t^:1f
i^ir.:^.!
|
t-^^i^r;^^i^^ |
||
|
^ifif/ |
'^Ti^ |
5^sW/r. |
|
^^^6M |
||
|
^P^^SiW^^PI^L^Pr ^jB^LJHBK rfte |
f* fi fi r ^ fr' ff |
|
|
§^,"'5»!' |
^ f ^^^ 1* i* ^ 9 . l^JffT |
|
1:1:1:1
|
rr r- r-*- ^"*- ifc^ |
•J |
|
|
' 1 r ~- Mr-- |
f |
4 |
|
V »:i |
||
|
*A>3Cl |
».J |
».»»:►:» y»^
i Iv. 'j
^:^^:.
' t ill *iilk. im im^
.0 o « » .
0*
0,0' ^^'
.* "1
«
^S^^ill-^i'
>1^,C
V,
."1 c:.
.^'
..V
.^:
|
"^ \ ' ft |
^ |
|
,_ 1 ' |
|
|
-\ ' |
|
|
'^ |
|
|
^.^-^ |
|
|
!.'•__ |
|
|
. .'■.-::t'^ |
|
|
■J |
■^^^d* |
|
• |
'■I 0 |
|
^«i |
5^'
".^.^
r«-' ^^'
'-^s.^^^^
'V^^X^/ «.?■' Ci^ ^/^^
I'.X^ .^" /^1^<' "^.. ^•^■^ yJr^\\^ >° /^^% °^.. vi"^ yjr£^^
n^ o - o . "*>> .t,
'^^^:'
A O
^°-%
L^O 0°"°"
-TT* A
i5°^
.•iq.
y :^!(fB>;
s
'. ■?. .^ z,-^."
^0^
o%.
CHESTER COUNTY
AND
ITS PEOPLE
<^%(,6>
Of all the things which man can do or make here below, by far the most momentous, wonderful and worthy are the things we call books — THOMAS CARLYLE
^^ EDITED BY
wf W. THOMSON
ILLUSTRATED
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK;.'.:, , THE UNION HISTORY COMPANY 1898
^
y^U^'%
PRCPACe.
THE Publishers herewith present to their friends in Chester County this fine volume of local history. Upon examination it will be found full of interesting matter concerning the county, and will be accepted as a standard contribution to the history of the State. The Pub- lishers have drawn freely from every available source, giving due credit therefor, and gratefully acknowledge their indebt- edness to the press throughout the count}' and to the owners of private libraries and rare and valuable documents. In a work of this character, more or less hurriedly prepared, it has been found impracticable to avoid mistakes; but the Publishers, as is their custom, stand ready to correct, after notification, all errors by special errata sheet to be sent to every subscriber to be pasted in the book. We cordially thank our friends and patrons for their encouragement and support,
THE pu^i^ianma.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
"^ Octagonal School-house 65-66
« View of Coatesville i ig-120
'^ William Wayne 137-138
V Josiah Hoopes 173-174
. H. H. GiLKYSON 209-210
V Bayard Taylor 227-228
V Wayne MacVeagh 227-228
-i Anthony Wayne 227-228
V Galusha Pennypacker 227-228
T. Buchanan Read 227-228
V Unveiling of Paoli Monument 245-246
i General Lafayette 263-264
J Main Building, Normal School 281-282
V Group of Buildings, Lincoln University 299-300
j P. M. Sharfless 317-318
i A. P. Reid 335-336
J G. M. Philips 371-372
/ A. Gibbons 389-390
< Roxborough Home for Women 407-408
■! Charlton Lewis 425-426
i H. A. Beale 443-444
-I J. A. M. Passmore 461-462
: M. S. Way 479-480
V Charles Huston 497-498
; G. G. Groff : 515-516
,; J. S. FuTHEY 533-534
/ Joseph B. Jacobs 587-588
/ J. B. Everhart 605-606
n/ Gilbert Cope 670-671
/Jesse C. Green 702-703
■/ Birmingham Meeting-house 766-767
n' L. G. McCauley 878-879
III
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTEK I.
PAGE.
Situation of the Coimty 51
Area and Boundary 52
Appearance of the Country, Early 52
Varieties of Trees 53
Early Events on the Atlantic Coast 54-57
Attempts on the Delaware, Swedes' 58
Eilorts of the Dutch 60
The English Colonists 61
Special Court Held at New Castle 61
First Eoad Law 62
Upland and Chester Counties 62-63
Arrival of William Penn 63
Three Counties Formed 63-6-1
Original Extent of Chester County 64-65
First County-seat and Courts 64-65
The Dutch Again Take Possession 68
Final English xiscendency 68
First Legislative Assembly • 69
Extinguishment of the Indian Title 69
Settlers of the County, Their Nationality 69
The Quakers, the Welsh, etc 70
Oldest House Kemoved 70
Assimilation of Early Names 71
Drainage of Chester County 71-73
Sketch of the Boundary Controversy 73-80
Mason and Dixon's Line 82-89
IV
TABLE OF CONTENTS. v
PAGE.
