive little settle-
ment was destined to trouble Lord Baltimore and his colony for
many years, and was the means eventually of adding one more state,
Delaware, to the American Union. -
Lord Baltimore's first colony settled near the mouth of the Potomac,
in 1634. This again was unfortunate, for had he at this time settled
the Delaware shore his title to that territory would not afterwards have
been disputed, and the present State of Delaware would have been in-
cluded in Maryland.
In 1638, a colony of Swedes landed on the shore of the Delaware,
still unoccupied by Baltimore's colony, and effected a permanent settle-
ment. They prospered, and soon extended along the Delaware up into
the present territory of Pennsylvania. But the Dutch still claimed the
Delaware and its adjacent territory, from Hudson's discovery of this bay
and river, in 1609, and, when after the death of its great king, Gustavus
Adolphus, the power of Sweden declined, the strong Dutch colony of
New York, in 1655, sent a fleet up the Delaware and subjugated and
annexed the Swedish colony there, and for the next ten years the region
of the Delaware, like that of the Hudson, was under the control of the
Dutch governor at New York. Lord Baltimore still claimed that his
territory reached to the Delaware bay and up along that bay and river
to 40° north latitude, and never ceased to protest against the encroach-
ment of the Swedes and the Dutch. But he made no serious attempt to
enforce his claims, and the Swedes and Dutch paid no attention to his
protests. - - -
In the mean time great events were transpiring in England. In
1642 war broke out between Charles I. and those of his subjects who
would not longer submit to his tyranny and injustice. The revolution
was headed by Oliver Cromwell, one of the greatest soldiers and
statesmen of all time, who, in a few years, conquered the King, and in
( 31 )
32
1649 he was beheaded. Cromwell reigned under the title of Lord Pro-
tector until his death in 1658. His son Richard could not maintain his
father’s position, and soon made way for Charles II., son of Charles I.
In 1664 Charles gave his brother, James, Duke of York, the Dutch
colonies in America—if he could get them. James sent a British fleet
over to New York and took it and soon after all the other Dutch
colonies in America. And now the Dutch-Swedish settlements along
the west shore of the Delaware bay and river came under the dominion
of the King’s brother.
In 1681, to cancel a debt which his father had owed, the King (still
Charles II.) gave to William Penn the province of Pennsylvania. It
was to be bounded on the south by “a circle drawn at twelve miles dis-
tance from New Castle '' and west of that along the 40th parallel of lati-
tude five degrees west of the Delaware river. Its northern boundary
was to be the 42d parallel of latitude. New Castle was the capital of the
Duke of York’s possessions, and it was his influence with his brother,
the King, which warded off the encroachment of Penn upon his north-
ern borders by the twelve mile circle.
Just where the 4oth degree of latitude lay had never been deter-
mined, but Penn and others believed that it was in the neighborhood of
the head of Delaware bay. And he was greatly surprised as well as
greatly disappointed when his agent, sent over to determine it, reported
that the 4oth parallel was above the mouth of the Schuylkill. He saw
at once that this would leave him no good harbor, and when the river
was closed by ice it would close all access to his colony, a matter of su-
preme importance when the only practical access to it was by water.
So, before coming over to visit his new estate, Penn persuaded the Duke
of York to convey to him his Dutch-Swedish possessions.
Thus Penn added to the territory which King Charles had given
him, the present State of Delaware, and it may be added here that for
twenty years this territory was an integral part of Pennsylvania, its
three counties sending representatives to the State legislature meeting at
Chester and Philadelphia. At the end of this time Penn granted Dela-
ware a separate legislature, but the Governor of Pennsylvania (who
was always Penn or one of his descendants) continued to be also the
Governor of Delaware until the Revolutionary War, when the little
State was finally and completely separated from its larger neighbor.
Lord Baltimore continued to object to being thus deprived of what
he believed, and what was really intended by Charles I. to be a part of
his territory. Finding Penn unyielding he appealed to the King.
Charles II., who gave Pennsylvania to Penn, died early in 1685, and
was succeeded by his brother James, the very Duke of York who had
added the Delaware counties to Pennsylvania. As might have been
expected, King James decided against Lord Baltimore and confirmed
finally Penn’s charter to the three lower counties, as Delaware was then
called.
But this did not settle the location of the main southern boundary
of Pennsylvania. Maryland claimed, under its charter, the territory up
to 40° north latitude, which would give to it Philadelphia and all the
early Pennsylvania settlements. On behalf of Pennsylvania it was
claimed that, according to the accepted maps of the day, it was under-
stood when the Maryland and Pennsylvania charters were granted that
the 40th degree of latitude crossed about the head of the Delaware bay
and, therefore, the boundary should be there. It was also contended
that Penn’s grant began at the beginning of the 40th degree of latitude,
33
or really at the 39th parallel. The controversy continued until 1732
when the sons of Penn (he had been dead for years) and Lord Baltimore
came to a final and permanent agreement as to how their boundary lines
were to be run.
This was as follows: Following the present southern boundary of
Delaware to a point half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesa-
peake bay, thence northward (but not necessarily nor in reality exactly
north) in such direction that it would be tangent to the twelve mile
circle about New Castle, and from the point of tangency exactly north
until it reached a point fifteen miles south of the latitude of Philadelphia.
This was to be the north-eastern corner of Maryland, from which the
southern boundary of Pennsylvania was to extend due west five de-
grees from the Delaware river. The boundary line between Delaware
and Pennsylvania was to be the arc of the twelve mile circle about New
Castle, curving around from the eastern side of Maryland to the Delaware
r1Ver. -
This explicit agreement ought to have ended the controversy, but
the next Lord Baltimore tried to repudiate the bargain ; and then there
was much delay on the part of the local surveyors in locating the
boundaries.
Finally, in 1763, Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, two prominent
English mathematicians and surveyors, were engaged to come over to
America and to lay out the lines. They reached Philadelphia in the
latter part of the same year. Early in 1764 they ran a line due west from
South street, then the southern limit of the city, thirty-one miles from
the Delaware river. They crossed the West Chester and Wilmington
road about one mile south of the West Chester State Normal School,
the line ending at a spot between the forks of the Brandywine, near the
Chester County Almshouse on the farm now belonging to Henry Harlan.
There they planted a stone, still standing and yet known as “The star-
gazer's stone.” Thence they measured due south fifteen miles and were
in the latitude of the dividing line between Pennsylvania and Maryland,
as had been previously agreed upon. Along this line they ran a few
miles west until they were about where they supposed the corner of
Maryland must be. *
They then went to the southern end of Delaware and starting from
the South-west corner of the State, the middle of the peninsula, they re-
determined its western boundary up to where it touched the twelve-mile
circle which had been laid out around the northern end of the state.
From here they ran due north, (instead of a little west of north as the
western boundary of Delaware runs up to this point) up to the line fif-
teen miles south of Philadelphia. Here they planted a stone to establish
the north-eastern corner of Maryland.
From this corner they laid out the southern boundary line of Penn-
Sylvania due west until, in the fall of 1767, they had crossed the Mon-
Ongahela and were within twenty-two miles of the end of the five degrees
from the Delaware river where the south-west corner of the state was to
be fixed, where they came to an Indian war-path. Here the Indians,
who had for some time been suspicious of their movements, bade them
stop. They did so, and there the work of Mason and Dixon ended.
The remainder of the line was not run until after the close of the Revo-
lutionary war by American scientists—David Rittenhouse was one of
them and Col. Andrew Porter of Montgomery County, father of
Governor Porter of Pennsylvania, and grandfather of Gen. Horace
Porter of New York, being also connected with this later expedition.
34
There are some curious features about these boundary lines that
may be of interest. About five miles south of the north-eastern corner
of Maryland is the tangent point, where the boundary line which has
been running up in a somewhat north-westerly direction between Dela-
ware and Maryland touches the twelve-mile circle. At this point it
changes its direction to one due north. This change of direction cuts a
narrow segment of the circle off on the west side of the straight line. It
is about a mile and a-half long and one hundred and sixteen feet wide
at the middle. This, by the original agreement, is a part of Delaware.
At the upper end of this segment is the point of the famous little tri-
angle of Pennsylvania, which thrusts itself down like a wedge between
the north and south boundary of Maryland and the Delaware boundary
curving away from it. This triangle is three-quarters of a mile wide at
the upper end and three and a-half miles long, containing about eight
hundred acres. In it is the village of Mechanicsville, (which is, how-
ever, not a post-office), and several sets of farm buildings.
This triangle of land is legally a part of London Britain township,
Chester county, and has thus been a part of Pennsylvania ever since the
boundaries were settled. But, strange to say, its inhabitants have
always considered themselves as residents of Delaware, they have voted
and paid taxes in that state, and crimes committed there have always
been punished by Delaware laws and in Delaware courts. Neither
Pennsylvania nor the county nor township to which it belongs, has ever
exercised any jurisdiction over it. One of its inhabitants, Mr. William
Smith, was once a member of the Delaware legislature, and, it is said,
by his vote prevented Delaware from freeing her slaves.
The arc of the twelve-mile circle which lies between Pennsylvania
and Delaware was not run by Mason and Dixon, because they were em-
ployed only to run the lines between Penn's possessions—that is Penn-
sylvania and Delaware—and Maryland. This curve was laid out in
1701 by Isaac Taylor of Chester county, and Thomas Pierson of New-
castle county, Delaware, just before the three Delaware counties obtained
a separate legislative government. It was not resurveyed (except three
or four miles of the western end of it in 1849 by Col. Graham) until
1893, when the 1egislature of Pennsylvania and Delaware having ap-
pointed a joint commission to resurvey and re-establish the New Castle
circle, they secured Mr. W. C. Hodgkins, of the U. S. Coast Survey,
to take charge of the work. Hon. Wayne MacVeagh, of Philadelphia,
Hon. R. E. Monaghan, of Chester county, and Mr. Wm. H. Miller, of
Delaware county, were the Pennsylvania Commissioners, and Hon.
Thos. F. Bayard was one of the Delaware Commissioners. -
They found that the original line had been inaccurately run, and
that a true arc of a circle with a twelve mile radius, centering at the
Court House steeple in New Castle, would lie wholly in Delaware, and
its eastern end would be more than half a mile further down the Dela-
ware river than the recognized State line. This would give Pennsylvania
about five thousand acres of land which had always been recognized as
belonging to Delaware.
The Commissioners had no authority and did not attempt to make
this change. They were simply to redetermine and mark accurately and
plainly the original boundary line. This they did according to the best
obtainable information, setting up boundary stones at the end of each
half mile.
The Commissioners decided that the main southern boundary of
Pennsylvania should run east until it intersected the New Castle circle,
35
thus ceding the wedge of land jutting down from Pennsylvania between
Maryland and Delaware to Delaware. But this action of theirs was
unauthorized by law, and this triangle will continue to belong legally to
Pennsylvania until the legislatures of Pennsylvania and Delaware, and
the Congress of the United States, agree to the cession. But until that
time it will doubtless continue to be practically a part of Delaware.
Such is a brief history of an important boundary between two great
States, and which, as the dividing line between slavery and freedom, be-
came the most famous line in our history, but whose importance on this
account is now happily gone.
SOME OF THE EARLY HISTORY
OF
West Chester, Pa.
READ AT THE CENTENNIAL OF THE B0R0UGH,
By G I L B E R T C O P E ,
Hoth ſlo. 11th, 1899.
the other counties of this Commonwealth,
in that, as originally constituted, it con-
tained the seat of justice for the whole
province, prior to the charter to William Penn.
The records of the Court held at Upland com-
mence in 1676, and with the arrival of Wil-
liam Penn, in 1682, the name was changed
from Upland to Chester, and this continued to be
the county seat of Chester county for more than
a century. With the progress of settlements in the
western part of the county, and the increase of
population, the inconvenience of having the county
seat at the extreme southeastern corner of the
county became more and more felt. At length, on
January 28, 1766, a petition was addressed to the
Assembly, asking for an act to erect a court house,
and for the holding of the courts as near the cen-
tre of the county as might be. Other petitions and
counter petitions were addressed to that body, but
nothing was accomplished at this time, and in the
coming years the thoughts of the people were much
occupied with the incidents leading to the War of
the Revolution.
In 1779 the subject was again agitated, and at
length, in the following year, an act was passed
by which certain trustees were appointed to pur-
chase ground and erect the necessary buildings.
These obtained a lot in the present borough of
Downingtown, from Rosanna. Sheward, but for
some reasons made no further proceedings toward
carrying out the purpose of their appointment. The
county seat having been subsequently fixed in 1784
at the present location, the sale of the Iot in Down-
ingtown was authorized by an act of Assembly,
passed March 3, 1788.
While the following details of the legislation on
the subject may be thought tedious, yet it seems
desirable at this time to gather up full particulars
of the establishment of our seat of justice.
( 36 )
C HESTER COUNTY may claim priority over
37
JOURNAL OF THE ASSEMBLY, 1779.
Feb. 20. A petition from six hundred and sixty
of the inhabitants of Chester county, setting forth
the inconveniences attending the seat of justice re-
maining at the extreme end of the county, and
praying the house to pass an act for removing it
to a more central part thereof, was read, and or-
dered to lie on the table.
April 1. The petition of a number of inhabitants
of the county of Chester, praying that the seat of
justice may be removed to a more central part of
the county, was read the second time, and thereupon
Resolved, That the further consideration of the said
petition be postponed until the twelfth day after the
next meeting of the general assembly, and the clerk
Of this house is enjoined to publish this resolve in the
public newspapers of this city, for the information
of all persons Concerned.
Sept. 15. Agreeable to an order of the last sitting
of this house, a number of petitions from the
county of Chester, praying that the seat of justice
may be removed to a more central part of the coun-
ty, Were read again, and considered, and thereupon
it was ordered that the representatives of the said
county bring in a bill agreeable to the prayer of
the said petitions.
Sept. 17. Agreeable to leave given the represen-
tatives for the county of Chester, brought in a bill
intituled “An act to enable to
build a new courthouse and prison in the county
of Chester, and sell their old courthouse and prison
in the borough of Chester,” which was read the
first time and ordered to lie on the table for con-
sideration and a second reading.
Sept. 25. The bill intituled “An act to enable
Willian Clingan, esquire, Peter Hartman, John
ISKinkead, Thomas Heslop and William Brooks, gen-
tlemen, to build a new courthouse and prison in
the county of Chester, and sell the old courthouse
and prisoll in the borough of Chester,” was read the
Second time, and being debated by paragraphs, was
Ordered to be transcribed for a third reading,
and in the meantime printed for public considera-
tion.
Oct. 2. A remonstrance from eighteen of the in-
habitants of Chester county, against the bill for
removing the courts of justice to a more central
part of the county, was read, and ordered to lie
on the table.
A petition from one hundred and fifty-six inhab-
itants of the county of Chester, praying that the
seat of justice may be removed to a central part
of the county, was read, and ordered to lie on
the table. -
Oct. 10. Resolved, That the following bills be,
and they are hereby recommended to the attention
of the next general assembly, at their first
sitting, viz. 3d “An act to enable William CIingan,
esquire, Peter Hartman, John Kinkead, Thomas
Heslop and William Brooks, gentlemen, to build
a new court house and prison in the county of
Chester, and sell the old court house and prison in
the borough of Chester.”
Nov. 23. The bill for removing the court of jus-
tice, in Chester county, to a more central part of
38
the said county, published for consideration by
the late house of assembly, and by them recom-
mended to this house, together with sundry peti-
tions, for and against the said bill, Were read,
whereupon &
Resolved, That this house will, on the third Wed-
nesday after their next meeting, hear the parties in-
terested, and if any persons have any objection they
are to appear on said day, and shew cause why the
same should not be enacted into a Iaw; And the
clerk of this house is ordered to publish this resolu-
tion in the news-papers of this city
1780, Feb. 2. Agreeable to the order of the day,
the house took up the bill for the removal of
Chester court-house.
A petition from forty-two of the inhabitants of
Chester county, praying that the bill printed for
consideration, by the late house of assembly, for
removing the courts of justice to a central part of
the said county, may be passed into a law, Was read,
and ordered to lie on the table.
Sundry petitions signed by six hundred and thir-
ty-four of the inhabitants of the county of Chester,
praying that the courts of justice may not be re-
moved from the borough of Chester as proposed by
the bill for that purpose published for consideration,
by the late house of assembly, was read, and order-
ed to lie on the table. But some objection being
made to the authenticity of divers of the names
subscribed to the said petitions, the same were re-
ferred to the members of the county of Chester, to
give their several opinions thereon.
Feb. 3. On re-considering of the minute of No-
vember the twenty third, it appeared, that the day
therein appointed for entering on the bill for the
removal of the courthouse in the county of Chester,
might be understood to be Wednesday next, as some
might include, and others exclude the first Wednes-
day on which the present sitting met, therefore,
Resolved, That the further consideration be re-
ferred till next Wednesday.
Feb. 9. Agreeable to the order of the day, the
house took up the consideration of the bill for the
removal of the courts of justice, in the county of
Chester, and the several petitions for and against the
same, thc names thereto being counted, there ap-
peared for the removal 529; against it 437. And the
bill being read the second time, and debated by
paragraphs, was ordered to be transcribed for the
third reading, and in the mean time printed for con-
sideration.
March 7. Sundry petitions signed by 159 inhabi-
tants of Chester county, praying the bill for remov-
ing the courts of justice of that county, may pass
into a law, were read, and ordered to lie on the table.
Sundry petitions signed by 150 inhabitants of
Chester county, against the removal of the said
courts of justice, were read, and ordered to lie on
the table.
March 14. The bill entitled, “An act to enable
William Clingan, Thomas Bull, John I.Ginkead,
Roger Kirk, John Sellers, John Wilson and John
JDavis, to build a new court house and prison, in
the county of Chester, and to sell the old court-house
and prison in the borough of Chester,” was read
the third time, and being debated by paragraphs,
39
was ordered to be engrossed in order to be enacted
ânto a law.
The yeas and nays being called for, are as follows:
Yeas. Yeas.
1. William Hollingshead, 23. James Dixon,
2. Jacob Schreiner, 24. Matthew Dill,
3. M. chael Shu-bart, 25. John Orr,
4. Charles W. Peale, 26. David Kennedy,
5. Fobert Knox, 27. Jonathan Hoge,
6. Samuel Mechlin, 28. Abraham Smith,
7. Gerardus Wynkoop, £9. William Harris,
8. Benjamin Fell, 30. Frederick Watts,
9. William Scott, 31. Ephraim Steel,
10. David Thomas, 32. Valentine Eckart,
11. James Boyd, 33. Christian Lower,
12. Patrick Anderson, 34. Jonathan Jones,
13. Joseph Parke, 35. Peter Rhoads,
11. John Harris, 36. John Ralston,
15. James Anderson, 37. Christopher Wagner,
16. John Smiley, 38. John Burd,
17. John Gilchreest, 39. Joseph Powell,
18. Christopher Rucher, 40. Robert Martin,
19. James Cunningharra, 41. William Montgomery,
20. William Porter, 42. John Proctor,
21. James Jacks, 43. Isaac Mason.
22. John Whitehill,
Nays. Nays.
1. Joseph McClean, 8. Henry Hayes,
2. Edward Heston, 9. John Fulton,
3. William Coates, 10. Sketchly Morton,
4. Daniel Heester, 11. William Brown, J.T.,
5. Joseph Blewer, 12. David Dunwoody,
6. Arthur Watts, 13. John Van Campen.
7. Joseph Savage,
(Of the Chester county members David Thomas,
James Boyd, Patrick Anderson, Joseph Parke and
William Harris appear to have voted for, and John
Fulton, Henry Hayes and Sketchly Morton, against
the bill.)
March 20. The bill intituled, “An act to enable
William Clinghan, Thomas Bull. John Rinkead,
Roger ISirk, John Sellers, John Wilson and Joseph
TXavis to build a new court house and prison in the
county of Chester, and to sell the old court house
and prison in the borough of Chester,” was brought
in engrossed, and being compared at the table, was
enacted into a law, and the speaker directed to sign
the same.
THE ACT PROVIDING FOR REMOVAL OF
COUNTY SEAT.
The following is the text of the Act.
Whereas it has been represented to this House, that
the holding of the Courts of General Quarter Ses-
sions of the Peace, Common Pleas, Nisi Prius, Oyer
and Terminer and General Gaol Delivery, for the
county of Chester, in the borough of Chester, is very
inconvenient and burthensome to a great part of the
inhabitants of the said county, as the situation n.f
said borough is at the extreme corner of said county:
and that it would be very commodious, and much for
the advantage of the inhabitants in general, if the
several courts were held at a more central part of
said county.
II. Be it therefore enacted, and it is hereby enacted,
That it shall and may be lawful to and for the Said
William Clingan, Thomas Bull, John Kinkead, Roger
Kirk, John Sellers, John Wilson and Joseph Davis, or
any four or more of them, to purchase and take as-
surance to them, and their heirs, of a piece of land,
situate in some convenient place of the said county,
in trust and for the use of Said county, and thereon
to build and erect Or Cause to be built and erected, a
court-house and prison, Sufficient to accommodate
the public service of the said county, and for the
ease and convenience of the said inhabitants.
III, And be it enacted, That when the said court-
house and prison shall be erected as aforesaid, that
from thenceforth the several Courts of General Quar-
4O
ter Sessions, Common Pleas, Nisi Prius, Oyer and,
Terminer and General Gaol. Delivery, for the said,
©ounty, Shall be holden and kept at the said court-
house, when the same is built and erected in the
place so to be provided as a foresaid.
IV. And be , it further enacted, That it shall and
may be lawful that the said William Clingan, Thomas:
Bull, John Kinkead, Roger Kirk, John Sellers, John
Wilson and Joseph Davis, or any four or more of
them, shall have full power to expose to sale, by
public vendue, to the highest bidder, the old court-
house, prison and work-house, with all and singular
the appurtenances and hereditaments thereunto be-
longing, situate in the borough of Chester aforesaid,
and to give assurances to the heirs and assigns of
the purchaser or purchasers for ever; and the monies.
therefrom arising shall be appropriated towards pay.
ing for the lands to be purchased, and the new court-
house and prison to be built in the said place, so as
aforesaid to be provided.
V. And be it further enacted, That for the defray-
ing the remainder of the expenees and charge of pur-
chasing the land, building and erecting the saidº
court-house and prison, it shall and may be lawful
for the commissioners and assessors of said county,
or a majority of them, to assess and levy so much:
money as the said Trustees, or any four of them,
shall judge necessary for paying the remainder afore-
said, of purchasing the land and finishing the said
court-house and prison, and they are hereby - required?
so to do. —Eeeorded in Law Book, Vol. I, page 373.
DIFFICULTY IN GETTING COMMISSIONERS
TO ACT.
In Assembly, Feb. 12, 1784:
A petition from sundry inhabitants of Chester
eounty was read, setting forth that the persons ap-
pointed by aet of Assembly, passed in March, 1780,
to dispose of the court house, jail and work house,
in the borough of Chester, and to purchase a piece
of ground in some convenient place, more centrak,
for holding of courts, &c., living at a great distance
from each other, makes it difficult to get a sufficient
number of them together to act, more especially as:
some of them have refused to take the trust upon
them; therefore praying the House will be pleased
to pass a supplement to said act, appointing new
commissioners, who live contiguous to each other,
and fix the place for such buildings. Ordered to lie
on the table.
Feb. 13. The petition from divers inhabitants of
Chester eounty. read yesterday, was read the second
time.
Ordered, 'That Mr. Clark, Mr. Scott, Mr. Mc-
Conaughy and Mr. Ilutz be a committee, to make
report thereon.
March 5. The committee appointed for the pur-
pose, February 13 last, reported a bill, entitułed “A
supplement to an act, entituled ‘An act to enable
William Clingan, Thomas Bull, John Kinkead,
Roger Kirk, John Sellers, John Wilson and Joseph
TXavis, to build a new court house and prison in
the county of Chester, and sell the old court house
and prison in the borough of Chester, which was
read the first time, and ordered to lie on the table.
March 6. The bill, entituled “A Supplement to
the Act, entituled “An Act to enable William
Clingan, Thomas Bull, John Kinkead, Roger Kirk,
John Sellers, John Wilson and Joseph Davis, to
build a new court house and prison in the county of
Chester, and sell the old court house and prison in
the borough of Chester,” was read the second time,
and debated by paragraphs. 9
4 I
Ordered, That it be transcribed, and in the mean
time printed for public consideration.
March 22. The bill entituled “A supplement to
the Act, entituled “An Act to enable William Cling-
an (&c.).” having been brought in engrossed, was
compared at the table:
And on the question, “Shall the said bill be enact-
ed into a law º' the yeas and nays were called by
Mr. D. Thomas and Mr. Magoffin, and are as fol-
lows, viz.:
YeaS. Yeas.
1. John Steinmetz, 22. Edward Jones,
2. '] h m as Shields, 23 Abraham Scott,
3 Mat h -w Ho gate, 24. Matthias Slough,
4. Thomas Reese, 25. Joseph Work,
5. James Mori is, 26. A dam Hubley,
6. Henry Hill, 27. William Parr,
7. Thomas Long, 28. Jr. seph Ma grffin,
8. Joseph Thomas, 29. Philip Gardner,
9. Joseph Savitz, 30. William Brown,
10. John Clark, (Carlisle),
11. Richard Rue, 31. Fre delick Watts,
12. Evan Evans, J2 James John SC n,
13. John Hannum, 33. John Carothers,
14. Richard Will.ng, 34. William Brown
15. Thomas Potts, (Cumberland),
16. Nicholas Lutz, 35. Robert Whitehill,
17. Abraham Lincoln, 36. William Maclay,
18, J. Cob Arndt, 37. Thomas Morton,
19. James Hartzell, 38. Richard Wallace,
20. Robert Cluggage, 39. John Stephenson.
2i. Thomas Bull,
Nays. Nays.
1. Samuel Ashmead, 9. Robert McPherson,
2. David Thomas, 10. David McConaughy,
3. Joseph Parke, 11. Abraham Smith,
4. William Brown, 12. Christian LOWer,
5. James Mercer, 13. John Rice,
6. John Craig, 14. Robert Brown.
7. Adam Orth, 15. George Woods.
8. John Hay,
(Of the members from Chester county, Evan
Evans, John Hannum, Richard Willing, Thomas
Potts, Thomas Bull and Edward Jones voted for,
and David Thomas and Joseph Parke against the
bill.)
A SECOND ACT PASSED.
The following is a copy of the Act:
A. Supplement to an act, entituled “An Act to enable
William Clingan, Thomas Bull, John Rinkead, Roger
Kirk, John Sellers, John Wilson and Joseph Davis,
to build a new court house and prison in the county
of Chester and sell the old court house and prison
in the borough of Chester.”
Sect. J. Whereas the act, entituled "An Act to en-
able William Clingan, Thomas Bull, John Rinkead.
Roger Rirk, John Sellers, John Wilson and Joseph.
Pavis, to build a new court house and prison in the
county of Chester, and sell the old court house and
prison in the borough of Chester,” passed the twen-
tieth day of March, in the year of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred and eighty, hath not been
i. into execution by the commissioners therein
Ila IſleCli.
Sect. II. Be it therefore enacted, and it is hereby
enacted by the Representatives of the Freemen of the
commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly
met, and by the authority of the same, That John
Hannum, esquire, John Taylor, esquire, and John
Jacobs be, and they hereby are, constituted and ap-
pointed commissioners for the purpose mentioned and
expressed in the act, entituled “An Act to enable Wil-
liam Clingan,” (etc.,) and that they, or any two of
them, sh;all be, and they hereby are, empowered and
authorized to carry the said act, and every part there-
of, into execution, as fully and amply, as by the
before mentioned act the said William Clingan,
Thomas Bull, John Kinkead, Roger Rirk, John Sel-
Iers, John Wilson and Joseph Davis, or any four of
them, might or could have done.
42
, Sect. III. Provided always, and be it further enacted
by the authority aforesaid, "That the said John Han-
num, esquire, Isaac Taylor, esquire, and John Jacobs
shall not have any power to build or contract with
any person to build or erect the buildings mentioned
in Said act, at a greater distance than one mile and
a half from the Turk's Head tavern, in the township
of Goshen, in said, county, and to the west or south-
west of said Turk's Head tavern, and on or near the
streight line from the ferry, called the corporation
ferry, on Schuylkill, to the village of . Strasburgh;
any thing in this act, or the act to which this is a
Supplement, to the contrary notwithstanding.
Sect. IV. And be it further enacted by the authority
aforesaid, That the said John Hannum, esquire, Isaac
Taylor, , esquire, and John Jacobs, or any two of
them, shall have no power to give possession of the
gaol and court house in the borough of Chester, to
any person or persons purchasing the same, until a
new court house and gaol are erected as aforesaid,
any thing in this act, or the act to which this is
a supplement, to the contrary notwithstanding.
Sect. V. And be it further enacted by the authority
aforesaid, That the said William Clingan, Thomas
Bull, John Rinkead, Roger Kirk, John Sellers, John
Wilson and Joseph Davis, or any of them, shall not
have any power to carry the act, to which this is a
supplement, into execution, and that so much there-
of as is repugnant to this act, and no more, shall
be, and the same is hereby repealed and made void.
(It has been suggested that the limit of one and
a half miles from the Turk’s Head was inserted
through the connivance of John Hannum, in order
to place the public buildings on his land in East
Bradford; but as he was located at least two and a
half miles distant, of which he must have been well
aware, and the land of his mother-in-law, Deborah
Parke, just outside of the designated limit, it would
seem quite as probable that it was intended to keep
clear of any lands in which he was interested.)
PRESENTATION OF REMONSTRANCES.
In Assembly, Dec. 15, 1784: A Memorial and Peti-
tion front divers inhabitants of the County of Ches-
ter, was read, remonstrating against the act intitul-
ed “A supplement to an act entituled ‘An act to en-
able William Clingan, Thomas Bull, John Kinkead,
Roger Kirk, John Sellers, John Wilson and Joseph
Davis to build a new Court House and Prison in
the County of Chester, and sell the old Court House
and Prison in the Borough of Chester,’” and pray-
ing the petitions against the same read in the late
House of Assembly, may be taken into considera-
tion and such relief granted as to this House shall
appear just. Ordered to lie on the table.
Feb. 15, 1785. A memorial and petition from
divers inhabitants of the county of Chester, was
read, remonstrating against the act, entitled “A
supplement to an act entitled ‘An act to enable Wil-
liam Clingan (&c.),’” and praying this House to
take into consideration their petitions and remon-
stances to the late Assembly; to allow them an
opportunity to be heard before the House, or a
committee thereof; and to repeal or suspend the
further execution of the said act. Ordered to lie on
the table.
Feb. 18. A memorial from the commissioners of
the county of Chester was read, stating divers
grievances they labour under, by the several acts
for raising county rates and levies, and particularly
the act for building a new court house in the said
county, whereby the county commissioners and as-
43
sessors are required to assess and levy so much
amoney as the trustees for building the said new
court house, or any two of them, shall judge neces-
sary, after selling the old court house and prison;
and praying relief in the premises. Ordered to lie
•on the table.
Feb. 19. The petitions of divers inhabitants of
the county of Chester, read December 15th last, and
Tebruary 15th; and the memorial of the commis-
sioners of the said county, read yesterday, were
severally read the second time.
Ordered, That they be referred to the members
from Chester County to report a bill if they deem
it necessary.
March 3. ivers memorials and petitions, from
a number of the inhabitants of the county of Ches-
ter, were read, remonstrating against the act for
removing the courts of justice within the said coun-
ty; and praying they may be heard before this
House, or a committee thereof, and the act sus-
pended or repealed. Ordered to lie on the table.
March 4. The committee appointed for the pur-
pose, reported a bill, entitled “An act to suspend an
act of the General Assembly of this Commonwealth,
entitled. “A supplement to an act, entitled. ‘An act
to enable William Cling'an, Thomas Bull, John
Kinkead, Roger Kirk, John Sellers, John Wilson
and Joseph Davis to build a new Court House and
\Prison in the County of Chester, and sell the old
Court House and Prison in the borough of Ches-
ter,’ ” which was read the first time, ordered to
lie on the table.
March 16. The bill, entitled, “An act to suspend
an act of the General Assembly of this Common-
wealth, entitled “A supplement to an act (&c.),’”
was read the second time, and debated by para-
graphs. Ordered, that it be transcribed, and in
the mean time printed for public consideration.
March 29. The bill, entitled “An act to suspend
an act, etc.,” was read the third time, and debated
by paragraphs.
Ordered, That it be engrossed for the purpose of
being enacted into a law. 9
March 30. The following bills having been brought
in engrossed, were severally compared at the table.
enacted into laws, and the Speaker directed to sign
the same, viz.:
“An act to suspend an act of General Assembly
(&c.),” and two others.
(The yeas and nays on this bill are not given in
the published journal of the House.)
REPEAL OF THE ACT OF REMOVAIL.
The following is the text of the act:
Sect. I. Whereas it appears from a variety of peti-
tions, remonstrances, memorials and papers, pre-
sented to and laid before the late and present House
of Assembly, by a very large number of respectable
inhabitants of the county of Chester, that a very
great and general dissatisfaction and uneasiness pre-
vails and Subsists annong the greater part of the good
people of the said county with the said act, and the
intended removal of , the seat of justice from the
ancient borough of Chester to the Turk’s head in
Goshen township, in the same county, the place men-
tioned in the said recited act, and with the erection
of a Court house and Prison there; and with the un-
limited, dangerous and unprecedented powers claimed
by the Commissioners under the said act, and have
humbly prayed that the said recited act and the act
44
to Which the same is a Supplement may be repeaſed,
Or Suspended.
Sect. II. And whereas it is but just and reasonable.
that the §rievances of which the good people of the
Šaid cºunty complain should be redressed. Therefore
in Qrder to restore tranquility to the said county
of Chester, and to ease the minds of the good citizens.
and inhabitants thereof:
Sect. III. Be it enacted, and it is hereby enacted.
by the Representatives of the Freemen of the Com-
n: On Wealth Of Pennsylvania in General Assembly
met, and by , the authority of the same, That
the said reeited act entitled “Supplement to
3.T) Act. entitled “An Act to enable Will-
liam Clingan, . Thomas Bull, John Kinkead,
Roger Kirk, ..John Sellers, John Wilson and Joseph,
Pavis to build a new Court House and Prison in
the county of Chester, and sell the old Court House
and Prison in the borough of Chester,” passed on the
twenty-second day of March, in the year of our i,oró,
One thousand sever hundred and eighty four, and,
every article, clause, matter and thing therein and in
the act to which the same is a Supprement, passed.
on the twentieth day of March in the year of our
Lord one, thousand seven hundred and eighty, shalf
be, and the same is, and are, hereby declared to be
Suspended to all intents and purposes, and that the
Courts of justice to be held after the passing of this.
act in and for the said county of Chester shall sit
and be held in the said borough of Chester, in the
Same manner as they were, and were used and accus-
tomed to before making the said acts hereby sus-
pended or either of them, anything therein contained:
to the Contrary in any wise notwithstanding, and also
that the public gaol or prison of the said county shalf
be and continue to be in the said borough of Chester
in manner aforesaid.
Sect. IV. And whereas it is but just, that the neces-
Šary expences which have hitherto been legally in-
Curred under the said acts by the persons who were
thereby authorized and appointed to proceed in pur-
chasing the ground, and erecting and building a new
Court-house and Prison, shall, after the accounts are
Iiquidated and settled be re-imbursed and paid by
the inhabitants of the said county of Chester, to
which end,
Sec. W. Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid
That Robert Loller, Esq., George Smith, Esq., Jona-
than Roberts (Upper Merion), John Jones (Gulph).
and Doctor Robert Shannon, or any three of them,
shall be and they are hereby authorized, appointed
and empowered to adjust and settle the accounts and
expenditures of atl the monies necessarily and legally
Iaid out and expended by the persons so as afore-
said, appointed by the above recited acts to purchase
the ground and erect the said new Court-house and
prison, and on the final settlement of the said a,c-
counts shall report in writing under their hands and
seals to the Commissioners of the said county Of
Chester, the balance justly and legally due to the
persons aforesaid, which balance the said County
Commissioners are hereby authorized and required to
assess and levy, on the inhabitants of the said county,
according to the directions of the act for raising
county rates and levies.
Signed by Order of the House,
- JOHN BAYARD, Speaker.
T’assed into a flaw at Philadelphia, On Wednesday
the thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord
one thousand seven hundred and eighty five.
SAMUEL BRYAN,
Clerk of the General Assembly.
ANOTHER EITFORT FOR REMOVAI.
In Assembly, March 2, 1786. (The earlier proceed-
ings of this session not having been met with).
The bill, entitled “An Act to repeal an act, entitul-
ed “An act to suspend an act of General Assembly
of this Commonwealth, entituled “A Supplement to
an act, entituled “An Act to enable William Clingan,
Thomas Bull, John [inkead, Roger [irk, John Sel-
Iers, John Wilson and Joseph Davis to build a new
Court House and Prison in the County of Chester,
and sell the old Court House and Prison in the bor-
45
ough of Chester,’” was read the third time,
Whereupon,
On motion of Mr. R. Morris, seconded by Mr.
Spyker, - *
Ordered, That the further consideration thereof
be postponed until Friday, the 10th instant.
DIVISION OF THE COUNTY THREATENED,
March 6. Petitions from 443 of the inhabitants
of the county of Chester were read, praying for a
division of said county.
Ordered to lie on the table.
March 7. Petitions from a considerable number
of the inhabitants of the county of Chester were
read, praying for a division of said county. Order-
ed to lie on the table. §
March 10. Petitions from 1547 inhabitants of the
county of Chester were read, praying for a repeal
of the law which suspends the removal of the seat
of justice from the borough of Chester to the Turk’s
Head, in Goshen township, in said county; and rin
motion and by special order, the same were read the
second time.
Ordered, That they, together with the other peti-
tions and remonstrances which have been presented
heretofore, respecting the removal and division of
the said county, be referred to Mr. Clymer, Mr.
Woods, Mr. A. Smith, Mr. Rittenhouse and Mr.
Wheeler, to report thereon.
On motion of Mr. Whitehill, second by Mr. EIan-
In Ul In, .
Ordered, That the order of the day for debating
the bill, entitled “An act to repeal an act, entituled
“An Act to suspend an act of General Assembly of
this Commonwealth, entituled “A Supplement to
an act, entituled “An Act to enable William Cling-
an (&c.)’ ” be postponed until Friday next.
March 11. A petition and remonstrance from
divers inhabitants of the county of Chester was
read, praying the act, entitled “An Act to suspend
an act (&e.),” may be repealed.
Ordered to lie on the table.
March 15. A petition from divers inhabitants of
the county of Chester was read, praying the bill,
entituled “An Act to repeal an act, entituled ‘An act
to suspend an act, entituled “A supplement to an
act (&c.),’” may not be passed into a law.
Ordered to lie on the table.
March 16. Petitions from 226 inhabitants of the
county of Chester were read, praying for a division
of said county. -
Ordered to lie on the table.
March 17. A petition from the Board of Commis-
Sioners of the county of Chester was read, remon-
strating against a division of the said county.
Ordered to lie on the table.
A memorial from divers inhabitants of the city of
Philadelphia was read, praying the seat of justice
in and for the county of Chester may not be remov-
ed from the borough of Chester.
The committee appointed March 10th, on the sev-
eral petitions for and against a division of the coun-
ty of Chester, made report, which was read, and
Ordered to lie on the table.
Agreeably to the order of the day, the House re-
46
stimed the consideration of the bill, entituled “An
act to repeal an act (&c.)”
And in debating the following paragraph, viz.:
Be it enacted, and it is hereby enacted, by the re-
presentatives of the freemen of the commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and by
the authority of the same. That the act, entitułed
“An Act to suspend an act of General Assembly
(&c.),” shall be, and the same is hereby repealed
and made void.
On the question, “Will the House adopt the
same?” the yeas and nays were called by Mr. Dale
and Mr. Hannum, and were as follows, viz.:
Yea.S. Yeas.
1. W IliaIn Will, 22. Abraham Scott,
2. Robert Morris, 23. William Parr,
3. Thomas Fitzsimmons, 24. Henry Miller,
4. George Clymer, 25. David McConaughy,
5. George Logan, 26. Michael Schmyser,
6. William Robinson, Jr., 27. Philip Gartner,
7. Arthur Erwin, 28. Joseph Lilly,
8. Samuel Foulke, 29. Henry Tyson,
9. John Smith, 30. David McClellan,
10. Joseph Thomas, 31. Adam. Eichelberger,
11. Robert Ralston, 32. Frederick Watts,
12. James Moore, 33. John Creigh,
13. John Hannum, 34. Abraham Lincoln,
14. Robert Smith, 35. Henry Spyker,
15. Samuel Evans, 36. Robert Trail,
16. Jonathan Morris, 37. Peter Trexler, Jr.,
17 Townsend Whelen, 38. Peter Burkhalter,
18. Adam Hubley, 39. William Todd,
19. Alexander Lowrey, 40. Robert Loller, -
20. Emanuel Carpenter, 41. David Krouse, s
21. Joseph Work, 42. Daniel Bradley.
Nays. Nays. -
1. James Irvine, 14. Frederick Antes, *
2. John Salter, 15. Samuel TYale,
3. John Carlº, 16, John McDowell,
4. Robert Whitehill, 77. James Edgar,
5. John Carothers, 18. John Smilie,
6. Nicholas Lutz, 19. James McCalmont,
7. Philip Kreemer, 20. Abraham Smith,
8. David Davis, 21. John Rhea,
9. Baltzer Gehr, 22. Peter Richards,
10. Thomas Mawhorter, 3. Samuel Wheeler,
11. Robert Brown, 24. Adam Orth,
12. George Woods, 25. Robert Clark.
13. John Piper,
So it was determined in the affirmative.
And having debated the aforesaid bill by para-
graphs.
Ordered, That it be engrossed, for the purpose of
being enacted into a law.
(All the Chester County members present, to wit,
Robert Ralston, James Moore, John Hannum, Ro-
bert Smith, Samuel Evans, Jonathan Morris and
Townsend Whelen, voted for the bill. The last
named was elected by a special writ, issued Dec.
24, 1785, to succeed Anthony Wayne, resigned.
Thomas Bull, the remaining member, does not ap-
pear to have voted.) *
ANOTHER ACT ALI/OWING REMOVAL.
March 18. The following bills, having been
brought in engrossed, were severally compared at
the table, enacted into laws, and the Speaker direct-
ed to sign the same, viz.: *
Ann Act to repeal an act, entituled “An Act to sus-
pend an act of General Assembly of this common-
wealth, entituled “A Supplement to an act, entituled
“An Act to enable William Clingan, Thomas Bull,
John Išinkead, Roger Kirk, John Sellers, John Wil-
son and Joseph Davis to build a new Court House
47
and Prison in the county of Chester, and sell the old
Court House and Prison in the borough of Chester.”
{And one other Act.]
Sect. I. Whereas by the said Suspending law it is
recited that a general dissatisfaction and uneasiness
did prevail and subsist among the greater part of
the good people of the county of Chester with the
said act, and the intended removal of the seat of
justice from the borough of Chester to the Turk's
Head in Goshen township, in the same county; And
whereas it appears, from a variety of petitions, re-
monstrances and memorials presented to and laid
before the present House of Assembly, that a great
part of the good people of said county are much dis-
satisfied with the Courts of justice remaining at the
\borough of Chester, and it being just and reasonable
that the said suspending law should be repealed, the
causes for which the said law was passed having
ceased to exist.
Sect. IJ. Be it therefore enacted, and it is hereby
enacted by the Representatives of the Freemen of
the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in General As-
sembly met, and by the authority of the same, That
the act entituled “An Act to suspend an Act of
General Assembly,” etc., shall be, and the same is
hereby repealed, and made null and void.
THE COUNTY SEAT MOVED AT LAST.
The “House that Jack Built” was now fortunately
completed, and we have no more Acts to supplement,
suspend or repeal for some years, except that on
March 3, 1788, the bounds of the new county seat
were defined and the place officially named West
Chester. This name appears, however, in Isaac
Webb's petition for tavern license, May 25, 1787.
The story of the anti-removalists, coming from
Chester to batter down the walls of the new
Court House, with a cannon, has often been told,
but no contemporary account of the affair has been
found to show the date of the occurrence. It is in-
ferred that it was after the Suspending Act had
been passed, and that it was provoked by the re-
movalists proceeding with the building of the Court
House. - 9
Of the legislators whose votes have been shown
on this subject it is believed that the following resi-
dences are correct: Patrick Anderson, Charlestown,
Thomas Bull, East Nantmel, James Boyd, Sads-
bury, Evan Evans, Ilondon Britain, Samuel Evans,
ditto, John Fulton, E. Nottingham, Henry Hayes,
Darby, John Hannum, West Bradford, afterwards
East Bradford, and later West Chester, William
Harris, West Nottingham (?), Edward Jones, Rad-
nor, James Moore, West Nantmel, Jonathan Mor-
ris, Marple, Sketchly Morton, Ridley, Joseph Parke,
Sadsbury, Thomas Potts, E. Nantmel, Robert
Ralston, Vincent, Robert Smith, Oxford, David
Thomas, Newtown (?), Townsend Whelen, Uwch-
lan, Richard Willing, Haverford.
Their votes were doubtless governed by their lo-
cations, but how far their election was influenced
by the question of removal we have little evidence.
It may be noticed, however, that only one of the
members in 1785-6 came from that part of the coun-
ty now included in Delaware county. -
In that day the authority of the courts was much
more restricted than in this, and it was neces-
sary to have a special Act of Assembly to enable
the Sheriff to remove the prisoners from the old to
the new jail. This was passed September 25, 1786.
48
Now FOR A DIVISION OF THE COUNTY.
The petitions in favor of a division of the county,
in 1786, must have come from those who despaired
of having the county seat removed, but when they
had succeeded in this object the boot was on the
other leg, and it was not long before the Chester
faction were clamoring for a division, in which they
were succeessful, in 1789. :
One more piece of legislation will be given, in the
following Act, approved March 12th, 1800:
An Act to empower the Commissioners of Chester
County to sell certain Kots of ground belonging to the
COunty, and also to purchase for the use of the
county a lot on the west side of the jail.
Section I. Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives, of the Commonwealth of Pennsyl-
vania in General Assembly met, and it is hereby en-
acted by the authority of the same, That William
Rogers, Evan Evans and John Menough, junior, com-
missioners of Chester county, and their successors in
office, are hereby empowered to purchase ground on
the west side Of the jail, not exceeding half an acre,
in trust for the county, for a jail yard, and such other
public purposes as the said commissioners shall
deem proper, and the said commissioners are further
hereby enmpowered to sell and convey by deed, in
fee-simple, a lot the property of the county, on the
north side of the court house, prison and prison yard,
upon this condition and restriction, that the pur-
ehaser, his heirs and assigns, shall erect no buildings
of any kind, on or over the said lot, but shall permit
the same to remain forever an open highway; and
the said commissioners and their successors in office,
are hereby further empowered to sell and Convey
by deed in fee-simple, any other lot or lots heretofore
purchased for the use of the cqunty, on which
ino public buildings are ereeted, and the money arising
from such sale or sales to be applied for the use of
the county.
The particular lot above specified to be sold was
a strip of ground twelve feet wide, between the
walls of the Washington Hotel and those of the
Court House, and over which it is said that Col.
Hannum projected his bridgeway from the second
story of the tavern to that of the other building, as
an inducenient for the patronage of the Judges.
The ground was purchased by David Lewis, the
then owner of the tavern, by deed of Jan. 23, 1801,
in order to gain a passage from High street to the
stable in the rear.
THE TOWN PLOT.
At the beginning of the year 1784 a road from the
Great Valley to Wilmington was crossed nearly at
right angles by one ſeading to Philadelphia, in the
western part of Goshen township. This intersection
of the roads was the common corner for four farms,
of which that to the northwest was owned by Daniel
Hoopes, the northeast by Isaiah Matlack, the south-
east by John Hoopes, and the southwest by Benja-
min Trego. That of Hoopes contained 220 acres,
part of 630 acres patented to Nathaniel Puckle, of
Philadelphia, merchant and mariner, who devised
the same to his daughter, Deborah, and she with
her husband, Roger Edmonds, sold to Richard Hill,
of Philadelphia, and he in turn conveyed the land,
June 6, 1728, to Daniel Hoopes, of Westtown. There
was a house upon the premises at this time, but its
location is unknown. Daniel Hoopes and Jane, his
wife, gave to their son, Daniel, the above 220 acres
by deed of December 25, 1730, and the latter built
49
a house upon his tract in 1736, which stood near the
present residence of Timothy Brick.
THE NORTHEAST QUARTER.
,,The northeast quarter of the present town was in-
cluded in a patent to Richard Thomas, of White-
land, for 1065 acres, dated 5-th-mo. 12, 1703. Of
this Edward Riley obtained 200 acres next to the
Wilmington Road, or High street, August 12, 1717;
John Eachus, 200 acres next to Riley, October 24,
1729, and Joseph Collins 125 acres adjoining the
last. John Eachus purchased 50 acres of the south-
ern part of the Riley tract, Sept. 18, 1750, and with
Hannah, his wife. 12-mo. 8, 1753, conveyed this last
and 100 acres of his former purchase, to their son,
Phineas Fachus. Isaiah Matlack next purchased
the 150 acres by deed of Feb. 22, 1768, from John
Morton, Sheriff.
THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER.
A tract of 2215 acres was patented to the execu-
tors of Thomas Lloyd, 2-mo. 20, 1702, including all
land now in West Chester, south of the Philadelphia
road, now Gay street. Of this John Haines, of
Eveshaſa, N. J., became the owner of 965 acres,
5-mo. 21, 1702. This covered the northern part of
the larger tract. John Haines conveyed to his son
John, May 30, 1715, 365 acres on the Philadelphia
road, upon which the latter settled for a time, but
afterward returned to New Jersey and died in 1754.
He, with Jane, his wife, 6-mo. 2, 1754, conveyed to
their son, David, 51 acres, 112 perches, and the lat-
ter sold 50 acres thereof to John Hoopes the same
year. This was in the southeast angle of the cross
roads. -
THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER.
Jöhn Haines, 2d, devised to his grandson, John
Haines, son of David, 100 acres in the southwest
angle, and this was purchased by Benjamin Trego,
by deed of 4-mo. 22, 1769.
ACTIVITY IN REAL ESTATE.