The Circular Bouudary Line 89-95
Delaware County Formed 96
CHAPTER II.
The Indians ; 99
The Original People, Lenni-Lenape 99
Name Delaware Given Them 99
Their Trails, Villages and Customs 100-111
Other Tribes Residing Here 100
Warrant of Survey 103
The Famous Treaty of William Penn 101-105
Facts More or Less Obscure 106
Earliest Deeds to Penn lOG-110
Location of Indian Villages and Trails Ill
Indian Implements and Utensils 113-111
Forts and Other Earthworks Ill
An Indian Alarm 115
Status of the Delawares 116
Claims of the Indians 117
Proceedings of the Assembly 118-127
The Newlin Claim Settled 127
The Last of the Indians 128-129
CHAPTER IIL
Geology 133
Primary Stratified Rocks 133
Silurian-Cambrian Limestones 134
Potsdam Sandstone 131
VI TABLE OF.CONTENTS.
PAT.E.
South Valley Hill Rocks 134-135
The Five Geological Sections 130
The Southern Gneiss Region 13G
The Mica Slates 141
The Valley Region Ill
The Northern Gneisses 113
The Red Sandstone Region Ill
The Mesozoic Boundary 115
Ancient Features and Markings 116
Minerals of the County 147-157
CHAPTER IV.
Welsh and Other Settlers 161
Early Prominence of the Welsh 161-162
The Welsh Warrant 162-63
Purchases of Tliat People 164-66
Settlers of Merion Township 167
Struggle to Maintain the Barony 168
Sales to Other Settlers 170
Settlement of the Townships Considered 167
Names of Prominent Families 175-80
Lffititia Penn Manor 179
Sales Therefrom 183
Boundary of the Welsh Tract 186
The Indenture of Servants 187
CHAPTER V.
The Revolutionary War 193
The French War of 1744 193
TABLE OF CONTENTS. vii
PAGE.
Organization of the Associators 194
Events Preceding the Eevolution 194-98
Circular Issued Calling People Together 199
Action of the Meeting at Chester 199
Meeting of the Committees 200
Proceedings of Congress 201
Other Meetings and Conventions 202
Military Exercises Practiced 203
Committee of Safety 204
Officers Chosen and Arms Provided 204-G
Powder and Lead 206
Military Laws and Eegulations 207
Provincial Army Formed 208
Chester County Troops 208
Hardships Endured 211
Cannon Cast in This Vicinity 212
Number Capable of Bearing Arms 212
Substitutes Hired 213
Battle of Brandywine 214-19
Fight at Birmingham Meeting-house 219
Lafayette Wounded 220
Other Engagements 222
Grey's Attack Upon Wayne 223
The Paoli Massacre 225
Howe Occupies Philadelphia 225
Depredations of the British Troops 226-32
Action Against the Tories 231
Sufferings at Valley Forge 233-35
Germantown 233
Severe Measures for Relief 234
" Washington's Opinion of the Soldiers 236
The Various Hospitals 236
Incidents of Local Interest 238
viii TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Military Status of the County 239
British Ravages in Chester County 240
Surrender of Cornwallis 241
Patriots, Tories and Neutrals '. 242
Subsequent Action of the Patriots 243-47
List of Fines and Forfeitures 248-49
List of Militia Officers 249-51
The Tory's Position Considered 251-54
First Monument at Paoli 254-55
The Monument of 1877 255-57
The Whisky Insurrection 257-61
lleoeption of General Lafayette 261-66
The Lafayette Monument 266-68
The McClellan Monument 268
CHAPTER VL
War of 1812 and Mexican War 271
First Chester County Volunteers 271
The Ninety-seventh Regiment 271
Its Commissioned Officers 271-72
Encampment at Kennett Square 272
The Assemblage at Marcus Hook 272
General Officers from this County 273
The Companies and Their Captains 273
The Mexican War 274
The Quota from Pennsylvania 274
Names of Several from this County 274
CHAPTER VII.
The Great Rebellion 277
Preliminary Facts and Dates 277-78
TABLE OF CONTENTS. ix
PAGE.
News of the Fall of Fort Sumter 278
First Great War Meetings 278
The Earliest V^olunteers 278-79
Companies Organized and Officered 279
The Entire County Aroused 279-80
Numerous Companies Organized 280-84
Phffinixville Iron Works .284
Location of Camp Wayne 284
Efforts to Eaise the Ninety-seventh Eegiment 285-86
Its Departure and Engagements 286-87
Central and Other Aid Societies 287-88
New Calls for Volunteers 289
Continued Enlistments 290
The Enrollment and Draft 291-92
Conscientious Scruples Against War 291-92
Invasion of Pennsylvania Threatened 291-92
Drafted Men and Substitutes 292-93
A Colored Squad Raised Here 294
Union Leagues Organized 294-95
Military Keceptions 295
Lee's Invasion of the State 296
Companies Formed in this Emergency 296-97
Three Months' Men Called for 297
Wounded at Gettysburg Cared for 298
County and Other bounty 298-801
Veteranization 301
Another Invasion Threatened 301-02
Continued Eecruiting to Fill Calls 302
News of the Fall of Richmond 302
Surrender of General Lee 303
The Glad Tidings Celebrated 302-03
Gloom Over Lincoln's Assassination 303
Soldiers Furnished by the County 304
Several Distinguished Officers 305
X TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VIII.
PAGE.
The Spanish-American War 311
Cause of the War 311-12
Its Formal Declaration 312
The Quota of Pennsylvania 312
Departure of CoruwelFs Company 312
The Company's Roster 312-13
Company I of the Sixth 313
Company D from Phoenixville 314
Copies of the Muster Rolls 313-17
Company L, Colored 31G
Other Squads and Companies 319-22
Soldiers' Aid Societies 320
Battery C, National Guard 321
Major-General Galusha Pennypacker 322-24
CHAPTER IX.
Slavery 327
Its Early Existence in this State 327
The Enslavement of Indians 327
Law Prohibiting the Latter 327-28
Misgivings of the Indians 328
Significance of Their Wampum Belts 328-29
First Negro Slaves 330
Mennonites and Quakers Against Slavery 330
The Anti-slavery Law of 1780 330-31
Motives in Freeing the Slaves 331-34
Slaves Registered 334-40
Slavery Ceased to Exist in the County 339
Slaveholders in the County 334-40
Welsh and Quakers thus Compared 340
TABLE OF CONTENTS. xi
PAGE.
Colonization Societies Formed Here 340-41
Kedemptioners and Indentured Servants 341-42
Form of Apprentice's Indenture 343
Kidnapping 344
The Underground Kailroad 345-48
Eespectability of the Colored People 349
CHAPTER X.
Education 355
Inducements Held Out to Settlers 356
The First Schoolmaster 356-57
Traveling Teachers 357
First Teaching in Chester County 358
Friends Were Pioneers in Education 358-59
Extract from the "Great Law" 359
Compulsory Act of the Second Assembly 359
Early Schools Started Here 360-61
Recommendations of the Yearly Meeting 361
Fagg's Manor Classical School 361-64
New London Academy 364
Nottingham Academy 364
Brandy wine Academy 365
Upper Octoraro Classical School 365
Other Schools 365-67
Birmingham Classical School 366
The Friends' Boarding School 367-78
West Chester Academy 379
West Chester State Normal School 380
Its Faculty 383
George M. Philips 384
xu TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Other Good Schools 385
Mrs. Phelps' Young Ladies' School 386-87
Villa Maria Academy 387
Kimber's School 387-88
Miscellaneous Schools 388-96
Ashmun Institute 396
Ercildoun Seminarv 398
Penn High School 400
First Common Schools 401-02
Early Laws on Education 403
Poor Children Provided for 403-04
Law of 1834 404-05
Position of this County 406-09
Non-accepting Districts in 1848 409-10
Laws of 1849, 1854, 1855 and 1857 410-12
County Superintendents 412
Statistics in the '60's 413
High and Graded Schools 414-15
Temperance and Directors' Associations 415
Teachers' Associations. 416-17
Circulating Library 418
The Massachusetts System 419
Miss Susan Gorgas 421-22
CHAPTEE XL
Politics 427
Form of Penn's Government 427
Assembly Met in this County 427
Composition of the Assembly 427-28
Chester County Representation 428
TABLE OF CONTENTS. xiii
PAGE.
Members of the Legislature 428-42
First and Second Congresses 442
Congressional Kepresentation 442-51
The Congressional Districts 445-4ft
John Morton, the Signer 446-48
United States Senator 448
Prominent Politicians 451-58
Form of Government Changed 458
The Powers of the Councils 458-59
The Kevolutionary Convention 459
The Provincial Conference 460
Constitution of 1776 460
Chester County Members of Council 460
Members During the Revolution . 463
Terms of Service in the Assembly 463
Members of the State Senate 464
County Offices 465
Prothonotary 465
Registers of Wills 466
Recorders of Deeds 467-68
Clerks of Court 469-70
Sheriffs 470-73
Coroners 473-74
Commissioners 474-78
County Treasurers 478-81
Prohibition Convention 481-82
Republican Convention 482-83
Population of the County, 1890 483-86
XIV TABLE OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XII.