Upon the passage of the Act of Assembly, locat-
ing the new county seat near the Turk’s Head, there
was considerable activity in real estate in this Wi-
cinity. The act was passed March 22, 1784, and on
April 1, 1784, John Hoopes and Christian, his wife,
conveyed the 51 acres, 112 perches, with other lands,
to John Patton. Daniel Hoopes and Alice, his wife,
May 17, 1784, gave to their daughter, Deborah Gib-
bons, an acre at the corner of Gay and High streets;
another to their son, Samuel, near what is now the
corner of Gay and Wayne streets, and on the same
date conveyed 71 acres, 100 perches to David Lewis
and Jonathan Lewis. This last covers about all
of the northwest quarter which has yet been built
upon. On May 6, 1786, after the question of re-
moval had been finally settled, John Hannum pur-
chased this land from the Lewis brothers, and made
his residence in a brick house, which, according to
Joseph Townsend, was built for Samuel Hoopes, son
of Daniel, and there died 2-mo. 7, 1799.
SITE FOR THE COURT EIOUSE AND JAIL.
Benjamin Trego, with a commendable public
spirit, conveyed to John Hannum, Isaac Taylor and
50
John Jacobs, the commissioners appointed to erect
the new county buildings, for the nominal sum of
five shillings, a lot on the west side of High street,
seven perches wide and ten perches deep, for the
purpose of erecting a Court House and Prison
thereon. The deed was dated May 1, 1784. The
location was probably the best in the vicinity. It did
not then extend so far southward as South, now
Market street, nor so far west as at present. The
same commissioners obtained, June 16, 1790, from
Isaiah Matlack, a lot containing one acre, on the
east side of High street, near about where the
Friends’ Meeting House now stands. For what
particular use this was intended does not appear.
It was conveyed to David Lewis Jan. 23, 1801. They
also obtained from John Patton and wife, Jan. 25,
1791, a lot on High street, opposite the Court House
lot, and where the Hemphill Building now stands.
The deed for this contains the following bit of his-
tory 9
“Whereas the said John Patton, in and by certain
Articles of agreement, dated the tenth day of April,
1784, did convenant and agree to convey unto the
said John Hannum, Isaac Taylor and John Jacobs,
one-quarter of an acre of land at such place or places
in the Plot or plan of a Town as they should choose
in trust for the use and benefit of the said County
of Chester; and Whereas the said John Hannum.
lsaac Taylor and John Jacobs have agreed to and
with the said John Patton to accept of the lot or
piece of land hereinafter mentioned and described,
and intended to be hereby granted, in exchange or
lieu of the said Quarter of an acre mentioned in the
said articles and heretofore made choice of by the
said John Hannum,” &c. 3.
A lot at the southwest corner of Gay and Walnut
streets is mentioned as the “public lot” in deeds for
a fljoining property, and was perhaps the quarter
of an acre first selected. John Menough, Jr., Titus
Taylor and John Rinehart, as county commissioners,
conveyed the above lot to William Hemphill, Dec.
16, 1801.
A DTUAL GOVERNMENT.
There seems to have been a dual form of govern-
ment in county affairs. While the building commis-
sioners were thus purchasing land for the use of the
county, the regularly elected county commissioners
were doing the same. Benjamin Trego conveyed,
Aug. 26, 1784, to his son, Emmor, the ground be-
tween the Court House lot and Market street, and
the latter, on Feb. 27, 1786, disposed of it to Abra-
ham Williamson and Jesse James, of Thornbury,
and these conveyed it, June 16, 1790, to the county
Commissioners, John Worth, Joseph Gibbons and
James Moore, for £75. On this, at the corner of
High and Market streets, was erected a building
for the accommodation of the public offices.
Benjamin Trego also conveyed to his son, Emmor,
the land on the south side of Gay street from High
to Church, July 19, 1784, as also eleven acres west-
ward of Church street. By his will, Oct. 26, 1784,
he devised the remainder of his farm to Emmor, and
his death occurred in the summer of 1786. Emmor
Trego, after selling various lots conveyed the re-
5 I
mainder, called 99 acres, to John Rankin, June 10,
1790. Now turn to sale of lots in the new town.
The first deed was to John Hannum, June 25,
1784, from Benjamin Trego, for the lot immediately
north of the Court House lot, and extending through
to Church street. Upon this Hannum built the
Washington Hotel, a three-story brick building, and
also a stone house adjoining, to the northward, John
‘Underwood obtained the N. E. corner of Church
and Market, June 26, 1784, from the public lot to
Church street. This he divided and the corner pass-
ed to Emmor Trego, 1789, there being then a frame
house thereon; to Isaac Webb and Nathan Schofield,
1792; to Thomas Beaumont, 1796, and to David
Beaumont, 1805; there is now a smith shop thereon.
It does not appear that Isaac Taylor invested in
the real estate of this place, but John Jacobs, the
other commissioner, became the owner of the lot
where the bank of Chester County stands, Sept.
7, 1784, yet did not leave his home in West White-
land. From him it passed in 1789 to Thomas Ross,
Esq., to Hobert Frazer, 1895, and to Joseph Hemp-
hill, 1798. - ..
Benjamin Trego conveyed to Underwood, Sept.
16, 1784, two acres where the Holy Trinity Church
now stands. Subsequent purchasers were Thomas
Ross, 1790, John Patton, 1795, and the last devised
to his son, Matthew, 1798. John Underwood also
obtained the S. E. corner of Church and Gay, Nov.
16, 1784, and in 1789 an addition to the eastward,
on Gay. The corner passed to William Worthing-
ton, Nov. 7, 1786, and the purchaser erected a hotel
thereon before the next spring. Of the easterly part
of Underwood’s purchase the successive owners
were William Dilworth, 1791, William Webb, 1793,
John Rettew, Jr., 179—, Richard Woodward, 1798,
and John Hannum, 1800.
John Hannum, Sr., obtained the S. E. corner of
Gay and Walnut streets, November 16, 1784, and
the Western half of his lot passed to Thomas Tay-
lor, 1787, to Nathan Schofield, 1790, and a few days
later to Joseph Leonard; to Aaron Hoopes and
William Brown, 1792, and the latter became sole
owner in 1795. A two-story log house, probably
built by Thomas Taylor, is mentioned in his deed
to Schofield, and is doubtless the same now used by
Caleb Taylor as a store.
Nov. 20, 1786, Emmor Trego conveyed to John
Kinnard 90 perches at N. W. corner of High and
Miner. This was divided between Edward Mc-
Closkey, John Starr and John Haney, 1797, and
James McGill, 1805. Henry and wife, Oct. 14, 1807,
to Olof Stromberg.
At High and Barnard Charles Dilworth obtained
two acres from Emmor Trego, Jan. 9, 1787, which
passed to Edward McCloskey, 1796, and to William
Wollerton, 1799 and 1800.
The first lot sold north of Gay street was from
John Hannum to Thomas Ross, Esq., Aug. 1, 1787,
at the N. E. corner of Church and Gay. The deed
Would indicate that Hannum and Ross had built a
double house on adjoining lots, and this was a con-
Veyance of one of them to Ross. From the latter it
passed to Thomas Hoopes Aug. 20, 1789, who died
1791, and devised this property to his son, Caleb,
52
from whom itſ passed to Joseph Bailey, a flatter:
thence to Washington II. Hannum, 1800, and to
Edward Bonsall, of Philadelphia, 1803.
Caleb Davis, Clerk of all the Courts in that day,
purchased from James and Deborah Gibbons, Jan.
23, 1788, the lot of one acre which her father, Daniek
Hoopes, had given her at the N. W. corner of High
and Gay. At this corner a log school house had been
erected many years before, and Ralph Forrester
taught school therein. After the Battle of Brandy-
wine, some of the wounded soldiers were brought
thither and the grandmother of our townsman,
Philip P. Sharples, ministered to their needs as murse.
David doubtless built the stone house still standing,
as one is mentioned in his deed for the property to
Dr. Joseph Moore, Dec. 31, 1791. Dr. Moore died in
1799, and the property was purchased by Caleb
Brinſton. Oct. 17, 1799, excepting a small part at the
west side, which Moore had sold to Joshua Weaver,
Dec. 18, 1792, now the store of S. J. Parker & Son.
John Graves, a native of England, and for many
years a prominent “Squire” of the town, purchased
a lot on the east side of Walnut street, 139 feet
south of Gay, March 17, 1788, and this continued in
the family for many years. Predy [Simber, April
1, 1788, obtained the lot at the east end of Market
street, not then opened beyond Walnut. His succes-
sors were Isaac Rimber, Dee. 13, 1788, John Slack,
1789, and Jonah Garrett, 1793.
Samson Babb appears to have secured the S. W.
corner of High and Market prior to April 28, 1788,
when Aaron Musgrave, Jr., bought adjoining ground
fronting on both streets. This latter passed to
Thomas Mackie, 1789, Charles Dilworth, 1790, and
was added to Babb’s lot 1797.
April 30, 1788, Jesse Harry, of Thornbury, pir"
chased from John Hannum the N. W. corner of Gay
and Church, but he soon sold to William Sharples,
and he to Thomas Hoopes, who devised to his son.
Caleb. On May 5, 1788, several deeds were execut-
ed for lots in the town. John Hannum conveyed
one adjoining the last mentioned to William Beau-
mont and Jonathan Vernon, and, proceeding west-
erly, others to Daniel Leonard, Joseph Leonard,
Abraham Darlington, Amos Darlington and Samuel
Stringfellow. Four of these last mentioned became
the property of Richard Jones a few years later.
Of this same, May 5th, Isaiah Matlack executed
deeds for lots on the north side of Gay street, east
of High, to Nathan Schofield, George Matlack, Ben-
jamin Matlack, all members of his family. These
lots ran back to what is now Chestnut street, which
did not exist till after 1800. Schofield’s lot passed
to Edward McCloskey, 1793, to George Brown, with
a log house, 1793, to Henry Bowman, 1795, to Me-
Closkey again, 1795, for a part, and the remainder,
which was probably the N. W. corner of Gay and
Matlack streets, to Alexander Templeton, 1798.
David England became the owner of this last March
26, 1802. McCloskey sold his part to Richard M.
Hannum and the latter to William Flannegan, 1799.
With the exception of these sales the N. E. quarter
of the town, was in the Matlack family till 1800.
John Hannum conveyed to John Underwood a
lot about where Ladd's Book Store stands, May 31,
53
1788, and Underwood sold it to Richard Williams,
March 19, 1813. Between this and the corner lot at
Church Street Dr. Jacob Ehrenzeller bought 41 feet
with the house which Hannum had built in conjunc-
tion with Ross, but the deed was from Hannum's
administrators, dated March 29, 1799. The Doctor
also bought a lot for his stable, which stood where
L. G. McCauley’s office building now stands. -
John Hannum and Alice, his wife, executed a
deed of gift for a lot on West Gay street, March
20th, 1793, to certain trustees, for the use of a
Catholic Church, which was the only religious de-
nomination having a place of worship in the town.
prior to 1812. All the lots north of Gay street, prior
to 1800, fronted on that street, and were mostly
about 50 feet front by 165 feet deep, west of High.
George Hoffman bought from John Patton, Feb-
ruary 5th, 1789, a lot on south side of Gay, about
midway between Walnut and Matlack. This was
adjoining the one acre which Hannum had bought
November 16th, 1784, and of which the latter con-
veyed 60 perches to Edw. McCloskey, Mar. 5, 1792.
John I'atton conveyed, April 2, 1789, a lot on High
street to James Smith, of Newlin, who in turn exe-
cuted a deed to William Sharples, April 24, 1792.
On this stands what is known as the old bank build-
ing, now used for offices.
Nathan Schofield bought from Emmor Trego, Oc-
tober 26, 1789, a lot on the south side of Gay, about
66 feet west of Church, and 100 feet in front. The
eastern half of this passed to William Eachus, 1792;
to Henry O’Neil, 1793; to Francis McCormick, 1797,
and to Joseph Clark, 1798. The Western half was
bought by Rich'd Robinson, 1790; Eliza. Peters, 1798.
Nathan Schofield also purchased, October 26,
1789, the southwest corner of Gay and E[igh, being
66 feet on High and about 140 feet on Gay. John
Rinnard succeeded him, March 13, 1790, and sold
the corner, with the greater part of the ground to
Job B. Remington, April 26th, 1817.
The south side of Gay, between High and Walnut,
was inherited by John Patton, Jr., who sold it in
1811 to William Townsend.
August 17, 1791, Peter McGurk purchased two
lots, including the southwest corner of Church and
Gay, and in 1795 conveyed them to William Rogers.
John McGregory also bought adjoining property,
August 17, 1791, some of which Joseph Clark pur-
chased in 1799. Peter Trego, James Roney and Wil-
liam Kinnard were also purchasers south of Gay
and west of Church, but the list is too long already.
THE FOUNDERS OF WEST CHESTER.
John Haines, son of Richard and Margaret
Haines, of Aynho-on-the-Hill, in the county of
Northampton, England, came to New Jersey as ear-
ly as 1683, and tradition says that his parents and
brothers followed him, but the father died at sea.
John married Esther Borton, 1684, and resided at
Evesham, Burlington county. In 1702 he purchas-
ed 965 acres of land in Goshen, Chester county,
which included all the land in West Chester, south
of Gay Street. Of this he conveyed to his eldest son,
John, 365 acres next south of Gay street, and by
will, 1728, devised to this same son 50 acres ad-
joining the first; and to his son, Isaac, 150 acres of
54
the remainder. To his daughters, Rebecca, Phebe.
Esther and Mary, he devised 100 acres each. All
of these children except Esther and Mary came to
Goshen, but Isaac settled on another tract of his
father’s purchase to the northeast of West Chester.
The second John Haines, in 1742, conveyed 203
acres of the southern part of his land to William
Dean, forming later the Sharpless farm. The re-
mainder of his 415 acres passed into the hands of
the Hoopes and Trego families.
Rebecca Haines, daughter of the first John, mar-
ried Joseph Matlack, in New Jersey, and came to
Goshen in 1729, settling on the land devised by her
father, to the eastward of West Chester. They also
purchased the shares of her sister, Phebe Burroughs
and Mary Lippincott, adjoining. They had ten
children, of whom Isaiah was the eldest son, born
1725, died 1794. He married Mary Hunter, of
Edgmont, 1754, and had at least seven children,
Benjamin, George, Hannah, Jesse, Ann, Jonathan
and Mary. In addition to land conveyed to him by
his father, Isaiah purchased the Phinehas Eachus
farm in 1768, which included the N. E. quarter of
the borough. He built the Green Tree tavern and
conveyed this with most of the farm to his son,
Jesse. His son, Jonathan, built the Eagle tavern.
His son, Benjamin, was also a tavernkeeper at the
“Boot” for many years, and was the grandfather of
Benj. M. Everhart and brothers, of this borough.
Robert Eachus settled in the northeastern part of
the borough about 1705, on part of the Richard
Thomas patent. He was the father of John Eachus,
who married Hannah, daughter of Isaac Haines, al-
ready mentioned. John and Hannah conveyed to
their son, Phinehas Eachus, the farm in the N. E.
quarter of the borough, and the latter was the first
landlord of the original Turk’s Head. Phinehas
married Sarah Trego and had children, Benjamin,
Virgil, Paris, Abner and Mary. Of these Virgil
married Bathsheba Webb, and was the father of the
late Abner Eachus, and grandfather of our present
efficient Street Commissioner of the latter name.
Daniel Hoopes, son of Daniel and Jane Hoopes,
of Westtown, married Alice Taylor, daughter of
Abiah Taylor, who built the old brick house near
the Brandywine in 1724. They erected a residence
on their farm, which included nearly all the N. W.
quarter of the borough land, in 1736. They had
eight children, Abiah, Joshua, Deborah, who mar-
ried Janies Gibbons, Ann, Alice, Samuel, Sarah and
Benjamin. The date stone of their house was, in
1880, in the wall of a kitchen at the present resi-
dence of Timothy Brick, but the kitchen has since
been demolished and the stone has been added to
the collections of the Historical Society. Samuel
Hoopes married Rebecca Iuewis, built the brick
house now being remodeled by Gibbons G. Cornwell,
and died in 1784, several years before his father.
He did not receive a title to the land on which the
house was built. In fact his father sold it a few
months prior to Samuel’s death, to David and
Jonathan Lewis, brothers to Samuel's wife. Samuel
left four daughters, Alice, Hannah, Deborah and
Sidney. The first married William Bennett, and
they became the owners of the western part of her
55
grandfather Hoopes’ farm, which remained for
many years in possession of their daughters, gen-
erally spoken of as the “Bennett Girls.” Four of
their eleven children were born at the old home-
stead, and the fifth, Minerva, at the new buildings,
their subsequent home. The “Traveler’s Rest” was
built by William Bennett and his son, Imla J. Ben-
nett, was its first landlord. Deborah Hoopes,
daughter of Samuel, married “’Squire” William
Newlin, who lived at the old homestead of her
grandfather. Cidney Hoopes, her sister, married
Isaac Hanthorn, and a stone house was built for
them on a lot on Hannum avenue, about 1819,
which is still standing.
John Hannum, son of John and Jane (Nields)
Hannum, and grandson of John and Margery Han-
num, of Concord township, was born there about
1742. He married, in 1767, Alice Parke, daughter
of Jonathan and Deborah Parke, and granddaughter
of Abiah Taylor, already mentioned. Eſe purchased
land on Brandywine just below the mouth of Valley
Creek, but about the time of the Revolution was
keeping tavern in Marshallton. He was disowned by
Friends oil account of his marriage, and later be-
came an earnest worker in the cause of American
Independence, being commissioned a colonel, May
17, 1777. On May 10, 1780, he was commissioned
lieutenant colonel of the third battalion of light
horse, for the county of Chester. He is recognized
as the leading spirit in the removal of the county
seat from Chester, and in the affairs of the newly
organizad town of West Chester. His great grand-
son, and the sixth of the name in this country, died
about three years ago, the proprietor of the “Man-
sion House,” in this borough. Col. Hannum’s
daughter, Mary, married William Kinnard, and
was the mother of Caleb FI. Kinnard, long a resi-
dent of this place. Another daughter, Deborah,
married Emmor Bradley, who was the father of
Caleb H. Bradley, now living here.
John Underwood is supposed to have been the son
of James and Mary Underwood, some time of Gosh-
en and of Pennsbury, but nothing positive has been
learned on that point. His wife’s name was Mar-
gery. Tſe was coroner of Chester County in 1787,
and appears to have been active as a speculator in
town lots. His daughter, Amy, married William
Worthington; another daughter, Lucy, was the
wife of John Patton, and in 1799 married EberWorth-
ington, while a third, Ann, married John Townsend.
There were probably other children.
ONE OF OUR FOUNDERS.
John Patton appears to have been a captain of
light horse under Col. Hannum, 1780-81, but noth-
ing is known as to his antecedents. Dr. William
Darlington gave him the credit of standing next to
John Hannum in his efforts for the establishment
of the county seat here. Hannum avenue, at the
West end of the town, and Patton avenue at the east
preserve the memories of these friends. While
speaking of family names conferred on streets it
may be added that Matlack street is another in-
stance of a not infrequent custom here.
Isaac Worthington, son of John and Mary, of
Bucks county, born in 1735, married Martha Carver,
56
of Buckingham, in 1760, and came to Goshen town-
ship in 1783. Their children were Mary, who mar-
ried Francis Tomlinson; William, who married Amy
Underwood, 1785; John, who married Elizabeth
Comly, 1804; Amos, who married Jane Taylor, 1799;
Elizabeth, who married Jesse Roberts and Thomas
Temple; Eber, who married Lucy (Underwood) Pat-
ton, 1799, and Joseph, who married Emeline Evans.
The descendants of Isaac Worthington have been
amongst our most useful citizens. William was
elected sheriff in 1798, and was also a justice of the
peace. He built the “White Hall” tavern, as al-
ready stated. Dr. Wilmer Worthington, a son of
Amos and Jane, was one of the most highly esteem-
ed physicians and legislators.
John Harper was married May 9, 1759, at the Old
Swedes' Church, Wilmington, to Phebe Vernon,
daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (Hickman) Ver-
mon, of Thornbury, and a half sister to “’Squire” .
Thomas Cheyney. She inherited some land in that
township, and where they appear to have lived prior
to 1770, in which year he received the first license
at the new Turk’s Head. He probably continued
there till 1774. He joined the Continental army in
January 1776, and was made ensign of Capt. Fraz-
er’s company, and in Feb. 1776, was appointed
quartermaster of the 4th battalion, Penna. troops.
Jan. 1, 1777, he was appointed adjutant of the 5th
Penna. regiment of foot, with rank of 1st lieuten-
ant. Feb. 19, 1782, he was made adjutant dep.
guartermaster to the troops under Brig. Gen. Wayne,
in Georgia. He was also commissioned as follows:
Oct. 18, 1783, Coroner of Chester County; Oct. 21,
1784, ditto; Mar. 29, 1784, postmaster District of
Chester; Oct. 13, 1786, Coroner again.
He is said to have led the forces to West Chester
for the purpose of demolishing the walls of the new
court house, about 1785, and in 1786, he purchased
the tavern, “Sign of the Ship General Washington,”
in Chester, where he obtained license in that and
the succeeding year. The sheriff seized this proper-
ty, and on Nov. 26, 1788, Harper petitions for ki-
cense at the “IXing of Denmark,” in Marcus Hook.
May 26, 1789, he had rented that “ancient and no-
ted Tavern in said County, the Yellow Springs,”
where he spent two years. From 1792 to 1799 he
was again at the Turk’s Head, and at the “Rising
Sun,” Dilworthtown, from 1801 till his death, in
1803. He was buried at the Cheyney burial ground.
in Thornbury.
Peter and Judith Trego, natives of France, were
early settlers in Middletown township, (now) Dela-
ware County, and were so far identified with
Friends that their children’s births appear on the
records of this Society. Their son, William, born
1693, married in 1717, Margaret Moore, and settled
in Goshen township, where he kept a tavern about
1739–41, perhaps in the neighborhood of Goshenville.
His son, Benjamin, born 1730, married in 1753,
Mary Pyle; in 1767 a 2d wife, Mary Rettew, and
in 1771 a 3d wife, Bathsheba, widow of Jeremiah
Piersol. By the first he had Hannah, who mar-
ried Amos Matlack; Edith, who married a Mat-
thews, Nicholas Brooks and James White; Mary,
who married Joshua Weaver; Benjamin, who died
57
young, and Emmor, born 1763, who remained un-
married; by 2d wife he had Benjamin and Rachel,
and by 3d wife a daughter, Bathsheba.
Benjamin Trego purchased, in 1769, from John
Haines, 100 acres of land, including what for many
years was the S. W. quarter of this town, and when
it was decided to locate the county seat here he,
with a commenable public spirit, gave a site for
the court house. He sold a few lots to other pur-
chasers, more to his son, Emmor, and to the latter
devised the remainder of his farm. He died in 1786.
Emmor Trego sold numerous lots in the new town,
and finally, in 1790, disposed of the farm to John
Rankin, some time of York County.
Joshua Weaver, son of Isaac and Sarah (Dell)
Weaver, born in Nether Providence, 1753, married
about 1783, Mary Trego, and upon the establish-
ment of the new county seat became one of its most
useful citizens. His business was that of a Sur-
veyor and conveyancer, also a silversmith, but he
took part in all public measures; was burgess and
treasurer of the town, county commissioner, 1818-
1821, and clerk to the Board of Directors of the
Poor from 1799 till his death, in 1827. His daugh-
ter, Maria, was the wife of John Rutter, and a
daughter, Edith, was the mother of Dr. William D.
Hartman, recently deceased.
Nathan Scholfield (as he appears to have written
his name) was the son of Thomas and Rebecca
Scholfield, who came from Buckingham, Bucks
county, in 1764, and settled in Goshen township.
Nathan was married March 25, 1779, by Friends'
ceremony, at the house of John Bowen and before
Thomas Taylor, Esq., to Hannah Matlack, daugh-
ter of Isaiah Matlack, of Goshen. He was the first
landlord of the Green Tree tavern, and appears to
have been an active speculator in town lots. His
daughter, Anna, became the wife of Emmor Entri-
ken, of East Bradford, and the mother of Emmor S.
Entriken. late of this town.
THE TAWERNS OF WEST CHESTER.
ITH the establishment of the seat of justice
W W at West Chester, it was naturally expected
that the place would in time become a town
of considerable size, but being an inland location,
distant from navigable water or other highway of
commerce, and agriculture being the only industry
worth mentioning, there was really nothing to de-
pend upon except the influx of persons attending
the courts and public offices. Hence tavern keeping
was the first promising field of business.
The Turk's Head tavern had been in operation
for more than twenty years, Phinehas Eachus hav-
ing received license at the old log building which
stood about where the Bank of Chester County
stands, in 1762. He appears to have continued in
the business until 1768, when he was succeeded by
John Clark. In 1769, John Hoopes, who had be-
come the owner of the property, erected a new
building a short distance south of the old one, and
at the present site, though the house has been en-
w
58
larged more than once. John Harper was the first
landlord at the new house in 1770 and in 1774 he
was, succeeded by Jacob James, who entered the
British service, September 13, 1778, and was com-
missioned by Sir William Howe a captain of a troop
of Philadelphia light dragoons,
With the removal of the county seat other taverns
quickly sprang into operation and in 1788 there were
six licensed houses. Two of these dropped out of
the list the next year, probably on account of the
diminished business resulting from a division of the
County. New ones appeared, however, from time
to time, and in 1840 the number was nine.
THE TURK’S HEAD.
This being, as it were, the nucleus of the coming
town, it is proper to enter more fully into the details
of its history. While Phinehas Eachus was the
owner of the farm in the north-eastern angle of the
Valley and Philadelphia roads, he appears to have
crossed over to the S E. corner to reside on prop-
erty belonging to David Haines (?), as early as 1761.
In November of that year he petitioned for license
to keep a tavern, for which occupation he was
recommended by thirty-three of his neighbors, yet
was unsuccessful.
On August 31, 1762, he presented another petition,
almost identically worded with the first, in which he
SayS:
“That Whereas your Petitioner’s Habitation being
at the Intersection of two Public Roads, one whereof
leading from Bradford to Philadelphia, And the
Other from the Great Valley to Willmington; which
Roads, but Especially, the Latter, is much occupied
by Travellers from Distant Parts; and being Desti-
tute of a Public House for many Miles together, is
therefore Inconvenient for those who travel from Re-
mote Parts, and Burdensome to the Adjacent Inhabi-
tants,
“Threfore it is Your Petitioners Humble Request,
that you may be Pleased to grant him your Recom-
mendation to the Governor, in Order for his Obtaining
a Liscence to keep such a Public house of Entertain-
ment. And your Petitioner, as in Duty bound, Shall
Pray, etc. PIHINEHAS EACHTJS.
“We the Subscribers, being Neighbours and AC-
quaintances of the Above Petitioner, are of the Opin-
ion that there is Need of a Public house of Entertain-
ment at the Place above mentioned, And Deem him
to be a Person Sufficiently Qualified for the Exercise
of that calling. Therefore we Request that he may
be Erecommended according to the Tenor of his Peti-
tion.”
Thos. Darlington, Ralph Forrester, John Darlington,
Joseph Townsend James Jefferis, George Carter,
Joseph Pierce, Thos. Pim, Ellis, Davies,
Jonathan Parke, Warrick Miller, Charles Ryant,
Abiah Taylor, Fºrmmor Jefferis, Isaac Haines, Jr.
Samuel Rennedy, William Eachus, John Hoopes,
John Strode, Joseph Garrett, James Marshall,
Daniel Hoopes, Caleb Way, William Iohnston
Jos. Matlack, Thomas Yearsley, Alex’nd’r Johnsor
Jno. Townsend, James Dilworth, John Downing,
Jos. Gibbons, Jr. Isaac Taylor, Thos. Stalker,
Thos. Williamson Titus Bennett, Isiah Matlack.
This petition was successful and being Once estab-
lished in the business, fewer signers were deemed
necessary in succeeding years, there being but six
in 1764. For the following three years the license
was renewed, but it is is known that in 1768 the
Sheriff seized the property of Phinehas Eachus, on
the north side of the Philadelphia road, and he dis-
appears from this locality.
In August, 1768, John Clark, having “Rented the
59
House lately kept by Phinehas Eachus, at the sign
of the Turk’s Head in Goshen,” obtained license to
succeed him in the business.
August 29, 1769, John Hoopes represents that he
“has purchased the tavern known by the name of
the Turk’s Head, in Goshen, and the House being
Rendered unfit for that purpose by its Decay and
Other linconvenies thereto Belonging, I have Built a
New Brick House near the other, and more Como-
dious for the Accommodation of Travelers than the
other.” Although twenty-eight substantial citizens
signed his request, it was merely indorsed “Allowed
at the old House.” In November following he renews
his request, assuring the court that his house is
ready, but probably was unsuccessful, and in his
disappointment made some uncomplimentary re-
marks about the justices.
August 28, 1770, John Harper comes forward,
“having lately taken a lease of a very Convenient
house, within a few Perches of the noted Tavern,
known by the name of the Turks-head, in Goshen
* * * and as the old Tavern house is now be-
come Insufficient for a dwelling place,” &c., he
wishes to have license in the new house. This peti-
tion was rejected, but on November 15th following
John Hoopes sent to the justices a “recantation,”
in which he says, “if I have said any Thing Dis-
respectfull of the Bench Heretofore I am hartily
sorey for it, and ask the Justices Pardon * * *
but if my Intreaties have not ye Desired Effect I
had rather suffer a Doubel Portion of the Misfor-
tune than John Harper and the Publick should suf-
fer on my account.” Two weeks later he plainly ad-
mits that “Whereas I have spoke Disrespectfully
of the Honorable Bench heretofore, I now Declare
that I am sorey for it and ask the Justices Pardon.
or any one of them that I Treated with Contempt,”
&c. A petition from John Harper for license in the
new house is now favorably received, and the name
of the “Turk’s Head” transferred thereto as appears
by his petition in the following year.
May 31, 1774: Jacob James “hath Rented a
House I, the Township of Goshen, which hath Been
a publiclº House these several Years (known by ye
Sign of the Turks Head) And Your Petitioner hath
Laid in Stocks, And Been at Considerable Expence
in Order to Accommodate the Publick,” &c. 18 sign-
ers: Allowed. May 30, 1775, Jacob James “hath
for some time kept a Publick House in the Township
of Gosher at the Sign of the Turks Head,” &c.
Five signers. May 28, 1776, same “hath kept a
Publick House At ye Sign of ye Turks Head in
Goshen,” &c. Four signers.
August 25, 1778: Francis Trumble “hath Rented
the House known be The name of the Turks Head
in the Township of Goshen And have Provided
Every necessary to keep an Inn or Publick House.”
Recommended by Jonatham Paschal and Ezekiel
Leonard.
Hast Tuesday in May, 1782: John Underwood. of
the Township of Goshen, “having lately removed to
that Noted place known by the Name of the Turks
head in sq Township & by your Honours Leave ob-
tained Lyºcence for keeping a Publick house of Enter-
tainment for Travellers, hath been Informed that
6O.
it is Necessary at this Term to make fresh appli-
eation for Leave to Continue the Same.” 17 signers.
May 27, 1783: John Underwood “hath for Some-
time past kept a Publick House of Entertainment at
the Sign of the Turks Head in said Township * *
That your Petitioners present Licence will expire.
on the 10th of August next,” &c. 14 signers.
Last Tuesday in May 1786: Nathan Scholfield, of
Goshen sheweth “That your Worships have long
been Pleased to favour him with your Recomenda-
tion for Lieenee to Keep an Inn Or Tavron which
Favour with gratitude he doth acknowledge and
therefore ...’rays that your Honorable Court will be
pleased to grant him your Further Indulgence by
Recommending him to His Excellency the Presi-
dent and Council in Order that he may Obtain li-
cence to IXeep a Publick house at the Sign of the
Turk’s head in the Township of goshen afore-
said,” etc. 17 signers. Bond dated 20 Oct. 1786.
The next year Scholfield went to the Green Tree.
May 28, 1787: Isaac Webb “now occupies the
Public House in West Chester (Goshen Township)
lately kept by Nathan Scholfield, and hath provided
himself with accommodations suitable to entertain.
the Public.” 6 signers.
Last Tuesday in May 1788: “The Petition of
Esaac Webb Respectfully Sheweth, That your Pe-
titioner for a series of time Having Experienced
your Worships Goodness in recommending him to
his Excellency the President and Supreme Execu-
tive Council as a fit and Suitable Person to keep
a Public House of Entertainment, Sollicits your
Worships for a further Continuance of your Benig-
nity. And your Petitioner as in duty Bound will
Gratefully acknowledge the favor.” Signed by five
others but not by Webb. Bond dated 8th Sep.
1788. f. 100 as in all cases.
Last Tuesday in May, 1789: Peter Mather of the
Town of West Chester “hath rented and now Oc-
cupies that Noted and Commodious House or Inn
Situate in the Town of West Chester aforesaid
known by the Sign of the Turk’s Head. That your
Petitioner hath provided himself with every requi-
site to Entertain Judges, Justices, Lawyers, Jurors,
Suitors, Travelers, Neighbors & Gentlemen & Ladies
of every profession & Denomination.” &c. 8 signers.
Mather came from the Warren Tavern, East
Whiteland, but did not remain long.
May 25, 1790: “The petition of the Subscriber re-
spectfully Sheweth. That your Petitioner now occu-
ies that noted Inn in the Town of West Chester
nown by the name of the Sign of the Turks Head
where he has good accommodations for Travelers
&c., & Craves the kind indulgence of the Court for
their recommendation to the Supreme Executive
Council for their Licence to keep a Publick House of
entertainment for the ensuing year. And your Peti-
tioner shall Pray.” JOSHUA.. WEAVER.
It may be noted that from 1777 to 1790, the
functions of a Governor were administered by the
Supreme Executive Council, of which the President
was elected by that body in conjunction with the
House of Assembly.
May 30, 1791: The Petition of John Harper
“Humbely. Sheweth, That your Petitioner hath Re-
moved from the Yellow Springs in Pikeland to the
Sign of the Turks-Head in the Town of West
6 I
Chester aforesaid Where he proposes to keep a
house of Publick Entertainment, &c. Six signers.
May 21, 1792: “The Petition of John Harper
Humbly Sheweth, That your Petitioner has for
one year last passed Occupied that Antient Inn in
the Town of West Chester in the County of Ches-
ter as a public House of entertainment for the
benefit of Travellers, &c., & prays your Honours
will recommend him to his Excellency the Governor
of this Commonwealth for a continuance of his
favour by granting him a Lisence for that purpose.”
May 21, 1798: John Harper represents that he
“has for seven Years last pass'd kept a Public
house of Entertainment at the Sign of the Turks
heade in West Chester.”
May 20, 1799: “The petition of the subscriber hum-
bly sheweth that your petitioner hath rented the
Tavern lately occupied by Major Harper well known
by the name of the Turk, in West Chester, where
Your Petitioner at Present keeps Tavern, where he
hopes he will be able to Give General satisfaction he
Therefore requests the favour of the honourable
Judges to recommend him to his Excellency the Gov-
ernor in order to Obtain Licence to keep a public
house of entertainment where he now dwells, and
Your petitioner will acknowledge the favour,” & c.
BENJAMIN MILLER.
Recommended by Joseph McClellan and William
Gibbons. Miller's last petition for license at the
Turk’s Head was in 1805.
May 19, 1806: “Your petitioner humbly Sheweth
that he has Rented the well known stand Called the
Turk's-head lately kept by Benjamin Miller, which
has been a long Licenced house,” &c.
THOMAS TUCPCER.
Recommended by Joshua Gibbons and nine others.
Allowed May 21st. Tucker continued here until
1811. .
April 29, 1811: John Patton “has lately removed
to that noted Stand in the Borough of West Ches-
ter known by the Sign of the Turk’s head.” He
continued here till 1824. In 1816 he locates the
house on High Street, and in 1820 says it is well
known “by the Sign of the Grand Turk.”
May 3, 1824: Eber Worthington “has become
the owner and keeper of that well known tavern
Stand in West Chester, Sign of the Turks Head.”
April Term, 1827: Daniel Buckwalter, who mar-
ried Francina, daughter of Eber Worthington, and
granddaughter of John Underwood, “has taken and
now occupies that old established tavern sign of the
Turks head in the Borough of West Chester.” He
continued to be the landlord till 1834, being recom-
mended at different times by Gen. I. D. Barnard,
Thomas S. Bell and others. After 1830 the law re-
quired each applicant for license to have the en-
dorsement of at least twelve reputable citizens.
About this time printed forms of application be-
CàIn € CQIT) Iſl OIl. -
May 6, 1834: Eber Worthington “is the owner
and occupier of that old established Tavern Stand,
situate in the Borough of West Chester in the said
County of Chester known as the Sign of the Turks
Head, on the corner of Market and High Street.”
Recommended by James M. Kinnard, Robert Mer-
cer, Olof Stromberg and eleven others. Eber
Worthington was the landlord for four years, when
he was succeeded by Joel Matlack.
62
It has been shown that John Haines, 2d, convey-
ed to his son David 51 acres, 112 perches of land
in the S. E. angle of the Philadelphia and Wilming-
ton roads, 6 mo. 2, 1753; and David Haines and
Mary his wife, 10 mo. 23, 1753, conveyed 50 acres
thereof to John Hoopes. David Haines afterwards
died intestate, seized of the remaining one acre and
112 perches, and leaving two sons, Joshua and
John. The sheriff conveyed Joshua’s share to
Benjamin Trogo, Sept. 19, 1768, to whom also his
brother John Haines released his share, Dec. 2,
1769, and Benjamin Trego and wife, Mary, con-
veyed the whole to John Hoopes 12 mo. 27, 1769,
as recited in later conveyances. The deed not be-
ing on record we cannot determine whether this
acre and 112 perches included the original Turk’s
Head tavern, but this is the supposition. In the
petition of John Hoopes for license in the new
house, Aug. 29, 1769, he says he has purchased the
old building, yet this was prior to the conveyance
from Benjamin Trego and wife for the acre and
112 perches. However, he may have bargained for
it at an earlier date. Perhaps the residence of
David Haines, who was married about 1742, be-
came the original Turk’s Head.
As already stated the new building was erected
by John Hoopes in 1769. In 1784 he conveyed the
property to John Patton, who, dying in 1798, de-
vised this part of his estate to his son Thomas Pat-
ton, a minor. The latter died intestate and without
issue, whereupon this property was taken by his
brother, John Patton, Jr. He, with Elizabeth, his
wife, on Dec. 13, 1823, conveyed the tavern, to-
gether with 54 acres of land, to his step-father,
Eber Worthington, of West Goshen, and after-
wards of West Chester. Eber Worthington and
Lucy, his wife, March 30, 1841, executed a deed for
the tavern and one acre of land to John T. Worth-
ington. Subsequent conveyances were from John
T. Worthington and Rachel his wife to Charles
R. McDonald, of East Nottingham; Charles
IC. McDonald, of West Chester, and Louisa B., his
wife, March 29, 1851, to John McGinley, of the
same place; John McGinley and Catharine his wife
April 1, 1852, to their son-in-law, A. Harvey Lewis,
of West Chester; A. Harvey Lewis and Sarah Ann
his wife, March 10, 1854, to James M. Hughes, of
the same place. The latter converted the establish-
ment into a boarding school for girls, but the ven-
ture proving unsuccessful he made an assignment,
Sept. 23, 1857, to his brother, Jesse Hughes, of
London Grove, and John T. Worthington, of West
Chester. They conveyed the property, April 1,
1858, to Joseph Morgan, of West Chester. Since
then the conveyances have been from Joseph Mor-
gan and Thamzin his wife, March 31, 1860, to
James T). McClellan; James D. McClellan and
Elizabeth L., his wife, March 26, 1867, to Lemuel
Kenney, of the borough of Oxford; Lemuel Ken-
ney of, West Chester, and Martha E., his wife,
Jan. 21, 1880, to their daughters, Harriet A. and
Alice H. Renney; and Harriet A. Renney and
Alice H. Renney, August 25, 1898, to George H.
Smith, of Lancaster city.
63
THE GREEN TREE.
This tavern was erected in 1786 by Isaiah Mat-
Jack, the owner of the farm which included the N.
£. quarter of the town, and his son-in-law, Nathan
Scholfield, was the first landlord, in 1787. In 1793
isaiah Matlack conveyed the farm and tavern to
his son Jesse Matlack, and the latter, at his death,
in 1830, devised the same to his son, Robert Mat-
lack, subject to considerable mortgaged indebted-
ness. Robert died in 1834, having appointed
Walker Yarnali and Jesse Matlack his executors,
with directions to sell the property; but it was
seized by the sheriff, Robert Irwin, and conveyed,
Nov. 5, 1835, to Walker Yarnall and David Town-
send. The land included 137 acres, of which 20
were in West Goshen. The purchasers sold the
tavern and three lots of ground, by deed of April 1,
1836, to Joseph P. McClellan, of West Chester, for
$14,702.95. The latter, with Mary E, his wife,
conveyed the same to John Marshall, March 25,
1847, with the exception of a portion sold to Samuel
M. Painter. The next conveyance, from John
Marshall to Joseph Hemphill and James B. Wood,
March 19, 1850, reduced the property in size nearly
to its present condition. It then extended north-
Ward to the alley. Joseph Eſemphill and James B.
Wood, with their wives, conveyed the tavern, March
25, 1851, to Joseph Wood, of Londonderry, and he
to Henry R. Guss, of West Chester, March 31,
1854. For thirty-eight years it continued under this
proprietor, who, with Rachel Ann, his wife, con-
veyed it to Ellis P. Newlin April 7, 1892. The sub-
sequent conveyances have been from Ellis P. New-
lin and Bella his wife, Mar. 27, 1893, to Marshall J.
Speakman, and from Marshall J. Speakman, of
West Chester, to Benjamin Vandever, of Caln town-
ship, April 1, 1898.
THE WHITE HAIL.
This was erected in 1786 by William Worthington,
who was the first landlord. He conveyed it to Rob-
ert McClenachan, March 31, 1794, and the latter to
Isaac Webb, April 5, 1796. No evidence has been
found of its being licensed between 1789 and 1896,
when Webb took possession. The latter conveyed
it to Ephraim Buffington, March 30, 1801, who con-
tinued to be the landlord until 1812. The name of
“General Wayne” appears in 1797, but tradition
says the original name was the “Cross Keys.” In
1804 Buffington changed the name from Gen.
Wayne to President Jefferson. In 1814, Benjamin
Jefferis became the owner of the property and was
Handlord for one year, when he was succeeded in
the occupation by Mary (“Polly”) Pearson, and the
place was known as Pearson’s Tavern. Davis
Beaumont became the landlord in 1818, and chang-
ed the name to the Cross Keys. The property was
purchased in 1837 by Philip P. Sharples, who built
an addition and sold it to Robert Irwin the next
year. Having received a coat of white plaster its
name was changed in 1839 to the White Hall. It
was occupied by various renters until 1869, when
it ceased to be kept as a tavern and fell into decay.
In 1874 it was purchased by Eber Woodward and
Lewis W. Shields, who demolished the old land-
64
marſk and erected on its site the present stores at
and near the S. E. corner of Church and Gay Sts.
THE WASHINGTON HOTEL.
This house was built by John Hannum about
1787, immediately north of the Court House lot, it
being a 3 story brick building of 36 feet front. John
Hannum and wife conveyed it to Isaac Webb, Aug.
30, 1792, and the latter to James Bones, March 29,
1796. David Lewis, who owned a farm in East
Bradford, exchanged with Bones, Jan. 1, 1801. This
was not the David Lewis, who with his brother,
Jonathan, had purchased the Hoopes farm, north
of Gay street and west of High. After his death his
property was sold by the sheriff to Benjamin Miller,
Feb. 5, 1811. The latter, with Hannah, his wife,
conveyel it to John Jefferis, of Baltimore Co., Md.,
though a native of Chester County, and at whose
death, in 1825, it was taken by his son, Samuel C.
Jefferis, an uncle to William W. Jefferis, the long-
time Cashier of the Bank of Chester County and
collector of a mineralogical cabinet of rare size
and beauty. Samson Babb was the next purchaser,
April 1, 1830, and on August 13, 1841, the sheriff
made title to John Babb, at whose death it passed to
his only son, John W. Babb. He, with Phebe H.,
his wife, conveyed the old hostelrie, April 1, 1853,
to David and Sarah B. Meconkey, soon after which
it was demolished to make room for the fine brown,
stone residence, now the Assembly Building.
THE BLACE BEAR.
Was erected in 1789 by Samson Babb, who came
from the neighborhood of West Caln township. Ht
stood at the S. W. corner of High and Market
streets, and was torn down, I believe, between 1865
and 1870. It remained in the possession of the Babb
family, and so far as I know was managed by one
of the name, except the years, 1797–1804, when
James Jackson was the landlord.
THE WEST CHESTER HOTEL.
On February 2, 1828, Jane P. Jefferis, the widow
of John Jefferis, late of the Washington Hotel, pe-
titioned for license in a house “lately erected by
Joseph L. Taylor, in the Borough of West Chester
at the junction of the Strasburg and Oil Mill road.”
Her petition was granted. The extension of Gay
Street westward was known as the Oil Mill Road,
said Oil Mill being close by the present residence
of John M. James.
THE SPEEAD EAGLE.
Situated at the N. W. corner of Gay and Walnut
streets, was erected by Jonathan Matlack, about
1803, and James Jackson, late of the Bear tavern,
was the first to receive license, 1805. The property
is believed to have remained in the Matlack family
until recent times, having been devised by Jona-
than to his son, Isaiah R. Matlack, in 1828. There
have been numerous changes in the management
and among others Samuel Guss may be mentioned
as landlord for several years, beginning with 1836.
In 1803 there were two other applicants for li-
cense, the one by Jesse Roberts, who represented
that he resided on the main street, directly opposite
º 65
the Court House. He was refused, although recom-
mended by William Worthington and thirty-five
others. His property was on the site of the Bank of
Chester County. .
Another application was from Joseph Clark, who
stated that he had “lately built and finished two
very commodious and elegant houses with suitable
rooms, cellars, and a kitchen to each, all under one
roof and a convenient stable adjoining the premises,
situate in Gay Street,” and that these buildings had
“cost him an immense sum of Money to complete
them and that he carryd on the buildings at a time
when the growth of the Borough was seemingly at
a stand and public spirit in a State of Stagnation.”
He is supposed to have been located on the south
side of Gay Street, a little west of Church.
OTHER TAVERNS.
In 1786 Emmor Trego was granted license to keep
a taveru where he lived, probably in the farm house
which stood a little southward of the Mansion
House. The license was renewed to him May, 1787.
In 1788, Joshua Weaver, his brother-in-law, suc-
ceeded him, and was granted license again in 1789,
after which there is no further mention of the
house. In the last application the place was styled
the “Horse and Groom.”
John Rouse, having rented a house convenient to
the Court House, was licensed at May Court, 1788,
but the next year was at Dilworthtown, and no one
appears to have succeeded him at West Chester.
TRAVELLER'S REST, STAR TAVERN.
This was erected by William Bennett, on the
Strasburg Road, within a few rods of the borough
line, about 1820, and his son, Imla J. Bennett, was
licensed there in 1822. It has not been kept as a
tavern in recent years.
CHESTER COUNTY HOTEL, MANSION
HOUSE.
This was built in 1831, by William Everhart, and
started as a temperance hotel, but it was found
that this would not pay and the next year received
a regular license. It continued to be owned by Wil-
liam Everhart for many years.
The Grove Hotel, on the State Road, opposite
Everhart's Grove, and the Famer's Hotel, on West
Market St., are comparatively modern enterprises.
THOMAS CHEYNEY ESQ.
(Read before the Chester County Historical Society, 2, 15, 1894.)
BY GILBERT COPE.
A recent discussion in the papers re-
specting the Cheyney Family Burial
Ground, and the suggestion that it was
established by Thomas Cheyney, who
died in 181 I, because he did not wish to
be buried among his Quaker 11eighbors
whose conduct during the Revolution
was not in harmony with his own, led
me to look up some points in the family
history and in his own life.
John Cheyney was a resident in Mid-
dletown township, (now) Delaware
county, Pa., as early as 1715. He died
in 1722, 1eaving all his estate to his sons,
John and Thomas Cheyney, except 4.5
which was to be paid to Cheyney Balder-
son in England. The two sons soon
after this returned to England, presum-
ably to their native parish, and on Janu-
ary 16, 1724, John Bellers, of London,
merchant, conveyed to John Cheyney
and Thomas Cheyney, late of Middle-
town, in the county of Chester, but now
of Upper Lamborne, in the parish of
Chipping Lamborne, county of Berks,
England, 1500 acres of land in Pennsyl-
vania, for 4360. This land had been
purchased from William Penn, perhaps
as a speculation, but the owner had
never come to settle thereon. It was lo-
cated in Thornbury township at and near
the present Cheyney Station. The new
purchasers returned to Pennsylvania to
occupy the lands, and early in 1726
Thomas Cheyney married Elizabeth
Hickman, the daughter of their neigh-
bor Benjamin H10kman, of Westtown,
just east of the present Boarding School.
He died in 1728, 1eaving two daughters,
Mary and Ann. The latter married
James Jefferis, and they with their chil-
dren were living at Jefferis's Ford at the
time of the Revolution. John Cheyney
married November 3, 1730, Ann Hick-
1man, sister of his brother's wife, and re-
sided on a part of the land in Thorn-
bury, where he died in 1745. The Hick-
mans were in embers of Concord Friends’
Meeting, and were disowned for marry-
ing by a minister, their husbands 11ot
being Friends. After John's death his
widow made an acknowledgement and
was received into membership again, in
I749. Her son John, in I76I, made re-
quest and was admitted into member-
ship, and so continued till his death in
1806. The children of John and Ann
Cheyney were five in number, all young
at their father’s death, as follows :
Thomas, born December 12, 1731 ;
died January 12, ISII.
John, born June 20, 1733 ; died Oc-
tober 8, ISO6.
Joseph, born January 12,
August IO, I794.
Mary, born February 1,
September 30, 1820.
Richard, born March 23,
June I7, I791.
I735; died
1737 ; died
I739 ; died
Thomas Cheyney, the eldest son, mar-
ried in 1755, Mary Taylor, widow of
Philip Taylor and daughter of John aud
Margaret Riley, of Marcus Hook. After
her death, in 1766, he married, in 1769,
Mary Vernon, widow of Abraham Ver-
non, and daughter of William Bennett.
She survived him and died July 9, 1819.
Thus at the outbreak of the Revolu-
tionary War Thomas Cheyney was a
man of about 45 years of age, with a
large family of children and some of
them quite young. The following anec-
dote has been preserved in history but
at what time it was first committed to
paper is unknown to the writer :
“While Washington was in a state of
painful uncertainty respecting the move-
ments of the British army on the morn-
68
ing of the day of the Battle of Brandy-
wine, 'Squire Thomas Cheyney, a citi-
zen of Thornbury township, rode up to
the forces under Sullivan with intelli-
gence that the main body of the British
army had crossed the Brandywine and
was already at hand, approaching from
the north ; and being uncourteously re-
ceived by that General, demanded to be
led to the Commander-in-Chief. This
was done, and although Washington was
at first disposed to doubt the correctness
of the information, he was at length con-
vinced of its truth and immediately dis-
posed of his troops to meet the emer-
gency. It is said that some of the Gen-
eral’s staff spoke rather sneeringly and
increduously of the rustic 'Squire's in-
formation, which roused his temper.
“If you doubt my word,” said he to the
Commander-in-Chief, ‘put me under
guard until you can ask Anthony Wayne
or Persie Frazer if I am a mall to be
believed ;’ and then turning to the Gen-
eral’s attendants, he indignantly ex-
claimed, ‘I would have you to know
that I have this day’s work as much at
heart as e”er a blood of you.’’’
It was doubtless this incident that
brought him into public notice, and we
find that a little more than a month after
this event he was appointed a Sub-Lieu-
tenant for Chester county, October 16,
1777, and in that capacity he was active
in organizing and equiping the militia
for defence. On the same date, in Su-
preme Executive Council, “An order
was drawn on David Rittenhouse, Esq.,
Treasurer of the State, in favor of Col.
Thomas Cheyney, Sub-Lieutenant of the
County of Chester, for the sum of Two
Thousand Dollars, to be Charged to Col.
Smith, Lieutenant of the said County,
for the purpose of Paying Substitutes &
purchasing Blankets, for which Sum he
is to account.” (Colonial Records, xi,
32 I.)
On October 21, 1777, he was appointed
a Commissioner to seize the personal
property of those supposed to be un-
friendly to the American cause. (xi, 329.)
October 24, 1777, it is represented that
he and Col. William Gibbons had written
to Council respecting Jonathan Hunter
and George Hunter, who were suspected
of loyalty to King George. (xi, 360.)
October 31, 1777, President Wharton
wrote to Cols. Cheyney and Gronow,
urging them to “take all prudent & ef-
fectual measures to form 3 or 4 Troops
of Light Horse out of your Militia ; tak-
ing herein the advice & direction of
Gen. Potter, on whom they greatly rely.
These you are to put under his direction,
subordinate however to the Comr.-in-
Chief, & Gen. Armstrong.” (Archives,
V, 732.)
December 16, 1777, Thomas Cheyney
was appointed with others, to take sub-
scriptions for the Continental Loan. (2d
Archives, iii, 7II.)
May 6, 1778, he was appointed an
agent for forfeited estates, to seize and
dispose of the real estate of persons at-
tainted of treason to the colonies. (Col.
Rec. xi, 503 : 2d Archives, iii, 737.)
In Council, June 4th, 1778, the fol-
lowing letter was read :
“June ye 2d, 1778.
“To the Honorable the Executive Coun-
cil of the Commonwealth of Pennsyl-
vania Humbly Sheweth :
“Whereas, the Enemy in their Rout
from the Head of Elk to Philadelphia
Committed Many Roberies and Plunder-
ing on the Inhabitants of they several
Townships in my D1strict as they Pass'd
through, (To Wit:) the Townships of
Newgarden, Kennett, Newlin Town,
Pennsborough, East and West Bradford,
Burmingham, Coucord, Ashtown, Mid-
dletown, Edgmont, Thornbury, West
Town, seizing Horses, Cattle, Sheep &
Swine, and Goods, Grain & Provisions of
all kinds, and in 1many Places What they
Could not Carry off they wantingly De-
stroyed, Which has Greatly Distressed
said Inhabitants : Therefore, as the Law
is silent in Respect to the Inhabitants
Under the above Circumstances, it would
be Granting a Particular favor to your
Hum’ble servent if your sentiments
69
\
Upon the above Perticulars Could be
1nade known to me.
‘‘THOMAS CHEYNEY.”
(2d Archives, iii, 20I.)
On the same day, in Council, it is
noted that “Colo. Hannum & Colo.
Cheyney having represented that they
are very confident that the guard of Men
ordered on the 22nd ultimo, is necessary
for the purpose of Collecting the fines
due for non-service in the Classes of
Militia called out by order of Council in
the County of Chester, and as the diffi-
culties attending that duty is evidently
greatly lessened by the preparations
made by the Enemy for leaving the City
of Philadelphia,” &c. (Colonial Rec-
ords, xi, 507.)
March 30, 1780, he was again commis-
sioned a Sub-Lieutenant for Chester
county, and as such signed the returns
of officers for some of the battalions,
May 1o, 1780. (2d Archives, iii, 736 ;
xiv, 93, I2O.)
He was appointed a Justice of the
Peace October 9, 1784, and commis-
sioned a Judge of the Common Pleas,
October 13, 1784. (2d Archives iii, 733.)
In an alphabetical list of Revolution-
ary Soldiers, (2d Archives xiii, 35,) we
find the names of Richard Cheney and
Thomas Cheney. It appears that Rich-
ard was in the 7th Batallion of Light-
Horse, Col. George Pierce, 1780–1. (2d
Arcllives, xiv, I27.)
Richard Riley, a brother of Thomas
Cheyney's first wife, and who married
Thomas's only sister, took an active part
in the cause of independence, being a
deputy to the Provincial Convention,
July 15, 1774, and a member of the Pro-
Vincial Conference, June 18, 1775. (Hist.
Chester Co. 7 II ; 2d Archives, iii.)
About I793 a correspondence was re-
vived between Thomas Cheyney and rela-
tives in England, and several letters or
copies of letters written by him are
among the possessions of the Pennsylva-
nia Historical Society. They are written
in a rustic, jovial style and would indi-
cate a mind on good terms with his sur-
roundings. He uses the plain language
of Friends from force of habit, which
does not argue ill will toward that sect.
These letters throw some light on the
family connections, though the con-
necting links with his English cousins
do not appear. In one letter to Nancy
Westbury he says: “Thee tells Ine if
thee hadst the advantage of the feather'd
race thee should direct thy Corse this
way. My dear Nancy if thee was Drest
in Feathers thee wouldst make a Drole
appearance 1ndeed. The whiggs some
years ago used to dress the Torys in
feathers with the addition of Tar, They
would make them Look Prity slick,
quick time, but that is Gone quite out of
fashion.” In another letter he gives in-
teresting information as to Agricultural
methods in his neighborhood.
The antiquity of the family is indicated
by the following note, taken from the
Genealogist, (ix, 24,) an English Inaga-
zine.
“John Cheyney, of Drayton Beau-
champ and Chesham Bois, co. Bucks,
and of Cogenho, co. Northampton,
married Margaret, daughter of Rob-
ert Ingylton, of Thornton. Their son
Robert, born 1487; died 9 Dec. 1552;
married first, Elizabeth, daughter of John
Webb, and widow of Fulke Odell (or
Woodllull,) who died 20 Dec. 1516, and
by her had Elizabeth and Mary (some-
times called Isabel), who married respec-
tively Benedict and Roger Lee, of Pitts-
ton, brothers of Sir Robert Lee.
Robert Cheyney married, secondly,
Mary, daughter of John Sylam, of Luton,
Bedfordshire, and widow of John Lock,
of London.’’
THE AMERICAN FLAG
AND THE . -
BATTLE OF ERANDY WINE.
(Reprinted from the Daily Local News, June 30, 1900.)
tºtt tº “”
-4- McCall Post, No. 31, G. A. R.,
West Chester, met last Friday.
f The Committee on the Baptism
of the American Flag in battle,
tºº matters of interest generally
relating to the history of the Baſt-
tle of Brandywine made its report,
through its Chairman, Col. F. C.
Hooton, which we publish below,
in full, because of its general in-
terest.
The Post also decided to erect a
fine flag pole and fling to the
breeze a beautiful flag at Sandy
Hollow, pn the farm of Henry
Bennett, in commemoration of the
t
eral Greene's command, and the
American dead who are buried
there. f
The pole wil be erected there on
* September 11 next, and the Secre- +
tary of War has been asked for a 4-
3 cannon to be placed there. -
- Congressman Butler has been
+ requested to look after this part
+ of the matter. -
4 ++++++++++-º-º-º-º-v--~~~~~~ *-
To the Post Commander, Officers - and
members of Gen. George A. McCall
Post, No. 31, G. A. H. :-
The comm..ttee appointed to investigate
and report as to whether the tradition
that the American flag, the StarS alld
stripes, was first unfurled in battle at the
Rattle of Brandywine, fought Septemoer
11th, A. D., 1777, is true or not, respect-
fuly reports:
It appears that the necessity for , a
common flag occurred to Benjamin
Frankl, n, Thomas Lynch, of South
Carolina, and Benjamin Harrison, of Vir-
gim.a., who visited Washington’s Camp at
Cambridge in October, 1775, as a Com-
mittee from Congress, to consult With
him as to the best method of Continuing
and supporting a regular continental
£irmy.
The result of their conference Was the
adoption of a flag, which was partly the
i
ºr,tish flag with the thirteen red and
white stripes added to it to represent the
th)rteen colonies.
This flag was carried into Boston when
it was evacuated, at the defeat of Our
forces on Long Island, at the defence of
Forts Washington and Lee, in the retreat
Through Nºw Jersey and at the Victories
at Princeton and T, enton, but from its
similarity to the British flag it was deem-
heroic stand made there by Gen- ?
ed advisable after the Declaration of In-
Ciependence to abandon it.
Accordingly on Saturday June 14th, 1777,
Congress resolved that the flag Of the
thirteen United States should be thirteen
stripes, alternately, red and White, and
the union should be thirteen stars, White
in a blue field, representing a new Con-
Stellation.
THE FLAG’S BIFTHIDAY.
This date is therefore the birthday of
the American flag. This resolution Was
not published in the newspapers until
August and was not officially promul-
gated under the signature of the Secre-
tary of Congress at Philadelphia, until
the 3rd of September, eight days before
the Battle Of Brandywine, but it Seen*S
to be well authentica,ted that the Sta. TS
and stripes except as to the number of the
Stars was first unfurled in the Battle Of
Brandywine, fought in what was then
Chester county, Pennsylvania, but from
the division of the county is now partly
in Chester county and partly in Dela-
Mºe County, On September 11th, A. D
777.
In 1794 the States of Vermont and FCell-
tucky having been admitted, the flag
was by act of Congress changed and two
Stars and two stripes added, making fif-
teen stars and fifteen, stripes.
This flag continued to be the national
flag until 1818. It was under that flag We
won our naval victories and our victories
On land in the War of 1812.
In 1818 Congress passed an act by
which we went back to the flag of the
Revolution, with thirteen stripes, alter-
nately red and white, with a blue field,
in this field to be one star for every
State in the Union. -
We therefore carried in the War of the
Rebellion the same flag our ancestors
carried in the Revolution, first un-
furled at Brandywine, except with the
increase of the number of stars.
JEvery military post is provided with
three flags: first, the garrison flag,
which is twenty feet wide and thirty-six
feet long; second, the post flag, which is
ten feet wide and twenty feet long;
th.rd, the Storm flag, which is four feet
two inches wide and eight feet long.
Lach regiment in the army has two
flags known as the colors. One of the
national flag, the other the regimental
flag, both Of silk.
Each of these flags except for the cav-
alry, is four feet six inches wide and five
feet six inches long; the pike is nine feet.
in length.
The cavalry Colors which are somewhat
Smaller are called Standards and the pike
somewhat longer.
The centre Stripe of the flag has enn-
broidered on it the name and number of
•y
72
the regiment. The regimental flag is
Scarlet, for the engineers and the artill-
ery, blue for the infantry and yellow for
the cavalry.
The regimental flag has on it the coat
of arms of the United States, and the
number or name Of the regiment. In
a volunteer regiment the Coat of arms Of
the State it is from and the number
and name of the regiment.
When we recall the number Of engage-
ments on sea and land in which Our flag
has been unfurled, we naturally experi-
ence a desire to know something about
the history of its first engagement,
Whether the Soldiers who Carried lt
showed proper courage, whether they
maintained their ground as you would
hope they did and, , in general,
tle to be ashamed Of.
On August 25th, 1777, the British army
under the command of Sir William Howe
witn, as Capt. Montressor, Howe’s chief
engineer officer states, 18,000 men, landed
at Turkey Point on the Elk, in Cecil
county, Maryland, on their expedition for
the capture of Philadelphia, the Capital
of the Colonies. .
This army tº owe immediately divided
into two grand divisions, One Of 11,000
men under Gen Iºnyphausen, the Other
of 7,000 men under Lord Cornwallis.
These two divisions advanced by ea.Sy
stages on the road towards Philadelphia,
slzirmishing daiſy with the Americans
until the 10th of September, on the even-
ing of which day both divisions, reached
Kennett Square. Here the British Gen-
eral learned that General Washington
had made every preparation to dispute
his further advance at the Brandy Wine,
some seven miles distant.
BLAN OF ATTACE.
He accordingly arranged his plan of
att lck. Washington’s army Consisting
of about 11, u00 men, divided into five di-
visions of about 1800 men,
Maxwell’s corps of r flemen Cf about 500
men, together witn 1200 militia unde:
General Armstrong, commanded respec-
tively by Generals Stirling, Stevens, ,
Sullivan, Greene and Wayne had ... been
slowly falling back before the British.
The Brandywine is a considerable
stream, capable of being forded at many
places. Within the distance of nine miles
it is crossed at the following places:
Pyle's ford, two miles below . Chadd's
Foºd, where Washington, mad? his stand;
Bºjnºon's ford, two miles above; then
Jones' ford, a mile above, now calléél
painter’s Bridge; Wister's fold now Çall-
ed Lenape; more than a mile, above, that,
Éuffington's ford, now called, Shaw's
Bridge, and Jefferis’ ford, about a mile
above the last named ford. •
rºbe troops of Wayne, Stirling , and
Stevens were stationed bagk of ºng above
ôňada’s Ford. The division of Sullivan
extended up to Brinton's, ford, Greene
was held in reserve, while the militia
were at Pyle's ford. - .
Colonel Hazen with two regiments, had
be an ordered to guard the fords above
Brinton’s ford. s
He placed a Delaware regiment at
Painter’s Bridge, half of his, own regi-
mºnt at the Lenape ford, and the other
haſ at Buffington's ford. . The British
plan of battle provided that the divisiºn
§§ Cornwallis, which Howe personally
accompan ed, should make a Wide detouT,
gºt in Washington’s right and rear at
jibworthtown, thus cutting him Off from
Philadelphia, while Knyphausen should
advance opposite Chadd's Ford With
Whether
there was anything in the flags first bat-
ea,Ch. With
threatening demonstrations until such
time a S COrnwalls had reached Dil-
worthtown, which Knyphausen could de-
termine by the Sound Of the cannon,
when he should cross and with their
combined attack Crush Washington be-
tween them and drive him down the
Delaware peninsula.
CCrnwallis started at daybreak; P&nyp-
hausen alt five o'clock. P&ny pausen
had seven miles to go; Cornwallis, six-
teen. The morning was hot and foggy
luntil eleven O’clock.
The head of Cornwallis’ column reach-
ed Sconnel." Own about three miles from
the battlegrounds at Birmingham, a lit-
tle after one o’clock, where they halted,
what the rear of the column might come
Ulp. i
Here they rested more than an hour
and fed the horses and the men. In the
meantime General Washington, Who
about two o'clock had learned Of the
approach of this, flanking column, saw
that he must deliver battle at Birming-
ham and not at Chadd’s Ford as he had
determined, and that he must hold the
enemy in Check at Birmingham, at all
hazards, until his trains had been suffi-
cently advanced on the retreat towards
Chester and until the troops at Chadd’s
Ford should succeed in retreating be-
yond the line Of Dilworthtown.
He accardingly threw all of his avail-
able force into the fight at Birminghann
witn the exception of Wayne, whom ne
held at Chadd's Ford to keep PCnyphausen
in check, and the militia, at Pyle's ford,
two mil is below.
General Islnyphausen in his Official re-
port says he observed great commotion
a 1.1; or:gsu the Anger cans at two o'clock.
He saw four batteries of artillery move
from Washington's left to his right, and
the tº ains begin to move hither and
thither on the road towards Chester.
Was lington immediately ordered Stir-
ling and Stevens to Birmingham. At
half past two he ordered Sullivan With
ris division to join Stirling and Stevens
and take Command.
Hazan, at Shaw’s Bridge, at one o'clock
saw the B: itish crossing at Jefferis’ ford,
one mile above and waiting until he
could estimate their numbers, Commenced
a rapid and cautious march down the
Brandywine, taking up as he marClued
his detachments at Waster’s ford, and at
J Ones’ ford. Here he met General Sulli-
van, who had ust come up from Brix1.
ton’s ford and was proceeding to march
East of the Street Road.
It is not probable that Hazen followed
any road, but most likely marched
through the woods along the creek. There
was an old road from near Lenape or
wVister's ford, but it was much too close
to the British.
SAW THE BRITISH.
When within probably half a mile of
the point where the road from Sconnel-
town to Birmingham Crosses the Street
Hoad, Sullivan's advance saw the British
in the Street Road about Seven hundred
feet ahead Of them. -
The British line of battle had been
formed on the West S.de of the road froln
Sconneltown to Birm Ingham, a little
North of the Street Road.
This line Could not have been less
than a quarter of a mile in length from
lºft to right. As Sullivan was seven hun-
dred f 2et West of the right of this lille,
we think it probable he must have been
al- O St half a mile West of the Toa (l
crossing before mentioned.
73
About the same time Sullivan Saw the
position held by Stirling and Stevens,
which was about half a mile to his right
and rear on an eminence.
In their reading of Sullivan’s State-
ment, the Historians, who have written
about the Battle of Brandywine, have ail
concluded that as soon as Sullivan Saw
the British he went right into the field
and formed line of battle and they think
he formed his line about where Parker
INorris’ house now Stands.
In this conclusion they make no all-
lowance for the length of the British
#. of battle West of the Birminghalm
I Oa,Cl.
It is not likely that Sullivan made the
Cxtrao, dir..a y movement of turning Lhe
true head of his column to the right and
into the fields at the South at the point
Mºre he first saw the British ahead of
'III].
Ey such a movement he would expose
his left flank and the rear of his entire
column to the enemy as he turned into
L.-e field and they not more than Seven
hur dred feet distant.
Is it not more probable that he about
faced his whole colun n and after he had
marched a safe distance away from the
British, ordered them into the field on the
South and marched until he Was in a
line with the other two divisions at
least a quarter of a mile South and
West of where Historians think he form-
ed his line.
THOMAS SHARPLESS’ STORY.
Thomas Sharpless, whose father lived
on the ground of the battle, Says his
father told him that his father, the
grandfather, told him that the American
line was first forms d on an eminence
aloout a quarter of a mile South West of
where Harvey Darlington’s Spring house
stan ls, a proper position on Which to
plant artillery and place infantry. It is
almost in a line with Stirling and Stevens'
position and istant almost half a mile.
Anyone visiting the battle ground pos-
sessed of this information and reading
Su-1livan S report wili See at a glance
that this was undoubtedly the place
where Inis line was formed.
Here hs formed his line unfortunately
with a gap of almost half a mile Separat-
ing it from the other two divisions.
It is probable Sull van thought this the
best place to oppose the British advance
until after he visited Sterling and Ste-
vens, when he determined to move his
troops to the right and join them.
TOnfortur ately just as he attempted to
execute th S movement the enemy Com-
menced their altack upon him. With his
entire left flank exposed.
T his his troops could not Stand and
they broke and went to the rear as many
more experienced soldiers would have
dons and could not be again brought into
action.
We will here give Sullivan’s account of
it in his own language. He SayS: "At
half past two I received orders to march
with ºnly division to join With and take
command of that and two others to Op-
pose the enemy who were coming down
on the right flank of our army. I neither
knew where the enemy Were nor Whalt
route the other two divisions Were to
take, and, of course, could not determine
w h are I should form a junction with
th. exn.
“I began my march in a few minutes
after I received my Orders and had not
marched a mile when I met Colonel
Hazen and his regiment, who informed
me that the enemy were close upon his
heels. While I was conversing With Col-
onel Hazen, and our troops Still On Lile
march, the enemy headed us in the road
about forty rods from Our advanced
guard (this is about 700 feet). I then
fot nd it necessary to turn off to the
right to form and so get nearer the other
two divisions in the rear and to the rigilt
Of the place I then was. I Ordered Col-
onel Hazen's regiment to pass a hollow
way, file off to the right and face to
cover the artillery. The enemy seeing
this did not press On, but gave me
t me to form my division on an advan-
tageous height in a line With the Other
divisions, but almost half a mile to the
left. I then rode on to COn Sult the Other
General Officers, Who, Ulpon receiving In-
format. On that the enemy Were endeavor-
ing to outflank us on the right, were
unanimously of the Opinion that my di-
vision should be brought on to join the
othel S, and that the whole should incline
further to the right to prevent Our being
outflanked, but while my division was
marching on and before it was possible
for the m to form to advantage time
enemy pressed on with rapidity and at-
tack ad them, which threw them into
some kind of Confusion.”
SUT,LIVAN CRITICIZED,
Sullivan became the Object Of much
animadversion for his movements on Lnat
day. He was accused of making a long
detour when he should have reached the
desired point by a much shorter route
across the fields.
He did not know where Stirling and
Stevens were. He did not know Where
the British were until he saw them. We
have no doubt the British Column was as
much surprised as Sullivan Was When
they suddenly confronted each other at
uhese CrOSS TO a.C. S.
When the British Sa W Sullivan form.
his line with an interval Of almost half a
mile between him and the left of the line
at Mrs. Biddle's hill, they probably
thought this gap was to be filled by an-
other approaching American Column and
hastened their attack.
The engagement at Mrs. Biddle's hill
lasted an hour and forty minutes. The
hill was taken and retaken five times and
the ground from there to the Meeting
House was covered with the dead and
wounded British.
The right of the line where Gen.
Stevens’ commanded held its position un-
til about the time of the arrival of Gen.
Greene.
He opened his ranks to permit Stevens’
men to pass through and then closing up
again, placing part of his men at a defile
with Weedin's Brigade on his left and
the balance of Muhlenberg's Brigade on
his right, stubbornly confronted the
enemy, until darkness set in.
According to the a CCOUIntS Of
the British historians, it was with
the greatest difficulty they could
drive Stevens from his position and they
state that when his men did retreat they
united with a fresh body of Americans.
Undoubtedly Greene’s men took another
iºns position and held it until after
3. I’k.
Lieut. McMichael, of . Col. Stewart's
Pennsylvania Regiment, ... of Greene's
division, States in his diary, that for
twenty minutes the troops, where his
Beginnent was, fought the British at the
distance of fifty yards, and continually
repulsed them until night set in.
Much speculation has been indulged in
74
as to where this defile could be. There
is but one defile between Birmingham
and Dilworthtown. This is at Sandy
Hollow Were great numbers of the Ameri-
Can Were buried.
This defile is a very strong position.
Two thousand men could at this day hold
it against three times their numbers.
We think it is altogether probable this
is the point where Gen. Greene so long
held the British at bay.
The duty which devolved on Gen.
Wayne on this occasion was of a most
delicate nature. He was required to hold
Gen. Knyphausen, who had 11,000 men
with him, in check, such a length of time
as Would prevent him from getting in the
rear . Of the Americans fighting at Bir-
mingham, while he himself must needs.
leave the field before the British fight-
ing at Birmingham should get in his rear
and Cut Off his retreat.
A CIRCUIMSTANCE.
His retreat appears to have been pre-
cipated by a singular circumstance. The
British and Hessian grenadiers and the
light infantry made the attack on Sulli-
Van and broke him. While attempting to
Close the gap between himself and the
troops on Mrs. Biddle's hill. They ap-
pear to have followed the flying troops
until they became inextricably entangled
in a thick Woods from which they were
unable to emerge. When they finally
extricated themselves they were dis-
Covered by Wayne approaching his rear,
while he was fighting Knyphausen,
whereupon he was immediately compelled
to retreat.
These British Regiments continued un-
til they reached lsrael Gilpin's house,
where Gen. Howe established his head-
Cuarter S.
The student investigating the history of
the Battle of Brandywine, as it is called,
Will Observe in the lines we have marked
Out, that We have differed to some extent
with those who have preceded us. We
feel Compelled to state that our conclusions
are the result of much thought, of tradi-
tions handed down by the contem-
poraneous families, combined with some
military experience on the part of sev-
eral members Of the Committee. s
In dividing his army Sir William Howe
committed one of the greatest military
blunders, from the consequences of whign
he escaped by the merest accident. His
troops were first worn out by their six-
teen-mile march in the sweltering Sep-
tember Sun and then went into battle
beyond the aid of the Supporting column
of Knyphausen.
FHad he been unsuccessful he would have
been destroyed before the Other Column
could have Come to his assistance.
Had Sullivan reached the ground fiif–
teen minutes earlier he would have been
closed up with the other column, when
the British attack commenced and the
panic avoided. Had Greene also reached
the ground where Stevens fought, half
an hour Sooner, We think the battle
would have resulted in the complete over-
throw of Lord Cornwallis' flanking
column, ending in its total rout. This
we are induced to think from the fact
that for an hour and forty minutes the
two divisions of Stirling and Stevens,
aided by the three regiments from Sulli-
Van's division, of Hazen, Ogden and Day-
ton, not composing in all more than 3,000
men, withstood this entire British column,
consisting of 7,000 men, at Mrs. Biddle's
hill, and from the further fact that when
Gen. Greene arrived his division, assisted
by such of the broken column as rallied
With them, not numbering in all more
than 3,000 men, withstood the entire
|British column until dark. -
In Humes’ History of England, it is
said: “This battle upset all previous con-
clusions. It had been claimed that the
Americans could not stand before the
Ring’s troops in a fight in the Open and
upon equal conditions, but that this bat-
tle upset all Of these conclusions.
“The Americans,” says the Historian,
‘‘met the British in about equal numbers,
they fought them face to face in an en-
gagement, which in all of its parts com-
menced at Sunrise and did not terminate
until darkness put an end to it, and while
it left the British in possession of the
field it left them in such a condition that
they could not move from it until after
the lapse of three days.”
General Washington in this engagement
manifested Superior generalship. With
but a moment for thought he transferred
the great body of his troops to a new
field, without forgetting the necessities
Of the Old.
He fought the flower of the British
army until darkness Set in and almost de-
feated it. He then returned to Ches-
ter and in a few days advanced to meet
the British in Goshen.
THE FLOWER OF BRITISH ARMY.
We should remark that in this history
of events we have confined ourselves al-
most exclusively to the battle extending
from Birmingham to Dilworthtown. The
fighting in Knyphausen's front simply
consisted of a series of skirmishes of
greater or less magnitude, while the great
battle of the day was fought On the lines
we have mentioned, all of which took
place within that part of Birmingham
township, which is in the present limits
of Chester county, with a small part of it
in Thornbury township, Chester county,
and that to distinguish it from the skir-
mishing at Chadd’s Ford it might well
be called the Battle of Birmingham.
So great was the number of wounded
the British Surgeons could not give any
attention to the Americans in their
hands and Sir William Howe was com-
pelled to ask Gen. Washington to send
him some of his surgeons to attend to
them. Several Philadelphians volunteered
for the performance of this humano duty,
including Dr. Benjamin Rush, Dr. Leiper.
T)r. Latimer, Dr. Wll let and their assist-
ants.
In this engagement our ancestors, in-
differently armed, poorly clad, insuf-
ficiently fed, proved themselves the peers
of the finest troops in the British Army,
as they boldly held aloft the Stars and
Stripes, the Battle Flag of Freedom, and
we find much in them to emulate and
praise, but nothing to condemn.
FRANCIS C. HOOTON,
L. G. M'CAULEY, - .
CHAS. H. PENNYPACKER,
JOS. THOMPSON.
WM. WAYNE, JP.,
(STLEERT COPE.


BUL|_|T|NS
OF THE
CHESTER COUNTY
HiSIOriCal SOCicil)
1902-3
OFFICERS FOR 1902-3.
*
PRESIDENT.
George M. Philips.
VICE-PRESIDENTS.
Alfred Sharpless,
Jospeh Thompson.
DIRECTORS.
Gilbert Cope,
Gibbons Gray Cornwell,
H. Rush Kervey,
Samuel Marshall,
George M. Philips.
COUNCILLORS.
Rebecca M. Hemphill,
Alice Lewis,
Mary I. Stille,
Smith Burnham,
Charles R. Hoopes,
William P. Sharpless.
CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.
William T. Sharpless.
RECORDING SECRETARY.
Gilbert Cope.
TREASURER.
Lewis K. Stubbs.
CURATORS.
Alice Lewis,
William T. Sharpless.
Proceedings of the Chester Co. Historical Society
2d MO. 20, 1902.
[REPRINTED FROM THE “DAILY LOCAL NEWS."]
SOME ANNALS OF THE BUFFINGTON, FAMILY
By GILBERT COPE
The quarterly meeting of the Chester
County Historical Society was held last
evening in Library Hall. The attendance
was not very large, but the programme
was carried out as previously arranged.
The President, Dr. George M. Philips,
called the meeting to order. Reading of
the minutes was dispensed with. A let-
ter from Mr. and Mrs. John P. Logan, of
West Chester, was read. Mr. and Mrs.
Logan had been appointed to represent
the Society in a meeting of representatives
of historical societies in Washington to
secure the passage of the appropriation
for the establishment of a national park
at Valley Forge. They reported that they
attended a meeting in its interest. The
bill was read and discussed and the proS-
pects of its passage Were considered good.
ANNALS OF BUFFINGTON FAMILY.
The Secretary of the Society, Gilbert
Cope, in accordance with previous an-
nouncement, had prepared a paper en-
titled “Some Annals of the Buffiington
Family of Chester County.”
Mr. Cope's paper had been prepared
with great care. It traces the family his—
tory from the earliest records some years
prior to the coming of William Penn, and
shows that a great multitude of Chester
county people are descended from the
original settler, “Richard Bobbinghton,”
or “Boveington,” as it was originally
spelled. Because of the interest that
many of the readers of the News natural-
ly have in this paper we publish it in full,
as follows:
SOME ANNALS OF THE BUFFINGTON
FAMILY.
There are few English families in Penn-
sylvania which can claim an earlier ar-
rival than the Buffingtons, Whose ances-
tor was seated here before the name of
Pennsylvania had been given to the pro-
Vince. The Swedes had settled within Our
borders as early as 1638, but their num-
bers did not increase very much, and in
1655 they were subjugated by the Dutch,
whose seat of government was at Man-
hattan, now New York City. In 1664. Man-
hattan was captured by the English, and
its dependencies on the South river, as
the elſ) laware was called, passed under
the dominion of the conquerors. In 1675
an English colony was established at
Salem, in New Jersey, and another at
Burlington in 1677, both being composed of
Friends or Quakers. A few who came
Over under these auspices removed to
the Western shore of the Delaware, where
COUlrtS had been established by the Dutch
and continued by the English. The juris–
diction of the Court at Upland (now Ches-
ter) extended over all the settled parts
of what afterward became Pennsylvania,
and the records thereof from 1676 to 1681,
having escaped destruction, form an in-
teresting exhibit of the state of society
in that period. In Order to raise money
for the necessary expenses of government,
in 1677, a tax was levied on all the “Tyd-
ables,’’ Or taxables, Of Whom the list
numbered 136, including ten from the Jer-
sey side of the river. Amongst these
there were perhaps fifteen of English
blood, the majority being Swedes. At
Upland we fine Robert Wade, “Rich. Bob-
binghton,” James Sanderlands, John Test,
Richard Noble, Henry Hastings, William
Woodmancy and John Hayles (or Bayles
—Beals 2) º,
At a Court held November 25, 1679, “Al-
bert Hendrix. Of Lamo CO appearing in
Court, declared to TranSport and make
Ouer unto John Test of Upland all his
Right Tytle and Intrest to a Certayne
small parcell of land, lying and being
att ye head of Upland Creeke beginning
att Robberd Waedes markt beetch tree
standing att ye Syde of the Creeke, and
soe up along the Creek Syde to a Small
gut or Run, and Soe up along the s'd run
to a markt Whyte Oakt tree and SOe
stricking dounwards againe w”th a Lyne
of markt Trees to the place of beginning,
itt being a narrow slipe alongst the run
or Creeke Syde tand Contaynes abou
fourthy acres of Land; This Land being
part of a greater quantity Granted unto
him ye s'd Albert by Pattent from ye
Governor and Called Lamoco ; and hee ye
s'd albert declared to haue Received full
Sattisfaction for the Same.
“John Test of Upland, declared in Co’rt
to Transport and make ouer unto Rich-
ard Boveington and John Grub all and
singular the slipe of Land here above-
mentioned, made ouer unto him the s'd
John Test by albert endrix of Lamoco ;
and declares to haue received full Sat-
tisfaction of them ye s'd Richard and
John for ye Sanne.
“John Test of upland a pearing in OCurt
declared to have bargained, sould Trans-
ported and made ouer all his Right Tytle
and Interest to a Certayne tract of Land
Called the hopewell of Kent Unto Rich-
ard Boveington and John Grubb both of
upland, the s'd Land Lying and being On
the southwest syde of this River of delo-
ward and on the southwest Syde of up-
land Creeke beginning as a Corner market
blake Oake of ye Land of albert heridrixen
Called Lamoco, standing att ye Syde Of
the s'd Creeke by ye mouth of a Smal
Run, from thence Running South South-
west up the s’d Run 136 perches to the
head thereof, and from ye head of the
s’d Run S: west 155 perches, by a Lyne
of markt trees to a Corner market blake
oake of ye Land of marretties PCill, from
thence west southwest by a Lyne Of
marked trees 80 perches to a Corner
marked whyte oake from thence North
Northwest 266 perches to a Corner marked
blake Oake, from thence East North East
by a Lyne of marked trees 296 perches
to a Corner marked poplar, standing att
ye syde of a small Run, from thence East
South East doune ye s'd Run 22 perches
to the mayne Creeke, and from thence
doune alonge the s” d Creek to the first
mentioned black Oak, Contayning Fower
hundred acres of Land, according to ye
Surveigh made thereof by the Late Sur-
veig or walter wharton the 27th of Sep-
tember 1678; he ye s”d John Test onely
Excepting and Reserving Out of this
above s'd 400 acres of Land the upper-
most part thereof Contayning one hun-
dered acres; w”ch hee ye s'd John Test
hath sould unto William Woodmancy, so
that Richard and John halue noe more
then 300 acres of Land; and they the
said Richard Boveington and John Grub
did agree w”th ye s”d Test to pay for the
Pattenting of ye s'd Land themselves.”
William Penn obtained a charter for
the Province of Pennsylvania, on the 4th
of March, 1680 (1681, N. S.), and on Sept.
13, 1681, the first court under the new dis-
pensation was held at Upland, at which
time Richard Bufflington appeared as a
witness in one case, as a plaintiff in an-
other and as a defendant in a third. He
was a member of the Grand Jury June
27th, 1683, and a witness at the same court.
On December 14th, 1683, he prosecuted
John Child “in an action of Trover and
Convertion,” and “the Jury finde for the
Plaintife and give him his heifer and
thirty shillings damage with Cost Of
Suite.”
At a Court held the 6th day of the 11th
month, 1684, “Richard Buffiington is Or-
dered to Receive the Levies raised for
the Cort house and Prison in the TOWn-
ship of Chester.” It was also “Ordered
that the Collectors of the Levie for the
Cort house and Prison shall be Consid—
ered for their time and Paines twelve
pence in the pound.”
He appears to have changed his resi-
dence and at court, 6th of 1st month,
1687–8, he was appointed “Constable” for
Chichester Township. March 5, 1688-9,
“Richard Buffiington, Constaple of Chi-
chester, being attested declareth that
when he went downe to Chichester about
ye levies John Wickham did swear if any
one should levie any thing upon him he
would have a tyme of him.” It appears
that a survey Of 400 acres WaS made for
IHenry Hastings and Richard Buffington,
in Chichester Township, 7th month 14th,
1682. Of this they conveyed to James
Swaffer 150 acres on June 6th, 1701.
By deed of April 6th, 1696, Richard Buf-
fington and William Vestal purchased
from the executors Of John Loftus a tract
of 218 acres on the Brandywine, extending
from a point a little below the forks of
the Creek nearly to what is known as
Strode's Mill. By another deed of 6th
month 2d, 1701, they purchased 218 acres
more, the remainder of the Loftus tract,
and appear to have made division by
Vestal taking the latter purchase. Rich-
ard Buffington had settled on his part
prior to the last mentioned date, and was
perhaps the first settler in what is now
East Bradford township, though it ap-
pears to have been considered a part of
Westtown township until 1705, when Brad-
ford was first organized. He was ap-
pointed Constable for Westtown for 1701,
1702 and 1703, and also filled the office of
Supervisor of highways at the same time.
A road laid out on the 22d of 12th-month,
1704-5, from the forks of the Brandywine
toward Chester, is described as passing
near his house. In 1708 he purchased from
Thomas Martin, of Middletown, 210 acres
in Bradford, extending northward from
his former purchase to the east branch of
the Brandywine above the forks, and
having sold 100 acres to Nathaniel Ring
he divided the remainder between his
sons, Thomas and William, in 1721, re-
Serving a life interest therein. In this
division he gave each of his sons about
equal frontage On both the main stream
and branch, thus making two long, nar-
row and irregular tracts. -
It was perhaps about this time that
Richard Buffington seated himself on an
unoccupied tract of more than 200 acres,
immediately in the forks of Brandywine.
It had been surveyed to Jacob Taylor,
of Philadelphia, who conveyed it, in 1718.
to Isaac Norris, of the same place. The
latter devised it, with a residue of his
estate, to his children, and after several
years it became the property of his son,
Isaac Norris, Esq., of Fairhill, Philadel-
phia, in 1741. It is said that Richard Buf-
fington, having been dispossessed of a
neighboring place, seated himself here,
presumably without any contract or agree-
ment with Isaac Norris. It was here that
he gathered around him his numerous
posterity on an occasion thus referred to
in the Pennsylvania Gazette for June 28
to July 5, 1739:
“Philadelphia.-On the 30th of May past
the children, grandchildren and great-
grandchildren of Richard Buffington, Sen-
ior, to the number of one hundred and
fifteen, met together at his house in
Chester County, as also his nine sons-
and daughters-in-law, and twelve great-
grandchildren in law. The old man is
from Great Marle, upon the Thames, in
Buckinghamshire, in Old England, aged
about 85, and is still hearty, active and
Of perfect memory. His eldest son, now
in the Sixtieth year of his age, was the
first-born of English descent in this pro-
Vince.’’
This claim of being the first-born, on
behalf of his son Richard, will not hold
good upon examination of the records of
Chester Monthly Meeting of Friends. The
Same claim was made for Emanuel Gruhh,
Son of John and Frances Grubb, but a
daughter of Roger and Rebecca Pedrick
was born at Marcus Hook on the 14th of
7tſ, month, 1678, thus antedating both of
these men. -
Whether Richard Buffington was mar-
ried at the time of his arrival in this
Country is unknown. The name of Ann
Or Anne, his first wife, is mentioned in
1689 and 1695, and in March, 1697-8, she
and several other reputable persons were
indicted for being at an unlawful mar-
riage. In 1710 and 1712 a wife, Frances,
joins him in conveyances, and circum-
Stances indicate that she was the widow
of John Grubb, who died in Chichester in
1708. His last wife, who survived him,
Was Alice, the daughter of John and Mary
Palmer, of Concord township. She must
have been much younger than her hus-
band, and their marriage probably oc-
Curred about 1720. By the first and last
Wives there were at least thirteen chil-
dren.
John F. Watson, in his “Annals of Phil-
adelphia,’’ alludes more than once to the
Bat-ering of Richard Buffington's descend-
ants at his own house, which he Speaks Of
as being in the parish of Chester, and to
the fact that his son Richard was the
“first-born Englishman in Pennsylvania.”
The reference to the parish might imply
a connection with the Episcopal Church,
but the evidence points rather to the
Baptist organization as the father’s favor-
ite. Some of his children and many of
his descendants became Friends. His
death occurred in January, 1747-8, when
he must have been in his 94th year. His
descendants now number many thous-
ands, Scattered over nearly all the United
States, yet hundreds of them are here in
West Chester, who owe at least a pass-
ing thought to their WOrthy progenitor.
The following is a copy of his will, of
Which the neatly written Original was
probably penned by John Morse, a school-
master of the neighborhood:
“In the Name of God Amen. The Sov-
enth Day of January in the year of our
Lord 1747-8, I Richard Buffington in the
County of Chester and Province of Penn-
Sylvania yeoman, being Sick in Body, but
Of Perfect Memory, Thanks be to God
therefore, Calling unto mind the Mortality
of my Body, and knowing that it is for
all Men once to Die, do make and ordain
this my last Will and Testament: That
is to say principally and first of all, I
£ive and recommend my soul into the
Hands of God that gave it, and for my
Body, I recommend it to the Earth, to be
buried in a Christian like and decent IIla, Il-
ner, at the discretion of my Executors,
nothing doubting but at the general Re-
Surrection I shall receive the same again
by the mighty Power of God. And a.S
touching Such worldly Estate where with
it hath pleased God to bless me with in
this Life, I give, devise and dispose of the
Same in the manner following:
“Imprimis, It is my will, and I do or—
der, That in the first place, all my Just
Debts and Funeral Charges be paid and
Satisfied.
“Item, I give and bequeath unto Alice
my dearly beloved Wife One Room at the
N. E. Corner of the House with the Cellar
under it and five pounds a year and fire-
wood Sufficient for One fire brought con-
venient, and One Milch-cow reasonably
lcept without any cost to her, one feather
Bed the One I now lieth On With Suitable
furniture as now is, one Case of dra WS
that Stands in the said ROOm and . One
Walnut Chest that Stands in the House
and fourty shillings to buy other furni-
ture with, During her Widowhood, Only
the feather bed and furniture and One
Case of Draws and Chest and fourty Shil-
lings worth of furniture as before men-
tioned forever.
Item, I give and bequeath to my Daugh-
ter Hannah Dain one Bible worth thirty
Shillings. Item, I give and bequeath to
my Daughter Mary Turner One Bible
worth thirty Shillings. Item, I give and
bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Free-
man One Bible of thirty Shillings price. I
give and bequeath to my Daughter Lida
Martin One Bible worth thirty Shillings.
Item, I give and bequeath to my son Wil-
liam Buffington all my wearing apparel.
I give and bequeath to my D3 ughter Abi
gail Seed one Bible worth thirty Shillings
Item, I give and bequeath to my Daugh
ter Alice McArthur One Bible worth thiſ'-
ty Shillings and a Horse named Roan.
Item, I give and bequeath to my SOn
Thomas Buffington Deceased’s Heirs five
Shillings. Item, I give and bequeath to
my Daughter Ann Hickman deceased's
Heirs five Shillings. Item, I give and be-
queath to my Daughter Ruth Harlan de-
ceased's Heirs five Shillings. Item, I give
and bequeath to my Son Richard Buffing-
ton deceased's Heir's five Shilling.S. Rtem,
I give and bequeath to my Son John Buf-
fington deceased's Heirs five Shillings.
And the remainder of all my Estate I give
and bequeath to my Son Joseph Buffington
his Heirs and Assigns for Ever both Real
and Personal Whatsoever and WhereSO-
ever. But in case Of s'd son Joseph Should
die without Heirs Lawfully begotten, my
Will is that it shall descend to my two
Daughters, Abigail and Alice their Heirs
and assigns forever Equally to be divided
Share and Share alike. Item, I give and
bequeath to Owen Thomas now Minister
Of the Anabaptist Society held at John
Bently’s in the Township of Newlin and
county aforesaid five pounds. Item, I give
and bequeath to the Society before Men-
tioned twenty pounds to be paid in the
manner following, viz't, five pounds to be
paid four years after my decease, five
pounds the Ensuing year, five pounds more
the Ensuing year and five pounds the
next Ensuing. Item, I give and bequeath
to Richard Rimbol two pounds ten Shil-
lings. Likewise I constitute, ma'ae and or—
dain my S'd Son Joseph my Only and Sole
IExecutor. Of this my last Will and Testa-
ment, And I do hereby utterly disallow,
revoke and disannul all and every other
former Testaments, Wills, Legacies and
Executors, by me in any way before this
Time Named, Willed and bequeathed,
Ratifying and Confirming this and no
other to be my last will and Testament,
In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set
my Hand and Seal the day and Year
above Written.
“Signed, Sealed, Published, Pronounced,
and declared by the Said Richard Buffing-
ton as my last Will and Testament in the
presence of us the Subscribers, viz. The
Words (of all my Estate) interlined before
Signed and delivered & Sealed.
FHis -
RICHARD R. B. BUFFINGTON (Seal)
Mark.
“Evan Jones, William Bennett, Sam'll
Grubb.’’
The foregoing will was proved on the
10th of February, 1747-8. An inventory of
the estate was made January 26th, 1747–8,
by William Bennett and Samuel Grubb,
from Which the following items are taken:
º fi ë. 43. S. Cl.
Purse and apparell . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 17 00
IBonds and bills ... . . . . . . . . ....... 33 15 00
Book debts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 11 d
A Bed and Furniture . . . . . . . . . 12 9
Books at home and abroad. . . . 5 00 00
PeWter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 4 4 6
Brass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 15 00
A Hundred bushels of Wheat
in the Barn .................. 15 00 00
|Rifty bushels of Rye. . . . . . . . . . 5 12 6
Twenty bushels of Barley. ... 2 10 00
Twenty bushels of Oats . . . . . . 1 10 00
Thirteen acres Of Wheat in the
ground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 15 00
Six Acres of Rye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 00 00
Twenty Six Sheep . . . . . . . . . . ... 7 16 00
Seven Swine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 10 00
Ten Horses & Mares . . . . . . . . . . 63 00 00
Seventeen Cattle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 10 00
Smith Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 14 00
Wheel-Wright Timber . . . . . . . . . 5 00 00
Joiner & Carpenter Tools. ... 5 05 00
Two Servants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 00 00
The Right of 200 Acres of
Land & Improvements
upon the Same ............ 200 00 00
The items are not summed up, but
amount to over £500, which, when we con-
sider the age and that he had doubtless
advanced each of his married children,
speaks well for his industry and thrift.
From the location of the articles men-
tioned in the inventory it is evident that
the house Was Of One Story. The little
room, the southeast room, the West room,
and the kitchen are all the apart-
mentS. The little I’OOTY) WalS Il O
doubt the northeast room which he
devised for the use of his widow
and where he slept on a bed which with
its furniture, was valued at £12:9; not so
bad for that time or even for the present.
A case of draws (drawers) at £4 and a
walnut chest at £2 were also in the same
I’OOIOl.
It is improbable that Richard Buffington
erected buildings and otherwise improv-
ed the land without a lease Or agreement
with the owner. After his death his son,
Joseph, purchased the land from Isaac
Norris.
The children of Richard Buffington, so
far as known, were these:
1. Richard, born about 1679, died 1741,
married Phebe Grubb.
2. Ann, married to Benjamin Hickman,
died before her father. They presented
their intentions of marriage before Con-
cord Monthly Meeting of Friends, 12th-
mo. 10, 1700. Nathaniel Newlin and Nich-
Olas Pyle were appointed to inquire as to
his clearness from Similar engagements
with others, and “to se Richard Buffing-
ton to signe a paper of his consent.” TWO
months later they appeared a second time,
but for some reason were not given per-
mission to accomplish their marriage, and
it was not till 4th-mo. 9, 1701, that they
Were set at liberty for that Object. They
settled on his farm in Westtown town-
ship and three of their seven children
were born in a cave directly east Of the
present Friends’ Boarding School. The
children were Mary, Elizabeth, John Fran-
cis, Benjamin, Ann and Hannah, from
whom have descended the Hickmans,
Cheyneys and Hunts, and a great many
Of the James family, besides hundreds of
Other names.
3. Thomas, married to Ruth Cope, who
died about 1728, and a second Wife, Ann,
Who Survived him. He died in 1739.
4. Ruth.
Kennett, declared their intentions Of mar-
riage before Concord Monthly Meeting,
12th-mo. 11, and 1st-mo. 11, 1705-6, and
Francis Chads and John Bennett were
appointed to have the oversight of their
marriage, which they subsequently re-
ported as orderly accomplished. They
had children, Ezekiel, Elizabeth, Mary,
Joseph, Ruth and Benjamin, from Whom
are descended numerous Harlans, Whites
and Leonards.
She and Ezekiel Harlan, of
5. William, a tailor by trade, has been
Supposed to have died unmarried, but
there are Buſfingtons who can scarcely
be accounted for except as his posterity.
His father conveyed to him 185 acres of
land in East Bradford, February 25th,
1720-1, which he in turn conveyed to Rob-
ert Jefferis, August 4, 1721. He appears
to have Subsequently owned land in West
Bradford. It appears that he was main-
tained by his nephews, 1753–7.
6. John married Sarah Eavenson and
Settled in West Bradford, where he died
in 1736, leaving four children.
7. Hannah married in 1720, at Friends'
Meeting, Jeremiah Dean, of West Brad-
ford, Who is Supposed to have come from
London. They had children, James, Ne-
hemiah, John and Mary.
8. Mary, married first to William Bald-
Win, Of Chester township, who died in
1722, after which she married Charles
Turner, of Birmingham. *
9. Elizabeth, married first Peter Collins,
of East Bradford, possibly from New
England. He died about 1733, and his
Widow married at Friends' Meeting, 11th-
mo. 1734-5, John Freeman, an Englishman
and a widower, of West Bradford. It
does not appear that she left children.
10. Lydia, married to George Martin,
of West Bradford. She left several chil-
dren, Joseph, John, James, Rachel, Lydia,
Mary, Elizabeth and Ann, whose descend-
ants are numerous. Her husband married
a second wife, Mary Nichols, 1757, and died
June 22, 1780.
11. Abigail, born about September, 1721,
married Edward Seed, of East Bradford,
January 1, 1741. He died in 1754, leaving
Six children, Abigail, Adam, Richard,
George, James and Mary, and from the
last named the Nields family of West
Chester are descended. The Seeds family
have given name to the first bridge on
the western branch of the Brandywine
above the forks. Abigail Seeds married
a Second husband, David Fling, a weaver,
Who had probably worked for her first
husband, and by him had five children,
Alice, John, Phebe, Hannah and David.