PAGE.
Roads 489
Indian Trails Were the First 489
Passage Ways Ordered Built 489
Overseers of Roads 490
Petitions for Many Roads 490-95
Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike 495-96
Other Turnpikes 496
Plank and Macadamized Roads 499-500
Railroads 500
Old Style Teaming 501
The First Railroad • 502
The Canal Projected 503
Early Railway Experiments 503
Completion of the Columbia Road 503-04
Proceedings at West Chester in 1830 504
Rush for the Stock 505
The Road in Operation 505-06
Railway Improvement and Manipulation 507-08
The Second Road Projected 508-09
Its Eventual Completion 509-10
The Pennsylvania Railroad 510-13
Brandywine and Waynesburg Railroad 513
Wilmington and Northern Railroad 513
Other Roads 512-19
Philadelphia and Delaware Railroad 514
Pickering Vallej' Railroad 514
Perkiomen Railroad 514-15
Philadelphia and Chester Valley Railroad 517
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad 517
Philadelphia and Baltimore Central Railroad 517-18
TS'est Chester Street Railway 518
Philadelphia, Castle Rock and West Chester Railway 519
TABLE OF CONTENTS. xv
CHAPTER XIII.
PAGE.
The Courts 523
First Court after Penn's Arrival 523
Tlie Tribune of Peacemakers 523
Several Interesting Early Cases 524-25
First Court of Equity 525
First Orphans' Court 525
Jails and Court-houses 52(>
Judicial Districts in 1790 526
The State Eedistricted 527
The Elective System 527
Judge Futhey 527-28-32
Court of Oyer and Terminer 528-29
Distinguished Members of the Bar 529-40
Deputy Attorneys-General 540-41
Punishment of Crime 542-45
The Goss-Udderzook Murder Case 544-45
Other Eminent Lawyers 545-58
Admissions to the County Bar , 558-60
Law Librarv Association 566-67
CHAPTER XIV.
Mining and Manufacturing 573
First Lead and Silver Mined 573
Bogus Coins Manufactured 573-75
Iron Ore Early Mined , 576
The Furnaces and Forges 576-77
The Restrictive Law of 1750 577
Slitting and Rolling-mills ■ 577
Other Iron and Steel Mines 578-80
XVI TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Famous Valley Forge 580
Cast-steel Made 581
Many Iron and Steel Mills Named 581-84
Location of the Best Ore-banks 584-90
Lead and Copper Ore Located 590
Marble and Limestone 592
Graphite, Chrome and Corundum 593
Clocks Manufactured 594
Saw and Grist-mills 595
Carding, Spinning and Weaving 596-97
Miscellaneous Industries 596-98
The Platinum Works 598-99
Other Iron and Steel Works 594-99
Boiler Works 599-604
Other Manufacturing Enterprises 604-25
Abraham Gibbons 625
CHAPTEK XV.
The Press and Literature 629
The First Weekly Newspaper 629
Other Early Ventures 629
The First Editors and Publishers 630-31
Characteristics of the First Papers 629-31
Later Newspapers and Editors 632-34
Politics of the Newspapers 629-40
Failures and Successes 629-35
Successors to the First Papers 636
Contests of the Partisan Weeklies 630-39
Newspapers of Recent Dates 639-56
Other Periodicals 630-56
TABLE OF CONTENTS. xvii
PAGE.
Literary Ability of the Editors 630-56
The Local News 653
Literature in Chester County 656
Writers, Early and Late 656-78
CHAPTER XVI.
The Medical Profession 681
First Society in the County 681
Its Officers and By-Laws 681-82
Fee-bill Adopted 682
Meetings and Proceedings 682-83
The Society in Later Years 683-84
Sketches of the Early Practitioners 684
Their Scientific and Professional Attainments 684
The Various Schools Represented 685
Physicians of a Later Date 690-711
Tlieir Membership in Societies 685-708
Influence of the Local Organizations 686-711
Dentistry 704-11
Its Eminent Practitioners 704-11
Dental Societies 710
Homeopathic Society 711
CHAPTER XVII.
Banking and Insurance 715
National Bank of Chester County 715
Acts of the Assembly 715
2
XVIII TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Veto of the Governor 716
Stock Subscribed 716
Form of Early Bank-note 717
Statistics of the Bank 718-19
Its Officers 719-20
Metliods of Transacting Business 720
First National Bank 721-22
Private Banking 722-21
Other National Banks 724-26
Other Private Bankers 721-26
Savings Institutions 727
Other Banking Houses 728-31
Insurance 732
The Various Local Companies 732-35
Their Officers and Methods 732-35
CHAPTER XVIII.