She was buried at Bradford Meeting, May
1st, 1813, being in her 92d year.
12. Joseph, by deed of March, 23, 1748,
purchased from Isaac Norris the home-
Stead, of over 200 acres, for £100, which
evidently did not include the value of the
improvements made by his father. Here
he lived at the time of the battle of Bran-
dy Wine, and the near by ford on the east-
ern branch of the Brandywine was long
known as Buffington's. He died unmar-
ried, November 17, 1785, and by his will
devised his estate to his sister, Abigail
Fling, and to the children of the said Abi-
gail and another sister, Alice Hance, de-
ceased. His executors conveyed the land
to his two nephews, Joseph Hance and
George Seed, who divided the same be-
tween themselves. After this the ford
was known as Hance's, but the bridge
which was erected there some thirty years
ago is known as Shaw's, from a later
Owner of the land.
13. Alice married at the Old Swedes'
Church, Wilmington, January 3, 1745, to
Robert McArthur, who left One Son, John
McArthur. She married again, about 1749,
James Hance, and by him had children,
Joseph, Mary, Hannah, Ann, James, Rich-
ard and Ruth. Her death Occurred July
19, 1775, and that of her last husband Oc-
tober 30, 1785, at the age of 63 years.
In the year 1878, after the death Of
Humphrey Marshall, of Marshallton, the
last of the family to Occupy the old man-
SiOn at the BO tar:ical Garden established
by his grand-uncle of the Same name, 1
Obtained a large number Of paperS Which
had accumulated in the Buffington family
through Several generations and had lain
in the attic Of the Marshall home for many
years. Some of these had fallen into this
Channel from n the fact that James Mar-
shall, grandfather of the late Humphrey,
was an executor Of Joseph Buffington,
son of the first Richard ; but more of them
had been left there by Richard Buffing-
ton, Son and executor Of JOhn Buffington,
who iri turn Was executor Of his father,
Richard Buffington, Second Of the name in
this country. John's Son Was a bachelor
who had made his home at the Marshall
mansion for some time prior to his death,
which occurred in 1805, in his 65th year.
One of these papers is a bill Of Sale from
Richard Buffington, Sr., to his son, Hich-
ard, for several horses, perhaps as a “set-
ting out” for the young man about the
time of his marriage to Phebe Grubb. lt
is as follows:
To all Christian people to whome these
presents Shall Come: I Richard Buffing-
ton of Bradford township in the Countey
Of Chester in the provence Of Pensilvania.
yoman: send greeting. [now ye That 1
Richard Buffington for and in Consideral-
tion Of the LOV e and good Will and affec-
tion which I have and do bare TO Wards
my Loving Sone Richard Buffington of
the Township and Countey afores'd have
given & granted To the s'd Richard Buf-
fington Juner his hairs & asignes Tenn
horse kinde two horses four mars and
four Coltes. The horses is one 4 years old,
and The other is 2 years old past, being
both browne having a half peny pece Cut
out of the fur yer branded with R. B. on
their buttock. The other is a gray mare
branded with C. P. And a bro Wne mare
with a Crop on the fur yer branded on the
buttock with R. B. With One yearling mare
Colt with a half peney pece Out of The
furyer branded on the buttock with R.
B. And a whit mare Three years Old past
with a half peney pece out of the fur yer
branded on the buttock with R. B. and
She has a colt by her with the Same
markes. And another gray mare branded
on ye buttock with R. B. with two horse
Colts One is COrning tWO years Old and the
other is a Sucking Colt having a half pen-
ey pece Cut out of Theire fur yer branded
On their buttock With R. B. All these
horses mars and Colts together With all
the Right title Intrest Claim and demand
Whatsoever Which I now have Or Which
any or either of my heirs Ex’rs Adm’rs or
asignes my hereafter have of to Or in the
s’d granted premises Or aney part thereof.
to have and to hold the S'd horses and
mars unto him the S'd my Sone Richard
Buffington his heirs and Asignes forever
absolutly without any maner of Condition
as I the s'd Richard Buffington fully
freely and absolutly and Of my OWn a C-
cord have Set and put in further Testi-
mony in witness whereof I have here un-
to Set my hand & Seale This twelfe day
of January in the ninth year Of her
Majesties Raign anno Dom 1710–11.
|Pichard R. B. Buffington. (Seal)
ffrances buffington.
Signed Sealed and delivred in the pres–
ence of
William Baldwin
Thomas T P Buffington
Thomas Barnard.
In that day the stock ran at large, and
it was necessary for each owner to have
his distinguishing marks, which were al-
so entered on the Court records.
In 1711 surveys were made for Richard
Buffington and some of his sons, in West
Bradford Township, Orl what is known
as Broad Run, and by the surveyor's
drafts there appear 193 acres in the name
Of Thomas Buffington ; two tracts of 198
a cres and 250 acres in the name of Rich-
ard Buffington Sen’r, and two of 250 and
198 acres respectively for Fichard Buf-
fington Jun'r. It appears, however, from
deeds, that a Survey of 500 acres of this
land had been made for the father 2, 20,
1708, and a patent granted for the same
June 24, 1708. He with Frances his wife
conveyed 200 acres thereof to John Strode,
in 1712, and Richard conveyed 250 acres
of the remainder to his son Richard by
deed of Feb. 10, 1726. It was probably
the land upon which the latter had set-
tled
1713. Richard Buffington Dr. to Tho.
Hayward, g
June: To weaving a Coverlid at.... 0 50
To weaving one ps, 22yds—18
all Wostard at 9d and 4yds
woStard and wool—all is...... 0 16 0
14, 9br: 12 yds wostard and Wool au
7%. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 7 6
I 8 6
Chester 24, 2d mo. 1714: Then Rec'd of
Richard Buffington Jur. the Contents of
this bill being in full of all Accompts dues
and demands. I say Rec’d p me Tho Hay-
Ward.”
This was in the day of redemptioners,
as those servants were Styled Who came
Over under bonds to serve a length of
time in payment of their passage, and
whose indentures, printed in blank, Were
Ornarmented with embossed revenue
stamps in the margin. One Of these, With
three six-shilling stamps thereon, repre-
sents that on the 28th Of September 1714,
James Elwood of Whitefryers, near Fleet
Street, London, with consent of his
father and mother, was bound to John
Williams Of Rennington in Surrey, to-
bacconist, “to serve him or his assigns
in the Plantation of Pensilvania, beyond
the seas, for the Space of Eight Years
next Ensuing the Arrival Of the Said
Servant in the said Plantation,” etc. It
was further stated that the said James
was 14 years of age, and that the inden-
ture was entered in an Office for that
purpose appointed by Letters Pattents.
On the back of the document was this
endorsement: “The Time Mentioned. In
This Indenture Commenceth from the
twenty Third of Aprile 1715, pelrig the
day the Ship arrived att Philedelphia. In
the River Deleware. John Annis, master
of the Ship Mary Hope.”
Another indenture was for John OS-
mond, of the parish of St. Giles, Cripple-
gate, London, watchmaker, aged 22 years,
who was bound to serve James Gerald,
of London, or his assigns, for four years
after his arrival in Pennsylvania. This
was dated June 19, 1722, and an endorse-
ment shows that the said Servant Was
assigned to Richard Buffington on the
21st of 1st mo. 1722–3. A letter from John
Osmond to Phebe Buffington, written sev-
eral years later, prove that pleasant re-
lations were maintained during the term
of service.
“ffr’d Richard Boflington Ju’r: I Desiar
the to pay unto thy father the sum of
five shilling and six pence for Dying a
gown and Pate Cote Black & this note
shall be thy DisCharge from thy friend
5 mo, 28, 1725 Sam’ll Scott Jr.’’
Many receipts merely acknowledge the
payment of money without specifying the
cause of the indebtedness, and Some af-
firm that it is “in full Of all a CCO unts,
Dues, Debts and Demands from the be-
ginning of the world to this day.”
“The 28th of the 2d Month 1727 : Then
Heceived of Rich'd Buffington Jun'r full
and Compleat Satisfaction for all my
freedom. Dues, as Witness my hand.
** John Osmond.”
The appointment of Richard Buffington
Jun’r to be supervisor of the high Ways
for the Township of Bradford for the
year 1729 is certified by Joseph Parker,
Clerk Of COurt.
“Received This fourth Day Of March
1729-30, Of R'd Buffington The Sume of
two pounds two shillings and six pence
for his share of my salary for the last
years. Hece’d p Jo’n Morse.’’
The very neat perimanship of this doc-
ument would indicate the teacher's call-
ing, but the next shows a different meth-
Cd. Of Settling a CCO untS.
“18th Day of X’ber 1735: Reced of
IRichard Buffington Junior 18s p Hatt, 4S
6d by Stockings, and 17s 6 In money; In
all forty shillings; Being in full for a
yeare Scholeing. I say Reced
p me Jo'n Morse.”
In that day there were no public
schools and a rumber of neighbors
would join together in the employment
Of a teacher.
As has been intimated, Richard Buf-
fington Sen. appears to have inclined
towards the Baptist Society, and it
might have been stated that the records
of the Brandywine Baptist Church, in
Birmingham, show that he was bap-
tized in Crum Creek 6 mo. 26, 1699, and
assisted in organizing a congregation in
1715. At what time his son Richard iden-
tified himself with Friends is not record-
ed, but at Newark (now Kennett) Month-
ly Meeting, 6 mo. 7, 1725, “The preparative
meeting of Kennett returnes richard
Buffingtin juner to this meeting’s con-
sideration for an Overseer, which this
meeting approves Of.” At that date
Pradford Meeting was considered a
branch Of Rennet. After this Richard
took an active part in the business of
the meeting. His wife, Phebe Buffing-
ton, first appears On the records as an
active member in 1729. In 1733 She Ob-
tained the recommendation of the month-
ly meeting as a minister.
The will of Richard Buffington, of West
Bradford, yeoman, Was dated April 3, 1741,
and was proven May 12, 1741, showing
that his death occured in One of these
IO
tWO months. He devised to his three
married children, whom he had doubtless
advanced, the sum of five shillings each,
and to the others £23 each as they be-
came of age. As executors he appointed
his Wife, her brother Samuel Grubb, and
his son John Buffington, who were to
Sell any or all of his real estate as they
Should see occasion. . - -
Samuel Grubb and John Buffington
Signed a statement, 6 mo. 8, 1741, that
“the said Testator in our hearing fully
and Plainly Declared that it was his will
and mind that his Said Loving Wife, her
Heirs, Exec'rs, Admin’rs and Assigns
Should Possess and Enjoy all the Rest
and Residue of his Said Estate forever,
Which through misprision or Mistake of
Clerkship was Omitted in his said writ-
ten will.” By the aid of Richard Jones,
Of Goshen, a conveyancer, several docu-
ments were drawn and executed, which
in effect accomplished this design of the
testator. Jones’ receipt for £2-3s, “in
full for writing conveyances” is dated
9 mo. 16th 1741. It appears that the ex-
ecutors conveyed the land to Richard
Buffington, onc of the Sons, who recon-
veyed 125 acres thereof to his mother
and also gave bonds for the payment Of
some of the legacies as they fell due. It
seems that about 1745 the Children uni-
ted in building a new house for their
mother on her land.
On 7 mo. 22, 1752, Phebe Buffington,
widow, was married at New Garden
Meeting to Simon Hadley, Esq., widower,
of Mill Creek hundred, New Castle Coun-
ty. Six days prior to this event a mar-
riage contract was signed by the parties,
by which her own property was reserved
to her use. The union was brief, as his
death occurred less than four years later,
and tradition says he was murdered by
a servant for the money ine Carried U 11
his person. On the 5th of March 1756
Phebe Hadley gave a bond to his execu-
tors for the payment of a Sum Of money;
and on 7 mo. 24, 1756, Simon's daughter
Hannah Stanfield wrote from North Car-
olina (?) to her step-mother thus: “I Re-
ceived thy Letter Dated the 31st Of the
5 Month 1756, and was glad to hear Of
thy Wellfare and a true Account of my
Respected father's Sudden Death.” Da-
vid Finney, a lawyer, of New Castle, de-
clared on Oath that Simon intended to
leave £200 to his wife but the Sum was
left blank in his will. However, Severall
of the neirs were willing she should re-
ceive that amount and the executors ap-
pear to have paid it.
Phebe Hadley returned to her property
in West Bradford, Where she continued
to live until her death, 3 mo, 4th 1769,
When she was buried at . Bradford
Friends' Meeting, on the same day with
Mary Marshall, mother of Humphrey
Marshall, the Botanist. By her will she
devised her land to her son John Buf-
ſington, and directed that £30 be divided
equally among all her living chilren, her
son-in-law, Samuel Dsborn and grand-
daughter Frances Buffington, “it being
for building a House on my land.”
Children of Richard and Phebe Buf-
fington:
14. John, married Elizabeth Way and
Jane Thatcher, and died 10 mo, 23, 1774,
leaving children of whom some account
may be given later.
15. Frances, married at Bradford Meet-
ing 8 mo. 5, 1738, to Samuel Osborne, of
Westtown, Son of Peter and Judith OS-
borne, perhaps from Staffordshire, Eng-
land. Osborne’s Hill, from which the
British Officers Watched the Battle of
Brandywine, received its name from this
famil v.
16. Phebe, married 9 mo, 19, 1740, at
Bradford Meeting, John Wall, born about
1718, Son of James Wall, deceased, of
East Caln Township. His mother was
the daughter of Jeremiah and Mary Bates,
of Newton Township, Gloucester Co., N.
J., &nd in 1732 married Peter Grubb, iron-
master and uncle to the above Phebe
Buffington.
John Wall was a millwright and re-
sided for several years in East Caln, but
about 1759 removed to Lower Chichester
Township (now) Delaware Co., Pa. In
1766 the family removed to Rowan Co.,
N. C., and several letters from them to
their relatives in Pennsylvania are pre-
served
17. Richard, born 11 mo. 23, 1715–16; died
2 mo. 28, 1781; married Mary Bates and
a 2d wife, Ann (Pyle) Woodward, by
both of whom he had children, whose
history may ,-e given later.
18. Samuel, was a mason by trade and
died unmarried. Leters of administration
on his estate were granted Feb. 6, 1745-6,
to his uncle Samuel Grubb.
19. Henry, produced an acknowledg-
ment to Bradford Monthly Meeting, 6 mo.
15, 1745, on account of his marriage “out
Of meeting.” A letter from his aunt
Charity Beeson, then in Virginia, 12 mo.
24, 1745-6, mentions having heard of his
death. No Will or administration on his
estate appears, . but it is inferred that
his widow was a Catharine Buffington,
Who takes her place as a member of the
family after this date, and refers to
Phebe Buffington as her mother.
“ye ll Mo. ye 7th, 1745-6; then Receiv-
II.
ed of John Buffington the Sum of ten
pound and five pence for 2 Cows & 2
heifers & hay and wheat on the ground
Which he bought of me. I Say Received
By Me Catharine C. Buffington (mark).
“Witness present, Salm’ll Grubb, Peter
Buffington.”
On 7 mo. 2d 1746 Catharine Buffington
and others release “all Rights we hath
upon or by Brother Samuel Buffington's
account for work don on a new House
that was Bult on our Mother's Land.”
At is further inferred that she was the
mother of Frances Buffington, ment1011eo.
in the will of her grandmother, who made
application for admission to membership
at Bradford Meeting in 1768, but withdrew
it a month later, and was married Aug.
9, 1770, at the old Swedes' Church, Wil-
mington, to Joseph Smith, of Newlin
Township. - | |
20. Peter, “of his one free will and by
Consent of his mother and all others
Concarned Put himself an apprentice to
John Wall of East Caln, County and
Province aforsaid, millwright, to Learn
ye art trade or mystery of a millwright,”
etc., to serve five years from the 3d. Of
September 1742. Becoming dissatisfied
with this position he was next appren-
ticed to his brother Samuel, July 3d 1744,
for the term of three years, to learn the
trade of a mason. He was married at
Christ Church, Philadelphia, July 30, 1750,
to Hannah Waite, though the name is
given in the license as White, and in the
church record as Wilson. She was the
daughter of Moses and Esther (Bennett)
Waite, of East Calm, and sister to Sa-
rah, wife of James Marshall, of West
Bradford, brother to lumphrey Mar-
shall.
In 1757 Peter was living in Caernarvon
Township, Lancaster Co., and styled a
miller. His brother Joseph, Who Was also
there, wrote thus to his mother, Sept. 26,
1757: “I expected that some of Our re-
lations would been up before now : brother
IPeter admired that Brother Isaac did not
Come up to see him when he was Sick, but
he is mended admireable for he has a S
good a stomach as Ever he had, and he
has been at the mill and is Very Likely
to do well.” - *
In 1759 Peter was at Fort Bedford
“Without any Horse;” as appears by a
pass given him on September 3d by the
commandant there. He soon returned
to Chester County and resided in West
Caln. His account books indicate that
he kept a general store, but he was not
prosperous and in 1765 he appears to
have gone to North Carolina, leaving his
family behind him for a time, William
Millikan, Writing thence to James Mar-
Shall, Sept. 24, 1765, says: “Peter Buf-
fington is among Us and Well and Work-
ing away at his trade.” A letter from
Peter to his brother John, dated March
2, 1767, says, “Wee are all in Good
health thankes be to God for it and have
3. Sun Born the 30th Of Da Sember 1766 and
Calls his name Richard he is as fine a
Child as Eaver Wee had. I Could be
Well satisfied. If Thee and all thy Children
Was in this Cuntry and If Brother Rich-
ard and family for it would be thay
GOOd C f you re Children.... I must informe
you all I think I have as fine a parsel of
Children as Eaver a man Was blest
With.”
: William Millikan writes again, May
18, 1768: “N. B. Peter Buffington's fann-
ily are Well he is Gone to work at Cross
Creek about one hundred Miles from home
Ye has sold his place Which I do not Like
nor poor hanah Neither. The Boys is
good Working Boys And I hope will do
WCºll.” Ten days later Peter wrote from
Cross Creek, Cumberland Co., “This is
to Let the know I and my sun Moses,
John Wall and his sun Richard are all
at this place at work a building a mill
for One Robert Caughren marchent of
the Same place and Expect to Go to build
for John WilkCox a forge Grist mill and
Saw mill the next.” On March 20, 1769, a.
Son Peter is mentioned as assisting in
his trade,
21. Nathaniel, it appears, was inclined
to SOW Wild oats When a young man,
and gave his mother much uneasiness.
An essay of a letter written by her in
reply to one of his dated Sept. 20th, 1753,
is full of motherly advice and caution. He
was then in Virginia. His aunt Charity
Beeson, writing to his mother, 7 mo. 10,
1754, says: “I Received thine, intimating
that thee heard thy son Nathaniel was
gone to the Wars, but I assure the that
he is not, but is building a Stone house
not very far from us, and was never list-
ed at all for the Wars.’’ He writes to his
mother, Aug. 3, 1755: “I must needs say
thou hast been a good mother unto me,
and I am sorry that this is the way I
make the recompense for it, for I Own [
have been an undutifull son to thee as
ever was born and Vile to my self yet I
hope there is repentance to be had and I
hope I shall have grace to obtain it which
is my harts desire.” March 3, 1756, he
had recovered fronn a Severe illness at
George ROOS's, where he had been nurs-
ed exceeding Well: Wished his brother
Isaac to Send him, two good hands, as he
had plenty of work. On 6 mo. 18, 1757,
they were threatened with an incursion
I2
by four thousand French and Indians
and a draft was to take place that Week.
JPerhaps with reference to himself he
closes his letter with the remark, “Coney
is not maryed yet.”
“Received October 5th 1761, Of my
Mother Phebe Hadley the sum of Five
Pounds, which ray Brother Isaac Buf-
fington Requested to be Given to me af-
ter his Desease as a Tokin of his LOVe.
g5: 0: 0. p me Nataaniel Buffington.”
In 1762 he was assessed in West Brad-
ford as a Single man.
22. Jeremiah, on the 11th of 8 mo. 1751,
acknowledged the receipt from his mother
of one pound “on the count of my Legue-
cy,” which may indicate that he was then
of age. It appears that on 9 mo. 20, 1746,
he received a certificate from Bradford
to Concord Monthly Meeting, on account
of being placed out as an apprentice.
“Know all men by These Presents that
I Jeremiah Buffington in ye Township of
West Caln in ye County of Chester in ye
Province of Pensilvania BlackSmith do
owe and stand Justly indebted unto Wil-
liam Vestal Of North Carolinia, Planter
in ye Sum of Three pounds five Shillings
Virginia money,” etc., dated 19th March
1754. Witnesses: Thos Vestal, David
Vestal. This note was probably given in
Virginia or Carolina. An inventory of
the goods and effects of Jeremiah Buf-
fington, deceased, was made on the 3d of
1st month 1755, by James Dilworth and
Samuel Grubb, and amounted to about
$46. The items were largely such as
would be found in a smith's shop. No ad-
ministration appears to have been grant-
ed but from the number of debts paid by
his brother John it is doubtful whether
the estate Was Solvent.
23. Isaac. On the 31st of 8th mo. 1755,
his mother wrote to Isaac Perkins, of
Winchester, Va., thus: “I write a few
Lines unto Thee to Desire The To aquent
my Son Isaac buffington That the Jour-
neman which his brother Joseph buffing-
ton had with him is now Run away and
Desire Isaac To Enquir after him and If
the Job which he is now about In win-
Chester IS finisht to Return home but not
to Culm before his own opertunity. friend
Isaac Perckins I ant Certin that my son
is In Winchester but I have hard he is
building a house in town.” A week later
Isaac wrote to his mother and step-father
thus: “Ever Loving father and mother, i
do Wright these few Lines to you in Love
hopeing you are in good health and for
to Let you know of my sad mischance
that i met with by a fall of my Scaffil
my Scaffil being very hy and heavi Load-
en it broak and i fell Down on my back
and hurt my Self badly but broak know
bones only Cract one bone in my breast,
but i was so bad that i could not Stand
nor walk for five or six days but by the
help of god i am got much better for i Can
walk midling well again it was in Win-
chester town at henry Haiths that i fell
and i laid there between two and three
weeks but i am at Isaac Beesons now.”
After this Isaac Buffington returneſd
to West Bradford and engaged in Shoe-
making, apparently in a wholesale Way,
as On March 3d 1756 he received an Order
for 76 pairs of men's shoes for the pro-
prietors of Hopewell Forge, and by re-
ceipt dated April 13, 1756, it appears they
were delivered O:l that day. The next
year he proposed to take Shoes to Win-
Chester, Va., for a market, but was dis-
couraged by the troubles with the French
and Indians. His brother Joseph, writ-
ing from Caernarvon says: “Let Brother
Isaac know that I wants some shoes as
soon as possible for I am bearfooted al-
most. I Wants one pair of pumps and
One pair of Cip skin shoes made on a.
french toed Last and to send me a par-
Sell Of Shoes as soon as he Can.” On
Feb. 13, 1758, the same person writes to
his mother, “I have heard from you sev-
eral times and I heard Isaac was a going
to get a Jane: indeed I wish it may be
true. If it is I hope he will be pleased
for to Let his brother Jo: have Shear Of
the Frollick.’’
The will of Isaac Buffington of West
Bradford, “Cordwinder,” is dated 20th
May 1760, and was proved June 16, 1760,
by which he devised all estate, real and
personal, to his mother, Phebe Hadly. By
receipts from his brothers it appears that
he had requested his mother to pay each
Of them £5 as a token Of his love.
24. Joseph, appears to have been under
the care of his brother Isaac during his
minority. A seemingly inexplicable fact
is that on Nov. 26, 1756, Phebe Hadly gave
a bond to “well and truly pay to JOSeph
Buffington, Son and Legatee of Richard
Buffington, Late of West Bradford, De-
ceased, the Sum of Twenty three pound
Lawfull money of the Province aforesaid
and 1.ikewise Give to the said Joseph
One years Schooling Between the age of
ten years and Sixteen, According to his
father's Last will.” Richard Buffington,
in his will, mentions his son Joseph, as
also a child unborn, and Phebe Buffing-
ton, the Widow, records that this child
was born on the 29th of 5th month 1741,
but does not give it any name. Joseph
must have been already over sixteen at
the date of the bond unless we suppose
that the first child of that name died and
the name was given to the youngest,
I3
There are reasons for doubting this, how-
over
Isaac Buffington gave bond to pay the
Surn Of £12–10–5 On or before the 27th Of
November 1757, to his brother Joseph.
and the latter receipted for it on that day.
In that year Joseph was located in Caer-
nar VOn, ILancaster Co., apparently 1n
Some employ or business. By Content
Babb he was the father of Joseph Buf-
fington, born about 1758, after which he
married at the Swedes' Church, Wilming-
ton, Aug. 1, 1759, Mary Few, dau. of Jos.
and Mary (Aston) Few, of East Brad-
ford. He was disowned by Friends 10 mo.
18, 1759, and his wife on 5 mo. 16, 1760.
In 1760 Joseph was a storekeeper in West
Bradford Township; in 1762 was at Mar-
cus Hook, on the Delaware, and Styled
a malster, and appears to have sold grain
and flour for the farmers. In 1766 he
writes, “I have bought a Quantity of good
Barbadoes Rum which I shall sell Very
Reasonable for Cash.” On August 3d in
that year he says “I hope I shall finish
my schooner in about 16 days and then I
design to be up.” Speaks of there being
much sickness in his family. “I have
but small hopes of my Daughter Han-
nah's Recovery.” Financial troubles fol-
lowed and on October 23d 1767 the Sheriff
sold real and personal estate. There is
even evidence that he suffered a brief
imprisonment for debt, as was frequent
in that day. North Carolina was then the
land of promise for those who had Suf-
fered financial reverSeS.
“Croas Crick North Carlina, Febury ye
16th 1769.
“Loving Brother & Sister: I have taking
this Opertunity to Let you P&now Wee are
all in Good Helth thank God Hoping thees
Will finde you in the Same wee Got here
Safe but With a Grate Dale of trubel but
the Pretickelers I Shant Write as I Wrote
all to Mother. Wee are R_now at CroaS
Crick but Expect to Set of up the Cun-
tree in a few Days whare Joseph has
Baught 500 Hundred Ackors of fine Land
& fine Ore & the Best Convenices for the
Works it is not at the Same Place he
talked Of... my famely all Gives thare Love
to thee & thine I Conclude with my
Joseph & my [ind Love to you. from
thy Loving Sister till Death. -
“Mary Buffington.”
Another letter, dated April 1st 1769,
States that they have been two weeks
at John Wall's, but are going to their
Own home next week. -
Joseph Buffington, the eldest son of
Joseph, remained in Chester County and
died in East Bradford July 27, 1841, in his
83d year. He was married three times,
one of his wives being Ann Burgess, of
Wilmington. Among his children were
Mary, married to Andrew Ferrell; Joseph
IBuffington; Hannah, married to Thomas
ROmans; Susan, married to Richard
Baily; Ann, married to George Heyburn;
Jacob, married to Susan Baldwin, and
Elizabeth, unmarried.
25. A posthumous child, born 5 mo. 29,
1741. None of the family papers preserv-
ed make any alſusion to this child be-
yond the date of birth, and it probably
died young.
SUBJECT DISCUSSED.
Some questions were asked by members
of the Society about the Buffingtons that
brought out additional information. Mr.
Cope had two large Volumes of papers
relating to the Buffington family, to
which he referred, reading Some extracts
from them. Another volume was a Small
book on the care and management Of
horses. It was also one of the Buffington
possessions and was a quaint Old Volume.
Prof. Philips said: “I have never been
able to find what consideration William
Penn gave to the Duke of York for the
three lower counties now constituting the
State Of Delaware. The Duke Of YOrk
was, very particular at first about it and
when the line was surveyed had a circular
boundary line run twelve miles north Of
New Castle and subsequently gave up all
his claim, whatever it was, to Penn.”
Joseph Thompson said: “I had never
thought about that.”
Gilbert Cope Stated that he was unable
to say what the consideration was.
On motion the meeting adjourned.
Following is the letter of Mr. and Mrs.
John P. Logan, already referred to :
2030 Chestnut street, Philadelphia, Feb-
ruary 1st, 1902.
To Dr. George M. Philips, President of
the Chester County Historical Society—
Dear Sir:—AS delegates from the Histori-
cal Society of Chester County we went
with a large delegation before the Senate
Committee on Military Affairs at 11 a. m.
on Thursday, January 30th, when the
Valley Forge National Park bill was read
and discussed, and at 2.30 p. m. the same
day went before the House Committee.
In both committees addresses were made
by Mr. John Cadwalader, President, and
Others. Many questions were asked by
the Senators and Representatives, and
most courteous interest shown. For many
reasons we believe we have cause to feel
encouraged regarding the passage of the
bill. Most truly yours,
JOHN P. LOGAN,
JANE H. LOGAN.
Proceedings of the Chester Co. Historical Society
IIth Mo. 20, 1902
[REPRINTED FROM THE “DAILY LOCAL NEWS.”]
Chester County Quakers During the Revolution
By GILBERT COPE
The November Quarterly Meeting of the
Chester County Historical Society was
held last evening in Libarry Hall. The
attendance was not very large, but a
goodly number of those who take an ac-
tive part in the work of the Society were
there. The business of the Society is al-
most wholly transacted by the Council,
which consists of a body of gentlemen
and ladies elected annually. As last
evening’s meeting was not one of the
Council, the President, Dr. Geo. M. Phil-
ips, announced that no business would be
transacted, but the paper prepared by the
Secretary, Gilbert Cope, would be read
by that gentleman. -
“CHESTER COUNTY FRIENDS IN
THE REVOLUTION.”
The title of the paper prepared and
read by Gilbert Cope was entitled “Ches-
ter County Friends in the Revolution.”
Mr. Cope had a great variety of material
Culled from the records of Friends' Meet-
ings within the bounds of Chester county,
Showing what the attitude of the Society
Was towards the war, and who among
the members of the different Meetings
enlisted and were dealt with by the mem-
bers of their respective Meetings for
“Taking up Arms.” •
The folowing is the introduction to his
paper, and as much of it as was gleaned
from the three Meetings of Kennett, New
Garden and Bradford:
CHESTER COUNTY FRIENDS IN
THE REVOLUTION.
Prior to the breaking out of hostilities
between England and her colonies the
members of the Society of Friends doubt-
less felt the injustice meted out by the
mother country as keenly as others, but
their tenets forbade a resort to arms as
a remedy for the evils complained of.
Aside from the unchristian character Of
war they believed that they should not
take part in the pulling down of one form
of government and the setting up of an-
Other, and When it appeared that the dif-
ficulty would be settled only by blood-
shed the Yearly Meeting of Friends of
Pennsylvania and New Jersey issued an
epistle of advice and caution to its subor-
dinate meetings and members, urging all
to abstain from active participation in the
struggle. Soon after this committees were
appointed in the various meetings to
have an Oversight of the members, to ad-
minister advice to such as were likely to
be led away by the popular excitement,
and assistance to those who were brought
under suffering by adhering to the testi-
monies of the Society.
OWing largely to their position of non-
combatants the members of this Society
have been considered in the light of tor-
ies, and While I am not here to defend
them from the charge, believing that the
most intelligent part of the population in
that day were just as well qualified to
judge which form of government they
preferred as any others, yet if the pref-
erences of those Friends who violated
the discipline of the Society by taking up
arms is any indication of the prevailing
Sentiment we might conclude that at
least ninety per cent. of Friends secretly
favored independence.
I have often been impressed with the
fact that many of the descendants of
Friends will point with pride to their
Quaker ancestry and at the same time
manifest much gratification over the fact
that Some of their ancestors violated one
I6
of the most vital doctrines of their reli-
gion by taking up arms in a supposed;
good Cause.
The experience of Friends during the
Revolutionary struggle may be divided
into two parts, the One in which some of
the membership cast aside their profes-
Sion of non-resistance, and the other rep-
resenting the trials and sufferings of
those who endeavored to remain neutral.
I am rather sorry to believe that my
hearers will be n1Ost interested in the first
class, and I will therefore tell them of
the naughty deeds of their ancestors and
Others.
There were in that day about eight
Monthly Meetings of Friends, all or part-
ly within the present limits of this coun-
ty, and each of these included two or
more meetings for worship. From the
minutes of seven Of these Monthly Meet-
ings I have obtained extracts, with more
or less of detail, respecting the deviations
of the members with regard to any
measures connected with the change of
government; and you may be surprised
at the reasoning which condemned ac-
tions somewhat remotely connected with
active Warfare.
FROM RECORDS OF BRAIDE'ORD
MONTHLY MEETING.
Joshua Buffiington COmplained Of by
Bradford Meeting, 5-17–1776, for entering
into military exercise. 6-14-1776, hath de-
clined the practice but offers no satisfac-
tion. Disowned 7–12–1776.
Salmuel Clark complained of by Brad-
ford, 5–17–1776, for Signing an a SSociation
agreement for military exercise and act-
ing for some time therein. Acknowledg-
ment accepted 11-15-1776.
Samuel ICinnison COmplained Of by Caln
Meeting, 9-13-1776, for enlisting as a sol-
dier; disowned 2-14-1777.
Evan Chalfant complained Of by Caln,
9–13-1776, for entering as a soldier into mil-
itary services. His acknowledgment ac-
cepted 1–17–177.
John Eastburn complained of by Brad-
ford, 7–18–1777, for learning military exer-
cise and appearing as Such in his dress
8-15-1777; hath declined the military exer-
cise. Disowned 6-12-1778.
James Sheward complained Of by Brad-
ford, 3–13–1778, for driving a team to col-
lect forage for the army. Disowned 9–
18–1778.
Curtis Lewis complained of by Calth, 4-
17–1778, for leaving his family and going to
the British army for protection and enter-
ing into Some Service amongst them. S-14–
1778, is gone Out Of the Province With them.
IDiSOW ned 0–18–1778.
Jacob Buffington, of Bradford, 7–17–1778,
“hatlu Tueft his Place of abode in a man-
ner unbecoming Our profession & gone to
the Brittish army.” S-14-1778, is gone out
Of the Province with them. Disowned 9–
18–1778.
William Whitaker complained of by
Caln, 7-17-1778, for complying to lnlist as
a soldier in the American army to Evade
suffering, and for Leaving them & going
to the Brittish army for Protection, and
hath since taken a test of fidelity to the
American State, SO called. Disowned 9-
18–1778.
John Chalfant complained of by Calm,
11-12-1779, for associating with military
men in order to learn the military exer-
cise. DiSOWned 6–16–1780.
Adam Kirk complained of 2-18-1780, for
paying tax to Support war. His acknowl-
edgment accepted 5-12-1780.
Ann Hayes complained of 3-17-1780, for
Sending a Creture to exchange for one the
collector had taken for a substitute fine
for her husband. Her acknowledgment
accepted 4-14-1780. Bradford Meeting.
Richard Buffington, Jr., complained of
by Bradford, 3–17–1780, for Compounding
With the present collectors of fines & taxes
and paying & assuming to pay their de-
mands for himself, his Father & Brother,
Without their consent. Disowned 8-18–1780.
David Lewis complained of by Bradford,
6-16-1780, for paying part of a substitute
fine. Acknowledgment accepted 7-14-1780.
Isaac Taylor complained of by Bradford,
7-14-1780, for paying money to redeem a
horse taken & sold for his fines & taxes
for Warlike uses. The complaint dropped
11–17–1780.
George Speakman complained of by
Bradford, 11–17–1780, for paying fines in lieu
of personal Service and other requisitions
for Warlike uses. 2-16-1781, he pleads ne-
cessity for compliance so far as he hath
done in payment of fines. Disowned 5-
18–1781.
William Millison complained of by Brad-
ford, 2-16-1781, for consenting to pay an-
other who offered to pay his muster fine,
and afterward doing so. Acknowledgment
accepted 3–16–1781.
IDavid Chalfant complained of by Brad-
tord, 1-18–1782, for military associations.
DiSOW ned 5–17–1782.
Richard Baker complained of by Brad-
ford, 3-14-1783, for taking the test. Case
dropped 2-13–1784. -
John Jones complained of by Caln, 6–13–
17
1783, for paying militia fines and military
association. Disowned 9-12-1783.
Richard Buffington complained of by
Bradford, 2–14-1783, for having removed
Some time ago Without taking a Certificate.
7-18–1783, reported to have gone to Nova
Scotia. (While it does not appear that he
took up arms he evidently Sympathized
with the mother Country. He returned
from Nova Scotia prior to 2–17–1786, and
later took the “test” as shown by the fol-
lowing document):
I do certify that Hichard Buffington Of
West Bradford, Cllester County, hath VOI-
untarily taken and subscribed the affirma-
tion of Allegiance and Fidelity, as directed
by an Act of General Assembly of Penn-
Sylvania. passed the Fourth day of March,
Anno Domini, 1786. Witness my Hand and
Seal, the Tenth day of October Anno DOm-
ini, 1786. THOS. CHEYNEY (Seal).
IFROM RECORDS OF CONCORD
MONTHLY MEETING.
George Gilpin, complained of by Con.
cord Meeting 7–5–1775, for removing With-
Out a certificate and taking up arms. Dis-
owned 10-4-1775. (He was afterward Col-
onel of the Fairfax militia, Va.)
Charles Dilworth, of Birmingham
Meeting, makes acknowledgment,10-4-1775,
for being concerned in military actions.
Isaac Gilpin, complained of by Concord,
10-4-1775, for taking part in military af-
fairs. Acknowledgment accepted 3–6–1176.
Benjamin Davis, complained of by Con-
cord, 11-8–1775, for taking up arms. Dis-
Owned 1-3-1776.
David Brinton, disowned 2–7–1776, for en-
tering into military exercise.
Abraham Robinson, complained Of by
Chichester Meeting, 3–6–1776, for acting
in a military Station. Disowned 7–3–1776.
Jonathan Evans, complained of by Chi-
chester Meeting, 6-5-1776, for acting in a
military capacity. His acknowledgment
accepted 7–3–1776.
John Ford, Jr., complained of by Chi-
chester, 6–5-1776, for acting in a military
capacity. Acknowledgment accepted 7–3–
1776. -
Samuel Hewes, of Chichester Meeting,
disowned 8–7–1776, having joined in military
exercise.
Isaac Taylor, Of Birmingham Meeting,
disowned 9-4-1776, for taking up arms.
John Bennett, Jr., complained Of by Bir-
mingham, 10-9-1776, for entering military
Service. Acknowledgment accepted 2-5-
1777.
Joseph Seal, complained of by Birming-
ham, 3–5–1777, for going away without a
certificate and entering military Service,
though now returned. 4-9-1777, hath left
mingham 0–9–1778,
the parts again and gone to Georgia. Dis-
owned 8–6–1777.
Mordecai Cloud, complained of by Con-
cord 6–4–1777, for assisting in military Ser-
vice. Disowned 9–3–1777.
Thomas Taylor, Jr., complained of by
Birmingham, 8–6–1777, for entering into
military service. Disowned 11-5-1777.
Charles Dilworth, complained of by Bir-
mingham, 12–3–1777, for taking the test.
Diso Wined 1–7–1778. -
Thomas Yearsley, disowned 4-8-1778 for
working as a Smith for the army. *
Jacob Hayes, complained of by Birming-
ham, 5–6–1778, for entering military Ser-
Vice ('tis Said) by Compulsion. Disowned
8–5–1778.
Joel Hayes, complained Of by Birming-
ham, 5–6–1778, for entering military ser–
vice and not fulfilling his contract of ap-
prenticeship. Disowned 8-5-1778, both
brothers being in the army.
Caleb Taylor, complained of by Birm-
ingham 5–6–1778, for entering into military
Service. Disowned 7–8–1778.
Joshua Vernon, complained of by Con-
cord, 6-3-1778, for entering into military
Service. Disowned 8–5–1778.
Samuel Morton, complained Of by Bir-
for taking the test.
Disowned 2–3–1779.
William Underwood, complained of by
Birmingham 9–9–1778, for taking the test.
LiSOW Ined 4–7–1779.
Gideon Gilpin, Complained of by Con-
cord 11–4–1778, for taking the test and set-
ting up a tavern. DiSOWned 1-6–1779.
James Griffitts, complained of by Bir-
mingham, 1–6–1779, for taking the test.
Disowned 3–3–1779. Acknowledgment ac-
cepted 5–9–1781.
William Rizer, complained of for mili-
tary exercise, holding a slave, etc., dis-
Owned 3–3–1779.
Abraham Vernon, complained of by Con-
cord 3–3–1779, for entering into military
Service. Disowned 6-9-1779.
Gideon Williamson complained of by
Birmingham 3–3–1779, for carrying arms
and Working for use of the army. Dis-
Owned 5–5–1779.
Samuel Carpenter, complained of by
Chichester 6–9–1779, for paying a fine in
lieu of taking the test. Acknowledgment
accepted 1-5-1780.
Edward Woodward, complained of by
Concord 9–8–1779, for removing without a
certificate and taking the test. Disowned
11-3-1779.
William Dilworth, complained of by Bir-
mingham 11-3-1779, for taking the test,
Disowned 5–3–1780.
John Bennett, complained of by Bir-
mingham 12–8–1779, for taking the test and
neglecting mectings. Disowned 2-9-1780.
18
Thomas Darlington, Jr., complained of
oy Birmingham, 1-5-1780, for appearing
under arms and taking the test. Disown-
ed 4–5–1780.
Joseph Gest, complained of 1-5-1780, for
appearing under arms and taking the
test. Disowned 4-5-1780 by Birmingham
Meeting.
Edward Printon, complained of by Bir-
mingham 2-9-1780, for taking the test and
appearing under arms. Disowned 5–3–1780.
Samuel Entriken, complained of by Bir-
mingham 5-3-1780, for paying muster fines
and tax for War purposes. Disowned 9-6-
1780.
Richard Park, complained of by Con-
cord 6-7-1780, for paying fines and taxes
for warlike purposes. Disowned #-3–1781.
Caleb Dilworth, Of Birmingham, makes
a free will acknowledgment 6-7-1780, for
military exercise. Accepted 7–5–1780. Some
time before the F3attle of Brandywine his
grandfather's team being pressed into the
Continental Service, he had gone along to
take care Of the horses.
Samuel Mendenhall, Jr., complained of
by Concord 8-9-1780, for military exercise,
etc. Disowned 11–8–1780.
Jacob Bennett, complained Of by BIr–
mingham 9–6–1780, for taking the test and
appearing under arms. Acknowledgment
accepted 6-6-1781.
William Taylor, complained of by Con-
FROM HECORDS OF GOSHEN
MONTHLY MEETING.
David Ashbridge, complained of by
Newtown Meeting 11-10-1775, for joining
in the military association and signing
their articles, 2-9-1776: Declines meeting
with those who have taken up arms. Lyns-
owned 7–5–1776.
Joshua Malin, complained of by Goshen
3-8-1776, for enlisting and going with the
Soldiers. Disowned 4-5-1776. 5–10–1776: Re-
ported deceased.
Jacob Lambert, complained of by New-
town 3–8–1776, for enlisting and going with
cord, 1-3-1781, for voluntarily driving team
for the army. Disowned 4-4-1781.
Benjamin Cullever, complained of by
Concord 1-3-1781, for entering into mili-
tary service. Disowned 3–7-1781.
Richard Dutton, Sr., complained of by
Chichester 3–7–1781, for paying cost on a
fine for not Serving as assistant “Sessor.”
Acknowledgment accepted 11–7–1781.
John Thatcher, Concord Meeting, made
acknowledgment 4-4-1781, for complying
with certain requisitions for warlike pur-
poses.
William Vernon, complained of by Con-
cord 8-8-1781, for neglecting meetings and
paying war taxes. Disowned 1–9–1782.
Joseph Davis, Jr., complained of by Con-
cord 9-5-1781, for paying musterfines and
war taxes. Disowned 4-3–1782.
George Dilworth complained of by Bir-
mingham 11–7–1781 for mustering with
militia. Disowned 1–9–1782.
Joseph Brinton, complained of by Bir-
mingham 12-5-1781, for entering military
Service. Diso Wned 2–6–1782.
William Jefferis, son of William, de-
ceased, complained of by Birmingham for
mustering With militia. Disowned 2–6–1782.
John Hunt, Jr., complained of by Bir-
mingham, 8–7–1782, for mustering with
militia. Disowned 11-6–1782.
the soldiers. Disowned 4-5-1776.
William Lambert, complained of by
Newtown 5–10–1776, for joining in the mili-
tary service and signing their articles.
Disowned 8-9-1776. -
John Hall's certificate Sent back by
Philadelphia 9-6-1776, as “he is in the mil-
tary service as a soldier.” Disowned
11–8–1776, he having gone out of the Pro-
Vince. (Late of Newtown Meeting.)
James Travilla, Jr., Complained of by
Goshen 9–6–1776, for enlisting as a soldier
in the military service. His acknowledg-
ment accepted 11-8–1776, having been dis-
charged.
Levi Jones, complained Of by Goshen
9-6–1776, for associating and acting in a
military way. Acknowiedgment accepted
12-6-1776.
Joseph Hunt, Jr., complained of by
Goshen 10–11–1776, for exercising in a mili-
tary way and signing articles. Acknowl-
edgment accepted 11-8–1776.
William Eachus, Jr., complained of 11-8-
1776, for exercising in a military exercise
and signing some of their articles. His
acknowledgment accepted 2-7-1777.
Nathan Scholfield, complained of by
Goshen 11-8-1776, for military exercise and
signing some of their articles. Acknowl-
cdgment accepted 4-11-1777.
George Pierce, complained of 11–8–1776, for
voting in order to choose officers in the
military service (some time ago). Ac-
knowledgment accepted 2–7–1777. Son of
James Pierce of Goshen Meeting.
Joseph Collins, complained of by New-
town. 12–6–1777 for exercising in military
Iſla. In 116. I’. Acknowledgment accepted
1–10–1777.
Lewis Lewis, Jr., complained of by New-
town 12-6-1776, for exercising in a military
manner. Disowned 3–7-1777.
John Goodwin, complained of by Goshen
1-10-1777, for signing an association paper
in the military way. Acknowledgment
accepted 2-7-1777.
Andrew Steel, complained of by New-
town 7-11-1777, for joining with the pres-
ent times So far as to take on him an
office contrary to the advice of the Yearly
19
Meeting, such as taking down the names
of persons in his neighborhood whereby
they may be subject to suffer. Disowned
11-7-1777.
Evan Minshall, complained of by New-
to Wn, 12-5-1777, for joining in military ser-
Vice. Disowned 3–6–1778.
Davis Kerlin, complained of by Goshen
4-10-1778, for accepting an office in the
military way. Disowned 6-5-1778.
Jesse Bane, complained of by Goshen
5–8–1778, for enlisting in the military ser-
vice. 6-5-1778: Says he is released from
military Service and sorry for his con-
duct. 8–7–1778. It appears he has hired
One to take his place. Disowned 10-9-1778.
Caleb Haines, complained of by Goshen
5–8–1778, for enlisting in military service.
IDiSOWned 7–10–1778.
Elisha Malin, complained of by Goshen
5–8–1778, for enlisting in military service.
DiSOwned 7–10–1778.
Samuel Caley, Jr., complained of by
Newtown 11-6–1778, for accepting an Office
in the present unsettled times and ta...,ng
the test. Disowned 3–5–1779.
George Dunn, complained of by New-
town, 1–8–1779, for taking the test. Ac-
knowledgment accepted 5-7–1779; had paid
a substitute fine.
Joseph Pratt, complained Of 1–8–1779, by
Newtown, for taking the test. Disowned
'7-9–1779, for that and Other misconduct.
Benjamin Bond, complained of by New-
town 1–8–1779, for taking the test. Ac-
knowledgment accepted 4-9-1779.
William Hunter, Jr., complained of by
Newtown 1–8–1779, for taking affirmation
of allegiance and abjuration and accept-
ing an Office in the present unsettled
state; also for paying a Substitute fine.
Disowned 7-9-1779. -
Jonathan Thomas, complained of by New-
town 1–8–1779, for the Same as the last
except paying substitute fine. Disowned
6–11–1779. *
Ezekiel Leonard, complained of by
Goshen 3–5–1779, for taking affirmation of
allegiance, etc. Disowned 5-7-1779.
John Hoopes, complained of by Goshen
3-5-1779, for paying his son's Substitute
fine with receipts for forage. Acknowl-
edgment accepted 6-11-1779.
Isaiah Matlack complained of by Goshen
3–5–1779, for paying his son's substitute
fine with receip's for forage. Acknowl-
ridgment accepted 5-7–1779.
Abraham Pratt, complained Of by Gosh-
ens 3-5-1779, for paying a substitute fine
with receipts for Oxen. Acknowledgment
accepted 4-9-1779. :
Enoch Yarnall, complained of by New-
town 3-5-1779, for taking the test So far
as to procure a certificate from those in
authority.
2779.
Enoch Malin, complained of by Goshen
4-9-1779, for taking the test, paying a sub-
stitute fine, laying a wager and running
a horse race. Disowned 12–10–1779.
Joshua Hoopes, complained of by Gosh-
en, 4-9-1779, for informing the collector
of substitute fines where to find receipts
for things taken from him before. Ac-
knowledgment accepted same date.
John Williamson, complained of 4-9-1779,
for paying his son's substitute fine. Ac-
knowledgment accepted 11-5-1779. Of New-
town Meeting.
Lewis Morris, complained of by New-
town 4-9-1779, for signing over receipts for
forage to pay Substitute and muster fines.
Acknowledgment accepted 5–7–1779.
Reece and Peter Garrett, complained
of 4-9-1779, for paying part of their sub-
stitute fines. Peter's acknowledgment ac-
cepted 7-9-1779, and Reece disowned 10-8-
1779.
Daniel Smedley, complained of by Gosh-
en 5-7-1779, for paying his substitute fine
and double tax for himself, and his broth-
er. Thomas', fine. Acknowledgment accept-
ed 9–10–1779.
Owen Skelton, complained of by New-
town 5-7-1779, for paying substitute and
muster fines. Disowned 1–7–1780.
Azariah Lewis, Complained of by New-
town 5-7-1779, for paying Subzstitute and
muster fines with receipts for forage.
Disowned 10-8-1779.
Didymus Lewis, complained of by New-
town 5–7–1779, for Same as the last. Dis-
owned 10-8-1779.
Lydia Davis, complained of 5–7–1779, for
paying her son's Substitute fine with re-
ceipts for forage. Acknowledgment ac-
cepted 6-11-1779.
Susanna Hibberd complained of 5-7-1779,
for paying her husband's double tax or
fine. Acknowledgment accepted same date.