Religion 739
Churches Were Very Early Established 739
Names of the First Ministers 739-40
First Meetiug-houses 740-41
The Society of Friends 741-61
Their Congregations and Doctrines 742-44
Importance of Their Work 745-60
Their Monthly Meetings, Where Held 746-60
Their Meeting-houses 745-60
The Rise of the Hicksites 756-59
The Catholics 761-67
Their First Church in the State 761
TABLE OF CONTENTS. xix
PAGE.
Antagonism to Tliem 761-62
Chester County Catholics 762
Their Later Churches, Schools, etc 763-67
The Presbyterians 767-82
Oldest Church in the County 768-82
The Various Congregations 768-82
Their Pastors and Buildings 769-82
The Baptists 783-801
Churches of the Associations 783-801
Early Pastors and Meeting-houses 784-85
Later Organizations and Statistics 786-90
Other Baptists 798-801
The Methodists 802-28
Their Buildings and Congregations 802-28
The Pastors, Statistics 804-28
The Circuits 806-08
The Episcopalians 829-45
The Sectors and Their Followers 830-45
Eev. Mr. Ussher 839-45
The Lutheran Churches 845
Their Statistics 847-53
The Reformed Churches 854
The Mennonites 858
Disciples of Christ 858
Christian Church 859
CHAPTER XIX.
Towns and Townships 863
Birmingham Township 863
Bradford Township .864
XX TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Brandywine Township 865
Charlestown Township 865
Tlie Manor of Bilton 867
Cain Township 867
DoAvnington 869
The Coveutries 871
Easttown Township 871
Goshen Township 872
West Chester 873-90-1:
Marshall S. Way 893
The Jacobs Family 894
Chester County Hospital 897-901
Masonic Lodges 901-03
J. C. Smith Memorial Home 903-01
The Epileptic Hospital and Colony Farm 904-05
Tallowfield Township 905
Honeybrook and Other Townships 906
Borough of Honeybrook 906-07
Hamorton 907
Kennett Township 907
Kennett Square 908
Bayard Taylor Memorial Library 910
London Britain Township 910
Londonderry and Londongrove Townships 911
West Grove Borough 912-13
Avondale Borough 913-14
Marlborough Township 914
Nantmeal Township 915
New London Township 915
New Garden Township 916
Newlin Township 917-18
Nottingham Township 919-20
Oxford Borough and Township 920-21
TABLE OF CONTENTS. xxi
PAGE.
Pocopsou Township 922-23
Peuu ami PeDusburv Towusliips 923-24
Pikelaud Towuship 924-26
Sadsbiiry Towuship 926
Atgleu 927-28
Parkersburg 928-29
Coatesville 929-35
Schuylkill Township 935
Phosnixville 936-43
Thornbury Township 943
Tredyffrin Township 943
Uwchlan Township 944-45
Valley Township 946
Vincent Towuship 946-48
Wallace Township 948
Warwick Township 948-49
Westtown Township 949
Willistown Township 950
Whiteland Township 950
Vallev Forue 951-53
CHAPTEK XX.
Agriculture 957
Importance of the Subject Admitted 957
Extract from Message to the Council 957-58
Place of Agriculture 958
Early Size of Farms 958
The Soil and Crops * 959
A Eeapiug Incident 959-60
The Baily Mowing-machine 960-61
XXII TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE.
The Copo-Hoopes Mowing-machine OGO-fil
Hay-ralies Inyented 9G1
Sickles and Cradles 962
Threshing-machines Invented 962-63
Important Agricultural Exhibits 964
The Agricultural Society 965
Exhibitions, Premiums, etc 966
Ground Bought by the Society 966
Officers of the Society 966-68
Model and Experimental Farm 967
Patrons of Husbandry 968-69
Dairy Interests of the County 969
The Shipping of Milk 970
Creameries 970-71
Butter-making 971-72
The Milling Business 972-73
Decay of Industries 973-74
The Growing of Carnations 974-75
County Best Fitted for What? 975
The Rearing of Stock 975-76
John A. M. Passmore 976
Nurseries and Green-houses 976-77
Fruit Trees and Shrubbery 977
Botanical Gardens 977-79
Work of Humphrey Marshall 979
Excellence of the County Products 979
Other Advantages Enjoyed Here 980
Statistics of 1890 981
THE BRANDYWINE.
By lion. James B. Everhart.
How beautifully glides the Braudywine! On and forever from dawn to decline — Under tlie bridges and arches of trees. Gilding the landscape and cooling the breeze, Parting the pastures and swelling their stores, Flowering, perfuming the sinuous shores, Glossing the squirrel disporting above, Sweetening the tanager's carol of love.