John Morris. Of Easttown, complained of
6–1–1779, for paying his son’s substitute
fine with receipts for forage. Acknowl-
edgment accepted 9–10–1779.
Nathan Scott complained of 6-11-1779, for
paying his muster fines. Disowned 10–
8-1779,
Joseph Hood complained of 6-11-1779, for
paying his substitute fine. Acknowledg-
ment accepted 12-10-1779.
Thomas Pennington complained of 7-9-
1779, for buying wheat which had been
Seized to pay fines and taxes. Disowned
11-5-1779.
John Kerlin complained of 8–6–1779, for
taking the test and refusing to manumit
a negro and mulatto slaves. His wife, Ann
Ackrowledgment accepted 7-9-
2O
º
Rerlin, also included in the latter charge.
Both disowned 3–10–17S0.
Debe Garrett Complained Of 8–6–1779, for
giving up receipts for effects taken to pay
part of her in usband's substitute fine. AC-
knowledgment accepted 19–8–1779.
Ezra Hoopes made acknowledgment 9–
10–1779, for taking the test or affirmation
Of allegiance; accepted. *
John Beaumont complained of by Goshen
9-10–1779, for paying his own and son's
military fine. DiSOWIled 11–5–1779.
William Jones complained of 9-10–1719,
for taking two tests of allegiance and a C-
Cepting an office under the present unset-
tled State of public affairs. Disowned 11–
5–1779.
Ilevi Jones complained of 9–10–1779,
taking the test of allegiance.
12–10–1779. -
Caleb James complained of 9–10–1779, for
acting as an assistant in laying a tax.
|Disowned 2-11-1780. -
Thomas Speakman complained of 11-5-
1779, for paying cost on account refusing to
collect taxes. Acknowledgment accepted
2-11–1780.
Jesse James complained of 11-5-1779, for
paying a military fine. Disowned 2-11-1780.
Samuel Waln complained of by Goshen,
12-10-1779, for taking the test, paying dou-
ble tax and neglecting to pay debts. Dis-
owned 3–10–1780.
William Smith complained of 2-11-1780,
for giving up receipts to pay part of his
military fine, &c. Acknowledgment a C-
cepted 4–7–1780. -
Joseph Dilworth complained of 2-11-1780,
for paying his double tax. Acknowledg-
ment accepted 3–10–1780.
Amos Hoopes complained of 5-5-1780. for
taking affirmation of allegiance to obtain
a certificate. Acknowledgment accepted.
Abraham Bond complained of 7-7-1780,
for marriage by a priest and paying Substi-
tute and muster fines. Disowned 10-6-1780.
William Jones, Jr., complained of 8-1l-
1780, for mustering in a military manner.
T)isowned 12-9-1780.
Isaac Rees complained of 8-11-1780, for
accepting the office and acting as Consta-
ble. Disowned 11-10-1780.
George Davis complained of 9–8–1780, for
marriage out of meeting and paying mili-
tary fines. IDisowned 12-9-1780.
Isaac Butler complained Of 10-6-1780, for
assisting in collecting goods distrained for
tax and paying part of a tax to hire men
to go to war. Acknowledgment accepted
7–6–1781, the acceptance having been de-
layed because he was a tavern keeper.
James Arnold complained Of 10-6-1780, for
taking the test and paying military fine.
T) is owned 1-5-1781.
for
DiSOW ned
Jacob Matson complained of 10-6–1780, for
paying military fine. Disowned 2-9-1781.
Joseph Davis complained of 10-6-1780, for
attending where there was dancing and 10r
paying a military fine. Disowned 2-9-1781.
William Prichard makes acknowledg-
ment 2-9-1781, for paying part of a fine for
not Serving as collector.
Jesse Tenyer complained of 4-6-17S1, for
taking the test. Disowned 6–8–1781; had left
the parts.
Joseph Hunt, Jr., complained of 7–6–1781,
for taking up arms and acting as a sol-
dier. Disowned 9–7–1781.
Isaac Haines, Jr., complained of 10–11-
1782, for paying a military fine.
FROM FECORDS OF RCENNET
MONTHLY MEETING.
Abra ham Taylor Complained of by Ren-
net Meeting, 9-15-1774, “for accepting of
the Office of a Colector of the Provincial
Tax for hire and hath Made Distraint of
Some friends' Goods who Conscientiously
Refused to Pay it and made public sale
Of Said Goods.” His acknowledgment
a CCepted 12-15-1774.
Abraham Marshall complained of by
ICennet Meeting for “being concerned in
Training in Military Services and Justi-
fies his Conduct therein.” Disowned 5-16-
1776.
James Pyle, son of Samuel, complained
of by Rennet Meeting, 10–17–1776, for “suf-
fering himself to be enlisted as a SOul-
dier and for taking upon him the aut lor-
ity and Enlisting others;” also for mar-
riage by a priest to a young WOman With-
out her parents’ consent. DiSOWned 12-
12–1776.
John Hollingsworth complained of by
Center Meeting, 11–14–1776, for suffering
his name to be entered in the muster
roll to learn the art of War and being
active in mustering. Acknowledgment
accepted 2–13-1777.
Adam Seed complained of by PCennet,
3-13-1777, “for undertaking and Ingaging
in Military Preparation so far as to make
or Cause to be made several Carriage
Wheels for Cannon.’’ Acknowledgment
accepted 9–18–1777.
William Harvey, Jr., complained of by
Rennet, 3-13-1777, for appearing in a War-
like Manner with a COmpany Of Others.
Disowned 7–16-1778.
David Baily Complained Of by Center, 5-
15–1777, “for suffering his name to be en-
tered in the Military Association & Walfºn
the Inhabitants together in Order to
Choose Officers, & also gave his Vote.”
9–18–1778: He has gone to Virginia, to see
his father Who Sent for him. Dis-
owned 9–17–1778: had “notifyed ye In habi-
2 I
tants of Kennet to meet to choose officers
Of war,’’ etc.
Ezekiel Webb complained of by Ren-
net, 6–12–1777, for advertising a Towns
Meeting in order to choose a Collector
of arms agreeable to a resolve Of the
Assembly. His acknowledgment accepted
8-14-1777.
which, being read and considered, William
Jackson, Joseph Moore, Thomas Wood-
ward, Benjamin Mason and Joshua Sharp-
Paschal Milhous complained Of by Ken-
net, 10-15-1778, for taking a Test, the ten-
dency of which is inconsistent with Our
religious principles, and ordering his Sub-
stitute fine to be paid. Disowned 1-14-1779.
Joseph Musgrave admits, 11–12–1778, that
he has taken the test. He also acknowl-
edges, 3-11-1779, that he paid a fine for
not appearing under arms or finding a
substitute. Disowned 4-15-1779.
James Hannum, complained of by Cen-
ter, 11–12–1778, for taking a Test, paying
a substitute fine and accepting an Office.
Disowned 4-15-1779, he having also married
out of meeting.
IDavid Mercer complained of, 2-11-1779,
for “going with his Team & driving it
when pressed into ye military service, &
for paying a fine for not mustering.” AC-
knowledgment accepted 5–11–1780.
David Hollingsworth, of Center Meeting,
2-11-1779, “hath been so far concerned in
a. Military Service as to send a Hand to
take care of & drive his Team when
pressed into that service.” Acknowledg-
ment accepted 5–17–1781.
Thomas Temple, Jr., complained of by
ICennet, 11–13–1778, for taking a test and
Some other misconduct. Disowned 4-15-
1779.
Isaac Taylor, of Kennet Meeting, hav-
ing been complained of for attending a
disorderly marriage, admitted, 3-11-1779,
that he had been ‘‘SO far concerned in
military service as to go when ye Team
that was under his care was pressed &
drawed Stores for that purpose.’ His ac-
knowledgment accepted 4–15–1779.
Samuel Greave complained of by Cen-
ter for encouraging horse racing ; “also
for paying a fine for not mustering, &
for going with his Team to draw mili-
tary stores when pressed by that Peo-
ple.” Disowned 8-12-1779, having also mar-
ried out of meeting.
Joseph Brinton, son of John, complain-
ed of by Rennet, 3-11-1779, for paying a
fine imposed for ye purpose of carrying
on war, called a substitute fine. 9-16-1779,
|He ‘‘has associated to learn the art of
War, also hath assisted in laying a Tax
for ye support thereof,” and is disowned.
Jesse Green complained of by Center,
5–13–1779, for suffering his name to be en-
tered in ye muster Roll ; also mustered
to learn ye art of War, and when called
upon went Out to Camp. Disowned 7-15-
1479.
Jesse Harry “has given an Order in Lieu
Of paying his substitute Fine, w ...ich or-
der Was to receive pay for One Of his
Cattle that was some time before forcibly
taken for ye use of ye Army; likewise
going with his Team when pressed to
draw some effects of his Neighbours that
Was taken in like manner.” Acknowledg-
ment accepted 11–11–1779.
Amos Harry complained of by Rennet,
5-13-1779, for giving an Order instead of
paying a substitute fine. Acknowledg-
ment accepted 9–16–1779.
Isaac Baily the elder, Kennet Meeting,
“has paid part of ye Bounty for ye en-
Couragement of a Waggon & Horses to
go in ye military service;” for w nich his
acknowledgment is accepted 5–13–1779.
James Bennett, of Kennet Meeting, of-
ſered the following, 6–17–1779, which was
accepted:
“To Kennet Mo. Meeting,
“friends, I am free to acknowledge that
When two armed men came to my House
& demanded a Blanket of me, that I or-
dered One to be handed to them, which
they left pay for & I made use of it,
but have ºad just cause to reflect on my
misconduct therein; & some time after-
Wards complyed to go with my Team to
draw fifty Bushels of Wheat to ye mill,
Which they demanded of me; also con-
Sented for another Person to take an
Order that was given for a Horse that
Was pressed from me to answer a demand
of Substitute fine they had against him;
altho I forbid that any part of said order
should go towards paying ye demand they
had against me, which he informed them,
nevertheless w.en they received ye or—
der took it for Satisfaction for both de-
mands: which misconduct I have often
to reflect On and acknowledge unto others
to my shame; with desires that I may be
preserved from giving way when trials
COIrle. JAMES BENNETT.”
V* illiam Allen complained of by Kennet,
7-15-1779, for redeeming his horse that was
taken for a Substitute fine. His acknowl-
edgment accepted 11-11-1779.
Solomon Gregg hath so far joined with
War as to Muster Or exercise to learn
the art of it, 9-16–1779. Disowned 12-16-1779.
Abner Wickersham complained of by
Rennet, 11-11-1779, “for consenting to a
Substitute fine being paid to relieve him
out of confinement; & allowed ye money
in a settlement with ye man that paid
it.” Acknowledgment accepted 12-16-1779.
George Leonard complained of by Ken-
22
het, 11-18-1779, for taking a Test; also for
marriage by a priest to a member. Dis-
Owned 4–13–1780.
Joshua Cloud complained Of, 1-13-1780,
for paying part of a Demand to hire a
substitute to go to War. 2-17-1780; he jus-
tifies his conduct in paying a fine for not
appearing in arms. Disowned 12-15-1780.
Peter Harvey is complained Of “for a C-
cepting of an office to assist in laying a
tax that many friends could not be free
to pay; & it is apprehended he has taken
a Test, ye Tendency of which is incon-
sistent with our Religious Principles; also
payed what is called ye Substitute Fine
which he does not endeavour to clear
himself of.” Disowned 8–17–1780.
Isaac Peirce, Jr., complained of, 1-13-
1780, for marriage by a Baptist Teacher,
and it appears, 2-17–1780, that by his own
confession he consented to a neighbour's
paying a substitue fine demanded of him
and afterward allowed it to him in a
settlement. Disowned 3-16-1780.
Thomas Caivert complained Of, 2-17-1780,
for paying a fine for not associating to
learn ye art of War. Disowned 10-12-1780.
JKennet Meeting.
William Underwood complained of by
Center for neglecting meetings, and it is
apprehended he has taken a Test. Dis-
owned 10-12-1780.
Vincent Stubbs complained of, 5-11-1780,
for paying that called ye Substitute Fine
and taking a Test. Disowned 11-16-1780.
Center Meeting.
Robert Lamborn makes acknowledg-
ent, 8-17-1780. “I having had my Educa-
tion amongst friends But through Inad-
vertancy have Erred In shoeing or order-
ing to be shod Divers horses (when Im-
press'd from friends) to go on Military
servises the Inconsistency of Such Con-
duct with our peaceable principle I have
since been favoured to See; And for the
Clearance of our Christian Testimony &
the Witness in my Self alm made Willing
to Give this as a testimony against it,
Hopeing with Divine assistance to be
more Circumspect In future.
ROBt. LAMIBORN, JUr.
Benjamin Taylor (who had removed to
East Caln) admits that he had paid a Tax
layed in order to raise Money to give as
a Bounty to hire Men to go as Soldiers.
Disowned 11-16-1780. Rennet Meeting.
Nathan Harry Complained of by Ken-
net, 3–15-1781, for paying a fine for not
going to learn the art of War; and hath
remarkably neglected ye attendance of
meetings. His acknowledgment accepted
5–16–1782.
IBenjamin Seal complained of by Ken-
net for appearing With ye Militial to learn
ye art of War.
ed 10–11–1781.
Evan Harry complained of, 11-22-1781, for
neglecting meetings and paying a Tax
said to hire a Man to go to ye War. DiS-
OWned 2–14–1782. -
John Story complained of, 2-14–1782, for
paying a tax as a Bounty to hire a Man'
to go Out to War. Disowned 7–11–1782.
William Cloud complained of, 4-11 1782,
for paying a Tax said to be a Bounty
to hire a Man to go to War. Acknowl-
edgment accepted 4–17–1783.
John Boyce complained of, 6–13–1782, for
paying a muster fine and other demands
for the Purpose of War. Disowned 8-16-
1782, having also married out of meeting.
Adam Kirk complained of, 6–13–1782, for
paying a Fine for not Mustering. DiS-
OWned 11–14–1782. -
Est -er Rirk Offers an acknowledgment
10–17–1782, for paying a Fine for ye pur-
pose of War. Accepted.
Martha Chandler, “With the allowance
of the Wornen's Meeting, appeared here
& Offered a paper acknowledging her Mis-
Conduct in paying Money to redeem
Goods taken from her Husband for De-
mands made for the purpose of War.”
Accepted 8-15-1782.
Acknowledgment accept-
RECORDS OF NEw GARDEN MONTH-
LY MEETING.
Jesse Hays complained of 4-6-1776 for
having joined with the people in learning
the military exercise; disowned 7–4–1778
for that and other misconduct.
David Thatcher, having removed to
Maryland, is complained of 5–4–1776 for
joining the people in their military pro-
Ceedings; disowned 6–1–1776.
Thomas Thompson, of London Grove
Meeting, complained of 5-4-1776 for join-
ing the people in training or learning the
military exercise; disowned 7–6–1776.
John Chambers, of New Garden Meet-
ing, complained of 3–1–1777, for paying a
tax, part of which has been applied to
Warlike purposes; his acknowledgment ac-
Cepted 4-5-1777.
Joseph Allen, Jr., who has removed
With his parents to the settlements over
the mountains, complained of for enlist-
ing as a soldier; disowned 5–3–1777.
Joseph Pennock (as reported by London
Grove Meeting 5-3-1777), “in the time he
acted in the House of Assembly, was ap-
pointed on a Committee wherein he so far
deviated from our peaceable principles as
to hear evidence and subscribe his name
in a report to that House respecting a
matter appertaining to war. And he ap-
pearing here with the concurrence of the
23
aforesaid meeting, offered a few lines
acknowledging and condemning the same,
less are appointed to take a solid Oppor-
tunity with him, report their care and
his disposition to next meeting.” He is re-
ported (6-7–1777) “in a condescending dis-
position of mind, Willing to endeavor to
Satisfy Friends by condemning his mis-
conduct to which they left him to his li–
berty. And he appearing here offered his
acknowledgmerit a gain, which was read
and spoken to by divers Friends, but
not appearing to general satisfaction the
case is left till next meeting under the
care of as many of the last Committee
as can attend, and Joel Bailey and Joshua
Pusey are added to them.” 7–5–1777,
“Friends in Joseph Pennock's case report
they have taken care therein and the
matter coming close under consideration
with several Friends’ Sentiments express-
ed and lais acknowledgment being read
again, he being present, alter a time of
deliberation it is received. Joseph Rich-
ardson is appointed to read it in a first
day’s meeting at London Grove and re-
turn it.”
Joshua Jackson is complained of by New
Garden Meetig, 7–5–1777, for Occompany-
ing military officers who went a pout tak-
ing blankets from Friends and others for
the use of soldiers. 8-2-1777, reported “in-
clinable to make some acknowledgment
for his misconduct, but not free to do
it in writing.” His acknowledgment ac-
cepted 12–6–1777 and ordered read at New
Garden Meeting,
Moses Rowen, as reported by New Gar-
den. S-2-1777, “being threatened and urged
by military men did assist them with his
wagon and team in removing them and
Some of their stuf, part On their way, for
which he received pay, but on considera–
tion thereof he is willing and desirous to
return it when Opportunity serves, and to
condemn his misconduct in giving Way to
their request. Jacob Lindley and David
Moore are appointed to visit him, en-
deavor to convince him. Of the inconsis-
tency of Our complying With such matters
and report of his disposition to next
meeting.” He is reported, 9–6–1777, as “will-
ing to condemn his misconduct but as the
money he received yet remains with him
and the case not appearing ripe it is left
under the same Friends' care.” 10-4-1177,
he “had sent the money in Order to be
returned to the man he received it from.”
J1-1-1777: “Endeavors have been used to
return the money, but the man was not
then to be found.” The acknowledgment
ºuccepted, “expecting him to use all en-
deavors to return the money as opportu-
nity offers, and inform this meeting when
dorne.”
v William Dixon, of New Garden Meeting,
“inconsiderately accompanied men who
said they were collecting blankets for
military purposes, and he appearing here
offered a few lines signifying he was
threateened and persuaded thereto and
Inow condemns his conduct therein,”
which is accepted 8–2–1777.
Aaron Greenfield, Of New Garden Meet-
ing, 3–7–1778, “hath So far deviated from
our peaceable principles as to join with
an army for War, and engaged therein as
a pioneer.” He is disowned 5–2–1778. The
testimony against him states that he had
“given way to a rambling mind so as to
travel into distant provinces contrary to
the advice of Friends, and afterwards
when tryals ensued, instead of having
his trust alone in the Almighty for preser-
‘’ation and support under sufferings for
Christ’s sake, gave Way to a Spirit of fear
and went to the English army for pro-
tection and enlisted with them as a Pio-
neer."'
William Davis, cornplained of by Lon-
don Grove Meeting, 8-1-1778, for having
“so far deviated from our testimony
against Military Services as to go several
times and drive his team (which he said
was press'd) in hauling some prize goods
and Military stores.” Disowned 12-5–78.
Jehu Harlan, son of William Harlan,
Jr., of London Grove Meeting, 8–1–1778,
‘has unadvisedly and in the absence of his
Parents enlisted in imself as a soldier and
has been some with the people therein.”
Disowned 11–7–1778. -
Benjamin Marshall, a young man, com-
plained of by New Garden 9–5–177S, for as-
sisting in driving away some Friends'
cattle, taken from them for fines. Dis-
owned 4-3-79.
Josiah Baily, of London Grove Meeting,
8-1-1778, “at a time when a number of
armed men came to his house in order
to collect that called the substitute fine,
did manifest a disposition and conduct
not becoming the peaceable principles we
profess: Also did assist his son in pur-
oh a sin or ore of the Horses (taken from
him for said fines) of the perSOn who
bought him at vendue.” His acknowledg-
ment accepted 11-7-1778, “with desires that
it may be as a caution to us all, to be
exceeding careful of our conduct at such
times of trial and temptation.”
Isaac Gray, of New Garden Meeting, 11-
7-1778, “did some time ago take a test, the
tenor of which is inconsistent with our
Religious profession, and since has had a
pamphlet published without the leave and
Contrary to the advice of Friends, the
tendency of which Pamphlet is to Spreac{
discord and disunity in the Society.” Dis-
OWned 12–10–1778,
24
Samuel Miller, of New Garden Meeting,
“Who Several years ago had a minute of
this meeting to travel into Carolina, did
there, as he acknowledges, go out as a
Soldier in the Militia, and has lately mar-
ried a Woman not in membership with
Friends by the assistance of a Priest.”
Disowned 12-5-1778.
Joshua Jackson, complained of by New
Garden, 11–18–1778, for taking the test, dis-
Owned 3–6–1779, having also engaged in
keeping tavern.
Amos Baily, complained of by London
Grove, 12-5-1778, for purchasing a horse
which had been taken for fines for re-
fusing to go to war; also of being at a.
horse race and layil'g a Wager concern-
ing the same, discwned 7-3-1779.
Joseph Common, of New Garden Meet-
ing, 12–10–1778, “has so far failed in main-
taining our testimony against War and
oppression as to be engaged in driving his
kinsman's Waggon which was press'd for
Military purposes, and has since (contrary
to the advice of the said Meeting by
Friends appointed) left these parts in Or-
der to go to Carolina.” Disowned 1-2-1779.
Jacob Harvey, of New Garden Meeting,
“was so inconsistent in his conduct as to
take a Friend's Money and hand it to
the Collector to pay that call'd the Mus-
ter fine charged on said Friend.” AC-
knowledgment accepted 1-2-1779.
David Flower, complained of by NeW
Garden Meeting, for paying a muster fine,
disow nod 7-3-1779.
James Butterfield, complained of by New
Garden Meeting, 3–6–1779, for purchasing a
Mare that had been taken for a fine for
not going to War, and sold said Creature
to a Friend without informing him there-
of ; disowned 8-7-1779.
James Swayne, complained of by LOn-
don Grove Meeting for taking the test;
also for conniving at a collector taking
money for a fine for his not going as a
soldier to War; disowned 9-4-1779.
William Dixon, of New Garden Meeting,
offers acknowledgment, 4-3-1779, for “Em-
ploying Men to purchase a Mare which
had been taken from a Friend for that
Call'd the substitute fine.” Accepted.
John Elliott, complained of 8-11-1779, for
paying a tax which appears to infringe
upon our Christian Testimony against
War. He having removed to Philadelphia
his case is referred to Friends there by a
certiſicate issued 9–2–1780.
Nathaniel Scarlet, “our antient Friend,”
by the allowance of London Grove pre-
parative meeting, “appearing here offer'd
a few lines acknowledging that through
weakness he had paid a Tax tending to
the Encouragement of War & Commo-
tion,” which is accepted 12–4–1779.
Mordecai Cloud, complained of by Lori-
don Grove, 12-4-1779, for having “SO 1ar
deviated from Maintaining our Testimony
against War & Commotions as to assist
in taking an account & laying a Tax Or
assessment which has a tendency to Op-
press tender nminds & support the present
confusion.” 1-1-1780, reported under con-
Siderable conflict Of mind, “but Very
doubtful Of his being able to Stand his
ground in this, trying day, yet desired a
little more time.” Disowned 4-1-1780.
Elisha, Baily, complained of by London
Grove, 12–4–1779, for indirectly paying part
of a fine for not going out as a soldier.
Acknowledgment accepted 1-1-1780.
John Common, complained of by New
Garden, 3-4-1780, for paying a tax which
has a tendency to Support War. Disowned
5–6–1780.
Moses Rowen, of New Garden Meeting,
“has so far erred from Our peaceable
principles as to pay a Bill of Costs Impos-
ed in Consequence of his Refusing to act
as Collector of Tax for the promoting of
War.” 4–1–1780. His acknowledgment a C-
cepted 8-5-1780.
John Jackson, Jr., of London Grove
Meeting, 4-1-1780, “has So far deviated
from Our peaceable principles as to pay
that Call'd the Muster fine; also has paid
a demand Of Tax which is for the pur-
pose of War.” Disowned 8–5–1780.
William Cherry, of New Garden Meet-
ing, offers acknowledgment, 6–3–1780, ''Con-
demning his Conduct in Baulking Our
Testimony against War by Receiving the
overplus Money of the price of a Heifer
he unguardedly assented to the Collector
of fines to take. Accepted 7–1–1780.
Joseph Taylor, Jr., of New Garden
Meeting, offers acknowledgment, 9-2-1780,
for “Contributing a sum of Money for
the support of War, said to be a fine for
not going out as a Soldier.” Accepted 2-
3–1781.
Jacob Sharpless, of New Garden Meet-
ing, offers acknowledgment, 11-4-1780, for
paying a tax designed for the Support of
War. Accepted. - .
Jesse Hutton, of New Garden Meeting,
offers acknowledgment 2–2–1782 for paying
a tax tending to support War. Accepted.
Evan Baily, of London Grove Meeting,
2–2–1782, has been SO inconsiderate as to
engage & go as a hand on board an arm-
ed vessel a Voyage to Sea.” Acknowledg-
ment accepted. 5-3-1783, “went a voyage to
sea in an armed Vessel & agreed to la-
Abour therein for my passage.”
Joseph Taylor, of New Garden Meeting,
complained of, 10–5–1782, for paying “a
sum of Money demanded for hiring Men
to go as Soldiers to War.” Disowned 5–3–
1783. ... }
25
Moses Cain, complained of by New
Garden, 11-2–1782, for paying a muster
fine. Disowned 5-7-1783.
Henry Daily, complained of by London
Grove, 12–7–1782, for mustering. DiSOWn-
ed 7–5–1783.
FROM RECORDS OF UWCHLAN
MONTHLY MEETING.
6-8-1775: “The Preparative meeting in-
formed this Meeting that Richard Thomas
hath so far deviated from our Peaceable
Testimony again Wars & fightings as not
only to Persist in acting as a Committee
Man of the present association but hath
consented to be a Captain of a Party of
Men in learning the art of War. Therefore
Robert Valentine & Cadwalader Jones,
with the Committee formerly appointed are
ordered to take an opportunity With him
and labour in Christian love to Convince
him of his Error & make report of their
service to next meeting.”
8–10–1775: Feport is made that “he Con-
tinued in the same mind as heretofore &
thºt he would not blame friends to Testify
against him,” and a testimony is signed
against him.
Isaac Cadwalader is complained of 7-6-
1775, for mustering in order to learn War-
like Exercise. Disowned 11–9–1775.
Thomas Iloyd complained of 7–6–1775, for
having “Joined with the People in their
military Exercise.” 8–10–1775: Has declin-
ed mustering with the People to learn war.
11–9–1775: He is listed afresh and gone
away with a Recruiting party: disowned.
John Iloyd complained of 12–7–1775, “for
Mustering in order to learn the Discipline
of War.” Disowned 3–7–1776.
9–5–1776: “The preparative Meeting in-
forms This that for some Time past Re-
ports have prevailed of John Jacobs hav-
ing joined with Things in the House of
Assembly inconsistent with Our Testimony
against Wars and Fightings; and upon
being treated with thereon by the over-
seers he refused to give a candid satis-
factory Account of his Conduct; and it is
a pparent in the public Prints that he is
now a Member Of a COnvention instituted
in order to change the Government; which
in its Consequence must be attended with
Wars and Bloodshed, and highly reproach-
full to Our Christian Profession: Therefore
Joshua Baldwin, Evan Jones, Cadwalader
Jones, William Beale and Simon Meredith
are appointed to labour With him in order
to convince him of his Error, and report
of their service to our next Meeting.”
10–10–1776: “The Friends appointed to
visit John Jacobs report they all had an
Opportunity with him together; that he
did not appear to be convinced of the In-
consistency of his Conduct With the Pro-
fession he has made of the Truth, but en-
deavoured to justify Defensive War.
Therefore William Beale, William [Cirk,
Simon Meredith, Robert Milhous & Jona-
than Coates are desired to visit him, and
in a brotherly manner to endeavour to re-
store him to a sense of his DeViation, and
report of their service to next Meeting;
and that they also mind to treat With him
concerning his slave, as they may find
ability.”
11-7-1776: “The Friends appointed to visit
John Jacobs report they all had an Op-
portunity With him; that he continued his
Arguments for defensive War, and justi-
fied his being a Mernber of Convention,
and that they thought generally that there
was no Prospect of his making proper Salt-
isfaction to this Meeting; having by Re-
port been Very active lately in the same
Cause which has heretofore given so much
uneasiness to Friends. William Lightfoot
arid Jonathan Coates are appointed to pre-
pare a Testimony against him and ac-
quaint him thereof and produce to next
Meeting for Approbation.” He was dis-
owned 12-5-1777, and the testimony against
him ordered to be read at UWChlan Meet-
ing. -
Benjamin Jacobs complained of 3–6–1777,
“for that he has so far encouraged the
carrying on War as to sign the Money is-
sued for that Purpose; Therefore William
Pearson, John Baldwin and Hugh Judge
are appointed to visit and endeavour to
convince him of his Error, and report of
their service to next Meeting.”
4-10-1777: “The Friends appointed to visit
Benjamin Jacobs report they all took an
opportunity and treated with him accord-
ing to Ability; that he received them
civilly, but still insists he apprehends he
has done nothing contrary to Discipline in
that part of his Conduct for which he was
complained of, and rather desired to be
disowned from Friends, and that no more
opportunities might be taken with him;
but this Meeting being tender to Wards him
appoints Robert Valentine, Joshua Bald-
win and Thomas Lightfoot to take fur-
ther pains and Labour to convince him of
his Deviation from our Principles, and
report to next Meeting.”
5–S-1777: The committee report “that he
received them civilly and heard them. With
Patience, and said little, but signified he
remained of the same mind as formerly,
and could not condemn his Conduct until
he saw that it was wrong.”
7-10-1777, a similar report was made, “yet
at the Instance of Robert Valentine, who
has a desire to labour further with him on
the sorrowful Occasion, his Case is con-
ſº
26
tinued till next Meeting.”
ed 10-9-1777.
12-10-1778:
He was disown-
“William Owen has SO far de-
viated from our peaceful Principles as to
take the Test or Affirmation Of Allegiance
as it is called, Thereby making himself a
Party with those contending for Govern-
ment with the Sword contrary to the Ad-
Vice Of Friends.” Disowned 9–9–1779,
though he admitted he had done wrong
but was not able to condemn it properly.
. Nathan Cadwalader, Jr., who had been
under dealing for other matters, is com-
plained of 3-4-1779, for taking the Test,
and disowned 4-8-1779.
4–8–1779: “The preparative Meeting also
informs This that William Beale has man-
ifested a refractory Disposition by not sat-
isfying Friends concerning some Reports
Of his having taken the Test, but rather
justified the taking it; therefore Robert
Valentine and Simon Meredith are ap-
pointed to treat with him on the occasion
and report to next Meeting.” Disowned
7–8–1779.
Joseph Crossiy complained of for neg-
lecting meetings and for consenting for his
father to pay his substitute fine for him,
Was disowned 7–8–1779.
Jonathan Rogerse makes acknowledg-
º ment 3–9–1780, for paying a double tax in
lieu of taking the test.
9–7–1780: “The preparative Meeting
brings a Complaint against John Jacobs
for holding in Bondage a Negro Man of
proper Age to be free; also for paying a
Bounty Tax, and for assisting to lay a
Tax on the Inhabitants for the Purpose of
supporting War. We therefore appoi.1t
Robert Milhous, Elihu Evans and William
Milhous to take a solid Opportunity with
him and endeavour to bring him to a
proper sense of his Deviation from our
Principles and make Report of his Dis-
position to next Meeting.” Disowned 12-7-
1780, and the testimony to be read at
Uwchlan Meeting.
Joseph Downing complained of 11–9–1780,
“for paying a Tax laids for the Purpose of
raising a Bounty to hire soldiers.” Dis-
Owned 7–5–1781.
Richard Downing, Junr., complained of
12–14-1780, “for paying a fine in Lieu of per-
sonal service in the Army and a Tax laid
in Order to raise a Bounty to hire sol-
diers.” Disowned 1–10–1782. He admitted
he had done wrong but would not give a
writté (n acknowledgment.
At the conclusion of Mr. Cope’s reading
the President, Dr. Philips, asked if any-
one present wished to discuss the paper,
but there was no response, and he de-
clared the meeting adjourned.
Proceedings of the Chester County Historical Society
2d Mo. 24, IQ03
THOMAS McKEAN
A Distinguished Son of Chester County
By SMITH BURNHAM
By the terms of its charter the preservation of information of
historic value and interest to the people of Chester County is one of
the purposes for which this Society exists. In my judgment the
information of this nature best worth preserving is the record of the
historic achievement of the County’s sons. This record is rich in
stories of virtue, of high thinking, and of patriotic service; stories
which should be told and retold to each rising generation. Every
native of Chester County ought to feel a keen sense of pride in his
civic and intellectual ancestry. It is an ancestry of remarkable ver-
satility. If we begin at the nation's birth we have John Morton,
signer of the Declaration of Independence, who in his dying hour
said to those who could not forgive him for his vote in favor of
independence: “Tell them they will live to see the time when they
will acknowledge it to have been the most glorious service I ever
rendered my country.” If we pass to the convention which framed
the Federal Constitution, Hugh Williamson was there. In the Senate
of the United States William Maclay was the first member from
Pennsylvania. In the national House of Representatives William
Darlington spoke and voted against the extension of slavery in 1820,
and John Hickman, though elected as a Democrat, became a radical
free-soiler and was one of the first men to suggest arming the negroes
during the Civil War.
If we turn to the military service we find Anthony Wayne,
Washington's thunderbolt of war, and George A. McCall and John
G. Parke, who fought to preserve the Union. In travel, we see Dr.
Isaac I. Hayes amid the Arctic snows, and Bayard Taylor, traveler
in many lands—more than that—poet, novelist and diplomat, “the
greatest literary man Pennsylvania has produced.” And there is his
fellow poet, Thomas Buchanan Read, who will be remembered as
long as there is an American schoolboy to declaim Sheridan's Ride.
But Read was a painter, too, and so was Benjamin West, with his
“Death of Wolfe” and 400 other pictures. -
In scholarship there is James Ross, “one of the most eminent
28
Latin scholars this country has ever known,” and Enoch Lewis, a
great, but modest, mathematician. In botany, the County has a
peculiar eminence, with John Bartram, father of American botany,
Humphrey Marshall, author of the first botanical essay prepared in
America, and Dr. William Darlington and Dr. William Baldwin, both
of high rank in this science. Then there is James Pyle Wickersham,
the greatest name in the history of popular education in this State,
founder of the first Normal School in the commonwealth, fourteen
years State Superintendent of Common Schools, and historian of
education in Pennsylvania. -
But the peer of all these men, and, judged by the value of his
services to the state and nation, probably superior to any of them,
stands that Scotch-Irishman with a record of almost half a century
1n the public service; a leading spirit in the Stamp Act Congress, a
member of the Continental Congress through the trying years of the
Revolution, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, twenty-two
years Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State and nine years
Governor of Pennsylvania—Thomas McKean. To a study of his
life, his public services, and his character I invite your attention this
evening.
Thomas McKean was born in New London Township, Chester
County, March 19, 1734. His parents, William and Letitia Finney
McKean, were natives of Ireland. They had four children, Thomas
having two brothers, Robert and William, and a sister Dorothea. In
1741 William McKean left New London and entered into the business
of tavern keeping at what is now Chatham. Probably the mother
of Thomas died here, for in 1745 his father succeeded James Logan
as tavern keeper at Londonderry, and soon afterward married the
widow, Annie Logan. He seems to have retained the property at
Chatham, however, for a tavern at that place was in possession of
Thomas McKean as late as the breaking out of the Revolution.
Little more is known of the father and the other children.
When nine years of age Thomas was placed in the New London
Academy. This justly famous school was founded in 1743 by the
Rev. Francis Allison, D. D., a native of Ireland, a graduate of the
University of Glasgow, and the pastor of the New London Presby-
terian Church. Dr. Alison continued at the head of this school until
1752, when he removed to Philadelphia and took charge of the Phila-
delphia Academy. Three years later, when the University of Penn-
sylvania was established, he became Professor of Moral Philosophy
in that institution. This celebrated teacher was succeeded at New
London by Alexander McDowell, by whom the Academy was removed
to Newark, Delaware. The later New London Academy was organ-
ized in 1828, and became the successor, in name and locality, of the
old school of Dr. Alison. The New London Academy of Dr. Alison's
day was a school of great usefulness. Several men who afterward
achieved renown were educated in it. Among others, Charles Thom-
29
son, Secretary of the Continental Congress; Dr. David Ramsay, the
historian; Dr. Hugh Williamson, and, besides McKean, two signers
of the Declaration of Independence, George Reed and James Smith.
Young McKean completed the regular course of instruction at
this academy and acquired a sound knowledge of the languages, of
the practical branches of mathematics, and of rhetoric, logic and
moral philosophy. On leaving New London he went to New Castle,
Delaware, and entered the office of his relative, David Finney, Esq.,
as a student of law. Though still very young, his ability, Studious
habits and integrity seem to have impressed those who knew him,
for after studying law a few months he was appointed clerk to the
Prothonotary in New Castle, and later was made Deputy Prothono-
tary. In this position practically all the duties of the office devolved
upon him, as his principal spent the time upon his estate in Sussex,
nearly eighty miles away.
Meanwhile he diligently continued his legal studies, and before
he was twenty-one years of age he was admitted to practice in the
Courts of the three counties of Delaware, and before the Supreme
Court of that province. In 1755, when he was just twenty-one years
old, he was admitted to the bar of Chester County, and soon after
to that of the City and County of Philadelphia. In 1756 he was
appointed Deputy Attorney General to prosecute pleas of the Crown
in Sussex County, and early in 1758 he was admitted to practice
before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. We are reminded that
human nature was pretty much the same then as now by this remark
of one of McKean's biographers: “The envy which the success of
the young lawyer occasioned among some of his professional brethren
served merely as an additional spur to his industry and increased
his assiduity in the pursuit of legal knowledge.”
Immediately after his admission to the bar of the Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania, McKean sailed for England to still further
pursue the study of law in London, as is attested by the record of his
admission to the Society of the Middle Temple on May 9, 1758.
Beyond this record we know nothing of this incident in his life. We
do not even know how long he remained in London, but it certainly
was for only a brief period.
The next seven years brought McKean increasing reputation and
practice as a lawyer, an entrance into politics, and a handsome wife,
In 1757 and 1758 he was clerk of the Delaware House of Assembly,
and in 1762 he was elected to this Assembly from New Castle County
and annually returned for seventeen successive years, in spite of
the fact that during the last six years of that period he lived in
Philadelphia. The same year he was appointed with Caesar Rodney
to revise and print the laws of the Province of Delaware. July 21,
1763, McKean married Mary Borden, the daughter of Colonel Joseph
Borden, of Bordentown, New Jersey. “She and her sister Anne,
who married Francis Hopkinson, were said to be the two most beau-
30
tiful ladies in New Jersey.” After ten years of wedded life Mrs.
McKean died, March 12, 1773, leaving two sons and four daughters.
On the 3rd of September of the following year Mr. McKean mar-
ried Miss Sarah Armitage, of New Castle, Delaware. Nothing is
known of her family. She became the mother of three sons and two
daughters and survived her husband.
In 1764 McKean was made one of the trustees of the loan office
of New Castle County. This position he held twelve years. This
office made loans for the encouragement of industrious settlers and
the improvement of lands. In 1765 he was appointed sole Notary
Public for Delaware, and later in the same year was made Justice of
the Peace, and Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, of the Court
of Quarter Sessions, and of the Orphans’ Court for New Castle
County. And now, when at the age of thirty-one, to all appearances
McKean had settled down to the life of a lawyer and Judge in the
Province of Delaware, he was suddenly drawn upon the field of
national politics at the very moment when the struggle for national
existence began. -
The long struggle between the English and the French for
Supremacy in America had just closed. The victory of Wolfe upon
the Plains of Abraham had committed the destiny of America to the
English speaking race. England stood face to face with a new world
problem of the first magnitude—the development of the natural
resources and the upbuilding of political and social institutions on
the North American Continent. Did she appreciate the difficulty of
this problem and possess the wisdom for its solution? At the same
time the great French War, in which they had played a manful
part, had not been without its lessons for the American colonists.
It gave them military experience and confidence in their own power,
showed them the importance of united action, and, freeing them from
the constant menace of a French foe on their frontier, put them in
better condition to settle their relations with the mother country.
At this most inopportune moment Great Britain inaugurated a new
policy toward America. This policy embodied three distinct pur-
poses: to rigidly enforce the Acts of Trade that had vexed the
colonists for well nigh a century and had been often evaded, to main-
tain a standing army in America, and to tax the colonists to help pay
for its maintenance. The series of acts by which the British Gov-
ernment attempted to carry out this policy developed a state of mind
in America which was the immediate cause of the Revolution.
The first step in this new policy which inflamed the public mind
in all the colonies was the passing of the Stamp Act in 1765. The
press, the platform, and ringing resolutions by the colonial legis-
latures voiced the popular indignation. Many instances of mob vio-
lence directed against the real or supposed upholders of the detested
law attested the depth of feeling. Massachusetts suggested a meeting
of delegates from all the colonies to consider their danger and unite


Page Missing
in Original
Volume


. 32.
most of his time during the eight years following the repeal of the
Stamp Act to the duties of his various official positions in Delaware
and to extending his legal practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey-
He was licensed to practice in the Courts of the latter province in
1766. In 1769 he was sent to New York to procure documents relat-
ing to the titles to real estate in Delaware. In 1771 he was appointed
Collector of the Port of New Castle, and in October, 1772, he was
chosen Speaker of the House of Assembly. In 1773 he removed
to Philadelphia, but continued to serve as a member of the Delaware
Legislature.
For Thomas McKean these were years of rapidly enhancing
reputation in his profession. He impressed his contemporaries as
one of the greatest lawyers of their time. He was not only a very
able man, profoundly learned in the law, but he possessed that intui-
tive sense of just the right thing to do in a case which has charac-
terized the great masters of his intricate profession. This illus-
tration of his ingenuity in the defense of a client has come down to
tis: “In a suit brought by Myers Fisher, a lawyer of note, against a
person by the name of Buncom, in Chester County, for slander, in
the year 1774. the defamation having been clearly made Out, Mr.
|McKean called some scores of witnesses, not to deny the slander,
but to show that his client was such a notorious liar that no man in
the County believed anything he said, and that, therefore, no dam
ages could possibly have been sustained by the plaintiff. And SO
the jury found.”
Meanwhile the Revolution was drawing on apace. The Town-
shend Act, as the second law imposing taxes in America was called,
was passed and repealed. There were collisions between citizens
and soldiers in Boston and in North Carolina. Intercolonial com-
mittees of correspondence were preparing the way for united action.
October 23, 1773, the Assembly chose Thomas McKean and four
others as such a committee for Delaware. For four years the tea
question was the theme of the gossips, the newspapers, and the poets,
until, at last, the men of Boston solved it by proving that tea could
be made with salt water. Parliament promptly answered this act of
defiance by severe retaliatory legislation, closing the port of Boston,
virtually sweeping away the existing government of Massachusetts,
robbing the colonists of an imperial domain north of the Ohio, which
they thought their own, and providing for quartering troops in
America and transporting certain offenders to England for trial.
Under the adroit management of Samuel Adams, Massachusetts pro-
posed a Congress of all the colonies. September 5, 1774, the first
Continental Congress met in Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia. Fifty-
five delegates represented twelve colonies. A convention of the
representatives of the freemen of Delaware sent Thomas McKean,
Caesar Rodney and George Read to this Congress.
33
The first Continental Congress adopted a Declaration of Rights,
addresses to the colonists, to the people of Great Britain, to the
people of Canada, a petition to the King, and formed an association
pledged to the non-importation, non-exportation and non-consump-
tion of merchandise from Great Britain. McKean served on the
committee that drafted the Declaration of Rights. After fixing on
the Ioth of May following as the time for another Congress, the first
Continental Congress adjourned. Before that day came the country
WaS at War.
The winter of 1774-75 was a trying one for the people of Boston.
The Port Bill brought many of them to the verge of starvation. They
were fed by donations from all the colonies, and the letters accom-
panying these gifts show the temper and tone of the country. With
their contribution the patriots of Delaware wrote: “You may be
assured that it is from a people who sincerely sympathize with you
in your distresses and are anxious for your relief;” and they resolved
that it was “the indispensable duty of all the colonies to join for a
removal of grievances and for re-establishing the rights of all
America on a solid and permanent foundation.” This letter was
signed by Thomas McKean and others.
It was in the spirit evinced in this letter that McKean entered
upon his duties as a member of the second Continental Congress in
May, 1775. This Congress had a very different and far more difficult
task than the meeting of the preceding year. War had begun. By
the tacit consent of the people the Congress became at once the
government of the infant nation ; a nation without a written consti-
tution or established political institutions, still professing allegiance
to the British crown, yet already waging war, about to borrow
money, and beginning to maintain armies and navies and to enter
into relations with foreign countries. In the press of work, which
came thick and fast upon this, our first national government, in the
Opening days of the Revolution, a man of McKean's ardor, sound
Sense, and capacity for hard and prolonged work found much to do
and began at once those unremitting and distinguished services
which continued with slight intermission during the entire period of
the war. A few days after the session began he was appointed one
of the committee to state the rights of the colonies, the several in-
stances in which these rights were violated or infringed, and the
means most proper to be pursued for the restoration of them. Dur-
ing the months that followed he rendered diligent service on the
important Secret committee to contract for the importation of arms
and ammunition. He also gave much time and thought to the work
of superintending the finances and emitting bills of credit, to estab-
lishing claims and accounts against the government, to hearing and
determining appeals brought against sentences passed on libels in
the Courts of Admiralty, and to other committee work of lesser
importance. In the midst of all this work in the Congress he found
34
time to stir up the zeal of the Delaware patriots with voice and pen,
to act as chairman of the Pennsylvania Committee of Safety and
Inspection, and of the Philadelphia Committee of Observation, and
to help form the Associators, as the militia organization of Penn-
sylvania was called. He served as Colonel of the Fourth Battalion
of Associators.
McKean was a prominent member of that little group of popular
leaders comprising Samuel Adams, John Adams, Richard Henry
Lee, Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson and others, who were earliest
identified with the movement for independence. It may be of
interest to look somewhat in detail into the great part which he
played at the culmination of this movement in bringing Pennsyl-
vania and Delaware into line for the Declaration.
May 15, 1776, Congress passed a resolution recommending the
States to form governments of their own. This meant an overturn-
ing of the existing public authority and was revolution. This reso-
lution of May 15th became the platform of the popular party. But
in the middle colonies and in South Carolina the people were not yet
ready, in the language of the day, to drop from the parent stem.
On May 20th a great mass meeting, in which McKean took an active
part, was held at the State House in Philadelphia, to advocate inde-
pendence. May 23rd the conservatives, in an address to the Assem-
bly of Pennsylvania, asked that body to adhere to its instructions
to its delegates in Congress against independence. The next day
the Committee of Inspection and Observation, of which McKean
was chairman, memorialized Congress that the Assembly did not
possess the confidence of the people. On the 21st this committee
had issued a call for a provincial convention. Meanwhile matters
were hurrying to a crisis in Delaware, and, June 14th, the people
of that State, at the instance of McKean, overturned the proprietary
government in harmony with the resolution of May 15th. On the
18th of June the delegate convention of Pennsylvania met in Car-
penter's Hall. There were IO4 Deputies in attendance, and McKean
was chosen President. This convention assumed temporary control
of the State government, called a convention to form a permanent
government, and adopted a resolution expressing the determination
to concur in the vote of Congress for independence.
Meantime, on June 7th, Richard Henry Lee had introduced his
immortal resolution, “that these United Colonies are, and of right
ought to be, free and independent States.” Three days later, after
debate, action on this resolution was postponed for three weeks, but,
that no time should be lost, a committee was appointed to draft a
declaration in conformity to the resolution. The three weeks ex-
pired July 1, and on the morning of that day Congress voted to
“resolve itself into a committee of the whole to take into considera-
tion the resolution respecting independency” and to refer “the draft
of the declaration to this committee.” On this day occurred the
35
debate of which John Adams was the colossus. Others spoke,
among them McKean, but we have no report of what they said.
When the vote was taken in committee the New York members read
their instructions and were excused from voting. Of the delegates
from Delaware, Rodney was down in Sussex County pleading with
the people to favor independence and drilling the militia, McKean
was in the affirmative, Read in the negative, and thus the vote of this
State was lost. South Carolina voted in the negative, and so did
Pennsylvania, by four to three. Nine colonies voted in the affirma-
tive. The committee of the whole arose and its chairman reported
the resolution as having been agreed to. Edward Rutledge, of
South Carolina, then said that, were the vote postponed till the next
day, he believed that his colleagues would join in it for the sake of
unanimity, and at his request it was postponed. This gave McKean
an opportunity to send a messenger post haste at his own expense to
Rodney at Dover. All night and through the morning hours of the
next day Rodney rode northward. The poet shows us McKean
Soliloquizing as he waits upon the State House steps for Rodney's
coming, and tells us the sequel.
. “Read is skulking; Dickinson is
With conceit and fright our foeman,
Wedded to his Quaker monies,”
Mused the grim old rebel Roman;
“Pennsylvania, spoiled by faction,
Independence will not dare;
Maryland approves the action;
Shall we fail in Delaware?”
In the tower the old bell rumbled,
Striking slowly twelve o’clock.
Down the street a hot horse stumbled,
And a man in riding frock
With a green patch on his visage,
And his garments white with grime,
“Now, praise God!” McKean spoke grimly,
“Caesar Rodney is on time.”
Silent, hand in hand, together
Walked they in the great square hall;
To the roll with “Aye” responded
At the clerk's immortal call;
Listened to the declaration
From the steeple to the air:
“Here this day is made a nation
By the help of Delaware!”
South Carolina also voted for independence, as Rutledge had
believed it would, while the same result was reached for Pennsyl-
vania by Dickinson and Morris, who had voted against the resolu-
tion the day before, absenting themselves and thus allowing Frank-
lin, Wilson and Morton to give the vote against Willing and Hum-
phries. So independence was declared by the unanimous vote of
twelve States. During the next two days the draft of the Declara-
tion was considered, and On the 4th this was adopted. Later it was
36
engrossed, and on August 2nd signed by the members present.
McKean, who was absent at that time, signed it later.
While the question of independence was under consideration
McKean was a member of the Committee of Thirteen, one from
each State, to draft the Articles of Confederation, our first written
Constitution. In this work he was associated with such men as
John Dickinson, Samt; el Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert R. Liv-
ingston and Edward Rutledge. -
A few days after the adoption of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence McKean marched at the head of the Fourth Battalion of
Pennsylvania Associators, of which he was Colonel, to temporarily
reinforce Washington. During a service of some weeks in the field
he acquitted himself gallantly in several dangerous skirmishes.
It has been asserted by nearly every writer upon the subject
that McKean was the only member of the Continental Congress
who served continuously from the beginning to the close of the
Revolution, but Roberdeau Buchanan, his latest and most painstak-
ing biographer, says that he was not a member from December 2,
I776, to January, 1778. He was President of Congress for a short
time in 1781, and in that capacity reviewed the troops of Washing-
ton and Rochambeau as they marched southward to Yorktown, and
received Washington's dispatches announcing the surrender of
Cornwallis. His work in Congress ended with the dawn of peace.
Great as were McKean's services to the national government
during these years of war, they do not constitute his sole claim to
the gratitude of posterity as a Revolutionary father. During these
same years he helped to lay broad and deep the foundations of the
governments of two States, Delaware and Pennsylvania.
In August 1776 the Delaware Assembly called a constitutional
convention to meet in New Castle, November 27. When McKean
reached New Castle, after his military service with Washington in
New Jersey, he found a committee from the convention awaiting
him to urge him to prepare the Constitution of the State. He at
once went to his room at the tavern and in a single night drafted
a Constitution which was unanimously adopted by the convention
the next day. Somebody has suggested that he had a bottle of ink
(and a bottle of something else), a quill and a sand box, and that
was all. At any rate the drafting of this Constitution must have
been mainly original work, as it was the first Constitution in the
country made by the representatives of the people chosen for that
express purpose, and the first Constitution that was normal in all
respects. The drafting of this Delaware Constitution “has been
justly regarded as the greatest act of Mr. McKean's life; requiring
not only a profound knowledge of law and politics, but a quick
perception, a good memory, clear discrimination, judgment, and a
ready pen to accomplish so much in so short a time.”
In 1777, as Speaker of the Assembly, McKean was for a short
37
time Chief Executive of Delaware, owing to the captivity of the
President of the State and the absence of the Vice-President.
Though living in Pennsylvania, he continued to serve in the Legis-
lature of Delaware until 1779. The story of his retirement from this
body shows the profound confidence of the people of that State in his
judgment and integrity, and is thus told by one of his biographers.
After frequently stating his desire to decline the honor of a re-elec-
tion, “at length, on the first of October, 1779, on the day of the
general election in Delaware, he attended at New Castle, where he
addressed his constituents in a long and eloquent speech, embracing
a summary view of the situation and prospects of the United States,
the aspect of the war, and the wisdom and perseverance of the national
councils. He concluded by assigning satisfactory reasons for declin-
ing to be considered one of the candidates for the State Legislature.
Soon after he had withdrawn a committee of six gentlemen waited
on him, in the name of the electors, and informed him that they
would unwillingly dispense with his services in the Legislature, but
requested that, as the times were critical, and they could perfectly
rely on his judgment, he would recommend seven persons in whom
they might confide as representatives for that county. This novel
way of exhibiting their confidence unavoidably excited some surprise,
while it placed Mr. McKean in a very delicate situation. He imme-
diately replied that, although the compliment was of the most flatter-
ing kind, he entreated the committee to make known to the electors
his grateful acknowledgment of the honor intended him, but as he
knew not only seven, but seventy, of the gentlemen then present at
the election, whom he considered worthy of their votes, he felt
assured they would not, on reflection, expose him to the hazard of
giving offense to any of his friends by the preference which he must
necessarily show in complying with their request. After hearing
this reply the committee retired, but soon after returned and stated
that the electors, after taking his objections into consideration, had
unanimously resolved to reiterate their request, accompanied by the
assurance that his compliance, so far from offending any individual
whatever, would be considered as an additional favor conferred on
the county. Mr. McKean accordingly, but with great reluctance,
wrote down seven names, which he delivered to the committee with
the observation that this act would at least evidence a reciprocity of
confidence between them. The election resulted in the choice of the
seven gentlmen he had thus named, the lowest of the ballot not
wanting 200 votes of all the electors present, who amounted to more
than 18OO.”
Thus Thomas McKean left the public service of Delaware. He
was already in that of Pennsylvania, for two years before this, in
1777, when the judicial system of this State was organized, he was
appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, with William A.
Atlee and John Evans, Jr., as associates. Against the advice of some
38
of his friends, and, as he said, manifestly against his own interest,
he accepted the appointment from patriotic motives. For two years.
then he was at the same time a member of the Delaware Legislature:
and its Speaker, a member of Congress from that State, and Chief
Justice of Pennsylvania.
For twenty-two years during the formative period in the history
of the States and of the Nation. Judge McKean presided Over the
Supreme Court of this Commonwealth. During these years the
Court was held in the State House in Philadelphia, and from time:
to time at various towns in different parts of the State, to which the
Judges journeyed somewhat ceremoniously. A resident of Harris-
burg has left us this interesting picture of how they were received
when they came to that town. He says: “When Chief Justice
McKean and the other Judges of the Supreme Court came to Harris-
burg to hold a Cotirt numbers of citizens of the place would go out.
on horseback to meet them and escort them to town. Sometimes.
one or two hundred people would attend for this purpose. The
Sheriff, with His rod of office, and other public officers, and the bar
would attend on the occasion; and each morning whilst the Chief
Justice was in town, holding Court, the Sheriff arid his Constables,
escorted him from his lodgings to the Court room.” When on the
bench the Chief Justice wore an immense cocked hat and was dressed.
in a scarlet gown. His personal appearance on the bench has been
described as such a combination of affability and great dignity as to
inspire reverence. Neither fear rior power could bend him from
the stern line of duty. During his first year on the Supreme Bench
a case arose which admirably illustrates his firmness in executing the
law, and his punctiliousness in maintaining the power and dignity of
his Court. -
In 1778 Judge McKean issued a warrant against Colonel Robert
L. Hooper, a Deputy Quartermaster, charging him with having
libelled the Magistrates of Pennsylvania in a letter to Gouverneur
Morris and directing the Sheriff of Northampton County to bring
him before him at York. Colonel Hooper laid the matter before
General Greene, the Quartermaster General. Greene wrote a letter
to McKean, in which he said that as the army was just on the wing
and a part of it would probably march through the district in which
Hooper lived, he could not consent to the Colonel’s absence, as there
was no other person who could give the necessary aid upon that occa-
sion. To this letter McKean replied as follows: “I do not think,
sir, that the absence, sickness, or even death, of Mr. Hooper could
be attended with such a consequence that no other person could be
found who could give the necessary aid upon this occasion; but
what attracts my attention the most is your observation that you
cannot, without great necessity, consent to his being absent. As to that,
sir, I shall not ask your consent, nor that of any other person, in or
out of the army, whether my precept shall be obeyed or not, in Penn-
39
sylvania. * * * I should be very sorry to find that the execution
of criminal law should impede the operations of the army in any
instance; but much more so to find the latter impede the former.”
During the early years of McKean's Chief Justiceship the times
demanded the unbending spirit of the patriot, as well as the learning
of the lawyer. Public feeling against the Tories ran very high, and
in some cases unjustly demanded their punishment for treason, while
on other occasions the same fickle public clamored for mercy for
those justly convicted. But no popular excitement could, in the
slightest degree, divert Judge McKean from the firm and inflexible
discharge of public duty.
The privations, as well as the services, of the patriot fell to his
lot. While the British army was in Pennsylvania he describes him-
self in a letter to his intimate friend, John Adams, as “hunted like
a fox by the enemy, compelled to remove my family five times in
three months, and at last fixed them in a little log house on the banks
of the Susquehanna, but they were soon obliged to move again on
account of the incursions of the Indians.”
Too much stress cannot be laid upon the important, and, at the
same time, the trying Character of the period during which Mr.
McKean exercised the functions of Chief Justice. When he came
to the bench the country was in the midst of a revolution. The laws
were unsettled; the Constitutions of the States undefined, and
national existence itself in question. For several years the civil was
necessarily subordinate to the military rule. The interpretation of
the organic and the statute law had to be made de novo. Precedents
had to be established and the whole practice of the Courts adapted
to changed relations. The cases which came before him were, many
of them, peculiar to a period of war; causes involving the most deli-
cate questions, vital alike to the rights of the citizen and the vindica-
tion of justice. Trials for high treason, for attainder, for the con-
fiscation of property, were frequent. The case for the forfeiture of
the proprietary estates, in which he gave a conservative opinion, was
perhaps the most important issue that he decided. The rulings of
the Chief Justice through all this trying period were marked by great
prudence and wisdom. After the storm of war had cleared away
Chief Justice McKean was the leading spirit in abolishing the severity
of the criminal law, and in restoring those milder features of it
which had been one of the glories of the provincial jurisprudence of
Pennsylvania.
The decisions of Chief Justice McKean may be found in Alex-
ander J. Dallas' Reports of Pennsylvania Cases, in four volumes,
1754-1806. The first volume was published in 1790, and the series
dedicated to McKean. The other volumes appeared in 1798, in 1799,
and in 1807. Lord Mansfield, then in his advanced years, upon
receiving the first volume from Judge McKean in 1791, sent the
following in reply: “I am not able to write with my own hand, and
40
mtrst, therefore, beg to make use of another, to acknowledge the
honor you have done me by your most obliging and elegant letter,
and sending me Dallas’ Reports. I am not able to read myself, but
have heard them all read with much pleasure. They are a credit
to the Court, the bar, and the reporter. They show readiness in
practice, liberality in principle, strong reason, and legal learning.
The method, too, is clear, and the language pure.”
A Judge of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, who knew Judge
McKean on the bench, says of him: “Chief Justice McKean was a
great man: his merit in the profession of the law, and as a Judge,
has never been sufficiently appreciated. It is only since I have been
upon the bench that I have been able to conceive a just idea of the
greatness of his merit. His legal learning was profound and accurate.
* * * The lucidity of his explication, and the perspicuity of his
ſanguage, which is the first excellence in the communication of
ideas, was perfect; but I never saw equalled his dignity of manner
in delivering a charge to a jury, or on a law argument to the bar.
But, what is still more, his comprehension of mind in taking notes,
so as to embrace the substance, and yet omit nothing material, has
appeared to be inimitable.”
I must not close this long chapter about McKean's judicial life
without relating the facts about two or three quarrels which he had
as a Judge, for these stories illustrate the spirit of the times and
help to an understanding of the character of the Chief Justice. The
first unpleasantness was with General Thompson. William Thomp-
son had raised a rifle regiment at the beginning of the war, but was
captured during the Canadian campaign. After a captivity of four
months he was released on parole and returned to Pennsylvania,
where he was compelled to remain nearly three years an idle spec-
tator of the war. Thompson declared that he should have been
exchanged and permitted to re-enter the service, and that Congress
had treated him in a “rascally manner.” He was particularly bitter
against McKean, whom he accused of having hindered his exchange,
and denottnced for having acted “like a liar, a rascal, and a coward.”
To this instilting language, evidently used with a view to provoking
a duel, McKean replied that “as Chief Justice of a new republic noth-
ing should disturb his steady purpose, by his precepts and example,
to maintain peace, Order and the laws, and the dignity of his station,
and that he could not set the precedent of obliging a member of
Congress or a Magistrate, to subject himself to a duel with every
person against whose opinion he gave his vote or judgment.”
McKean sued Thompson for libel, and the case was determined in
the Spring of 1781 by the award of 57OO pounds damages for the
plaintiff. Dunlap, printer of the Packet, in which the libel appeared,
confessed judgment. McKean released the damages in both cases,
“as he only wanted to see the law and the facts settled.”
In the next case the Chief Justice displayed his imperious temper
4 I
and did not come off so well. In 1781, when Colonel Thomas
Proctor offered to vote at the election in Philadelphia, he was asked
by the inspector to show his certificate of having taken the test oath.
As an old soldier he regarded the request as an insult and assaulted
the inspector. He was arrested and brought to trial before the Chief
Justice. Admitting the act, he declared that he had “chastised him
according to his deserts.” The Chief Justice stopped him, warmly
saying: “You gentlemen of the army hold your heads too high, but
I will teach you how to behave. I will bring you down; we shall be
overrun else.” McKean then proceeded to bring the Colonel down
by fining him 80 pounds. For this he was severely censured by
Oswald, the editor of the Gazetteer. The Chief Justice sent for
Oswald and gave him a severe castigation. Of this scolding Oswald
said in his paper: “I was charged with a libel on Congress, a libel
on the Council, a libel on the President, a libel on “Pale Faced” Joe,
a libel on the Court and Grand Jury. * * * And after being
grossly insulted in language unbecoming the most servile hostler,
was taken into custody by the Sheriff and bound Over to answer in
the sum of 750 pounds.”
For this publication Oswald was again arrested and brought
before the Chief Justice, who now demanded the name of the author
of an article that had appeared in his paper entitled “A Friend to the
Army,” in which McKean was charged as “a speculator in distressed
soldiers’ certificates.” In this case Oswald was ordered to give bail
in IOOO pounds, but when the first bill of indictment was presented to
the Grand Jury it was ignored, and the second bill was treated in the
same way. The Chief Justice now angrily accused the members of
the Grand Jury of partisanship, but they were resolute in maintaining
their rights, and nothing more came of the cases.
Thomas McKean was not a member of the convention that
framed the Federal Constitution, though it is said that he furnished
the representatives of the smaller States, of whose rights and interests
he had always been a strenuous advocate, with a written argument
in favor of their contention. However, he represented the city of
Philadelphia in the State Convention called to ratify the Constitu-
tion, and was second only to James Wilson in the work of that
body. He made the formal motion that the convention do assent
to and ratify the Constitution, and near the close of the long and, on
the part of the Anti-Federalists, acrimonious debate which followed—
a debate in which James Wilson was the foremost champion of the
Constitution—McKean admirably summarized all the arguments that
had been used against ratification and then answered them in a lucid
and convincing speech. He closed with these words:
“The law has been my study from my infancy, and my only pro-
fession. I have gone through the circle of offices, in the legislative, \
executive and judicial departments of the government; and from all
my study, observation and experience I must declare that, from a
42
full examination and due consideration of this system, it appears to
me the best the world has yet seen. -
“I congratulate you on the fair prospect of its being adopted, and
am happy in the expectation of Seing accomplished what has long
been my ardent wish—that you will hereafter have a salutary per-
manency in the magistracy, and stability in laws.”
The experience of more than a hundred years has confirmed his
judgment and gratified his wish.
When the news came that a sufficient number of States had
ratified the Constitution to secure its adoption, Philadelphia cele-
brated the event with a great procession, July 4, 1788.
The following is from the official program of this celebration:
“XIII. The Constitution. The Honorable Chief Justice McKean,
the Honorable Judge Atlee, the Honorable Judge Rush (in their
robes of office), in a lofty car, in the form of a large eagle, drawn
by six horses, bearing the Constitution framed and fixed on a staff,
crowned with the Cap of Liberty. The words ‘The People’ in gold
letters on the staff, immediately under the Constitution.”
The first Constitution of Pennsylvania, adopted during the
Revolutionary War, proved unsatisfactory, and in 1788 the Legis-
lature authorized a convention to form a new one. McKean was a
member of this convention, which drafted the Constitution of 1790.
He was chariman of the Committee of the Whole, and as the work
was mainly done in this committee, he took little active part in the
debates. However, he was largely influential in getting the words,
“in such manner that the poor may be taught gratis,” attached to
the clause on schools. This was the entering wedge, for from
teaching the poor gratis it was finally determined in later years to
teach the rich gratis, too
During the whisky insurrection in 1794 Judge McKean and
General William Irvine were sent by Governor Mifflin to co-operate
with Federal Commissioners in an effort to settle the trouble by con-
ciliation. Some of the insurrectionists were induced to sign papers
signifying their submission to the government, but many refused
to sign, the Commissioners reported unfavorably, and troops were
sent to quell the uprising. .
The later years of Judge McKean's service on the Supreme
Bench of this State witnessed the development of two great political
parties in the United States. Such political evolution was inevitable,
and was based, primarily, upon two radically divergent theories of
government. The adherents of one theory, ever looking backward
and fearful lest they break too sharply with the past, held, as one of
their great leaders put it, that the government ought to be in the
hands of the rich, the well born, and the educated. The advocates
of the opposite opinion faced the future with an emphatic declara-
tion of the right of all men to a voice in the government. Faith
in the people was their dearest principle. The first party held that
43
the Constitution was a fundamental instrument of government creat-
ing a nation, the second looked upon it as a compact between
sovereign states, and strenuously insisted upon the maintenance of
the rights of these states against every encroachment of the national
government. The men of the first party followed Alexander Hamil-
ton, supported his financial policy in all its parts, and were known
as Federalists. Those of the second rallied around Thomas Jeffer-
son, opposed most of the features of Hamilton's policy, called them-
selves Republicans, but were stigmatized as Democratic-Republicans
by their opponents. But the topic which fomented party strife to
the point of extreme virulence was an outgrowth of the French
Revolution, and pertained to our foreign relations. Americans had
declared their political independence, but they could not cast aside
the habits of thought of a lifetime. In their attitude toward Euro-
pean questions—with the exception of Washington, who deserves
to be called the first real American—they were still extremely provin-
cial. The Federalists were shocked by the excesses of the French
Revolutionists and pointed to them as a proof of the unfitness of the
people to be trusted with the government. The Republicans, on
the other hand, were carried away with enthusiasm for equality and
fraternity, aped the manners and garb of the French radicals, and
had it not been for the firm hand of Washington might have involved
the country in a war with England.
It was hardly possible for a man of Judge McKean's ardent
nature to remain neutral at such a time. He became a zealous
French sympathizer and a leader in the organization of Democratic
Societies, and in the stimulation of public sentiment in favor of
France. He took a prominent part in a public meeting in Philadel-
phia to denounce the Jay Treaty with England as unworthy of ratifi-
cation. He was recognized as a leader of the Republican faction,
which the organizing genius of Jefferson was rapidly welding into
a compact and powerful political party. In 1796 McKean headed the
Jefferson electoral ticket in Pennsylvania, and was chosen with all
his associates except two, who were defeated because of the personal
popularity of their Federalist opponents.
In the administration of John Adams political asperities were
intensified. During McKean's last months on the bench his par-
tisanship led him to do things unseemly in a Judge. The news-
papers of that time were given to ribaldry and scurrility beyond any-
thing we know even in this day of yellow journalism. In 1797 one
of them, the Gazette, edited by William Cobbett, or Peter Porcupine,
as he signed himself, was made the defendant in a libel suit brought
in the Federal Court at the request of Don Yrujo, the Spanish
Minister. Then Yrujo asked to have the case tried in Pennsyl-
vania's Supreme Court. This was a strangely indecent request, for
Yrujo was soon to marry Judge McKean's daughter. Of course, the
request was refused. But a new libel was hunted up and a prosecu-
44
tion begun in Pennsylvania. McKean made an address to the Grand
Jury, in which he declared that libelling had become the national
crime, and then proceeded to libel the prisoner at the bar, declaring
him to be licentious and virulent beyond all former example. Not
content with this, he appeared before the jury as a witness against
Cobbett. The jury ignored the indictment.
The next year McKean appeared before the Mayor of Phila-
delphia and exhibited a spirit of partisanship in favor of prisoners
who were accused of instigating a riot in or near a leading Catholic
Church while soliciting signatures to a petition for the repeal of the
Alien law.
In 1799 Judge McKean was nominated by the Republicans for
Governor of Pennsylvania. James Ross was the Federalist candi-
date. The campaign was bitterly personal. Its tone may be inferred
from the following excerpts from the Gazette, Cobbett’s paper:
“Judge McKean: This vile old wretch who now disgraces the
Courts of the State of Pennsylvania, was formerly a stableman at a
tavern in Chester County. The following lines allude to his state
of innocense: -
“Old Toper, to curry horses was bred,
But tired of so humble a life,
To currying favor he turned his head,
And now’s curried himself by his wife.”
It was charged that McKean’s “grandfather was an Irishman,
who emigrated with the consent of his Majesty and twelve good and
true men.”
Relative to the Judge's work in naturalizing voters, we find this
choice morsel: “This honorable personage is not only canvassing
as he goes on his circuit (Gracious God!), he is not only soliciting
votes of the present citizens, but he is absolutely making new ones.”
But the campaign utterances of the Federalists were not limited
to such scurrility. McKean had many enemies, and their attacks
were bold and uncompromising. He was accused of judicial tyranny,
of intolerance, of being inconstant to all parties and ever ready to
attach himself to the strongest. But this hostility did not avail,
and he was elected by a majority of over 5000 votes. This election
had an important bearing on the approaching presidential contest,
and augured well for the success of Jefferson the next year.
The Democratic Republicans celebrated their success with wild
enthusiasm. In an address to a great body of his Philadelphia sup-
porters, who were rejoicing over his victory, McKean made it very
clear that he shared in their party fury and cherished the most vindic-
tive feelings toward the Federalists. On this occasion, after thank-
ing the people for their congratulations, he said: “Traitors, refu-
gees, Tories, French aristocrats, British agents and British subjects,
and their corrupt dependents, together with not a few apostate
Whigs, all combined against your candidate; the most abominable
lies were propagated, and nothing omitted that could arrest a vote;
45
and, what is strange, but true, all the officers and expectants of office
under the President of the United States, not only in Pennsylvania,
but in the neighboring States, joined in the coalition, with very few
exceptions.”
Cherishing such sentiments as these, McKean began his adminis-
tration as Governor by the removal of Federalist office holders, high
and low, to a number utterly unprecedented in the history of the
State up to that time. A rigid partisan, well disciplined in party
tactics, a devout believer in the maxim, not yet announced in SO
many words, that to the victors belong the spoils, Governor McKean
undoubtedly thought that he was promoting the public good by these
removals.
June 23, 1800, he wrote to John Dickinson: “I have never had
greater employment for body and mind than for the last six months,
unless when I was President of Congress. I have waded through a
sea of troubles, and surmounted my principal difficulties. I have
been obliged (though no Hercules) to cleanse the Augean stable,
with little or no aid.”
January Io, 1801, writing to Jefferson, he says: “It is, at least,
imprudent to foster spies continually about oneself. I am Only sorry
that I did not displace ten or eleven more.”
July 20, 1801, writing to the President about appointments
in Delaware, he says: “It appears that the Anti-Republicans, even
those in office, are as hostile as ever, though not so insolent. To
overcome them they must be shaven, for in their offices (like Sam-
son's hair-locks) their great strength lieth; their disposition for mis-
chief may remain, but the power of doing it will be gone. It is out
of the common order of nature to prefer enemies to friends; the
despisers of the people should not be their rulers, nor men be vested
with authority in a government which they wish to destroy. A
dagger ought not to be put in the hands of an assassin. Sayings of
this import are in the mouths of everybody, and self-preservation
seems to demand some attention to them.”
Naturally the Federalists did not view this proscriptive policy
as designed for the public good. Alexander Graydon, one of the
displaced office holders, says: “By this memorable victory of Penn-
sylvania democracy for the behoof of Virginia aristocracy, occasion
is afforded for much serious reflection on the sad effects of party
fury, and giving the rein to those vindictive passions which arise
from selfishness opposed. No man, perhaps, ever more fatally and
intemperately rioted in their indulgence than Mr. McKean.”
Another Federalist politician wrote: “McKean's administration
has brought forward every scoundrel, who can read or write, into
office or expectation of one, and the residue of the Democrats, with
the joy and precocity of the damned, are enjoying the mortification
of the few remaining honest men and Federalists.
The intemperate language used by McKean in responding to
46
congratulations after his election and his course in removing politicaſ
opponents from Office, drew forth sharp expressions of feeling from
the Legislature. In the House of Representatives a motion to sub-
stitute for the usual complimentary reply to the Governor's address,
a paper strongly censuring him for partisanship failed by a vote of
33 to 39. But in the Senate, which hati a Federalist majority, an
address was adopted condemning him for removing from office a
great number of respectable characters, against whom, in the lan-
guage of the paper, “no other blame rests than the exercise of their
rights as freemen in opposition to your wishes.” In reply the Gov-
ernor denied the right of the Senate to exercise censorship over him,
and affirmed his right to make such changes as he deemed proper,
without accountability to any person or party.
Summing up this phase of his career, we may justly say that to
Governor McKean belongs the unenviable distinction of being the
father of political proscription in Pennsylvania. It is a common-
place of history that the fathers of such proscription in the States
of Pennsylvania and New York are the grandfathers of the spoils.
system in the United States.
In 1802 McKean was re-elected Governor over his old com—
petitor, Ross, by about the same majority that he received three
years before. Aside from his influence in fastening a baneful spoils
system upon the State, he proved an excellent Governor. In force
of language, liberal views of policy, and a luminous exposition of the
law, his annual messages to the Legislature stand unsurpassed. His
policy was distinctly his own. It has been truly said of him that “the
clamor of political enemies he passed by as the idle wind; the sug-
gestions of his friends he scanned with the most rigid scrutiny.
Neither flattery nor censure could drive him from the citadel of his
Own matured judgment.” Perhaps the most important measure
which he signed was a law to put into operation the provisions of the
Constitution of 1790 relative to the education of the poor gratis.
The years of his administration witnessed a growing interest in the
'development of architecture, manufacture, horticulture, literature,
and the useful arts, and a number of societies were chartered by the
Legislature to promote one or more of these. In 1804 the first
through line of stage coaches from Philadelphia to Pittsburg was
established, making the journey in Seven days.
Governor McKean's quarrel with the Legislature, unhappily
begun over the removal of officeholders at the beginning of his first
term, continued during the nine years of his administrations. He
was not the man to allow the Legislature to interfere with his pre-
rogative or to instruct him in his duties. In 1804 the Legislature
impeached three Justices of the Supreme Court for “arbitrarily and
tunconstitutionally fining and imprisoning” one Thomas Passmore.
A fourth Justice, H. H. Brackenridge, not involved in this case, wrote
to the Legislature suggesing that he be impeached, too, in the
47
interests of the Democratic administration. The Legislature re-
garded this as an insult, and, while refusing to impeach, adopted an
address to the Governor asking him to remove Brackenridge as “not
a proper person to discharge the important duties of a Judge.”
McKean paid no attention to this request, and at last a committee of
the Legislature waited upon him to convince him that the words
“may remove” in the Constitution were equivalent to “must remove.”
The Governor heard them patiently, and then, bowing, said: “I will
have you know, gentleman, that may sometimes means won't.”
During his second term Governor McKean had much trouble
with the Legislature over his vetoes. On one occasion, when he had
vetoed what the Legislature deemed an important bill, a committee
of three members of that body was appointed to wait upon his Excel-
lency to remonstrate witn him and to urge a reconsideration of the
veto. He received them with his accustomed dignified politeness,
and, after they had explained their mission, apparently without
noticing their communication, he deliberately took out his watch,
and, handing it to the chairman, said: “Pray, sir, look at my watch :
she has been out of Order for some time; will you please put her to
rights?” “Sir,” replied the chairman with some surprise, “I am no
watchmaker, I am a carpenter.” The watch was then handed to the
other members of the committee, both of whom declined, one being
a currier, and the other a bricklayer. “Well,” said the Governor,
“this is truly strange! Any watchmaker’s apprentice can repair that
watch; it is a simple piece of mechanism, and yet, you can't do it.
The law, gentlemen, is a science of great difficulty and endless com-
plication; it requires a lifetime to understand it. I have bestowed a
quarter of a century upon it; yet you, who can't mend this little
watch, become lawyers all at once, and presume to instruct me in my
duty.” The committee vanished.
These years of bickering with an ultra Democratic Legislature
forced Governor McKean into the position of a conservative, and he
even began to attract Federalist support. In 1805 the Democratic
party in Pennsylvania split; the radical wing demanding a revision of
the Constitution and seeking to defeat the Governor. Their candi-
date was Simon Snyder. They issued an address to the people, in
which they set forth McKean's austerity and aristocratic habits, his
years of professional contention and domination in Courts, and his
present intimacy with those who had been his former libellers. But
the strongest charge in the address was that the Governor had said:
“The memorial for calling a constitutional convention is a base libel,
and the authors of it are rascals and villains, and the supporters of
the measure are a set of the wisest and best patriots that were ever
collected; and shall a set of ignorant clodhoppers in this way overturn
that Constitution formed by a set of gentlemen so extensively learned
in the law? No! it never shall be. I will not suffer such a thing to
take place.” These charges were of too grave a nature to remain
48
itnexplained, but when questioned about them the Governor substan-
tially admitted their truth. Apparently the admission did him no
harm, however, for he was re-elected by quite as large a majority as
he had ever received.
His last term as Governor, upon which he now entered, proved
to be the most trying of 'all. The hostility of the radical faction of
his party waxed fiercer than ever. The most annoying charge made
against the Governor, doubly irritating because true, was that of
nepotism. At the beginning of his first term he had been bitterly
assailed for appointing his son, Joseph Borden McKean, Attorney
General. In July, 1806, he appointed his son-in-law, Dr. George
Buchanan, as physician at the Lazaretto. Dr. Buchanan had for
Seventeen years been a citizen and resident of Maryland, not arriving
in Pennsylvania until after the appointment was made. A few
months later the Aurora, under the title of “The Royal Family,” gave
the following list of the persons connected by blood or marriage with
the family of the Governor, who held office in the State with their
remuneration:
Thomas McKean, Governor, $5333.33.
Joseph B. McKean, Son, Attorney General, $5000.
Thomas McKean, Jr., son, Private Secretary, $40O.
Thomas McKean Thompson, nephew, Secretary of the Common-
wealth, $2150. -
Andrew Pettit, son-in-law, Flour Inspector, $5000.
Andrew Bayard, brother-in-law to Pettit, Auctioneer, $2500.
Dr. George Buchanan, of Baltimore, son-in-law, Lazaretto Phy–
sician, $2500.
William McKennan, brother-in-law to T. McKean Thompson,
Prothonotary of Washington County, $1000.
Andrew Henderson, cousin, Prothonotary of Huntingdon
County, $800.
William Henderson, cousin, Brigade Inspector of Huntingdon
County, $150.
John Huested, father-in-law of T. McKean Thompson, clerk in
the Controller General’s office, $850.
Joseph Reed, a near relation of Pettit and Bayard, Prothonotary
of the Supreme Court, $2500. -
In 1807 McKean added to the animosity against him by attend-
ing the annual dinner of the St. George's Society, Philadelphia, at
which a toast to the King was drunk. The “True Republicans” a
few days later, at their annual meeting, adopted the following toast:
“William Pitt, the common pest of mankind, and Thomas McKean,
the pest of Pennsylvania, alike the admiration of the Sons of St.
George, and alike entitled to the plaudits of freemen.”
It is not surprising that the Governor, like One of his successors
almost a century later, advocated restraining the licentiousness of the
press. McKean was, however, the more definite and specific in his
49
recommendation. In his message of 1807 he suggested the passage
of a law to compel every printer who assailed a citizen to publish his
defense, also a registry of the names of printers and editors of news-
papers and periodicals, and that, whenever a Grand Jury should pre-
sent a press as a public nuisance, the editor must be bound in Sureties
for his future good behavior, and the Court be authorized to Sup-
press the paper for a limited time. No action was taken on this
recommendation, and none was needed. As a matter of fact, the
libel law was pretty effectually administered in those days. About
this time the Grand Jury indicted a Philadelphia editor for this toast
given at a banquet: “General Arnold and Governor MéKean: both
beans of one kidney.”
In 1808 an attempt was made to impeach the Governor on the
charge of nepotism, and of allowing his clerk to affix the Official signa-
ture to public documents by means of a facsimile stamp. As it soon
became evident that a two-thirds vote against him could not be
secured, and as his term had nearly expired anyway, the charges were
dropped. At the close of his third term, in 1808, having served in the
office of Governor as long as the Constitution permitted, he retired
to private life. He was then seventy-four years of age, but his vigor
seemed undiminished. - -
Thomas McKean's last years were spent at his home in Phila-
delphia, a spacious mansion on the east side of Third Street, near
Pine, in the peaceful pursuit of science and literature. He had ever
been a student, and had received academic recognition as a scholar,
being given the degree of A. M. by the University of Pennsylvania in
1763, and made an LL. D. by Princeton in 1781, by Dartmouth in
I782, and by the University of Pennsylvania in 1785. With James
Wilson he wrote Commentaries on the Constitution of the United
States, published in London, 1790.
During these last years he corresponded with the few survivors
of that band of heroes and patriots with whom he had wrought in the
great work of independence. We find him lamenting with John
Adams the absence of any satisfactory history of the Revolutionary
period, and we catch a glimpse of the occupation of his lighter
moments when he writes to the same lifelong friend, “I have read
and still read novels. These fabulous histories afford me not only
amusement, but pleasure, because they almost universally make vice
detested and punished, and virtue triumphant, which is not the case
of the histories of real life.
Year after year his tall and stately figure, erect even in extreme
age, with cocked hat above a face which revealed the firmness and
intelligence of the man, was a familiar sight upon the streets of Phila-
delphia. Even to the close of life he walked with great apparent
dignity and pride. Only once was he drawn from his retirement. In
1814, when the British landed near Washington, he presided over a
public meeting in Philadelphia to take steps for the defence of the
50
city. On this occasion he said: “This is not a time for speaking,
but a time for acting. We have now nothing to do with the past;
we must only think of the present and the future. There are now but
two parties, our country and its invaders.”
Thus, full of years and honors, he lived to the ripe old age of
eighty-three. He died June 24th, 1817, and was buried in the ceme-
tery of the First Presbyterian Church on Market Street. Subse-
quently his remains were removed to Laurel Hill Cemetery.
Thomas McKean's public life was such a revelation of himself
and has been here related with such fullness, that it is scarcely
necessary to attempt any further study of his character. The story
of his life is an Open book, with his nature pictured upon every
page. He was a man of inflexible integrity and dauntless courage.
His ardent soul was fired by a zeal which, when tempered by his
severe and systematic training, gave him an almost limitless capacity
for hard work. Stern and arbitrary, possessing a nature of unbend-
ing firmness, he was little accessible to the pleadings of mercy. A
passionate heart and strong prejudices made him rough, Overbearing,
ofttimes tyrannical, and sometimes vindictive in disposition. He had
little command of his temper, but spoke whatever he thought upon
every occasion. 3.
Again and again, while studying the life and character of this
man, I have been impressed by his striking resemblance to Andrew
Jackson. Both possessed in full measure the Scotch-Irish traits of
aggressiveness and indomitable, though violent temper. The follow-
ing characteristic incidents from McKean's life might well have hap-
pened in the career of that greater Scotch-Irishman, who swore by
the Eternal:
On one occasion, while presiding in Court at Harrisburg, a mob
outside disturbed Judge McKean, and he ordered the Sheriff to
disperse them.
“I cannot do it,” replied the frightened Sheriff.
“Then why do you not summon your posse?” roared the Judge.
“I have summoned them, but they are ineffectual.”
“Then, sir, why do you not summon me?”
“I do summon you,” said the trembling officer.
Instantly the Chief Justice rushed out in his scarlet robes,
seized a couple of rioters by the throat, and the rest retired. -
On another occasion a man in the Court room made an offensive
remark intended for his ears. He appeared not to hear it. But
presently adjourning the Court, he stepped off the bench and, strid-
ing up to the fellow, said: “Sir, on that bench up there I am the
Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, and unable to take notice of merely
personal impudence, but on this floor I'll have you know that I’m
Thomas McKean, and ready to break your neck or give you any
other satisfaction of the sort you please.” -
When Governor he appointed as Chief Justice William Tilghman,
51
who afterward became one of the ablest and best known of Penn-
sylvania Judges. But the appointment was very much disliked, and
Some representatives of the Democratic party waited on the Governor
to object. The Governor, with a profound bow and mock courtesy,
asked what the great Democracy desired.
“The appointment of a man,” they said, “more in accordance
with our wishes.” -
“Indeed,” said McKean; “inform your constituents that I bow
with submission to the will of the great Democracy of Philadelphia,
but, by God! William Tilghman shall be Chief Justice of Pennsyl-
vania.” , -
Notwithstanding this impetuosity and violence of expression,
McKean was a wise and farseeing statesman. John Adams said that
at the first meeting of the Continental Congress Thomas McKean,
Caesar Rodney and Patrick Henry seemed to see more clearly to the
end of the business than any others of the whole body. With such
a nature, animated by a noble patriotism, Thomas McKean could not
well help being a great leader of men, never receding from a position
once taken, ever pressing onward to new fields of conquest. Such,
in fact, he was from the moment he entered the lists against the
tyranny of Great Britain at the dawn of the Revolutionary epoch,
through all the trying years of the fateful strife which followed, in
the difficult and intricate work of initiating the State governments of
Delaware and Pennsylvania, and in the storm of party passion which
played about him during his later years as Judge and Governor.
Truthfully, and from a full heart, could he say upon retiring to
private life after almost fifty years in the public service: “It has been
my lot to witness the progress of our country from a colonial to a
national character, through the ordeal of many trials, in peace and
war. It has been my happiness to enjoy the favor and confidence
of our country in the most arduous, as well as in the most auspicious,
stages of her political career. Thus attached by every tie of honor
and of gratitude, by all the motives of social interest and affections,
I contemplate the future destinies of our country with a proud but
an anxious expectation. My day of exertion is past; but for my fel-
low citizens, and for their representatives in every department of
the government, I can only cease to implore the blessing of Provi-
dence when I cease to exist.”

BULLETINS
OF THE
Chester County
Historical Society.
1908
OFFICERS FOR 1907–8.
PRESIDENT.
George M. Philips.
WICE-PRESIDENTs.
Joseph Thompson,
Samuel Marshall.
DIRECTORs.
Gilbert Cope,
Gibbons Gray Cornwell,
Charles R. Hoopes,
Edward S. Paxson,
George M. Philips.
CouncILLORs.
Smith Burnham,
Mrs. Rebecca M. Hemphill,
Mrs. Malinda M. Hoopes,
George B. Johnson,
William P. Sharpless,
Miss Mary I. Stille.
CoRRESPONDING SECRETARY.
J. Carroll Hayes.
RECORDING SECRETARY.
Gilbert Cope.
TREASURER.
Lewis K. Stubbs.
CURATORS.
Dr. Justin E. Harlan,
Miss Alice Cochran.
MARRIAGES BY MOSES MARSHALL, ESQ.,
MARSHALTON, PA.
FROM HIS DOCKET. Copied BY GEO. PASSMORE HARLAN.
Moses Marshall was appointed a Justice of the peace Apr. 6, 1796 and
affirmed Apr. 14, 1796 and continued in office till his death which occurred
10, 1, 1813. His district embraced East Fallowfield, East and West Bradford,
Newlin and Pennsbury.
Isaac Woodward & Prudence Taylor April 21, 1796 at Godfrey Hibbard’s.
Benjamin Baldwin & Elizabeth Lewis April 28, 1796 at Thos. Worth's.
(Benj. Baldwin killed by a fall at Raising of a Barn Aug. 1798).
James Maxton & Lydia Lewis April 28, 1796 at Thos. Worth's.
George Woodward & Alice Buffington June 30, 1796 at Jonathan Buffing-
ton’s.
Darius Weeks & Sarah Hall Aug. 4, 1796 at her Father's Wm Stephens.
William Kennard & Mary Springer Aug. 8, 1796 at Abraham Marshall’s.
William Jackson & Mary Keech Jan. 5, 1797 at John Clayton's.
James Jefferis & Ann Simcock March 2, 1797 at Thos. Worth’s.
Curtis Buffington & Agnes Few March 9, 1797 at Agnes' House.
Charles Shaw & Phebe Maxfield March 16, 1797 at Godfrey Hibbard's.
William Newlin of West Whiteland & Deborah Hoopes of Goshen June 1,
1797 at Abraham Marshall’s. .
Joseph Cloud of the city of Phila. & Eliza Taylor, Dau. of Enoch & Eliza-
beth Taylor of Newlin Aug. 21, 1797 at Enoch Taylor's. -
Jesse Baker of Edgmont, Delaware Co., & Hannah Taylor of Pennsbury,
Chester County, Oct. 19, 1797 at her Father's Joseph Taylor.
Elias Standley & Ruth Bradley both of East Bradford Nov. 25, 1797 at
Abraham Marshall's.
William Lewis & Margaret Cunningham both of East Caln Nov. 30, 1797
at Abraham Marshall’s.
Robert Keech of East Marlboro & Lydia Loller of Pennsbury March 29,
1798 at Abraham Marshall's.
Joseph Taylor of Pennsbury Chester County & Sarah Reed of Little Britain,
Lancaster County April 19, 1798 at Joseph Taylor.
Patrick Welsh of Brandywine & Elizabeth Valentine of East Caln, Chester
County Sept. 3, 1798 at Abraham Marshall.
John Keech & Mary Walker both of West Bradford Nov. 20, 1798 at John
Clayton's.
Samuel Worth & Sarah Armett both of East Bradford Dec. 11, 1798 at
Jacob Marshall’s.
4 Marriages by Moses Marshall, Esq.
John Ingram & Hannah Lewis both of West Bradford Dec. 31, 1798 at
Abraham Marshall's.
Eleazer Ingram & Sarah Davis both of Chester County Jan. 13, 1799.
Thomas Bailiff & Mary Fawcett both of Chester County Jan. 22, 1799, at
Abraham Marshall's.
William Cunningham & Mary Fisher both of East Caln, Chester County
May 7, 1799.
George Brinton of Thornbury & Jane Pyle of East Marlborough May 9,
1799 at Jacob Pyle.
Houlton Yarnall of the State of Delaware and Ann Buffington of London
Britain, Chester County Sept. 5, 1799 at Jonathan Buffington's.
James Pennock of Newlin & Mary Hayes of East Marlborough Oct 1, 1799
at Ruth Hayes'.
Gravener Marsh & Hannah Coates of East Caln (Hannah died May, 1801)
Oct. 4, 1799 at Abraham Marshall's. .
Enoch Pusey of East Marlborough & Rachel Passmore of Newlin Nov. 5,
1799 at Jos. Passmore's.
Richard Fleet & Margaret Logan of East Bradford Nov. 5, 1799.
Samuel Jackson of East Marlborough and Mary Peirce of Newlin Dec. 12,
1799 at Joshua Peirce's. *
Note. Jacob Marshall & Elizabeth Worth married the same evening by
R. Miller, Esq.
Emmor Seeds of East Bradford and Ann Cloud of East Marlborough Jan.
9, 1800 at Jona. Seeds'.
William Nickolls of Newlin & Elizabeth Sellers of West Bradford Feb. 25,
1800 at Jos. Baker's.
John Commons of East Marlborough & Mary Smith Daughter of Jos.
Smith of Newlin March 30, 1800 at Jos. Smith's.
James Maxwell & Tamsin Quaintance both of Chester County, Pa., Sept.
16, 1800.
Benjamin Ford & Elizabeth Martin both of Chester County Feb. 26, 1801
at Thos. Worth's.
James Young & Ruth Downing both of Chester County March 19, 1801 at
Thos. Worth's.
John Harry & Marab Yarmall Apr. 30, 1801.
Jacob Baily & Elizabeth Parker both of Pennsbury June 20, 1801 at Francis
Carpenter's.
Thomas Wilson & Margaret McKerl both of Chester County June 24, 1801.
Jeremiah Baily & Hannah Woodward both of Chester County Oct. 15, 1801
at Richard Woodward's. -
John Hopkins & Rachel Cox both of Chester County Feb. 24, 1802.
William Valentine & Anna Loans both of West Bradford Sept. 26, 1802.
Thomas Robinson & Rachel Lewis both of East Caln Oct. 8, 1802.
Jesse Mercer & Hannah Pyle both of Chester County Oct. 14, 1802 at Amos
House's.
Thomas Hickman & Elizabeth Battin both of West Bradford Oct. 28, 1802
at Marshall Battin's.
Marriages by Moses Marshall, Esq. 5
James Kidney & Elizabeth McNiel both of Chester County Oct. 26, 1803 at
Abraham Marshall’s.
William Bunting & Mary Wilson both of Chester County Dec. 20, 1803 at
Samuel Ash's. -
Charles Toner & Rosanna Logan both of Newlin March 29, 1804 at Thos.
Worth’s. -
Joseph Woodward & Edith Harry May 3, 1804 at Jacob Way’s.
William Baily & Phebe Woodward both of Chester County May 31, 1804 at
Richard Woodward's.
William Baily & Rachel Vernon both of East Marlborough Sept. 6, 1804 at
Abraham Marshall’s.
Charles Scott of Newlin & Lydia Valentine of West Bradford Sept. 13, 1804
at Abraham Marshall’s.
Jacob Pyle & Abigail Bowman both of East Marlborough 1803.
Levi Passmore of Newlin & Ruth Hayes of East Marlborough March 17,
1803. g
John Mercer & Letitia Davis March 24, 1803. -
Thomas Stubbs of Middletown and Mary Taylor of Newlin, Chester County
May 5, 1803 at Jesse Taylor's.
George Speakman of Newlin and Frances Wollerton of East Bradford Aug.
10, 1803.
Samuel Gause & Mary Baily both of East Marlborough Aug. 18, 1803 at
Levi Baily's.
Plummer Edwards & Jane Hayes both of East Marlborough Dec. 8, 1803.
James Barnaby & Ann White both of Newlin Sept. 8, 1803 at Jos. Barnard's.
David Taylor of Newlin & Hannah Craig of East Marlborough Sept. 27,
1804 at Abraham Marshall's.
George Vernon of West Marlborough and Anne Baldwin of Newlin Oct. 4,
1804 at Abraham Marshall’s.
Nathan Hayes & Ruth Conner both of East Marlborough Dec. 20, 1804 at
Abraham Marshall’s. te
William Groce & Ann Patterson both of West Bradford Jan. 24, 1805 at
Hannah Roman's.
George Baker & Caroline McIver both of Newlin Feby. 18, 1805 at Jos.
Baker’s. -
Daniel Mercer of East Marlborough & Susanna Dixon of Kennett Feby, 23,
1805, at Abraham Marshall's.
Moses Mendenhall & Ann Taggart both of East Marlborough April 18,
1805 at Jos. Miller's.
James Wright & Hannah Chalfant both of East Marlborough June 6, 1805
at Jos. Miller’s.
William Woodward, Jr., & Lydia Seeds of East & West Bradford June 13,
1805 at Thos. Jackson's.
John Worth & Lydia Carpenter both of East Bradford Aug. 15, 1805 at
Eph. Buffington’s.
William King of Newlin & Elizabeth Parker of West Bradford Sept. 26,
1805 at Jos. Miller's, Marshalton, Pa.
6 - Marriages by Moses Marshall Esq.
James Nichols, Jr., of Newlin and Margaret Evans of West Marlborough
Oct. 3, 1805 at Jos. Miller's.
Alexander Wilson of Willistown and Ruth Taylor of Edgmont, Del. Co.,
Oct. 10, 1805 at Isaac Woodward's.
Emmor Moore & Elizabeth Hickman both of East Bradford Oct. 31, 1805
at Moses Hickman's.
Josias Hamilton of East Marlborough and Ann Lemon of Newlin Nov. 2,
1805.
George Worth of West Bradford & Lydia Jefferis of East Bradford Dec. 12,
1805 at Emmor Jefferis's.
John Thomas of East Bradford and Elizabeth Worthington of West Brad-
ford Feb. 13, 1806 at Jos. Miller's.
Abner Megargee & Amy Nickols both of East Marlborough Feb. 20, 1806
at Jos. Miller's.
Lewis Townsend of West Bradford and Deborah. Eachus of West Whiteland
March 20, 1806 at Jos. Miller's.
William Eckoff & Sarah Barnard both of East Marlborough (pen is run
through Sarah, thus possibly a mistake) April 22, 1806 at Jos. Miller's.
Olof Stromberg of West Bradford and Abigail Kinsey of East Bradford May
1st 1806 at Samuel Worth's.
James Pennock of New London and Mary Thornbury of West Bradford
Aug. 27, 1806 at Richard Thornbury's.
Joseph Lynch of Kennett and Olivia Lemmon of Newlin Nov. 6, 1806 at
Jos. Miller's. •
Patrick Daugherty & Catharine Dolan both of East Bradford Nov. 11, 1806.
Isaac Peirce of Newlin and Lydia Pyle of East Marlborough Nov. 17, 1806.
William Passmore & Margaret Rodeback both of Newlin Dec. 23, 1806 at
Jos. Miller's.
Cyrus Carpenter & Sarah Worthington both of West Bradford Dec. 25,
1806 at Jesse Evan's, Downington.
Neal Hoopes & Mary Battin both of West Bradford Jan. 22, 1807 at Hunt
Downing's.
James Rourke & Elizabeth Walker both of West Bradford Feb. 20, 1807 at
Jos. Miller's.
Banner Conner & Phebe Rodeback both of East Marlborough March 12,
1807 at Jos. Miller’s.
Thomas Withers of West Marlborough and Lydia Davis of Sadsbury March
16, 1807 at Jos. Miller's.
Noah Garrett & Lydia Williamson both of East Bradford April 18, 1807 a
Caleb Hannum’s [?]. -
John L. Graves late of the State of Delaware but now of Chester County &
Mary Howell April 28, 1807 at Jos. Miller's.
Abel Chalfant of East Marlborough and Hannah Chalfant of West Bradford
Apr. 30, 1807 at Jos. Miller's.
Jacob Woodward & Lydia Woodward both of West Bradford June 17, 1807
at Jos. Baldwin’s, Goshen.
Marriages by Moses Marshall, Esq. 7
John Woodward & Elizabeth Woodward both of West Bradford July 16,
1807 at James Woodward's. -
Miller Walker of West Marlborough and Mary Marsh of East Fallowfield
Oct. 4, 1807 at Jos. Miller's.
Mordecai Hall of Newlin & Mary Pennock of West Marlborough Oct. 8,
1807 at Joseph Pennock's.
James Farrell of West Bradford & Rebekah Myers late of Newlin Nov. 4,
1807 at Jos. England's.
Levi Passmore & Hannah Danberger both of Newlin Nov. 5, 1807 at my
office.
James Whitaker of East Caln & Deborah Pearson of Harford County, Md.,
Nov. 5, 1807 at Jos. Miller's.
John Townsend of West Chester and Hannah Warner of Goshen Nov. 12,
1807 at Jos. Miller’s.
William Mann of West Bradford and Albina Beaumont of West Chester
Nov. 24, 1807 at Eph. Buffington's, West Chester.
James Wickersham of East Marlborough and Sarah Barnard of West Marl-
borough Nov. 26, 1807 at Jos. Miller's.
William Harvey & Mary Woodward both of West Bradford Dec. 3, 1807 at
my office.
Edward Swayne & Elizabeth Pyle both of East Marlborough Dec. 31, 1807
at Jos. Miller’s.