How beautifully flows the Brandywine! Laving the limbs of the indolent kine. Kissing the sedges aud smoothing the stones, Charming the air with its murmuring tones, Bord'ring the cottage ensconced in the vale, Whitening the wheat for the garner and flail. Shaking the mill with its slumberous sounds. And feeding the forge as it smokes and pounds.
How beautifully streams the Brandywine! Slowly or swift with its silvery shine, Under the clifl:s* where traditional fame Pictures the plunge of the desperate dame, Rounding the hollowt where suubeams illume With changeable gleams the arboreous gloom, Neariug the lodge of the Indian Maid.i Lingering alone where her fathers strayed.
How solemnly surges the Brandywine! Armies of nations contesting its line. Foreigners fording its turbulent flood. Signal guns distantly pealing their thud — Column on column, heroic with zeal. Waving their pennants and flashing their steel. Trampling the rushes and climbing the bank, Startling their foemeu, assailing their flank.
How solemnly surges the Bradywlue! Marking with crimson its course serpentine- Forces reserved closing in from afar, Scallug with fury the ridges of war. Cannon exploding with terrible roar, Dark'uing the heavens and rocking the shore. Squadrons of troopers o'ersweeping the plain, Regiments recoiling, retreating or slain.
XXIII
XXIV THE BBAKBYWIXE.
How solemnly surges the Brandywiuel Teeming with many a sorrowful sign — Heroes and horses, distorted and torn. Bloated and dead, on its surface upborne. ATounded ones writhing and wailing for aid. Fragments and missiles o'er hillock and glade. Havoc and horror, disaster and night Palling the scenery and quenching the fight.
How exultingly leaps the Brandywine! Welcoming Peace with her features divine. Bearing the olive, and pourmg her horn Over the region so smitten and shorn. Causing the barrens to bloom as the rose. Soothing the passions of rage to reposa Blessing the labors of genius and art. Rearing the altar and crowding the mart.
How complacently pours the Brandywinel Voicing its sounds in songs crystalline — Orders abolished and merit secure, Fortune unfolding her gates to the poor, Science displaying the secrets of time, Yolving the forces of nature sublime, Progress and weal with the country allied. And Glory adorning her banner of pride.
How beautifully rolls the Brandywine! Hasfning to mingle itself in the brine, AVater fowls dijjping their wings in its crest, Swimmers fomenting its waves into yest, Holiday barks sailing gaily along. Freighted with frolic and graces and song. Fishermen watching the tremulous line. And dreamers in quest of the Muses' shrine, In the haunted dells of the Brandywine.
''Deb< rail's Rock is so called, says the story, from a disappointed girl of that name, who destroyed herself by leaping from it.
tDungeon Hollow is the name of a picturesque turn of the stream near Paint- er's Bridge.
ilndian Hannah was the last of the Lenape tribe. She lived in a hut near the Brandywine long after her people had disappeared.
CHAPTER I.
PHYSICAL FEATURES.
Chester County and Its People.
CHAPTER I.
LOCATION AND AREA TIMBER AND DRAINAGE THE ROYAL CHARTERS
EXPLORATIONS AND DISCOVERIES THE FIRST SETTLERS COLONI- ZATION COMPANIES LAND CONTROVERSIES COUNTIES OR- GANIZED ORIGINAL EXTENT OF THE COUNTY
COUNTY SEAT THE SWEDES, WELSH AND
QUAKERS THE BOUNDARY
CONTROVERSY.
CHESTER COUNTY, Penusylvauia, is situated in the south- eastern part of the State. It is in the form of an irregular oblong, with its gi'eatest leng-th, from northeast to southwest, aud with no boundary corresponding to the cardinal directions, except tht> southern, which runs nearly east aud we.st, separating it from Maryland aud being the famous Mason aud Dixon's line. A por- tion of the southeast boundary is the section of a circle, separating the county from the State of Delaware, and the other portion of the southeast bouudaiy is Delaware County, Pennsylvania, which was once a part of Chester County. Montgomeiy County bounds it on the uorthoast, the two counties being separated from each other by the Schuylkill River. On the uorthwest it is bounded by Berks Couuty aud Lancaster County, the latter extending from Berks County down to the State of Maryland.