Joel Baily & Margaret May both of Kennett Feb. 4, 1808 at Joseph Miller's.
Enos Newbrough of Pennsbury and Rebecca Underwood of East Marlbor-
ough Feb. 18, 1808 at Jos. Miller's.
William Walter of Kennett and Phebe Mercer of East Marlborough March
3, 1808 at Jos. Miller’s.
Thomas Ward of Newlin and Lydia Baily of East Marlborough March 31,
1808 at Levi Baily's.
Joseph Battin & Ann Marshall both of West Bradford March 31, 1808 at
Joshua Marshall’s.
Hugh Kennedy & Mary Richardson both of East Marlborough April 5,
1808 at Jos. Miller's.
William England, Jr., & Ruth Carrington both of West Bradford April 14,
1808 at Joseph Baldwin’s (Sign of the Boot).
Samuel Osborn of Pennsbury and Sarah Pyle of East Marlborough April 28,
1808 at Jos. Pyle's, East Marlborough.
Joseph Kerr & Elizabeth Lemmon both of Newlin Aug. 23, 1808 at Jos.
Miller's.
John Underwood & Abigail Hector both of East Marlborough 9. 18. 1808
at Jos. Miller's.
Jonathan McNeil & Rebecca Mires both of Newlin Nov. 30, 1808 at Jos.
Miller's.
William Girtler & Lydia Sharp both of New Garden Dec. 22, 1808 at Jos.
Miller's.
Joseph Woodward, Jr., of West Bradford & Elizabeth Mendenhall of Penns-
bury Feb. 21, 1809 at Benjamin Way's East Marlborough.
&
8 Marriages by Moses Marshall, Esq.
Thomas Worth & Ann Buffington both of West Chester March 9, 1809 at
Eph. Buffington's, West Chester.
John L. Ingram & Elizabeth Salkeld March 16, 1809 at Thos. Worth's.
John Yearsley of Westtown and Hannah Parry of Thornbury, Del. County,
May 4, 1809 at J. Chamberlain's, Marshalton, Pa. .
Temple King of Newlin and Martha Harvey of West Bradford Jan. 11,
1810 at Jas. Chamberlain's.
Robert Fitch & Hannah Ingram both of West Bradford Feb. 2, 1810 at
John Patton's.
John Mendenhall of New Castle County, Del, and Mary Woodward of
West Bradford March 1, 1810 at Joseph Baldwin’s, Goshen.
Joel Jones of New Garden and Lydia Harvey of Pennsbury March 31, 1810
at Jas. Chamberlain's.
John Ward of Newlin & Rebecca Brown of East Marlborough May 1st 1810
at Jas. Chamberlain's.
James Mires of Newlin & Hannah Ingram of West Bradford March 22, 1810.
Joel Pyle of Pennsbury & Olive Carrington of East Marlborough May 31,
1810 at Jas. Chamberlain's.
James Walton & Esther Yearsley both of Westtown Sept. 5, 1810 at Jas.
Chamberlain's.
Robert Yearsley of Westtown & Hannah Yearsley of Birmingham Sept. 5,
1810 at Jas. Chamberlain's.
Alban Harvey & Elizabeth Brinton both of Birmingham Nov. 22, 1810 at
Jas. Chamberlain's.
William Garrett & Sarah Garrett both of Goshen Dec. 13, 1810 at Jas.
Chamberlain's.
Caleb Ring of Birmingham, Del. Co., and Lydia Brinton of Birmingham,
Chester Co., Dec. 20, 1810 at James Chamberlain's.
Jonathan Sellers of West Bradford and Jane Wickersham of Newlin Dec.
26, 1810 at Jas. Chamberlain's.
Joseph Bradley & Hannah Carpenter both of West Bradford Dec. 29, 1810
at John Travilla's.
William Logan & Hannah Pyle both of East Marlborough Jan. 17, 1811 at
Jas. Chamberlain's.
Joseph Palmer of East Fallowfield and Esther Leonard of West Bradford
Feby. 9, 1811.
Jacob Lamborn of Kennett and Sarah Harvey of Birmingham late of Dela-
ware Feby. 28, 1811 at Jas. Chamberlain's.
Thomas Lamborn & Sarah Stern both of Kennett May 16, 1811 at Jas.
Chamberlain's.
Joseph Newlin of Kennett and Sarah Taggart of East Marlborough May
23, 1811 at Thos. Darlington’s.
George Battin of West Bradford and Eliza Edmondson of East Marlborough
May 13, 1811 at Benj. Miller's, West Chester.
James Mitchell of Newlin & Hannah McManemy Aug. 9, 1811 at Jas.
Chamberlain's.
Marriages by Moses Marshall, Esq. 9
Henry Paxson of Colerain, Lancaster County, & Jane Walter of Kennett
Oct. 10, 1811 at Jas. Chamberlain's.
Joseph Buffington of East Bradford and Sarah Bentley of Newlin Dec. 19,
1811 at Samuel Clark’s.
John Gill & Mary Bowles both of East Caln Feby. 5, 1812 at Jas. Cham-
berlain's.
Emmor Worth & Rebecca Travilla both of West Marlborough Feby. 6, 1812
at her Father's Jonathan Travilla’s. -
Thomas Suplee of Blockley & Lydia Baker of West Marlborough March 5,
1812 at Marshalton, Pa.
Joshua Barrett & Phebe Barrack both of East Marlborough May 14, 1812
at Jesse Buffington's.
John Hirons, Jr., late of Delaware State but now on a Select Travelling
party and Ann F. Gilpin Sept. 8, 1812 at Jas. Chamberlain's.
Edward Horne of Lower Darby and Susan Phipps of West Marlborough
Dec. 10, 1812 at her Father's Elisha Phipps.
Benjamin Wright & Susanna Eavenson both of East Bradford Dec. 24, 1810
at Jas. Chamberlain's.
William Mires of Newlin and Alice Ingram of West Bradford Dec. 24, 1810
at Jas. Chamberlain's. .
Thomas Burridge & Mary Howell both of Westtown Dec. 31, 1812 at Jas.
Chamberlain's.
Joseph Young & Mary Carrington both of West Bradford Jan. 7, 1813 at
Rachel Woodward’s.
John Hiddleson & Mary Pim both of East Caln Jan. 13, 1813 at John
Michener's.
Caleb Dilworth of East Bradford & Eliza Wollerton of West Chester Jan.
14, 1813.
William Harry & Hannah Monks both of West Bradford Jan. 23, 1813 at
Jas. Chamberlain's. -
Stewart Simpson & Elizabeth Shearer both of East Caln March 27, 1813 at
Jas. Chamberlain's.
Jesse Way of East Bradford and Mary Robinson of Birmingham April 4,
1813 at Jas. Chamberlain's.
William Hall of Goshen and Hannah Baker of Pennsbury June 6, 1813 at
Jas. Chamberlain's.
Samuel Carlile & Sarah Withers both of Birmingham June 6, 1813 at Jas.
Chamberlain's. -
Thos. Gray & Elizabeth Valentine both of West Bradford Aug. 18, 1813 at
Jas. Chamberlain's.
NoTE.—The greater number of the foregoing marriages were solemnized at
the village tavern, Marshallton. Abraham Marshall, Joseph Miller and
James Chamberlain were successive landlords at the “Centre House.”
Thomas Worth's tavern was on the Strasburg Road, in East Fallowfield.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CHESTER COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
A PAPER READ 11 Mo., 15, 1906, By GILBERT CoPE UPON
JACOB TAYLOR, ALMANAC MAKER.
Respecting the birthplace and early years of this quiet
and unassuming but useful citizen of Philadelphia during
the first third of the 18th century, but little seems to be
known. That he was the son of John Taylor is admitted,
and that the latter was a native of Wiltshire, England,
finds some supporting evidence. Thomas Callowhill, a
purchaser of land from, and subsequently the father-in-law
of William Penn, prepared a letter of instructions to John
Taylour to take up and have the management of his land
and city lots. He commences thus:
“When it shall please god thou Arive at pensilvania
Aply thy self to William Pen, Governor, or to his deputy
in his Absence, & procure to be sett out my five thousand
and five hundred Akers of Land, or soe much of it as is not
already taken up for me by Michael Huff & Philip Russell:
which 5000 Akers of Land I Expect shall be layed out to-
gether as a Towneship accomodated with a navigable River
& convenient harbour, according to concessions & agree-
ments made with William Pen.”
A house was to be built upon the lot on the first street in
the city, in which John Taylor might dwell one year with-
out rent; after which it might be leased with one acre of
ground for a term of years, at forty shillings per annum, or
more, as the country might afford. “But if thy daughter
marry, & thou see good to settle them on it, they shall
hould it at thirty shillings # yeare.”
This document, without date, was probably written in
1684, as it mentions a report that William Penn was about
to return to England.
(10)
Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker. 11
In the Friends' records in Philadelphia we find a memo-
randum of a certificate from Kineton Meeting in Wiltshire,
for John Taylor and Daniel Osborn, dated 13th of 5th
month (July) 1684; also of a certificate for John Taylor
from the Parishioners of Aldrington in the same county,
dated 17th July 1684.
The next document of importance is a lease dated the
“Tenth day of the First month, 1684 [1685, N. S.], Be-
tween Christopher Taylor of Tinnicum Island in the Prov-
ince of Pennsilvania, Register Generall, of the one part,
And John Taylor of the same, Gardener, of the other p",”
by which the former leased to the latter, for five years,
three acres of cleared land, with “one Logge house wherein.
the said Christopher Teacheth school at the day of the date
hereof, wºº the Lento [lean-to] unto it adjoining,” upon the
Island of Tinnicum.
It was further stipulated that the said John Taylor, his
wife and family, servants and assigns, should continue to
dwell in the log house called the Warehouse, where they
then were, until Christopher Taylor could conveniently
clear and leave the house so demised, or another “Logge
house not hereby Demised, wºº the Lento Adjoining to it,
wherein the said Christopher Taylor now liveth; . . . . .
which first the said Christopher can w” conveniency spare.”
No relationship is known or supposed to have existed be-
tween the contracting parties, as Christopher Taylor was a
native of Yorkshire, though he had been the principal of a
Friends' school in Essex before coming to Pennsylvania.
His death occurred in the 4th month, June, 1686.
While the family resided upon Tinicum John Taylor's
daughter, Elizabeth, was married on the 11th of 1st month
1685/6, at the house of John Simcock, in Ridley, to Hugh
Durborow, a native of Somersetshire; her father being one
of those appointed by Chester Monthly Meeting to inquire
into his clearness from other women. It is not known that
there were other children except two sons, Isaac and Jacob.
12 Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker.
The time of John Taylor's death is not ascertained but it
probably occurred before the family removed to Thornbury
Township, some twelve miles N. W. from Tinicum. Here
they were members of Concord Meeting. At the monthly
meeting held 14th of 9th month 1687 it was ordered “that
all friends belonging to this meeting shall bring in their
Sertificats or verble testimony of friends y' Live here, of
their good Lives and conversations in Old ingland, to the
next monthly meeting.” Accordingly, 10 Mo. 12th 1687,
“Hugh Durbrow & John Taylor's family, of thornbry, give
in their sertificates to this meeting, which signifis of their
good behaviour.”
In the Register's office, Philadelphia, is an administra-
tion bond, dated 7th of 7 Mo. 1688, signed by Hannah
Tailor of Thornbury, widow and administratrix of John
Taylor, Daniel Osborne and Hugh Durborow. Some rela-
tionship is suspected between the Taylors and Daniel
Osborne,” who owned land in Thornbury. Hugh Dur-
borow purchased one hundred acres there from Thomas
Bradford, by deed dated 1st Mo. 1st 1692, but had prob-
ably removed before that time with his family to Philadel-
phia, where, as if in fulfilment of Thomas Callowhill’s pro-
posal, he lived on property of the latter. Isaac Taylor,
writing to James Logan, then in England, 5 Mo. 20, 1711,
says, “Brother Durborow Remembers his kind Love to
thee and Desires thee to procure of Tho: Callowhill a
longer Lease for him of the Lott he hath built on, or to De-
sire Tho: Callowhill to Impower some person here to sell it
to him for ever.”
Isaac Taylor married in 1694 Martha Roman, and in
1697 purchased Hugh Durborow's one hundred acres of
land in Thornbury. About 1701 he was appointed deputy
surveyor for Chester County, in which office he continued
* Since the above was written an examination of the register of the parish
of Alderton in Wiltshire reveals the marriage of John Tayllor and Hannah
Osbourne, 6 June 1664.
Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker. 13
until his death in 1728. He was also a physician, and at
different times a member of Assembly. His son John suc-
ceeded him as deputy surveyor and physician, and estab-
lished Sarum Forge, at the present site of Glen Mills Sta-
tion, beside filling the office of sheriff for ten years and
representing his county in the Assembly several terms.
It was suggested by the late Dr. George Smith, in his
History of Delaware County, that Isaac and Jacob Taylor
received their mathematical knowledge from attendance at
the school of Christopher Taylor, who was probably second
to none in the colony in point of scholarship.
Edward Penington, a half brother to William Penn's
first wife, came over in 1698 with a commission as Surveyor
General, but his death occurred in Philadelphia, Jan. 10,
1701–2, whereupon the Commissioners of Property made
the following minute:
“It having pleased God to remove our Surveyor Gen",
Edwº Penington, by Death on the 10th of this Instant, The
Commis” to whose care the said Office is Committed by the
Prop" Commission, think fitt to take the disposall thereof
into their Consideration, And having duely weighed the
Prop" affairs of Property in this Province and Territories,
as they now stand in Relation to that Act of Assembly
passed at New Castle and Confirmed at Phila", commonly
called the Law of Property, and especially in respect to
Resurveys Ordered by the said Act; and having also Con-
sidered the Uneasiness and Complaints of the People upon
accº of the Fees and Charges of that Office which has very
much retarded the Progress of Resurveys being made by
the People, and Several of the Deputy Surveyors having
Remonstrated to the Commiss” That the said Office is of no
great Service to the People seeing it may be managed with-
out any such Officer, and with no less Safety to both them
and the Prop", It is thought fitt to order that unless the
Propy himself shall see cause to appoint a Surveyor Gen”
from England, or till his pleasure be further known herein,
There shall be no such Officer appointed.
14 Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker.
“That in the Mean time the said Office with all the Books,
records, War" and papers belonging thereunto, shall be
taken into the Commº hands and remain Under their Care,
and that the Secº shall Chiefly Superintend the same with
the assistance of an able, fitt hand, well skilled in Surveying.
“That Jacob Taylor, now concerned in a school at
Abington, be invited to take the management of the said
office under the Sec'y or other Commiss's upon him.”
At a session of the Commissioners at Philadelphia, 4th of
8 Mo. 1703: “This Day agreed by all the Comm” with
Jacob Taylor that he shall have £70 Certain for his yearly
Sallary, he finding himself in all necessaries and that
James Logan take care as Secº that he be duely paid the
same Out of the Survey" office and when the money is
detained in the several survey* hands for their work done
On the Propºs account & what is not paid into the office
that then the s” James Logan as Rec' who Ought to pay
the Survey* for their said work shall out of the Propy’s
Effects make Good the said Sum to the said Jacob. Also
that a commission be granted To the said Jacob Taylor to
make his works in his office the more authentick.”
11 Mo. 26, 1706–7: “The Board Taking into Consid" the
disposal of the Survº Gen's office upon a full Consid” of the
Circumstances of the said Office and the Ability of Jacob
Taylor formerly revisor of the same think fit to appoint the
said Jacob Survº Gener of the s” Province & Countys of
New Castle Kent and Sussex And tis Ordered that a Com-
mission be accordingly Granted to him for the same the
Master of the Rolls takeing Security to the Prop" of him-
self, the Secºy James Logan & his Brother Israel [Isaac,
Taylor who offer themselves to that Purpose for the said
Jacob's Just discharge of the Trust reposed in him in the
sum of £500.”
Know all men that I freely give unto my friend Ja:
Taylor my Globes and my Chime of Bells to have to his
Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker. 15
own use during his life so that they be called my son
Thomases And upon condition that at the death of my said
ffriend Taylor they revert and be to the use of my son Tho:
ffairman his heirs Executo" or administrators. In witness
I have hereunto set my hand this 12* day of December
1710. THO FFAIRMAN.
No evidence has been observed to indicate matrimonial
intentions on the part of Jacob Taylor. He appears to
have made his home for some time with James Steel, Wil-
liam Penn's Receiver General of Quit Rents, &c. A war-
rant for 400 acres of land was granted to them jointly,
Dec. 10, 1719, and on the 31st of 3d Mo. 1722 Jacob as-
signed his interest therein to James in “full satisfaction for
Diet House rent and of all other accounts and demands
whatsoever.” A note to him from Thomas Noxon of St.
Georges Hundred, New Castle County, dated Nov. 8, 1733,
was addressed to Mr. Jacob Taylor at Mr. James Steel's in
Philadelphia. Benjamin Eastburn was commissioned his
successor a few days before this last date, and Jacob soon
after retired to the home of his nephew, John Taylor, in
Thornbury, where he spent the remaining years of his life.
It is owing to this fact that several of his papers have been
preserved by falling into the large collection of his brother
and nephew which have mostly found their way to the
Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Some extracts from
his letters to his brother may be interesting as throwing
light on his personality.
Philadelphia, June 23, 1713: “I was some time agoe
Reflecting my not having wrote thee anything for so long
a time for tho: nothing of business or news gave motion to
my pen yet fraternal Love would had not the waiting for
Jo: Pennock's warrant and some others Procrastinated my
writing for some time, since which of late no opportunity
of sending has offer'd. I have indeed been pretty often
16 Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker.
out of town with such as buy Land or rather Swamps in
the neighbouring parts, yet coming home always every
night I have heard of none much discommoded in waiting
on the office.”
Feb. 26, 1717: “The chief obstacles which from time to
time hinder my coming down have been my frequent Job-
bing in the woods Especially in the Great Swamps over
against League Island and Gloucester, and indeed I am yet
as far from any Leisure as ever. . . . . . . .
I have lately Resolved to write to thee often for I have
observed there are frequent opportunities of sending had I
but a letter ready writ, but very seldom time to write while
a messenger stays, which has been the occasion of our small
conversation by letters. Thy Loving br.
JACOB TAYLOR.
Dec. 8. 8, 1714: “I Removed my Office and Lodging
Yesterday to a house on the other side of Walnut Street
directly over against the backward part of James Logan's
House (he is to be married next 5th day).”
Oct. 18, 1716: “I have not yet recovered health any-
thing well & have this week been troubled with sore eyes,
but what signifies talking of small afflictions since we know
they’ll have an end. I hope thou and cousin John will be
careful of the cold; the present season seems to me to have
a morbific malignity in the cold air.”
While Jacob Taylor was probably considered a member
of the Society of Friends the writer has not noticed any evi-
dence of his taking an active part in the affairs of the
church. -
Know all men by these presents that I Benjamin Eastburn
of the County of Philadelphia Gent am held and firmly
bound unto Jacob Taylor of the City of Philadelphia
Gent in the sum of two hundred pounds lawful money of
Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker. 17
Pennsylvania to be paid to the said Jacob Taylor or his
assigns To which payment well and truly to be made I
do oblige my self firmly by these presents sealed with my
seal dated the thirtieth day of October in the seventh
year of the Reign of George the Second of Great Britain
&c King Defender of the Faith Annoq Dom 1733.
Whereas John Penn, Thomas Penn, & Richard Penn
Esqº true and absolute Proprietarys of the Province of
Pennsylvania and counties of New Castle Kent and Sussex
on Delaware have by their commission under the great seal
of the said Province bearing date the twenty ninth day of
October 1733 constituted the above bounden Benjamin
Eastburn Surveyor General of the said Province & Counties,
Now the condition of this obligation is such that if the said
Benjamin Eastburn shall duly pay or cause to be paid to
the above mentioned Jacob Taylor or his order during the
continuance of his natural life (provided the above men-
tioned commission shall be so long in force) one full tenth
part of the fees arising from the sº office of Surveyor Gen-
eral by Quarterly payments the first Payment to be made
on the first day of February next ensuing then this obliga-
tion to be void otherwise to remain in full force and virtue
BENJ* EASTBURN (Seal)
Sealed and delivered in the presence of
JoHN GEORGEs
JOHN SHEwBART
Copy of a bond given by the Proprietary into my hands
for the use and benefit of Jacob Taylor.
Exam’d #3 JAMESTEEL.
There is evidence amongst the papers of Jacob Taylor to
show that Benjamin Eastburn was not prompt in the pay-
ment of his obligations to his predecessor.
The first notice of Jacob Taylor's almanac observed by
the writer is contained in a letter from James Logan to
William Penn, dated Philadelphia, 7th of 3d, 1702, in
which he says: -
18 Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker.
“We are well provided with surveyors in Bucks and
Chester, but in Philadelphia we are most at a loss, for a
reason I shall give elsewhere. Edward Penington's decease,
of the smallpox, of which I suppose thou hast heard by Is.
Norris, cast us much back. The disposal of that office thou
wilt see at large by a copy of our minutes on that head
which accompanies this, with others of the same book.
Because of Isaac Norris's letter I say no more. Jac. Taylor,
the young man there mentioned who has wrote a pretty
almanac for this year, one of which comes enclosed, has
also had the same distemper, now greatly reigning amongst
us, but is very well recovered, which has been a second
hindrance.”
Philadelphia 29th 8b. 1739.
Mr. Bradford
As you are the Printer of Jacob Taylor's Almanack you
are a fit person for me to communicate a thought to that I
lately had while I was perusing several of Jacob's Alma-
nacks to find out a remark I had formerly seen in one of
them. That which I first look’d over was for the year
1737 wherein are many scraps of Wit and Learning. The
thought I have to impart is to publish an Enchiridion that
shall contain a collection from his almanacks for some
number of years past; of Poetry, pieces of History and
useful Observations of divers kinds with some of his Pre-
faces and Chronologies; which would afford good Enter-
tainment to curious Readers and be serviceable to all sorts.
I think the collecting would not be difficult and that such
a collection would sell. If you think as I do I should be
well pleased with your going about it.
Your Friend
J. BREINTNALL.
Perhaps Jacob's consent &)
assistance should be ask'd)
Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker. 19
Phila" Now! 4th 1741
Sr -
Please to accept these observations I made here of y”
Transits of 91 & 2 behind the moon which you had fore-
told in your Almanack and if you think fitt you may insert
them in your next from
Yours
THoº GoDFREY.
March 19th 1740/1
[Here follow the various data.]
These observations were taken with about 12 ft Tele-
Scope.
Philadelphia Nov. 11, 1741
Mr Taylor
Your intimate acquaintance with my deceased father
Aquila Rose embolden me to intrude a few lines on you
and to make a small present of an inconsiderable part of his
Poems which I have printed by leave of my kind master
M* Benjamin Franklin. I lament much that those who
borrowed his manuscript Works of my Mother, deceased,
should be so ungenerous and forget to return them to his
son. This collection is so small, that I was almost asham'd
to publish it; but, as it is, I hope it may meet with a
favourable reception. I shall have done a dutiful son's
Endeavor to survive his Father's name whose Wit was so
much admir’d by those of sense and Judgment.
Sir I’m become Intercessor to you for my younger
Apprentices; They are much necessiated for want of Yearly
verses; Mr. Joseph Brientnall, their former Bard, is now so
fatigued with business, that he can’t perform his usual
Kindnesses that way. They know that you’re in years and
the muse may not be so free as formerly; but promise, if
you’ll be so favourable to comply this once, they’ll trouble
you no more hereafter.
20 Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker.
I have made bold to set the Theme of the following
Heads of Articles of News: No doubt you have read the
Articles they refer to ; or if not, any subject you may think
proper. You will see the method heretofore used by the
inclosed.
The Heads are as follows, to wit.
1 The Death of the Czarina, 2 the Joy Russia express'd
in their Regent the Duke of Courland; and its sudden
Changes, in a few days on his Downfall. 3 The critical
Situation of affairs in Europe occasioned by the death of
the Emperor. 4 The King of Prussia's sudden march to
take possession of Silesia after his death. 5 The Reestab-
lishment of the fortifications at Dunkirk. The French's
squadron of Observation, in the American seas, returning
Home without success, for want of provisions, in a distress'd
condition. 6 Their Distress in Politicks, in the Present
Conjucture. 7 Vernons Actions and Bravery in Demolish-
ing the Forts, &c. at Carthagena. 8 The Raising the Siege
of that Place, the season being against us, &c.
If there is anything else you may think of and I have
omitted, please to insert it.
Be so good to let them know by a few lines to me whether
you’ll comply with their Request.
I am your young Friend and Humble Servant -
Josh PH ROSE
direct to me at
Mº Benjº Franklin's.
J. R.
Philadiº Feby the 7th 1742–3.
My Friend
Jacob Taylor -
My Father Ordered me to acquaint thee that about this
time two years (I think) he sent thee a small Mathematical
Piece of his, and as he has never yet heard whether thou
hadst rec'd it, is Doubtful whether it was ever delivered
Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker. 21
thee, and should be glad to be informed by a line from
thyself.
I am with respect Thy sincere Friend
WILL" LOGAN
Philada July 10th 1743
Worthy Friend
In our last conversation you were pleased to mention a
design you had of exposing the folly of those who spend
their time and perplex their Branes about Trifles that are
of no manner of use in Life but that you fear'd such a per-
formance would encourage a worse set of mortals who are
forever declaiming against all kind of learning but were
you at the same time that you expose the folly of the for-
mer heartily to chastise the latter for their Ignorance I can-
not see the least danger of what you fear.
As to filling the Blanks in your Almanack, w” submis-
sion to your Judgment I am of opinion that nothing will
relish better with nine tenth of your Readers than things
strange and uncommon and on a supposition that I am
right I have transcribed a Paragraph out of a curious piece
published last year by Henry Baker Fellow of the Royal
Society Entitled the Microscope made easy. I have seen
says he very lately near Durham Yard in the Strand and
examined with my microscope a chaise made by one Mr
Boverick a watchmaker having four wheels with all the
proper apparatus belonging to them, turning readily on
their axles together with a man sitting in the Chaise all
formed of Ivory and drawn along by a Flea without any
seeming difficulty. I weighed it with the greatest care I
was able and found the chaise man and Flea were barely
equal to a single grain. I weighed also at the same time
and place a Brass chain made by the same hand about 2
Inches long containing two hundred links with a Hook at
one end and a Padlock & a Key at the other and found it
less than the third part of a Grain.
22 Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker.
I make no doubt but some people notwithstanding Mr
Baker's reputation will cry out it cannot be true, it is Im-
possible to be done but those who are ever so little acquainted
with the method these workmen take in performing these
surprising works of art will make no doubt of the truth of
the above relation. -
Since I am got in ye humour of writing I will venture to
trouble you with a passage out of Mr Rollin's Ancient His-
tory Vol 1* Page 46 & 47, where giving an account of the
ancient customs of the Egyptians he says it was a consolation
among the heathens to a dying man to leave a good name
behind him and they imagin'd that this is the only blessing
of which death cannot deprive us But the Egyptians says
he would not suffer praise to be bestowed indiscriminately
on all Dead Persons. This honour was to be obtained only
from the publick voice: as soon as a man was dead he was
brought to his trial the publick accuser was heard, if he
proved that the deceased had led a bad life his memory was
condemn’d and he was deprived of Burial But if he was
not convicted of any crime he was interred in an honour-
able manner then the people shouted and bestowed the
highest praises on the Deceased in which no mention was
made of his birth, he was only praised for having cultivated
piety towards the Gods, Justice towards men gentleness,
modesty, moderation and all yº other virtues which consti-
tute the good man.
This story as delivered by Mr Rollin is pretty long and
is as he says one of the most remarkable circumstances to
be found in ancient History. I have given you the sub-
stance of it or rather just put you in mind of it you will
Judge whether it be so much worth your notice as to turn
to it for my part I cannot think of anything that would be
more entertaining to the greatest part of your Readers
Wast it to be put into good verse, and introduced in a
proper manner, a Task that you are every way equal to, I
fancy sir that I have by this time tir'd your patience suffi-
Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker. 23
ciently. I therefore conclude with hearty wishes for your
wellfare and that I am sincerely
your Friend
NICHO: Scull
(To Jacob Taylor to be left at the
house of John Taylor Esq.)
Uncle Jacob
Your Almanacks will not be out before yº fair. Warner
has promised to send 6 dozen down directly after Wm.
Parson's Letter is Inclos'd
I am your Loving cousin
ISAAC TAYLOR
Novemb" 19th 1743
Stenton Decemb' 20th 1743
Dear Jacob
I know not whether I have seen thee since I was visited
first with yº Palsey near five years since, which gave me
this uncommon stiffness in my hand but I think next
spring will be four years since I gave Ja: Steel one of yº
first part of yº inclosed printed pieces not doubting but it
would give thee some little diversion in either the first part
on generation or in yº 2° on Optics & I now send thee ye
same again with a third piece which I rather expect will
raise thy wonder than thy approbation, for it does mine
already, and I think we differ not much in age (thou has
mine noted at yº latter end of y" first part of Optics) to see
when I was once set in for it to what a length I carried
those inquiries in ye year 1738, after I had my spirits thor-
oughly roused by those troublesome affairs of Governm" wº
Maryl" and by our present Govº arrival had happily got a
Release but now after 5 years more being got into my 70th
I find myself so exceedingly altered that I can scarce under-
stand those deep calculations tho all done that year before
I was visited without any assistance whatever and at present
24 Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker.
divert myself principally w” reading as I have lately done
all the classical Latin Poets but amongst my diversions I
assure thee thy Almanacks afford me not a little as well on
accº of thy very Judicious verses as by the planets places
and the moon's rising &c, therefore I am in hopes (tho I
have not yet inquired) that thou obliges us with another
this year.
As I am lame thou knows and now grown very feeble I
can but very rarely visit Philad” were it otherwise thy dis-
tance from hence should not I assure thee prevent me of yº
pleasure of one other sight of my old friend, thyself, their
number being now so exceedingly reduced and I never
forget such but more especially those of such worth as I well
know thine to be and I would account it a very great obli-
gation to be favoured by a visit from thee, in which I hope
thou would find some entertainment from the company of
thy old affectionate friend J LOGAN
Since ye above I have got thy new Almanack and I wish
thou wouldst inform me where thou pick’t up that ridiculous
story of the Tyrant AEmilius Censorinus & yº ingenious vil-
lain (as thou calls him) Paterculus; if from Plutarchs Par-
allels the parallels there to yº other more credible stories
are generally accounted Greek fictions & tho they may do
for an almanack they are unworthy of thine. I like thy last
invectives against lies which prevail most exceedingly much
better than thy collections of stories in thy last.
Janry 27* This was wrote in December and has lain on
my table ever since we have now the Entertainment of a
comet of which I cannot yet form any Judgm" I beg thee
come visit thy old friends and bring with thee yº inclosed
again to be communicated to an ingenious Mathematician
in Virginia who having seen ye first part on Optics wrote
me a civil letter on yº whole. J. L.
(To Jacob Taylor at his kinsmans
John Taylors in Chester County.)
Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker. 25
Philadelphia Dec. 29th 1743
Friend Jacob
Yours of the 7th past I received; but your Almanack was
not then finished and your cousin has not been here since.
You will herewith receive a Copy of each of the Almanacks
published here beside your own (except one which is in
high Dutch and only copied from Birkett) no less than nine,
too many by at least half a dozen ; and among them two
sorts of Birketts, one printed by me, the other by Wm Brad-
ford; What difference is between them I know not, not
having examined them. I printed only two thousand of
yours and am very much afraid shall not be able to dispose
of 'em all having at least seven hundred yet by me. I
should have wrote to you before but was unwilling, till I
could send you one of each of the Almanacks as above
I have not to add but my Respects to your nephew &
spouse, I remain - -
Your real Friend &c
ISAIAH WARNER
(For Jacob Taylor living at Sarum forge.)
(Isaiah Warner died, or was buried, October 11, 1744.
He was the son of Swen and Esther Warner.)
Mr Taylor
Mr Warner being now dead I take this opportunity to re-
quest the favour of the copy of your Almanack for 1745,
And I will allow you as much as any body else I would
beg an answer § Mr David Harry who will agree with you
for it in my Room
I am Sº your Flº & Servº
W* BRADFORD
Philadº Octo 19 1745 [1744].
26 Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker.
(To Mr Jacob Taylor in Chester County.)
Mr Taylor
I have since I came to Town communicated to Mr W*
Bradford, the bargain I made with you for the copy of your
Almanack for the year ensuing, to which he seems satisfied
but observes the season to be far spent & that if the Copy
be not very soon ready several advantagous opportunities of
making sale of 'em will elapse. So that you send it some of
the first days of the next week by whom you can confide to
act in your stead. I have reason to inform you the Returns
will be to your Satisfaction But I suppose you’l direct your
agent what to comply with -
Mº Taylor I am your
very humble Serv"
- D: HARRY JUN*
Philada Octr 97 1744
Octo 5 1745
Mr Taylor|
I have been coming down to you every day this week
but my business has fell out so very unlucky that I find
I cannot possibly do it without very great inconvenience to
me, therefore have sent down a young man who is appren-
tice to me, and beg of you to send the Copy up by him —I
have sent you six pounds by him and the money I owe for
last years, and what more I must give you this year I will
take good care and sent it in three weeks at farthest. Please
also to send what I must give you this year for the Copy.
I wish my Business would any ways have let me come
down for I want to talk with you, however I must defer it
till another opportunity.
I am your Friend and Servant
W* BRADFORD
On the back of the copy of the bond of Benjamin East-
burn already mentioned it is noted that Jacob Taylor died
the 2d of March 1745–6.
Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker. 27
From the introduction to Poor Richard's Almanac for
1747 the following is taken :
“I cannot omit this Opportunity of making Mention of
the late deceased Ornament and Head of our Profession, Mr
JACOB TAYLOR, who for upwards of 40 Years (with some
few Intermissions only) supply'd the good People of this
and the neighbouring Colonies, with the most compleat
Ephemeris and most accurate Calculations that have hith-
erto appear'd in America. He was an ingenious Mathema-
tician, as well as an expert and skilful Astronomer; and
moreover no mean Philosopher, but what is more than all,
He was a PIOUS and an HONEST Man. Requiescat in
pace.”
Coming down to more recent times we find from the
diary of Richard Barnard of Newlin Township that he was
interested in having an almanac printed for the use of
Friends.
Under date of 6 Mo. 30, 1778, when he had been attend-
ing a meeting in Philadelphia, he notes, “Meeting ended :
went home with sister Lidya : am to give an answer to the
printer whether I will imploy him to print a plain alme-
neck in 1 month.” Under date of 6 Mo. 25, 1781, he
writes:—“Set off to Philadelphia : printer agreed to print
almenecks.” On 8 Mo. 10, 1781, he writes:—“At Tho's
Woodward's : had several books of him to take to the
printer.” 8 Mo. 14th : “At Philadelphia; took Directions
to have a plain almeneck printed.”
Whether Thomas Woodward, who was a surveyor and
conveyancer, residing in East Marlborough, had any con-
nection with the proposed publication, or whether any
almanac was issued, is unknown to the writer.
Isaac Briggs compiled an almanac for the year 1799,
“adopted ” to the latitude of Philadelphia, though printed
in Baltimore. The title-page states that “The selected
Pieces (of which there is a considerable variety in Prose and
28 Jacob Taylor, Almanac Maker.
Verse) Have been chosen with care; and nothing inconsist-
ent with the tenents of Friends is admitted into any part of
the work.”
In a lengthy preface he gives reasons for using numbers
instead of names for the months, and also for not represent-
ing the signs of the zodiac as influencing the various parts
of the human anatomy. A list of all the Friends' meetings
in America is given, with the days and places where held ;
times of holding the various courts, Federal, State and
County; principal post routes and tables of distances from
place to place on several of them. Perhaps there was but
the one issue of the Briggs Almanac.
The Friends' United States Almanac for the year 1832
was published by Marcus T. C. Gould, in Philadelphia, for
the Hicksite branch of the Society. It gave the time and
place of holding each meeting belonging to five Yearly
Meetings. The Orthodox branch have published “Friends'
Religious and Moral Almanac" since about 1840.
It is an interesting fact that “Gould's Fountain Pen,”
patented in 1830, is advertised in his almanac.
In a nearly complete file of almanacs in my possession,
dating from 1798 to 1838 the following publishers may be
named :
Poulson's Town and Country, Briggs's, Citizen's and
Farmer's, Johnson's (sold by Benjamin and Jacob Johnson),
Poor Robin's (printed for David Hogan), Bioren’s, Carey's
Franklin, Bennett and Walton's, Kite's Town and Country,
Bailey's Rittenhouse, Potter's Farmer's, The Agricultural
Almanack, published by Solomon Conrad, Washington
Almanac, by D. Dickinson, Miner's Agricultural, by Asher
Miner at Doylestown, The Farmer's, by John Ward, pub-
lished by McCarty & Davis, Poor Wills, by Kimber &
Sharpless, John Grigg’s, and Gould's already mentioned.
With two or three exceptions all these were published in
Philadelphia, and some of the publishers were Chester
Countians. The subject is one upon which much might
be, and probably has been written.
i

SOME TRACES OF A VANISHED PEOPLE.
To the student of a scientific turn of mind there is no
more interesting and fascinating method of studying history
than by means of a few traces or fossils left imprinted in
the earth's surface by a vanished people. One has an
opportunity to gratify to almost an unlimited degree the
insatiate desire of the human mind to perceive things
hitherto unknown or unnoticed. It is this consuming
passion which lies at the basis of the Science of ethnology
and archaeology, and it was this natural instinct to find out
for one's self which prompted Petrarch, although not a
great scholar himself, to assiduously devote all his powers
to searching the moss-covered attic at Monte Cassino in the
hope of finding the long-lost manuscripts of Greek literature
and Greek philosophy. When a youth I longed to discover
something, and the happiest day of my boyhood was the
one which marked the culmination of a long period of
anticipating the excavation of an Indian graveyard.
The inhabitants of Chester County are fortunately situ-
ated as to opportunities for studying the American Indians,
It was here that a portion of the great Algonquin family
lived, whose territory at the time of the landing of William
Penn extended from the Churchill River to the latitude of
South Carolina and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Rocky
Mountains. Their numbers exceeded over thirty large
tribes, among which were the Powhatans along the coast of
Virginia, the Passamaquoddies and Pequods in New Eng-
land, and our own Lenni Lenapes, which consisted of the
Mohicans in New Jersey, the Nanticokes in Maryland and
West Virginia, and the Delawares in Pennsylvania. The
Lenni Lenapes, as the word Lenni indicates, were an un-
mixed race which had emigrated from the west and settled
at the rising of the sun on the banks of the “Lenape hit-
tuck” or “stream of the Lenape,” which now bears the
(29)
30 Some Traces of a Vanished People.
name of Brandywine. We shall have time here to simply
mention some of the beautiful names they have left with
us, such as Susquehanna, Lackawanna, Wawa, Wawasett,
Secane and Juniata. The manners and customs of the
Delawares in themselves are interesting; their simple diet
consisted of beans, peas, pumpkins, squashes, maize, fish
and game; their mythology was extensive; their hospitality
was originally a generous greeting of “Itah,” which meant
“Good be with you.” And while they had little, and per-
haps cared for little, they believed in burying some tokens
of love with the body whose spirit had gone to live with
that Great King “who made them and who dwelt in a
glorious country to the southward.” They were an inter-
esting people, and we shall always study them, but never
without a pang of regret mingled with a feeling of some
injustice.
In Chester County there are not less than six long trails
or paths which mark the chief highways of the Indians.
One of these paths, which I believe has not been outlined
in any book or map other than a thesis written by myself,
may be seen just east of West Chester near the railroad,
crossing Goose Creek and continuing its course southwest
near the Normal School and across the Friends’ burying
ground to a point about seventy yards south of Sconnell-
town Schoolhouse where it extends to a point north of the
forks of the Brandywine. Just above the junction, on the
west branch of the Brandywine near Northbrook, there are
several camping sites and an excavation which marks the
former home of old Indian Hannah, the sole survivor of
the Lenape tribe, who died in 1803, at the Chester County
Alms House, at the age of ninety, after a lonely but long
and industrious life of basket-making and doctoring. To-
day there remains a spring and some broken ground, and,
when I visited the site a few years ago in early May I
found a few stray daffodils and a cluster of lonely blue-
bells lingering to mark the spot of her former wigwam hut.
Some Traces of a Vanished People. 31
Within half a mile of the site of Indian Hannah's hut is
an Indian Dam, the breast of which is made of large round
flint stones which have not been disturbed since the Mar-
shall family bought the farm of 500 acres in 1703. Just
above this is the Ford and beyond this the Deep, which
still retains the name, and which marks the last eastern
domain of the Lenapes, for the tribes along the Brandywine
had reserved the right to retain the land for themselves a
mile in breadth on both sides of one of its branches up to
its source.
It is just to the north of Indian Deep that one finds the
Indian burying ground, which a writer in the “Village
Record ” of 1824 tells us had never been disturbed. In
1878 four graves were opened by Mr. H. Rush Kervey,
who found a part of a skeleton in one stretched at full
length on its back with the head towards the east. He
also found nineteen spherical, opaque, milky-white glass
beads and two white clay pipes. In the other graves were
found some pieces of skulls, one humerus, two femurs, two
tibias, two fibulas and also two “flint-locks.” These arti-
cles are probably in the possession of the family.
The burying ground commands a beautiful view over
the Brandywine, and is covered with large oak and hickory
trees, which I noted were originally arranged in pairs, one
of each kind. It was here that Dr. Spencer Trotter and I
started to excavate on the morning of December 1st, 1899,
after having gained permission from the owner of the land,
Sarah M. Cochran. We dug several places into the frozen
ground, but with little success, except the finding of some
small bones, which we were unable to identify as those of a
human being. After digging to the depth of four feet at
the base of a large tree we became fatigued and began to
reason that it would be impossible for the Indian, with his
crude implements, to dig a grave so deep. While our rea-
soning seemed logical fortunately it was not convincing,
and I jumped into the opening and resumed digging. I
32 Some Traces of a Vanished People.
was repaid for my perseverance, for soon, at a depth of four
feet Seven inches, the dome of a human skull was brought
to view, and we had finally discovered the remains of what
was formerly a human being. On enlarging the excava-
tion the entire skeleton was exposed. It was lying on a
stone floor with the head pointing toward the east and the
face toward the north. The legs were somewhat bent, the
hands were at the side of the body with the fingers out-
stretched, while surrounding the bone of the third finger of
the left hand and filled with clay was a crude copper ring.
At the feet were some coarse threads, which were apparently
at one time a part of a cloth garment, and scattered here
and there were two hundred and sixty-three small white
and blue beads. Close to the right hand was a small
copper point, which may have been a form of wampum,
and at the neck and breast was a curved line of sixty-five
large beads, some of which were made of pebbles, others of
blue and white glass, and one was a beautiful round,
painted, opaque Venetian bead. All were round or hexa-
gonal in shape. At the head was found a small bunch of
bristles which looked like heavy hair.
After exhuming the body we found there were eighty-
seven bones besides those of the head, which were still in
their relative positions. The skull was very well preserved.
Among the vertebrae there were six cervicals, ten dorsal,
five lumbar, and three parts of the sacrum present. In
each vertebra the spinous processes had suffered most by
decay. Nearly all of the ribs were found, but many of
them were too much decayed to be identified. Both in-
nominate bones were found. The femurs were very well
preserved and measured from the head of the great tro-
chanter process to the extreme end of the inner condyle
18+ inches, which would indicate that the person was six
feet one inch tall. The tibias were 16% inches in length,
while the fibulas were 16 inches in length. We found but
six tarsal bones and the Oscalsis was the largest I have
€Ver Seen.
BONES, BEADS AND RINGS FROM INDIAN GRAve.
Photo by Paul Darlington.
SIDE AND FRONT WIEWS OF INDIAN SKULL.
Photo by E/za S. Blakey. facing p. 33


Some Traces of a Vanished People. 33
The skull was very interesting on account of its numer-
ous abnormal characteristics. It was well preserved and
large but unusually thin. It was 7% inches in length and
5; inches in breadth which would give a cephalic index of
71.4 which is abnormally low and is therefore of the dolicho-
cephalic type. The teeth were well preserved but worn
down. In the upper jaw an anomaly was again presented,
because there were seventeen teeth present, with one cavity
where a tooth had fallen out. There were six incisors
instead of four present. The lower jaw was very large and
strong, and contained thirteen teeth, with three cavities for
teeth. The styloid processes were unusually long, measur-
ing 14 inches, and the frontal and temporo-parietal sutures
were so completely anchylosed that one would be justified
in inferring that the skull was that of a person past middle
age. The enlargement of the supra-orbital arches, the size
of the bones of the body and the size of the skull would
indicate that the person was a man. The shape of the
skull, the prominence of the cheek bones, and the location
and conditions under which the body was exhumed, would
indicate that we had discovered the remains of a Delaware
Indian, while the record of the death of Indian Hannah
would apparently prove the body had been interred previous
to 1803.
The discovery of numerous relics, the various camping-
grounds, the site of Indian Hannah's wigwam, the discovery
of the trail from the Brandywine on past West Chester, the
remains of the Indian ford, the Dam, the Deep, and the
graves with their contents of bones, beads, wanpum and
ring, all prove that many of the last of the Lenapes loved
to linger on the banks of the dear old “Suspeco” (Brandy-
wine) ere the remnants of their people sadly wended their
way westward to Indian Territory.
BIRD T. BALDWIN, Ph. D.
Read before the members of the Chester County Historical Society, Feb.
20th, 1908.
HISTORY OF WEST CHESTER MEETING OF
(ORTHoDox) FRIENDS.
Knowledge cannot be transmitted by inheritance, but
each generation must be taught by that which precedes it,
and in an audience composed of old and young it is neces-
sary to relate many facts which are well known to the
elders, for the benefit of the younger members.
The history of any event or locality will be better under-
stood by knowing Something of prior events and sur-
roundings.
When the Society of Friends arose, under the teachings
of George Fox and others, in England, about two hundred
and fifty years ago, they suffered much persecution at the
hands of their bigoted neighbors because of their rejection
of some of the corrupt and unchristian practices which had
crept into religious observances; but to my mind a great
part of their suffering was owing to their moral rectitude,
which was a standing reproof to the low and vicious element
who really cared nothing for religion. At that date America
was almost a wilderness, with but few settlements of whites,
and Pennsylvania had not even been named. Some
Friends, who felt called upon to carry the good tidings of
revived Christianity to distant parts, sailed to New Eng-
land, Maryland and Virginia, but met with no better treat-
ment abroad than at home. However, they made some
converts, and meetings were established in several places.
At length the idea of forming Quaker colonies in America
took hold of the minds of Friends in England, and John
Fenwick was the leader in one at Salem in New Jersey in
1675. Two years later another was located at Burlington,
and in 1680 a third in the vicinity of Haddonfield.
William Penn, a wealthy and influential Friend, who
had been much interested in the New Jersey settlements,
(34)
History of West Chester Meeting of Friends. 35
conceived the idea of founding a colony in the new world,
in which Friends might have the control in governmental
affairs still more fully than in the neighboring province;
and largely owing to the fact that the British government
was indebted to his family he obtained a grant or charter
for what is now Pennsylvania, that being the only available
territory at the disposal of the king, Charles II. This
charter was dated March 4, 1680, according to the style
then used, when New Year's Day was March 25th, but by
the present style it was in 1681. Previous to this time
some Swedes and Dutch had settled on the west side of the
Delaware, and even a few of those who came over as New
Jersey colonists seemed to prefer the western shores of the
river, and especially at Upland the present Chester.
William Penn at once began to sell lands in Pennsyl-
vania to prospective settlers, and several hundred thousand
acres were thus disposed of before he or they sailed for
America. In October (then the eighth and now the tenth
month), 1682, he arrived on the “Welcome" in company
with nearly one hundred other Friends, but several had
preceded him and were prepared to render some advice and
assistance to the newcomers.
The first settlements were near the river Delaware, but
with the natural increase in families and further immigra-
tion these naturally extended back into the interior. The
establishment of religious and business meetings kept pace
with the settlements. A meeting had been held at Upland,
at the house of Robert Wade, prior to the date of the char-
ter, and about 1682 others were established at Chichester,
Darby, Philadelphia, Frankford and other places higher up
the river. It is not evident from the records preserved that
at that time the rule which later was observed was in force,
by which no new meeting might be set up except by the
Sanction of a superior meeting. However, it is evident
that the meeting at Upland (or Chester) was looked upon
as an offshoot of the one at Burlington, for a session of Bur-
36 History of West Chester Meeting of Friends.
lington Monthly Meeting was held at Robert Wade's on the
16th of 9th month, 1681. This was probably held there
for the purpose of judging of the propriety of establishing
a monthly meeting of business at this place. A few of the
first minutes of what is known as Chester Monthly Meeting,
from the original book, are as follows: -
“Tenth day of yº 11 month 1681; a monthly meeting of
frends belonging to marcus hooke & vpland heeld then at
Robert Wads house.” -
“the 14 day of yº 12 month 1681 : a monthly meeting
heeld by frends at marcus hooke.”
“the 9th day of y" 3d mo. 1682: a monthly meeting held
then by freends belonging to marcus hooke & vpland at
Robert Wads house.”
“the 3 day of ye 6th month 1682: a monthly meeting
held then by frends belonging to marcus hooke alis Che-
chester & vpland and yº adioyning Inhabetants at Robert
Wads house.
“at this meeting William Clayton Juner and elezebeth
bezor both liuing at Chechester have declared their Inten-
tions of maraige: & its ordered by the meeting that Morgan
druet & Robert Wade doe make enquirey Conserning them
& give it in to yº next monthly meeting.” .
“At the monthly meeting at Vpland the 11th 7 mo. 1682:
“It was then agreed y” a meeting shall be held for ye
service & worship of god every first day at yº court house
at vpland.
“And also agreed that there be three meetings in the
week time, the westerne part to meet at Chichester the 5th
day of the week and the midle meeting at Harold at Wm.
Woodmansons the 4th day of the week and the eastern
meeting at Ridley at John Simcock's the 5th day of the
week untill otherwise ordered.
“The monethly meetings for men & women to be the
first second day of the week in every month at Rob" Wades
house.”
History of West Chester Meeting of Friends. 37
Every third meeting was considered a quarterly meeting,
beginning with the 4th of the 12th month, 1683–4, at
which time the monthly meetings of Chichester and Darby
were definitely established. On 2d of 6th mo. 1686 that
at Chichester was ordered to be held alternately there and
at Concord, and at length came to be known as Concord
Monthly Meeting.
At a quarterly meeting held 1st of 12mo. 1685, “its
Agreed y” fro henseforth no meeting wºever relating to yº
servise of Truth be set up w”out advising w” & having
consent of y" q"terly meeting.
“Agreed yº yº friends of Newcastle County accor: to
their proposition may erect or set up a six weeks meeting
as they shall see cause.”
This meeting, although established by authority of
Chester Quarterly Meeting, did not at first report or send
representatives thereto, which was probably owing to the
idea of having a quarterly meeting in each county of the
Province. However, in 1693 they joined with Chester.
The meeting was held at an early date at the house of Wal-
entine Hollingsworth, in Brandywine hundred, and as his
plantation was called “Newark’’ the meeting took that
name, but by the shifting of the membership northward
into Chester County the name of Kennet was substituted in
1760 for that monthly meeting.
There is frequent mention in the minutes of Chester
Quarterly Meeting of the shifting of meetings for worship
in order to better accomodate Friends “in the woods.”
GOSHEN MEETING.
In 1722 the monthly meeting of Chester was composed
of the seven meetings of Chester, Springfield, Providence,
Middletown, Goshen, Newtown and Uwchlan, and it was
then divided and the meetings of Goshen, Newtown and
Uwchlan joined in a monthly meeting under the name of
Goshen. A meeting was established in the vicinity of the
38 History of West Chester Meeting of Friends.
present Goshenville in 1702, and a meeting-house is men-
tioned in 1703, but a new one, probably at the present site,
was first occupied in 1709.
BIRMINGHAM MEETING.
Meetings were held at private houses in Birmingham as
early as 1690, and in the winter season, but it was not until
1718 that a meeting throughout the year was established.
At Quarterly Meeting, 9 Mo. 10, 1718: “Concord
monthly meeting Layd before this meeting a proposall of
Burmingham friends of Building themselves a meeting
house to whom this meeting Gives Leave provided that
they and their monthly meeting can agree on a place to
Build it and make report to our next meeting.”
12 Mo. 9, 1718: “According to Leave Given at our Last
meeting to Burmingham friends to Build themselves a
meeting house have signified from their monthly meeting
that they have a Greed of a place whereon to Build it which
is upon Richard Webbs Land near the Great Road wºn this
meeting is satisfied with.”
At Mo. Mtg., 9 Mo. 6, 1721: “The friends of Burming-
ham meeting Layde before this meeting a proposall for sum
of their friends belonging to their meeting to be chosen as
fefees in trust upon ye account of theire meeting house and
ground: it's the mind of this meeting to chouse William
Brinton, Joseph Taylor, Philip Taylor, John Bennett,
Joseph Brinton and Nicholas ffreed.” To these persons
Elizabeth Webb, widow of Richard, conveyed an acre of
ground, 10 Mo. 27, 1721, for £3, and the first marriage
mentioned as taking place in the new house thereon was
that of Joseph Webb and Ann Willis, 7 Mo. 13, 1722.
The house is said to have been built of cedar logs, and was
without a chimney or stove for heating it. The date of
erection of the western end of the present structure has been
fixed by some authorities at 1765, but Benjamin Hawley,
who taught school nearby at the time, notes in his diary
History of West Chester Meeting of Friends. 39
6 Mo. 13, 1763, that in the afternoon he “went to the Rais-
ing of yº meeting house.”
The house was used as a hospital during the Revolu-
tionary War, by the Americans before, and by the British
on the day of the Battle of Brandywine, 9 Mo. 11, 1777.
The eastern end was added in 1818 to accommodate the
recently established Birmingham Monthly Meeting.
BRADFORD MEETING.
In 1716 application was made by some Friends in the
forks of Brandywine for liberty to have a meeting during
the winter season near William Marshall’s, but it was not
then granted.
At Chester Quarterly Meeting, 9 Mo. 9, 1719: “Newark
monthly meeting Layd before this meeting the Request of
the friends in the forks of Brandywine of having a meeting
for worship Every other first Day and Every other fifth
Day which s* Request this meeting Doth allow Dureing
the winter season.”
3 Mo. 14, 1722: “Newark monthly meeting acquaints
this meeting that the friends in the forks of Brandywine
request the privilege of having their meetings in the sum-
mer time as they have had them in the winter, which re-
quest this meeting grants till farther order.”
3 Mo. 10, 1725: “Newark monthly meeting lays before
this meeting that the friends of the forks of Brandywine
request to have a meeting every first day and fift day, the
preparative meeting week excepted, which this meeting
after Consideration thereof allows of till farther order.”
In 1726 they were allowed to hold a Preparative Meet-
ing. The first meeting-house is said to have been on or
near the northeast corner of the land of Abraham Marshall,
now or late of Thomas Pennypacker. The present site was
purchased from Edward Clayton by deed of 10 Mo. 10,
1729, the trustees being Abraham Marshall, Richard
Woodward, Peter Collins and Richard Buffington. Here a
40 History of West Chester Meeting of Friends.
house was built in what is now the graveyard, and stood
until 1765. The first house, which was of frame or logs,
was moved up from the Marshall farm, and used for many
years as a stable. A variety of testimony fixes the date of
erection of the present meeting-house at 1765. On the 2d
of 3d Mo. 1788, the roof caught fire from a defective stove-
pipe or flue, on a First-day morning, and the upper part
of the structure was destroyed. Snow was thrown in at
doors and windows and the floor thereby saved, but it
shows the marks of fire to this day. It was repaired at
once by William Woodward for £115. The graveyard was
walled by Joseph Cope, about 1774, at a cost of £156.
SCHOOLS.
Friends have always been foremost in maintaining
Schools for the instruction of youth in the useful branches
of knowledge. In the Yearly Meeting held at Philadelphia
in 1778 an address to the subordinate meetings was pre-
pared in which it is set forth that “We also think it neces-
sary that this weighty concern should in future become the
continued care of the Yearly Meeting, by an annual query,
so that the matter may rest on a solid foundation, and
every possible encouragement and assistance may be afforded
to Friends in the settlement of schools, providing masters,
&c., through the whole extent of the Yearly Meeting.”
And further, “that in the compass of each meeting where
the settlement of a school is necessary, a lot of ground be
provided sufficient for a garden, orchard, grass for a cow,
&c., and that a suitable house, stable, &c., be erected
thereon.”
The three meetings in Goshen, Birmingham and Brad-
ford had each a school established in close proximity to
their houses of worship, but a considerable number of
Friends in and near the present site of West Chester, and
nearly equi-distant from the said meetings, were not so well
accommodated in this respect as they desired. Along the
History of West Chester Meeting of Friends. 41
north line of the borough, a road called the Goshen Street
formerly ran and continued westward to the Strasburg
Road at the gateway to the residence of George B. Mellor.
This has all been vacated from North High Street westward
to its terminus. At a point about sixty perches from the
N. W. corner of the borough and on the south side of this
road a school house was built, on land of Nathan Hoopes,
in East Bradford Township, presumably in 1780. The
road here was on the line between the lands of Nathan
Hoopes, on the South, and Samuel Cope on the north, each
of whom conveyed a portion of ground for the use of the
school, by deeds dated 28th of 1st month 1780, and amount-
ing in the whole to 4 acres, 136 perches. This was con-
veyed to the following trustees: Joseph Cope, representing
Bradford Meeting and residing at the present home of George
B. Mellor; Jesse Hoopes on the part of Goshen Meeting and
living where William G. Embree now does, and Nathan
Sharples, representing Birmingham Meeting, whose home is
now that of Charles Sheller, in East Bradford. I have a
writing called a “declaration of trust,” signed by these
men, acknowledging that they held this land in behalf of
their respective meetings “for the purpose of a School House,
School, and Mansion House for a School Master, Garden,
Orchard, pasture for a Cow &c., agreeable to the recom-
mendation of a Yearly Meeting of the said People, held at
Philadelphia A. D. 1778 in Case of Schools.” There is no
evidence that any building other than a schoolhouse was
ever erected on this lot, or that the land conveyed by Sam-
uel Cope was over fenced off from the rest of his farm. The
deed, which was in the hands of my father, was handed to
Gerard Cope, grandson of Samuel and owner of the farm,
more than fifty years ago. -
The trust was renewed 4 Mo. 6th 1821, when Jesse
Hoopes of Goshen and Nathan Sharples, then of Caln Town-
ship, surviving trustees, conveyed the property to Ezra
Cope, James Taylor and Eusebius Townsend of East Brad-
42 History of West Chester Meeting of Friends.
ford and Thomas Hoopes Jr., and Lownes Taylor of Goshen.
A School was maintained at this place, with probably some
intermissions, until about 1824, when its purpose was sup-
plied by Schools within the borough. The house gradually
fell into a decay and was last used by a colored family who
moved into it without permission, about 1848, but their
presence being thought disadvantageous to neighboring
henroosts they were removed a year later and the house
rendered unhabitable by removal of the timbers. That
part of the land on which the building stood was sold by
Thomas Hoopes (under Act of Assembly) to Jonathan
Valentine, owner of the farm of which it was originally a
part, by deed of 5 Mo. 1st 1850; the consideration being
$272.25. The building was long known as the “Old Stone
Schoolhouse,” and some of the walls remained until a few
years since, when Joshua Howell, the owner of the land,
took the stone to make some addition to his farm buildings.
One of the early teachers at this school was William
Bennett, who was thus engaged in 1788 and 1789. I have
an agreement between him and the patrons which should
be of interest to our present school committee, which reads
as follows: . .
THIS ARTICLE of Agreement dated the 5th day of the
5th Month 1788 Between William Bennett Schoolmaster of
the one part, and the undernamed Subscribers of the Other :
Mentioneth that the said Master shall use his Endeavours
to Teach such Scholars as may be Sent to his School Spell-
ing Reading Writing and Arithmetic According to his
Ability, and their Several Capacities, at the rate of Forty
Shillings ºr Scholar ºr year, any Person Sending Scholars
over and Above the Number Subscribed for Shall pay at
the rate as Aforesaid ; and Said Master Shall have the usual
Allowance of one Day in every Other Week, and two Weeks
in Harvest, and the Liberty of Discontinuing the School at
any time for any Term not Exceeding Two Weeks at a time.
And we the undernamed Subscribers do Obligate our-
History of West Chester Meeting of Friends. 43
selves to find a Schoolhouse and keep it in Convenient re-
pair.
Said School shall be Subject to the Inspection Direction
and Controul of a Committee of Concord, Goshen and Brad-
ford Monthly or Preparative Meetings. Said School is to
Continue for Twelve Months.
We the Undernamed Subscribers do promise to pay or
Cause to be paid unto William Bennett or his Order at the
Expiration of every Quarter at the Rate of Ten Shillings
* Scholar #9" Quarter, in witness whereof we have set our
hands &c.
And no Scholars who have the Itch will be Admitted to
Continue at said School after Discovery thereof till Cured.
This agreement was signed by Samuel Coope (now Cope),
Nathan Coope, Thos. Hoopes, Joseph Coope, Henry Hoopes,
Jesse Hoopes, Nn. Sharples, Benanuel Ogden, Jonathan
Lewis, Benja. Miller, Isaac Taylor, Gervas Hall, Robert In-
gram, Joseph Beaumount, Abiah Taylor, Joseph Moore,
George Bradley, Abigail Hoopes, Thos. Beaumount, Ann
Townsend, Joseph Parke, Jesse Hall, Isaac Butler, Samuel
Stringfellow, Moses Mendenhall, Abr’m Clark and John
Townsend, in sums ranging from ten shillings to four
pounds.
WEST CHESTER MEETING.
With the establishment of the county seat at its present
site, in 1786, by removal from Chester on the Delaware, a
considerable increase of population occurred where pre-
viously only a country cross-roads, with tavern and two or
three other buildings existed. The number of Friends
kept pace with the increase and finally a desire for a meet-
ing place more convenient than those at Goshen, Birming-
ham and Bradford was manifested. A movement with this
object required the concurrence of the three monthly meet-
ings concerned, in each of which proceedings were minuted
of like import. Quotations here follow from Goshen
records.
44 History of West Chester Meeting of Friends.
7 Mo. 6, 1810 : “Friends in the neighbourhood of West
Chester request the privilege of Building a Meeting House
in or near that place. Joseph Malim, Joshua Ashbridge,
Thomas Smedley Ju", Abraham Hibberd, Ellis Williams &
Jeffrey Smedley are appointed to Join in conference with
friends there and the Committees appointed from Concord
and Bradford Monthly Meetings of the propriety of their
proposal and report their sense to next Monthly Meeting.”
8 Mo. 10, 1810 : “Friends appointed in the request
brought up from the Neighbourhood of Westchester are
continued as they are not ready to make a full report.”
9 Mo. 7, 1810 : “Friends continued in the request brought
up from Westchester report most of their number have
twice met on the occasion in company with Committees
from the other Monthly Meetings and although they felt
much sympathy for friends there yet they could not unite
in encouraging them building at present.”
11 Mo. 9, 1810 : “Friends in the Neighbourhood of West
Chester request the privilege of holding a Meeting for
Worship on the first and fourth days of the week in a
School House belonging to Friends near that place, Ex-
cepting the weeks of the Preparative and Monthly Meetings.
Joseph Malin, Thomas Smedley, Ju', Abraham Hibberd,
Amos Garrett, Ellis Williams and John Hall are appointed
to meet with friends there and consider the propriety thereof
and report their sense to a future meeting.”
12 Mo. 7, 1810 : “Friends appointed produced the fol-
lowing report, to wit: “We the Committee appointed by
Goshen, Bradford and Concord Monthly Meetings to take
into consideration the request of a number of friends residing
in the vicinity of West Chester to hold an indulged meeting
at the School House near that place, Report we have had a
solid conference with a considerable number of friends pro-
posed to constitute said Meeting and are generally united
in believing it might be safe to grant their said request and
that the sº meeting should be held on the first and fourth
History of West Chester Meeting of Friends. 45
days of the week except those in the weeks on which our
preparative, Monthly and Quarterly Meetings are held, and
if the Monthly Meetings should be easy to allow s” request
we propose the Meeting to be opened on first day the six-
teenth of the twelfth month next and to continue to the
first of the fifth Month following. Signed on behalf of the
Committees from each Meeting the 21st of the 11th Mo.
1810,
James Embree
John Talbot
Which being united with by the Meeting and directed to
begin at the Eleventh hour. Abraham Hibberd, Joseph
Malin, James Malone and Jeffrey Smedley are appointed to
attend the opening thereof and extend care during the time
of its continuance and report their sense of its usefulness to
a future Meeting.”
5 Mo. 10, 1811 : “The friends who have had the care of
an indulged Meeting held near West Chester report, that in
attending thereto they were of the mind the meeting had
been held to a comfortable degree of satisfaction, and this
Meeting being informed that friends who constitute that,
request a further indulgence of holding a Meeting as here-
tofore, to be continued to the Monthly Meeting in the fifth
Month next year, whose request being united with Thomas
Smedley, Ellis Williams, Joseph Malin and Abraham Hib-
berd are appointed to extend care during its continuance
and report their sense to this Meeting at the conclusion
thereof.”
5 Mo. 8, 1812: “Friends appointed to extend care to the
indulged Meeting held in Bradford school house report
that they have several times attended that meeting and
were of the mind it had been held to satisfaction and friends
there desire a further continuance of that indulgence, which
being united with by this meeting, and they also request
the Monthly Meeting would take into Consideration the
Ellis Williams
by |
46 History of West Chester Meeting of Friends.
Propriety of granting liberty for an Established Meeting to
be held by them near Westchester; which Claiming our at-
tention Joseph Malin, Thomas Smedley, Ellis Williams,
Abraham Hibberd, Joshua Ashbridge, Caleb Maris, John
Hall and Jeffrey Smedley are appointed to take the above
subjects under their care and confer with the Committees
if any be appointed by the Monthly Meetings of Bradford
and Concord and report their sense to a future Meeting.”
7 Mo. 10, 1812: “The Committee appointed in the re-
quest brought up by friends Residing in the neighbourhood
of Westchester Produced the following report, viz: We the
Committee of Men and Women friends appointed by
Goshen, Concord & Bradford Monthly Meetings to consider
the request from friends near Westchester, that the meeting
now held by indulgence should be Established. The Com-
mittees generally attended and after weighty considering
the subject were united in believing it would be safe to
grant their request, to be held at the time heretofore agreed
upon. Signed on behalf of the Committee by Philip Price,
Jeffrey Smedley, Joseph Peirce, Sarah Talbot, Amy Smedley
& Jemima Vickers. And to be known by the name of
West Chester Meeting: Which being united with by this
meeting the clerk is Directed to forward an account thereof
in our report to the next Quarterly Meeting to be held at
Concord, for its consideration.”
8 Mo. 7, 1812: To the Quarterly Meeting: And we
further inform that this meeting uniting in conjunction with
the committees of Concord & Bradford Monthly Meeting in
the request of friends residing in and near the Borough of
Westchester to have a meeting Established for worship to
be held on First & Fourth days (Excepting the fourth Day
of the week in which the Quarterly, Monthly & Preparative
Meetings are held), to begin at the 11th hour and to be
known by the name of West Chester Meeting, which we
submit to the Quarterly Meeting for its consideration.”
As the two Quarterly Meetings of Concord and Caln were
History of West Chester Meeting of Friends. 47
concerned in this movement, as well as the three monthly
meetings mentioned, it seems to have taken considerable
time to get the matter finally adjusted. In the meantime
Friends of West Chester, feeling assured of the result
proceeded accordingly. From the notes of the late Philip
P. Sharples it appears that a lot of ground was purchased
on North High Street 12 Mo. 21, 1811, and a building
commenced the next year, but it was not finished until
the fall of 1813. It was however occupied by the
meeting 6 Mo. 20th, 1813. David Haines was the car-
penter; his bill was $425. The masons were John Parker
and B. Pierce ; their bill was $134.90. The most of
the stone was furnished by Joseph Taylor and lumber by
Jesse Hoopes, William Hawley, Richard and Hugh Mc-
Ilvain. The plastering appears to have been done by
Chalkley Jefferis and Lewis Hall. The cost of the house
was over $2,600. Those who furnished $50 or over were
Jesse Hoopes, Joseph Taylor, William Townsend, William
Sharples, Thomas Hoopes, Edward Hicks, George Ash-
bridge, Abner Hoopes, John W. Townsend, Nathan H.
Sharples, Samuel Cope, Jr., Cheyney Jefferis, Caleb Brinton,
William Bennett, William Hawley.
At Goshen, 12 Mo. 1, 1813: “The representatives to the
Quarterly meeting report they all attended And inform
that Concord & Caln Quarters concured in the Establish-
ment of the meeting at Westchester agreeable to request.”
12 Mo. 29, 1813: “Friends constituting West Chester
Meeting request the priveledge of holding a preparative
Meeting, which is left under consideration a month.”
2 Mo. 2, 1814: Answer to 2d annual query: “One new
meeting house built and meeting for worship settled at
Westchester, held on the first & fourth days of the Week
except on the fourth days of those weeks in which the pre-
parative, Monthly and Quarterly Meetings are held, begin-
ning at the eleventh hour and called Westchester Meeting.”
“Thomas Smedley, Randle Malin, Ellis Williams, James
48 History of West Chester Meeting of Friends.
Malone, Jeffrey Smedley, Enos Williamson, Caleb Maris &
John Gomery [Gummere] are appointed to confer with simi-
lar committees if such should be appointed by the Monthly
Meetings of Concord & Bradford relative to friends consti-
tuting Westchester Meeting holding a Preparative Meeting
at that place.”
3 Mo. 2, 1814: “Friends appointed on the request from
Westchester report they attended to their appointment and
were met by Committees of Bradford and Concord Monthly
Meetings and were much united in the belief it would be
right they should have a preparative Meeting established at
that place, and much unanimity prevailed in believing it
would be safe to join it to Concord Monthly Meeting, with
which this Meeting unites. The Clerk is directed to for-
ward to our next Quarterly Meeting a transcript of this
Minute for its concurrence.”
Women Friends also took an active part in this move-
ment and Abigail Smedley, Rachel Garrett Jr., Susanna
Hibberd and Amy Smedley were appointed on the last
committee above mentioned.
9 Mo. 28, 1814: “A certificate for the following friends,
members of Westchester preparative Meeting, was requested
to join them to Concord Monthly Meeting, to which by a
late arrangement of Concord & Caln Quarters said Meeting
is proposed to be attached. Jeffrey Smedley, Ellis Williams,
Abner Watson & Joseph Malin, jointly with women friends
(Susanna Hibberd, Rachael Malin, Sarah Pratt and Mary
Melone) are appointed to prepare one & produce it to next
meeting: to wit, for
Joseph Taylor and Mary his wife & their children
Lowndes, Joseph L. and Rebecca, the two last minors:
Thomas Hoopes and Mary his wife & their children Sam-
uel, Davis, Anna, Caleb, Lydia, Mary and Sarah, all minors:
Abner Hoopes & Hannah his wife & their children Pierce,
Margaret, Sarah, Letitia, Lewis & Abner, all minors:
Jesse Hoopes & Amy his wife and their children Susan,
Thomas & Amy, the two last minors:
History of West Chester Meeting of Friends. 49
David Hoopes & Ann his wife & their son Jasper, a
minor :
Alice Bennett & her children, Juliet, Lewis, Malinda,
Warner, Manerva, Imla, Matilda, Titus, Sidney & Rebecca
L. Bennett, the seven last minors:
Ezra Haines & Ann his wife and their children, John,
Maria, Davis, Reuben, Lydia & Isaac, all minors:
Susanna Fairlamb & her children, Rebecca, Charles,
Susan, Samuel & Lydia, the two last minors:
John Carlile and Phebe his wife & and their children,
Hoopes & Ann, minors:
Sarah Carlton,
Margaret Hoopes,
Passmore Hoopes,
Abi Carlile,
Ann Martin,
Ezekiel White,
Caleb Hoopes,
Ziba Pyle,
Ann Kerns,
Jane Davis and Ann Davis,
William Perdue & Sarah his Wife and their children,
Thomas, Susanna, Mary, William and Sarah, all minors:
Hannah Bane and her children, Jonah, Lydia, Thomas
& Wilmoth.”
11 Mo. 2, 1814: “Friends appointed produced a certifi-
cate for the friends constituting Westchester preparative
Meeting, which was read approved and signed.”
The members of Bradford Monthly Meeting who wished
to belong to West Chester Meeting, and whose membership
was therefore transferred from Bradford to Concord Monthly
Meeting, were these :
Nathan Cope,
Benjamin Cope,
James Bennett, wife Hannah and children, Thirza, Jabez,
Sidney, Rebecca, Samuel, Lea, Susanna and Hannah Ben-
nett :
50 History of West Chester Meeting of Friends.
Samuel Cope Jr., wife Elizabeth and children, Mary,
Deborah, Charity, Rachel and Gerard.
Amy Trimble, and children, Isaac Pim Trimble and
Lydia Trimble,
Issachar Hoopes, wife Rachel and children, Susanna,
Isaac G., Levi W., Rebecca and Harriet.
Ezra Cope and children, Edge T. and Nathan.
The late Philip P. Sharples prepared a list of those mem-
bers of West Chester Preparative Meeting who had previ-
ously been members of Birmingham Preparative, as follows:
William Sharples, wife Ann and daughter Hannah.
Cheyney Jefferis, wife Martha and children, James,
Cheyney, Mary, Edith and Ann.
Edward Miller, -
William Townsend, wife Grace and children, Eusebius
and Mary Townsend,
William Hawley and son William Hawley,
Elizabeth Darlington and children, Amos, Thomas,
Hillery, Samuel and Hannah Darlington,
Jonathan Gause, wife Ann and daughter Mary I.
Joseph Cooper,
David Townsend, wife Rebecca and children, Washington
and Franklin Townsend,
David Lewis, wife Leah and children, Lewis, David,
Sarah, Mary Ann.
John Polas Seal,
Mary Ingram,
Eli Swayne,
Joseph Jackson and wife Rebecca,
Jesse Darlington,
Rachel Darlington,
Nathan Sharples, wife Martha and children, Hannah,
William, Philip Price and Henry Price Sharples, -
Brinton Darlington, wife Sarah and children, Isaac G.,
Thomas H.,
Ann Cox,
History of West Chester Meeting of Friends. 51
Ezra Baily,
Charles Darlington,
Rebecca Carpenter and children, Powel, Davis, Washing-
ton, Harriet and Margaretta,
John W. Townsend, wife Sibbilla and children, William
and Anna Mary, *
Martha Thomson,
Martha Haines,
Orpah Williamson,
George Williamson,
Nicholas Townsend,
Achsah Darlington,
Amy Baily.
It might have been stated that while the meeting was
held in the “Old Stone Schoolhouse’’ two marriages, at
least, took place there: Isaac Thomas to Alice Levis, 11
Mo. 20, 1811, and Robert Garrett and Albina Hoopes, 11
Mo. 18, 1812. It is also stated that the late David Cope
made his first appearance there in the ministry.
West Chester being established as a preparative meeting
the next object desired was its union with Birmingham
Meeting in order to form a monthly meeting distinct from
Concord. This was accomplished in 1815, as set forth in
the opening minute of the new meeting.
At Birmingham Monthly Meeting held 7th of 12th mo.
1815.
The following minute of Concord Quarterly Meeting re-
specting the establishment of this meeting was read and the
friends therein named attended.
Concord Monthly Meeting reports they were united in
proposing to the Quarterly Meeting the establishing of a
new monthly meeting to be composed of Birmingham and
West Chester Preparative meetings, and that it be known
by the name of Birmingham Monthly Meeting; that it be
held alternately at Birmingham and West Chester, at West
Chester in the first month, Birmingham in the second, but
52 History of West Chester Meeting of Friends.
until the house at Birmingham be made suitable to hold a
monthly meeting in that it be held altogether at West
Chester; and that it be held on fifth-day following the first
Second-day in each month ; and if the Quarterly Meeting
concurs therein they propose that the opening of said meet-
ing be in the twelfth month next,
Which coming weightily before this meeting is united
with. The following named friends are appointed to at-
tend the opening of that meeting, to wit, Abraham Pennell,
Edward Garrigues, Samuel Canby, Jacob Hibberd, Thomas
Smedley and Joseph Malin.
Extracted from the minutes of said Quarterly Meeting.
Nathan H. Sharples,
Clerk.
A committee is appointed to nominate Friends to fill the
positions of elders, overseers and Clerk. -
Jane Cope and Lydia Jacobs (of Bradford Mo. Mtg.) being
present, proposed to visit the families of West Chester Meet-
ing. Cheyney Jefferis is appointed and Joseph Cooper
offers to accompany them.
Benjamin Sharpless, William Davis, Ennion Cook,
Thomas Hoopes, Cheyney Jefferis and Ezra Cope are ap-
pointed to have care of the poor.
John Forsythe, Isaac Sharpless, Isaac Taylor, Joseph
Painter, Ezra Cope, Nathan Sharples, Thomas Hoopes and
Jesse Hoopes to have the oversight of schools.
David Hoopes is appointed to draw or examine and read
marriage certificates for West Chester Meeting, and Isaac
Sharpless ditto for Birmingham. -
Nathan Sharpless is appointed to record certificates of re-
moval.
William Townsend appointed to record marriage certifi-
cates and births and burials.
A committee is appointed to arrange the quotas and pro-
duce a list of members. . -
1 Mo. 4, 1816: Quotas agreed upon, Birmingham 55
cents, and West Chester 45 cents in the dollar.
History of West Chester Meeting of Friends. 53
The preparative meeting of ministers and elders to be
held on the 7th-day before the monthly meetings preceed-
ing the quarterly meetings, at Birmingham in the 2d and
8th month ; at West Chester in the 5th and 11th.
1 Mo. 6, 1820: William Davis, Isaac Taylor, Isaac
Sharpless, James Forsythe, Abraham Darlington Jr. and
Benjamin Price are appointed new trustees for Birmingham
Meeting.
10 Mo. 5, 1820: Birmingham Meeting proposes the dis-
continuance of the mid week meeting in the week of Quar-
terly Meeting, which is referred to the latter for a decision.
6 Mo. 7, 1821: The proposal is not granted by the
Quarterly Meeting.
During the year 1816, 41 members were received by cer-
tificate and at the close of the year the membership of the
monthly meeting was 437. Ten years later the number of
members was about 471.
In the year 1827 the unfortunate division in the Society
occurred, by which there were formed the two bodies both
claiming the simple name of Friends, but popularly known
as the Orthodox and Hicksite branches. Many incidents
connected with this event might be given, but so few per-
sons in the Society are able to view them dispassionately
that it is doubtless best to pass them over in silence.
At Birmingham Monthly Meeting held 8th of 11th month
1827 :
After the business of the meeting was partly gone through
a separation took place therein, and a number of the mem-
bers, including the person then under appointment as
Clerk, having withdrawn with the books and papers,
Thomas Williamson was appointed Clerk for the time and
James Forsythe to assist him.
Philip Price, John Forsythe, Pennock Passmore, Ben-
jamin Sharpless and Benjamin Cope are appointed to assist
the Clerk in preparing a minute descriptive of the causes
which have produced the separation above mentioned, and
54 History of West Chester Meeting of Friends.
also to propose to our next meeting the names of suitable
Friends to serve the Meeting as Clerks in future.
12 Mo. 6, 1827: Thomas Williamson is appointed Clerk
and James Forsythe assistant."
It being thought right to request that the book of Dis-
cipline and former Records of this meeting should be given
up by those who have separated from us, John Forsythe
and Joshua Sharples are appointed to unite with the Clerk
in making the request.
1 Mo. 10, 1828: The Friends appointed to request that
the book of Discipline and Records of this Meeting should
be given up by those who have separated from us report
that they made the request but without effect.
10 Mo. 1, 1828: West Chester proposes to hold their
meetings for worship apart from the separatists if way
should open. - -
11 Mo. 26, 1828: “West Chester Friends having been en-
couraged to provide accommodations for holding their
meetings apart from those who have separated from us, and
they having obtained the approbation of this meeting to
that effect have suceeded in providing the same at the house
of George G. Ashbridge, at which place they held their last
Preparative Meeting.”
This house, now the residence of Gibbons G. Cornwell, on
North Church Street, was owned by George G. Ashbridge,
but then tenanted by William Mercer. At that time it
stood on the present bed of the street.
In 1830 the meeting took a lease upon a lot at the north-
west corner of Chestnut and Church Streets, for the term of
twenty years if not sooner terminated. On this lot a two-
story brick building was erected in such manner that it
could be altered and built to at the rear and fitted up as
two dwelling houses when no longer used as a meeting-
house. The agreement with George G. Ashbridge, owner
of the land, provides that if the lease were terminated be-
fore the expiration of the twenty years the building should
sº ºd ºuļoej
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· 906/. -ſ， №.$34，2 ±sº， (roºoaezaeo，ººººººº &zºº，

History of West Chester Meeting of Friends. 55
be appraised by men to be appointed and taken by him at
the appraisement. The building cost $1530, and when the
present place of worship was erected the old one was ap-
praised at $700. It was turned into two dwelling houses
as may be seen.
When I was a scholar at the old schoolhouse on the ad-
joining lot, 1852–3, the porticoes were still over the front
doors and the supporting posts were obstructions on the
pavement. -
11 Mo. 27, 1844: “Birmingham preparative meeting
informs that it has appointed James Forsythe, Edward
Brinton, Aaron Sharpless and Chalkley Bell trustees for the
lot of ground on which they are about to build a meeting
house and requests the monthly meeting to record them as
such, which is directed to be done.”
By deed of April 9th, 1844 the lot whereon the present
meeting house stands was purchased from Rachael V. Ash-
bridge and Casper W. Sharpless, executors of George G.
Ashbridge, late of East Caln Township, for $1046.25, it
being 170 feet in front on Chestnut Street and 165 feet on
Church Street. The house was erected the same year.
4 Mo. 2, 1845: The following information, received from
West Chester Preparative Meeting is directed to be recorded
with the minutes of this meeting, viz.: “West Chester Pre-
parative meeting informs that it has appointed Caleb B.
Cope, William P. Townsend, Jonathan Cope, Caleb S. Cope
and Edwin James trustees of their new meeting house and
property, and that a declaration of trust has been prepared,
stating the objects and conditions under which it is held.”
These trustees are named in the conveyance from the
executors of George G. Ashbridge, dated nearly a year be-
fore this minute was made.
By deed of 7 Mo. 25, 1850, Jane Brinton conveyed to
Gerard Cope, Caleb S. Cope and Paschall Morris a lot of
land on the west side of Church Street, opposite the meet-
house, it being 88 feet in front and 89 feet in depth. This
56 History of West Chester Meeting of Friends.
was a gift for school purposes and on this lot a schoolhouse
was erected, doubtless the same year, which served its pur-
pose until 1889, when the present building was erected in
its place.
In 1840 it was concluded to hold the meetings in sum-
mer, from the 4th to the 10th month, at 10 o’clock.
4 Mo. 30, 1856: It is concluded to hold all the meetings
at 10 o'clock throughout the year. This was approved by
the Quarterly Meeting 5 Mo 13, 1856.
6 Mo. 1, 1859: It is concluded to hold all the monthly
meetings at West Chester hereafter. -
In 1849 a lot for a burial ground was purchased on the
south side of Gay Street and adjoining the western line of
the borough, containing one acre and twelve perches. The
price was $275. Sarah, wife of James Emlen, was the first
person interred therein. Previous to this the burials had
been on North High Street.
The borough council having prohibited any more inter-
ments within its limits, in 1873, a new location was ob-
tained the following year and the bodies removed from the
Gay Street or “Cedar Hill” ground. The present ceme-
tery contains six acres, 25 perches, and is divided into lots
which are sold to individuals, thus enabling families to be
buried together, while the former custom was to bury in.
rows without regard to relationship.
MEMBERS OF THE CHESTER COUNTY HISTOR-
ICAL SOCIETY.
BY CHARTER, 4-27-1893.
JOSEPH TRIMBLE ROTHROCK.
DANIEL W. HowARD, resigned 4-15-1897.
GILBERT CoPE (Life Member).
EDWIN ATLEE BARBER, resigned 11-12-1906.
GEORGE MORRIS PHILIPS.
J. NEWTON HUSTON, released 1904.
JOSEPH THOMPSON. -
JAMES MONAGHAN, resigned 11-16-1899.
LowNEs TAYLOR, resigned 1895.
SAMUEL MARSHALL (Life Member).
GIBBONS GRAY CORNWELL. -
CHARLEs HARRISON PENNYPACKER (Life Member).
JACOB CARROLL HAYES, resigned 9-18-1898.
WILLIAM PRICE SHARPLESS.
JOSEPH S. WALTON.
GEORGE WINFIELD MooRE.
HAMILTON H. GILKYSON.
WILLIAM DELL HARTMAN, M. D., died 8-16-1899.
MARY INGRAM STILLE.
ALICE LEWIS, died 11-22-1893.
REBECCA MICKLE HEMPHILL (Life Member).
ADDISON L. Jon ES.
ISAAC MASSEY, M. D., died 1-31-1898
RICHARD G. PARK. Philadelphia and
JAMES C. SELLERS, released 1904. -
S. EMLEN SHARPLES.
ALFRED D. SHARPLES.
WILLIAM T. SHARPLESS.
JULIUS F. SACHSE, resigned 1898.
ROBERT JONES MonAGHAN, died 9-30-1897.
EDWARD H. HALL.
ALFRED SHARPLEss, died 12-7-1903, in 82d year.
MARTHA SERRILL SHARPLEs, died 11-9-1902, aged 72.
GEORGE B. MCCORMICK.
(57)
West Chester,
Late of Philadelphia,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
Swarthmore,
Now of Swarthmore,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
George School,
Ercildoun,
Phoenixville,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
Philadelphia,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
58 Members of the Chester County Historical Society.
MEMBERS ELECTED.
SAMUEL W. PENNYPACKER, 8-17-1893. Schwencksville,
SUSAN BRINTON SMITH, 8-17-1893; resigned 1903. Parkesburg,
GEORGE BRINTON JoHNSON, 8-17-1893. West Chester,
THOMAS HARRISON MonTGOMERY, 8-17-1893; died 4-4-1905.
Philadelphia,
HARRY WILSON, 8-17-1893. - Cochranville P. O.,
SAMUEL L. MARTINDALE, 8-17-1893. West Chester,
ANNA JACKSON MONAGHAN, 8-17-1893; resigned. Swarthmore,
CHARLES BENJ. WILKINSoN, 8-17-1893. º Philadelphia,
Jose.P.H. S. EVANs, 11-16-1893, resigned 1904. West Chester,
CURTIs H. HANNUM, 11-16-1893. West Chester,
MATTHIAs SHEELEIGH, 11-16-1893; died 1899? Fort Washington,
F. SHARPLEss HICKMAN, 11-16-1893. West Chester,
JoHN ANDREW MooRE PASSMORE, 11-16-1893; died 3-8-1903.
(Life Member.) Philadelphia,
THOMAS L. OGIER, 11-16-1893; died 5-3-1900. West Chester,
HARRY RUSH KERVEy, 11-16-1893; died 2-18-1907. West Chester,
C. WESLEY TALBOT, 11-16-1893; released 1898. West Chester,
WILTON AGNEw, 11-16-1893; resigned 6-5-1906. Rennet Square,
HUGH DEHAVEN, 11-16-1893. Westtown,
JoHN H. DARLINGTON, 11-16-1893. West Chester,
WILLIAM WAYNE, 11-16-1893; died 11-20-1901. Paoli,
G. LIVINGSTON BISHOP, 11-16-1893; released 1896. West Chester,
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
S. EDWARD PASCHALL, 2-15-1894; released 1896. Now of Chico, Wash.
JESSE SHARPLEss CHEYNEY, JR., 2-15-1894; resigned 1902.
Philadelphia,
LOUIs A. HoDTON, 2-15-1894. Coatesville,
Pa.
Pa.
DR. CHARLEs SCHAEFFER, 2-15-1894 (Life Member); died 11-23-1903, in
66th year, at 1309 Arch St., Philadelphia,
IsAAC N. HAINES, 2-15-1894; resigned 1902. West Chester,
PHEBE GRIFFITH, 2-15-1894; resigned 1903. West Chester,
ANNA. J. DAVIs, 5-17-1894; resigned 1903. West Pikeland,
WILLIAM P. LoGAN, 8-16-1894; died 2-13-1901. Bryn Mawr,
JoHN P. Logan, 8-16-1894. West Chester,
MALINDA MARSHALL HOOPES, 8-16-1894. West Chester,
JoNAs R. FLICKINGER, 8-16-1894. - Lock Haven,
MARy HoPKINS SMITH, 8-16-1894; released 1896. Parkesburg,
ELIJAH DALLETT HEMPHILL, JR., 8-16-1894; died 10-8-1904.
West Chester,
WILLIAM L. BULL, 11-15-1894; resigned 1903. Whitford,
WALTER H. LEWIs, 11-15-1894. West Chester,
SEPTIMUS EVAN's NEVIN, 2-21-1895. Landenberg,
FRANK D. GREEN, 5-16-1895; resigned 1898. Philadelphia,
CHARLTON T. LEwis, 10-17-1895 (Honorary). Deceased.
JANE HIBBERD LOGAN, 10-17-1895. West Chester,
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Members of the Chester County Historical Society. 59
HARRY SLOYER, 11-21-1895. Phoenixville, Pa.
GEORGE BRINTON THOMAs, 11-21-1895. West Chester, Pa.
SAMUEL LAMBORN, 11-21-1895; released 1899. Philadelphia, Pa.
CHARLEs R. PALMER, 11-21-1895; released 1898. West Chester, Pa.
WILLIAM BROWER, 11-21-1895. Spring City, Pa.
JosLAH. W. LEEDs, 11-21-1895. R. F. D. No. 6, West Chester, Pa.
H. F. C. HEAGEy, 11-21-1895. Cochranville, Pa.
THOMAS ALLEN GLENN, 11-21-1895; resigned Jan. 1904. Ardmore, Pa.
DR. DANIEL G. BRINTON, 11-21-1895 (Honorary); died 7-31-1899, aged 62.
Philadelphia, Pa.
HENRy C. TownsPND, 11-21-1895; died 4-24-1899. Philadelphia, Pa.
BENJAMIN NIELDs, 11-21-1895. Wilmington, Del.
GERTRUDE W. NIELDs, 11-21-1895. Wilmington, Del.
WATson W. DEWEEs, 11-21-1895; resigned 1904. Now of Frankford, Pa.
MARY E. ROBERTs, 11-21-1895. West Chester, Pa.
Jose PHINE ROBERTs (now Worth), 11-21-1895; resigned 1906.
West Chester, Pa.
HANNAH. A. MARSHALL, 11-21-1895. West Chester, Pa.
WILLIAM P. MARSHALL, 11-21-1895; died 10-17-1901. West Chester, Pa.
DENJAMIN THOMPson, 11-21-1895. Landenberg, Pa.
DANIEL Foul KE MooRE, 11-21-1895. Phoenixville, Pa.
JonAs PRESTON THOMAs, 11-21-1895; died 11-20-1905. (Life Member.)
Whitford, Pa.
HENRY L. BRINTON, 11-21-1895; resigned 1904. Oxford, Pa.
MARY D. BIDDLE, 11-21-1895; died 12-3-1900. Seal, Pa.
THEODORE K. STUBBs, 11-21-1895. Oxford, Pa.
SARA CoCHRAN EVANs, 12-26-1895; resigned 1904. West Chester, Pa.
THOMAS ALLEN CLOUD, 12-26-1895; died 3-5-1896. Kennet Square, Pa.
GEORGE H. RoBERTs, 12-26-1895. West Chester, Pa.
HARRIs E. SPROAT, 12-26-1895. Westtown, Pa.
MARY ELIZABETH MAISON, 12-26-1895. Cheyney, Pa.
THOMAS E. PARKE, 1-16-1896 (Life Member). P. Downingtown, Pa.
GEORGE F. P. WANGER, 1-16-1896; resigned 1905. Pottstown, Pa.
W. WARREN WooDRUFF, 1-16-1896; resigned 1898. West Chester, Pa.
WILMER. E. PENNYPACKER, 2-20-1896; released 1898. West Chester, Pa.
SAMUEL WAGNER, 2-20-1896. Route No. 1, West Chester, Pa.
JoHN L. BALDERSTON, 2-20-1896; released 1898. Rennet Square, Pa.
REES PALMER, 2-20-1896; died 2-10-1901. West Chester, Pa.
CHARLEs R. HoopFs, 2-20-1896. West Chester, Pa.
JoHN R. GILPIN, 4-16-1896; died 8-26-1907. West Chester, Pa.
GEORGE A. CHANDLER, 4-16-1896. Bethlehem, Pa.
THOMAS MERCER, 4-16-1896; released 1899. West Chester, Pa.
CHARLEs E. PUGH, 4-16-1896. Broad Street Station, Philadelphia, Pa.
Jose.P.H PRICE, 4-16-1896; released 1897. Whitford, Pa.
ALBERT Commons, 4-16-1896. Wilmington, Del.
WILLIAM J. LATTA, 1896? Philadelphia, Pa.
SyDNEY NEVILLE UssBIER, 5-21-1896. New York City.
60 Members of the Chester County Historical Society.
CHARLEs H. HowLLL, 5-21-1896. Phoenixville, Pa.
ALBIN GARRETT, 5-21-1896. Westtown, Pa.
J. CHESTON MORRIs, 1896 (?); resigned 11-13-1907. Philadelphia, Pa.
FRED W. WollBRTON, 9-17-1896. - Now of Scranton, Pa.
H. M. RALSTON, 1896(?). Chicago, Ill.
WALTER. S. WYATT, 10-15-1896; resigned 1904. Exton, Pa.
WILLIAM M. GIFFORD, 10-15-1896; resigned 1904. West Chester, Pa.
HENRY PLEASANTs, 12-19-1896. Wayne, Pa.
GEORGE RHYFEDD Foul KE, 12-19-1896; died 11-28-1901.
West Chester, Pa.
THOMAS E. EYANson, 12-19-1896. Seattle, Wash.
HENRI MARTYN CHASE, 3-18-1897; died 11-18-1899, in Boston, Mass;
buried at Newburyport.
Joshua E. WILLs, 9-16-1897; released 1898. West Chester, Pa.
FRANCIS MARK BROOKE, 10-21-1897; died 12-29-1898; born 7-4-1836.
Philadelphia, Pa.
THOMAS SHARPLEss, 12-16-1897; released 1898. West Chester, Pa.
HERMAN HOOPES, 4-21-1898. West Chester, Pa.
HORACE L. CHEYNEY, 10-20-1898. Now of New York City.
SMITH BURNHAM, 10-20-1898. West Chester, Pa.
JoHN M. HARTMAN, 9-20-1900. Mount Airy, Philadelphia, Pa.
DougLAs E. BRINTON, 12-20-1900. Oxford, Pa.
LEWIs K. STUBBs, 3-21-1901. . West Chester, Pa.
MRs. LINDA AVERY PAINTER,” 12-17-1903 (Honorary).
MRS. ELLEN PAINTER CUNNINGHAM,” 12-17-1903 (Honorary).
MRS. ALICE E. P. THORBURN,” 12-17-1903 (Honorary).
LEVI GHEEN MCCAULEY, 12-17-1903 (Honorary). West Chester, Pa.
EDWIN M. SUPLEE, 5-19-1904. Pawling, Pa.
J. FRANK E. HAUSE, 5-19-1904. West Chester, Pa.
ROLAND SMEDLEY, 5-19-1904. West Chester, Pa.
EDWARD S. PAxson, 5-19-1904. West Chester, Pa.
JACOB CARRoll, HAYEs, 5-19-1904. West Chester, Pa.
JoBN A. MoRRISON, M. D., 7-21-1904 (Honorary); died 7-26-1904.
Cochranville, Pa.
THoMAs B. TAYLOR, 7-21-1904. West Chester, Pa.
ANDREw J. TAYLOR, 9-15-1904. West Chester, Pa.
ELLEN MENDENHALL BEALE, 9-15-1904. Parkesburg, Pa.
LowNEs TAYLOR, 10-20-1904 (Honorary). Swarthmore, Pa.
HELEN TAYLOR, 10-20-1904 (Honorary). Philadelphia, Pa.
THEODORE, RooseVELT, 11-18-1904 (Honorary). Washington, D. C.
John WooDF JORDAN, 5-19-1905 (Honorary). Philadelphia, Pa.
* These are the widow and daughters of Uriah H. Painter, of Wash-
ington, D. C., formerly of West Chester, who have conveyed a valuable
property, “Memorial Hall,” in West Chester, to use of McCall Post,
G. A. R., and, at the suggestion of L. G. McCauley, the Chester County
Historical Society in remainder.
Members of the Chester County Historical Society.
61
AMOs BONSALL, 5-19-1905 (Honorary).
JoHN R. HUNSICKER, 9-21-1905.
CHRISTIAN C. SANDERSON, 9-21-1905.
HERBERT P. WoRTH, 5-17-1906.
ELIZABETH BLACK (now Sharpless), 5-17-1906.
JoHN F. LEWIs, 5-17-1906 (Life Member).
CHARLEs J. PENNOCK, 3-16-1905.
WILLIAM F. WICKERSHAM, 3-16-1905.
JUSTIN E. HARLAN, 6-8-1906.
ABNER C. BALDw1N, 6-8-1906.
CHARLEs E. MATHER, 10-18-1906 (Honorary).
ALBERT Cook MYERs, 10-18-1906.
GEORGE THOMAs, 3d, 10-18-1906.
ELwood R. GREEN, 2-21-1907.
ALICE CochRAN, 5-16-1907.
WILLIAM. H. HoDGSON, 6-21-1907.
J. Comly HALL, 6-21-1907.
RoBERT M. Scott, 6-21-1907.
JEssE E. PHILIPs, 6-21-1907.
ALBERT B. RoßCKER, 6-21-1907.
THOMAS FRANKLIN WooDSIDE, 10-24-1907.
MARSHALL S. WAY, 10-24-1907.
THoMAS LAWRENCE EYRE, 10-24-1907.
JoBN FARRELL, 10-24-1907.
FRANK H. SEELEY, 10-24-1907.
EDWARD BRINTON, 10-24-1907.
EDGAR. J. PARKER, 10-24-1907.
EDWARD E. SHIELDs, 11-21-1907.
WILLIAM C. HUSTED, 11-21-1907.
MAURICE R. TRAVILLA, 11-21-1907.
PLUMMER. E. JEFFERIs, 11-21-1907.
JAMES LAMBERT KING, 11-21-1907.
JENNIE B. MARTIN, 11-21-1907.
ELIZABETH F. CRILEY, 11-21-1907.
JEAN KANE Foulke, 11-21-1907.
BIRD T. BALDWIN, 11-21-1907.
ROBERT EDWARD LARAMY, 11-21-1907.
T. WALTER GILKyson, 11-21-1907.
MARY E. SPEAKMAN, 11-21-1907.
WILMER. T. NIELDs, 11-21-1907.
HENRY K. HARLAN, 12-26-1907 (Honorary).
ALFRED PASCHALL, 12-26-1907.
MARY F. C. PASCHALL, 12-26-1907.
ARTHUR T. PARKE, 1-22-1908.
J. HowARD LUMIs, 1-22-1908.
WILLIAM WALTER HEED, 1-22-1908.
WILMER WORTHINGTON MACELREE, 1-22-1908,
Philadelphia,
Downingtown,
Chads’ Ford,
West Chester,
West Chester,
Morstein,
Kennet Square,
Westtown,
West Chester,
E. Downingtown,
Haverford,
Moylan,
Whitford,
Kennet Square,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
Kennet Square,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
Phoenixville,
Swarthmore,
West Chester,
West Chester,
Embreeville,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.,
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
62 Members of the Chester County Historical Society.
HERMAN F. WYERs, 2-20-1908.
CATHARINE BLACK WYERs, 2-20-1908.
JoHN EVERTON RAMSEY, 2-20-1908.
WILLIAM HENRY LINDLEY, 2-20-1908.
EMMA RAMBLER LINDLEY, 2-20-1908.
SARAH HAVARD LINDLEY, 2-20-1908.
REBECCA HEMPHILL, 4-16-1908.
ELIZABETH. M. REYNoLDs, 4-16-1908.
EMMA ALEXANDER RAMSEY, 4-16-1908.
ARTHUR BROWNE HAMMOND, 4-16-1908.
JANE ROGERs BAKER, 4-16-1908.
West Chester,
West Chester,
Swarthmore,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
West Chester,
Swarthmore,
West Chester,
Embreeville,
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
Pa.
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