The county lies between 39 degrees 42 minutes and 40- degrees 30 minutes north latitude, and bet\yeen 75 degrees 15 minutes and 7G degrees 15 minutes west longitude from Greenwich, Eug-
51
52 CHESTER COUNTY
land, and between 55 minutes and 1 degree -40 minutes east longi- tude from the Capitol building at Washington, District of Colum- bia. In Maryland the counties which border it are Newcastle, Delaware and Cecil. The line of the Peunsylvauia IJailroad pass- ing through the county from east to west is thirty miles long. The extreme length of the county from north to south is thirty- six miles; its northern boundary is fifteen miles long; its nortli- eastern twenty-one miles long; its southeastern, eighteen miles; its southern, thirty miles, and its western border line twenty- eight miles, so that its entire periphery is 112 miles in length. The area of the county is equal to 763 squai'e miles, or 488,320 acres. It has a gently rolling surface, there being within its limits no considerable elevations, the highest point on any railroad pass- ing through it being 750 feet above the level of the sea, and its greatest depression 200 feet above the same level.
Originally this county was covered with timber, the principal varieties being the oak, hickory, walnut, sycamore and poplar. The condition of the forests when first visited by white men can hardly be conceived. The woods were quite free from underbrush and the ground was covered with a short, thick, nutritious grass. The trees were some distance apart, the lower limbs were high above the ground, and it was a comparatively easy matter to ride on horseback anywhere through the woods. The forests were simply magnificent, and many men would no doubt ride to-day a hundred miles on horseback to see such a sight. This condition of things would probably have lasted many years had not the Englishman come in to occupy the land; for the Swedes, who took the country as they found it, occupied the meadow and open lauds along the rivers, never attempting to clear the woods of trees. Sidney George Fisher says:
"In nothing is the diftei^ence in nationality so distinctly shown. The Dutchman builds trading posts and lies in his ship to collect the furs. The gentle Swede settles on the soft, rich meadow lands; his cattle wax fat and his barns are full of hay. The
AJ^D ITS PEOPLE. 53
Freuch enter the forests, sympathize with their inhabitants, and turn half savage to please them. All alike bow before the wilder- ness and accept it as a fixed fact. But the Englishman destroys it. There is even something significant in the; way his old charters gave him the land straight across America from sea to sea. He grasped at the continent from the beginning, and but for him the oak and the pine would have triumphed and the prairies still been in possession of the Indian and the buffalo."
The various kinds of trees that grew here in the early day, when the forest was in its primeval state, are mentioned by William Penn, in a letter dated January 9, 1GS3, to the Duke of Ormond, then Viceroy of Ireland. Penn said:
"The land is generally good, well watered and not so thick of wood as I imagined. There are also many open places that have been old Indian fields. The trees that grow here are the mulberry (white and red), walnut (black and gray), hickoiy, pop- lar, cedar, cypress, chestnut, ash, sassafras, gum, pine, spruce, oak (black, white, rod, Spanish, chestnut and swamp), which latter has a leaf like a willow and is most lasting."
That some of these trees grew to great size is shown by the fact that previous to December 31, 1897, on which day it was blown down in a storm, there was an ash tree growing on the farm of John B. Ralston in 'West Vincent Township which was one of the largest in its section of the county. It was twelve feet in circumference at the base, was clear of limbs for fifty-nine feet, and just below the first fork was seven feet in circumference. To the next limb above this it was thirty-five feet, making a straight shaft of ninety-three feet with but one limb. In 1895 this tree was photographed by Charies S. Bradford, of West Chester, for the Pennsylvania Forestry Association, and was then thought to be the finest tree in the county.
Early events in the settlement of the Atlantic coast are hero briefly related for the purpose of comparison of dates, in order that the reader may prc^perly place the first settlement of what later
54 CHESTER COUNTY
became Chester County among other movements of the kind. The tirst settlement in Virginia was made at Jamestown in 1607, and in 1609 the famous navigator, Henrv Hudson, an Englishman in the service of the Dutch East India Company, discovered the great river which has, for most of the time since then, borne his name, and which at other times has been, or rather was called, th<; North River, the present Delaware Eiver being called, to distin- guish it, the "South Iviver." The bay into which the Delaware IJiver flows was discovered by Henry Hudson on August 28, 1609, when he was in latitude 39 degrees 5 minutes noi-th. This bay was in 1610 visited by Lord De la A^'arc, and named Delaware Bay in honor of that nobleman.
Inasmuch as Henry Hudson was in the service of the Dutch, that nation laid claim to the territory on either side of the Hudson River and to that on either side of both Delaware Bay and Dela- ware River, thus claiming an extensive territory nhmg the Atlantic coast for a considerable distance north and south. The Delaware: River, one of the noblest of those flowing directly into the Atlantic Ocean, was known in the eaiiy history of the coimtry by various names, particularly among the Indians, who called it "Pautaxat," ^'Mariskitton," "Makerish-kiskeu," and "Lenape-Whittuck." By the Dutch it was named the "Zuyt," or South River, Nassaii River, Prince Hendrick River and Charles River. By the Swedes it Avas known as New Swedeland stream; by Ileylin, in liis "Cosmog- raphy,'' it was called "Arastapha," and finally by the English it was named the Delaware River; and as the English finally tri- umphed over their enemies or livals in the settlement of the Atlan- tic coast, the name given by them to this fine sti'eam has been retained.
Delaware Bay had at least two names api)lied to it before its Ijresent name became the permanent one, these two names being Newport Me.y and Godyn's Bay.
The States General of Holland, on March 27, 1611, granted a
AND ITS PEOPLE. 55
general charter securinji- "the exclusive privileges of trade during four voyages to the discoverers of any new courses, havens, coun- tries or places, under which charter the merchants of Amsterdam fitted out five vessels, one of which was named the "Fortune." It belonged to the city of Hoorn, was commanded by Captain Corneli.s Jacobson Mey, and arrived at the mouth of Delaware Bay. Its capes were named after himself, Comelis and Mey. Another vessel commanded by Captain Adrian Block was burned at the mouth of "Manhattan River," and immediately afterward Captain Block built a small vessel, sometimes called a yacht, which was 44 J feet long and 11^ feet wide, which he named the "Unrest," or Restless, this being the first vessel built by Europeans in North America. In this small vessel Captain Cornells, Hendricksou made further explorations and expeditions up the Delaware River, and even went as far up it, it has been said, as the mouth of the Schuyl- kill. But whetlier this statement is correct or not, tJie extent and value of the discoveries made by Captain Hendrickson may be judged to some degree by the report he made to the States Gen- eral, which report will be found of special interest, as it throws a gi'eat deal of light upon the condition of the counti-y in this immediate vicinity at the time of his visit. This report is as fol- lows :
"Report of Captain Cornells Hendrickson of Meunickendam to the High and Mighty Lords States General of the free United Netherland Provinces, made the XVIIIth August, Ad. 1616, of the country, bay and three rivers, situated in latitude from 38 to 40 degrees, by him discovei'ed and found for and to the behoof of his owners and directors of New Netherlands, by name, Gerrit Jacob Witzen, burgomaster at Aurit, Jonas Witzen, Lambreht Van Tweenhuysen, Palas Pelgrom and others of their company.
"First, he hath discovered for his aforesaid Masters and Direct- ors, certain lands, a bay aud three rivers, situated betnx-en 38 and 40 degrees.
56 CHESTER COUNTY
"And did there ti'ade with tlie iubabitants; that trade con- sisting of sables, furs, robes and other skins.
"He hath found the said couutrj' full of trees, to wit.: oaks, hickory and pines, which trees were in some places covered with vines.
"He hath seen in said country bucks aud does, turkeys and partridges.
"He hath found the climate of said country- very temperate, judging it to be as temperate as this country (Holland).
"He also traded for and bought from the Inhabitants, the Minguas, three persons, being people belonging to this company, which three persons w^ere employed in the service of the Mohawks and Machicans, giving for them kettles, beads and merchandise.
"Read, August 19, 1G16."
Dr. Smith, in his History of Delaware County, observes that it cannot be inferred from this report that Captain Hendrickson had discovered the Schuylkill, but he does not attempt to determine what three rivers were discovered by the Captain. He adds that if any knowledge of tlie Schuylkill Eiver, or even of the Delaware River, was obtained it was probably from the tJiree Indians pur- chased, or from the Indian tribes in general, which supposition appeal's to be strengthened by the fact that the States General refused to grant, or at least did not grant, the trading privileges to these applicants; and tlie trade to New' Netherland, which was regarded by the Dutch as extending beyond the Delaware, was thrown open in a measure to individual competition.
There are writers, however, a\ ho do not agree with Dr. Smith on this point, Sydney George Fisher, in his "Making of Pennsyl- vania," says: "The first person who conquered the shoals and really explored the river was a Dutchman, Captain Hendrickson. In the year 1616 he penetrated as far as the Schuylkill, just below the present site of Philadelphia. He had a small yacht, the 'Unrest,' or 'Restless,' only forty-five feet long, which had been built at
AND ITS PEOPLE. 57
New York after tlie loss of his lar<;er ship. lu iising this boat he may have been influenced by Jiiet's* warning that it would require a vessel of light draft to explore thoroughly that great bay."
Up to this time it would appear that discoveries for the pur- poses of colonization had not been thought of by the Dutch, and that their attention was engrossed wholly by the extension of trade. But now a proposition was made which, in its execution, changed the current of history. This proposition was made by
t
the Directors of the New Xetherland Trading Company, for the emigration to America of a certain English preacher versed in tlie language of the Dutch, then residing at Leyden, together witli more than four hundred families from both Holland and England, whom he had assured the petitioners he could induce to accompany him. These petitioners also asked that tn-o ships of war might be dispatched "for the